Dolnji Suhor pri Metliki (; ''Intelligenzblatt zur Laibacher Zeitung'', no. 141. 24 November 1849, p. 34.''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 14.) is a settlement in the

Municipality of Metlika A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the

White Carniola White Carniola (; ; or ''Weiße Mark'') is a traditional region in southeastern Slovenia on the border with Croatia. Due to its smallness, it is often considered a subunit of the broader Lower Carniola region, although with distinctive cultural, l ...

area of southeastern

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

. The area is part of the traditional region of

Lower Carniola Lower Carniola ( ; ) is a traditional region in Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south an ...

and is now included in the

Southeast Slovenia Statistical Region The Southeast Slovenia Statistical Region () is a statistical region in southeast Slovenia. It is the largest statistical region. The development of this region is largely the result of industry (the auto industry, pharmaceuticals, and other light ...

Name

The name of the settlement was changed from ''Dolnji Suhor'' to ''Dolnji Suhor pri Metliki'' in 1953. The name literally means 'lower Suhor near Metlike', distinguishing the settlement from neighboring Gornji Suhor pri Metliki (literally, 'upper Suhor near Metlike'). The settlement was attested in written sources in 1477 as ''Suchar'' (and as ''Dolnÿ Zwhor'' in 1593, and ''Vnter Süehar'' in 1610). The name ''Suhor'' is derived from the adjective ''suh'' 'dry'. This most likely refers to a dry creek rather than reference to a

hypocorism A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek ; sometimes also ''hypocoristic''), or pet name, is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as ''Izzy'' for Isabel or ''Bob (given name), Bob'' fo ...

. The settlement was known as ''Untersuchor bei Möttling'' in German in the past.

History

A school was established in 1859, and a schoolhouse was built in 1875. The settlement was heavily affected by the Second World War because of its strategic position; after the Italian offensive in the Gorjanci Mountains, military units were set up in the school and rectory on 16 November 1942.

Partisan Partisan(s) or The Partisan(s) may refer to: Military * Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line ** Francs-tireurs et partisans, communist-led French anti-fascist resistance against Nazi Germany during WWII ** Ital ...

units burned the schoolhouse and rectory during an attack on 26 November 1942. Italian artillery from Metlika destroyed two houses and two barns. After the

Armistice of Cassibile The Armistice of Cassibile ( Italian: ''Armistizio di Cassibile'') was an armistice that was signed on 3 September 1943 by Italy and the Allies, marking the end of hostilities between Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was made public ...

on 3 September 1943, the Partisans' regional committee was transferred from Gornji Suhor pri Metliki to Dolnji Suhor pri Metliki, where it remained until the German advance of 21 October 1943. A Partisan telephone switchboard operated in the village from 1943 to 1945, maintaining contact with communist insurgents in Croatia and with the field hospitals in the Gorjanci Mountains. The Italian Fontanot partisan unit () was established in the village on 17 December 1944. Water mains were installed in the settlement in 1961.Savnik, Roman, ed. 1971. ''Krajevni leksikon Slovenije'', vol. 2. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije. pp. 449–450.

Mass grave

Dolnji Suhor pri Metliki is the site of a

mass grave A mass grave is a grave containing multiple human corpses, which may or may Unidentified decedent, not be identified prior to burial. The United Nations has defined a criminal mass grave as a burial site containing three or more victims of exec ...

from the Second World War. The Zakutka Mass Grave () is located among the vineyards east of Gornji Suhor pri Metliki. It contained the remains of the parish priest Rajner Erklavec (1893–1944) and three other Slovene civilians, including one woman, that were murdered in November 1944 by the Yugoslav secret police (OZNA). The remains have been exhumed and reburied.

Church

The local

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...

, built on the edge of the settlement on territory that actually belongs to the neighbouring village of

Bereča Vas Bereča Vas (; , ''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 14.) is a settlement in the Municipality of Metlika in the White Carniola area of so ...

, is dedicated to

Saint Joseph According to the canonical Gospels, Joseph (; ) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church, Eastern O ...

and belongs to the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Mesto The Diocese of Novo Mesto (; ) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the city of Novo Mesto in the ecclesiastical province of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana, Ljubljana in Slovenia. History * April 7, 2006: Established as ...

.Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritage
reference number ešd 2364 It was built between 1855 and 1858 in the site of an older structure. Its design and ornamentation reflect a late Baroque style, and the interior was painted by Jurij Tavčar (1820–1892) from Idrija. Dolnji Suhor pri Metliki was elevated to a parish in 1854.

References

External links

*
Dolnji Suhor pri Metliki on Geopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dolnji Suhor Pri Metliki Populated places in the Municipality of Metlika