11 Incredible Stories Of Resistance Fighters Who Took On The Nazis

Published October 4, 2021
Updated October 18, 2023

Albina Mali-Hočevar: A Resistance Fighter Made Famous By Her Scars

Resistance Fighter Albina Mali Hočevar

Wikimedia CommonsAlbina Mali-Hočevar was a resistance fighter who fought for the liberation of Yugoslavia during World War II.

Albina Mali-Hočevar wanted to fight during World War II. When the young Slovenian teenager heard that her fellow partisans had assigned her to be a nurse during the conflict, tears of frustration filled her eyes.

But by the war’s end, Mali-Hočevar would see plenty of action. Famous today for the scars across her face, which fragmented her gaze, Mali-Hočevar spent the conflict fighting for the liberation of Yugoslavia.

After Germany invaded Yugoslavia in 1941, Mali-Hočevar joined up with the People’s Liberation Movement of Yugoslavia at the age of 16.

And as the war unfolded, Mali-Hočevar grew ever closer to the action. Though initially designated as a nurse, Mali-Hočevar soon went on to fight in multiple battles. She was badly wounded twice at 17, and once at 18. Mali-Hočevar ended up losing an eye, and scars crisscrossed her face.

Through it all, however, Mali-Hočevar took her duties as a nurse seriously.

“The nurse Albina always paid more attention to the wounded than to herself,” said one account of Mali-Hočevar’s brave service.

“She knew neither fear nor exhaustion while… there were wounded [partisans] to be taken care of.”

She was later recognized for her bravery when Yugoslavia awarded her the Yugoslavian Order of the Partisan Star, 3rd class. But sadly, much of Mali-Hočevar’s story is lost to history.

Today, it’s her famous photograph that catches the eye. Her lopsided gaze and facial scars are a powerful testament to the scourge of war.

author
Kaleena Fraga
author
A staff writer for All That's Interesting, Kaleena Fraga has also had her work featured in The Washington Post and Gastro Obscura, and she published a book on the Seattle food scene for the Eat Like A Local series. She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a dual degree in American History and French.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.