Orehovica je vasica v občini Zagorje ob Savi, dobre štiri kilometre oddaljena od avtocestnega priključka Trojane. V slikoviti dolini ob cesti stoji spomenik na grozovit zločin, ki so ga nad domačini pomladi leta 1944 zagrešili okupatorji. Spomenik je posvečen petnajstim nedolžnim žrtvam, ki jih je nemška vojska v noči med 17. in 18. majem žive zažgala v njihovih domačijah. Povod za vojni zločin je bilo maščevanje.
V maju leta 1944 je naše kraje od osvoboditve ločilo še leto dni. Ker je redna vojska kraljevine Jugoslavije skoraj hipoma klonila pod napadom sil osi, so za obrambo skrbele gverilske sile. Ena teh so bili tudi partizani, ki so s podporo dela prebivalstva izvajali napade na postojanke in infrastrukturo okupatorja. Sedemnajstega maja leta 1944 je ena od partizanskih enot napadla nemško osebno vozilo. Okupator je reagiral naglo in odločno. V opomin Slovencem, da bodo upor plačali s krvjo, so zagrešili grozljiv zločin nad nedolžnimi civilisti.
Za zasnovo spomenika v Orehovici je poskrbel Plečnikov učenec Anton Bitenc. Kot zadnji mojstrov asistent se je uveljavil z obnovo kulturnih spomenikov. Spomenik v Orehovici je sestavljen iz rekonstruiranih ostankov požganih hiš in osrednje hrastove skulpture. Vsako leto na obletnico požiga ob spomeniku poteka spominska slovesnost. Dan požiga Orehovice je tudi krajevni praznik Izlak.
ENGLISH:
Orehovica is a village in the municipality of Zagorje ob Savi, a good four kilometers away from the Trojane motorway junction. In the picturesque valley next to the road stands a monument to the terrible crime committed by the occupiers against the locals in the spring of 1944. The monument is dedicated to fifteen innocent victims who were burned alive in their homes by the German army on the night of May 17-18. The reason for the war crime was revenge.
In May 1944, our region was still a year away from liberation. Since the regular army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia almost collapsed under the attack of the Axis powers, the guerrilla forces took care of the defense. One of them was the partisans, who, with the support of part of the population, carried out attacks on the occupier's outposts and infrastructure. On May 17, 1944, one of the partisan units attacked a German passenger vehicle. The occupier reacted quickly and decisively. As a reminder to the Slovenes that they will pay for the rebellion with blood, they committed a horrible crime against innocent civilians.
Plečnik's student Anton Bitenc took care of the design of the monument in Orehovica. As the last master's assistant, he established himself by restoring cultural monuments. The monument in Orehovica consists of reconstructed remains of burnt houses and a central oak sculpture. Every year on the anniversary of the arson, a commemorative ceremony is held at the monument. The day of the burning of Orehovica is also the local memorial day.