23 / 2006

Vladka Tucovič

ZAGREB, LJUBLJANA, PRAGUE: THE CORRESPONDENCE OF ZOFKA KVEDER WITH HER DAUGHTER VLADIMIRA JELOVŠEK

ABSTRACT
A Slovenian writer, publicist, translator and editor Zofka Kveder (1878—1926) was born in Ljubljana, although she later lived in Trieste, Bern, Munich, Prague and, from 1906 till her death, in Zagreb where she is also buried. In addition to short prose: Misterij žene (1900), Odsevi (1901), Iz naših krajev (1903), two drama books: Ljubezen (1901), Amerikanci (1908) and the novel Njeno življenje (1914), all written in Slovene, she also published two collections of short prose in Croatian: Jedanaest novela (1913), Po putevima života (1926), a novel Hanka: ratne uspomene (1918), two dramas: Arditi na otoku Krku (1922), Unuk kraljeviča Marka (1922), and a collection of short prose Iskre (1905) which comprises novelettes in Slovene and Croatian. In her literal and publicity works she was pointing out the discrimination of women and she also fought for their rights by establishing and managing a magazine Ženski svijet (Jugoslavenska žena).

The article treats her personal correspondence, which has not yet been published, and is kept in her legacy papers Zapuščina Zofke Kveder (National library in Ljubljana, Ms 1113), as an emigrant correspondence. It represents analysis results of an eight-year (1912–1920) correspondence between the mother, living in Zagreb, and her adolescent daughter Vladimira Jelovšek, which started because of the daughter’s schooling in Ljubljana and Prague, and ended with Vladimira’s death on her nineteenth birthday, as a consequence of the Spanish influenza. The correspondence offers a diverse field for the research of their relationship and emotional world, and is in the meantime, a rich source for studying the reality, problems and worries of two Slovenian-Croatian emigrants in the beginning of the previous century.

23 / 2006

Vladka Tucovič

ZAGREB, LJUBLJANA, PRAGUE: THE CORRESPONDENCE OF ZOFKA KVEDER WITH HER DAUGHTER VLADIMIRA JELOVŠEK

ABSTRACT
A Slovenian writer, publicist, translator and editor Zofka Kveder (1878—1926) was born in Ljubljana, although she later lived in Trieste, Bern, Munich, Prague and, from 1906 till her death, in Zagreb where she is also buried. In addition to short prose: Misterij žene (1900), Odsevi (1901), Iz naših krajev (1903), two drama books: Ljubezen (1901), Amerikanci (1908) and the novel Njeno življenje (1914), all written in Slovene, she also published two collections of short prose in Croatian: Jedanaest novela (1913), Po putevima života (1926), a novel Hanka: ratne uspomene (1918), two dramas: Arditi na otoku Krku (1922), Unuk kraljeviča Marka (1922), and a collection of short prose Iskre (1905) which comprises novelettes in Slovene and Croatian. In her literal and publicity works she was pointing out the discrimination of women and she also fought for their rights by establishing and managing a magazine Ženski svijet (Jugoslavenska žena).

The article treats her personal correspondence, which has not yet been published, and is kept in her legacy papers Zapuščina Zofke Kveder (National library in Ljubljana, Ms 1113), as an emigrant correspondence. It represents analysis results of an eight-year (1912–1920) correspondence between the mother, living in Zagreb, and her adolescent daughter Vladimira Jelovšek, which started because of the daughter’s schooling in Ljubljana and Prague, and ended with Vladimira’s death on her nineteenth birthday, as a consequence of the Spanish influenza. The correspondence offers a diverse field for the research of their relationship and emotional world, and is in the meantime, a rich source for studying the reality, problems and worries of two Slovenian-Croatian emigrants in the beginning of the previous century.

23 / 2006

Mirjam Milharčič-Hladnik

THE PATHS OF PACKAGES IN MIGRANTS CORRESPONDENCE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC 1940-1960: »... 2 BARS OF SOAP, 6 PACKETS OF SOUP, AND THOSE BANDAGES FOR SMALL WOUNDS...«

ABSTRACT
The correspondence of the family Udovič-Valenčič-Hrvatin span over many decades among mother Helena and her youngest son Ivan in Jelšane (Slovenia) and her other three children who emigrated to Americas. Her son Josip left for Cleveland in 1923 and her daughter Pepica joined him in 1930. Her oldest son Anton left for Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 1926. In the text, I presented the correspondence from the period between 1940, when mother Helena died and 1960, when Pepica came to Jelšane for a visit for the first and last time. This period is interesting because the correspondence did not include only letters but mainly the packages. The desperately needed help in food, clothes and other neccessities was sent to Jelšane regularly by two brothers and a sister. The letters in this period are full of lists of items, which were sent to the relatives in Jelšane and the heartbreaking questions if they got the packages.. In the text, the reasons for poverty and misery are mentioned only briefly: the devastation was brought to Jelšane by two world wars, a quarter of a century of the fascist Italian regime, communist experiments with the agrarian reform and industrialization, the poor conditions for cultivating the land and the loss of Trst/Trieste, which was traditionally the main city where products were sold by Jelšane families. To present the emotions of those who left and those who stayed even better, I combined the family correspondence with the life narratives. They offer important material for the research of “a tight network of exchanges of support” in which the bare neccessities in the packages conveyed the unvisible expressions of solidarity, caring and love. In this way, the subjective reality of the migrants’ relationships could be seen in its complexity and controversy.

23 / 2006

Mirjam Milharčič-Hladnik

THE PATHS OF PACKAGES IN MIGRANTS CORRESPONDENCE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC 1940-1960: »... 2 BARS OF SOAP, 6 PACKETS OF SOUP, AND THOSE BANDAGES FOR SMALL WOUNDS...«

ABSTRACT
The correspondence of the family Udovič-Valenčič-Hrvatin span over many decades among mother Helena and her youngest son Ivan in Jelšane (Slovenia) and her other three children who emigrated to Americas. Her son Josip left for Cleveland in 1923 and her daughter Pepica joined him in 1930. Her oldest son Anton left for Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 1926. In the text, I presented the correspondence from the period between 1940, when mother Helena died and 1960, when Pepica came to Jelšane for a visit for the first and last time. This period is interesting because the correspondence did not include only letters but mainly the packages. The desperately needed help in food, clothes and other neccessities was sent to Jelšane regularly by two brothers and a sister. The letters in this period are full of lists of items, which were sent to the relatives in Jelšane and the heartbreaking questions if they got the packages.. In the text, the reasons for poverty and misery are mentioned only briefly: the devastation was brought to Jelšane by two world wars, a quarter of a century of the fascist Italian regime, communist experiments with the agrarian reform and industrialization, the poor conditions for cultivating the land and the loss of Trst/Trieste, which was traditionally the main city where products were sold by Jelšane families. To present the emotions of those who left and those who stayed even better, I combined the family correspondence with the life narratives. They offer important material for the research of “a tight network of exchanges of support” in which the bare neccessities in the packages conveyed the unvisible expressions of solidarity, caring and love. In this way, the subjective reality of the migrants’ relationships could be seen in its complexity and controversy.

23 / 2006

Marjan Drnovšek

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE EYES OF SLOVENE PAINTER BOŽIDAR JAKAC (1929-1931)

ABSTRACT
For the last two centuries, the United States of America have been provoking interest with their presence in the world and with their unlikeness. Many Slovene travellers have visited them and reported about the States through books, among those Božidar Jakac with the book Odmevi rdeče zemlje, which the poet and Jakac's friend Miran Jarc prepared from his letters. The work was published in 1932. It is placed in the group of travelogue books that were published on Slovene market in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century, that is, just before, during and after the world economic crisis. Let me here mention the works: by the politician and publicist Anton Kristan V Ameriko in po Ameriki (1928), translator and publicist Anton Brežnik V senci nebotičnikov (1930), and electrical engineer and chess player Milan Vidmar Med Evropo in Ameriko (1937).

Božidar Jakac travelled round the United States from the spring 1929 to the summer 1931. As an artist, he perceived and took perspectives upon them through the eyes of an artist, painter, photographer and filmmaker; least but not last as a note-keeper where Miran Jarc also influenced his emotiveness of experiencing and written evidencing. However, assertions about America, its people, nature, art, immigrants, social and political order and other, are Jakac’s. They are subjective views, often stereotypic and many times accepting and refusing in almost the same breath novelties, diversity, tempo of life, American civilisation, achievements and similar. Therefore, we are not surprised Louis Adamič responded to those views and Josip Vidmar intervened in the polemics (in the journal Sodobnost 1933). Most convincing is Jakac with his American painting opus although at home he experienced more or less ungracious and negative critiques (Karel Dobida, Rajko Ložar, France Stelè, Fran Šijanec etc.). However, his Ljubljana exhibition in Jakopič’s salon (1931) echoed among visitors and Jakac sold half of the exhibited pastels, drawings, portraits, graphics …
Jakac’s contemplations in the book are variegated. Pointed out in the treatise are the following themes: contact with the New world, the United States and Americans, comparison of human with machine and American painting, film and nature. Jakac was particularly enraptured with the nature and with Hollywood. He deliberates with a large measure of emotionality and disappointment about Slovenes in the U.S.A. that will disappear in the American melting pot, which the author mentions only cursory for he presented the thematic in Melikov zbornik 2001. On every occasion, Jakac likes to expose the homeland in comparison to the American world. In the book, he also publishes 192 pastels, drawings, sketches, and similar.
In short, Jakac was torn between enthusiasm, despondence, and scepticism in regard of America, their way of life and its future. A black-white perception is present; he is often in contradiction with himself for something he disapproves of at his arrival he praises at his departure, for example New York. The skyscrapers as symbols of American mightiness are to Jakac something wonderful (we often find them on preserved Jakac’s films) and at the same time burdensome, as if they want to bruise the mass of pedestrians beneath them.
The treatise is based on the book and on responses to it in newspapers, partly in comparability with coincident previously mentioned books and the there published reviews. Unfortunately, Jakac’s legatees did not permit me insight into his personal archival material, particularly into his letters, which were the foundation for the book. Also not yet studied is the material on Jakac’s first visit to the U.S.A. (the second was in 1958/59); he was present in numerous intellectual circles, frequently portrayed American people from public life, had contacts with important Slovene emigrant organizations and individuals, cooperated at exhibitions, and similar.
Although Jakac’s American period painting opus is supposedly a step back, the book presents a large step forward in travelogue literature as compared with other travel writers about America, Jakac experienced the U.S.A. very intimately although by opinion of many deficiently… who experienced America into detail, and is that at all possible? The preserved paintings, photos and films (the latter are the only material entirely accessible to the public as they are kept in the Arhiv Republike Slovenije) enable us to understand Jakac’s experiencing, regardless of whether we accept or decline his views.

23 / 2006

Marjan Drnovšek

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE EYES OF SLOVENE PAINTER BOŽIDAR JAKAC (1929-1931)

ABSTRACT
For the last two centuries, the United States of America have been provoking interest with their presence in the world and with their unlikeness. Many Slovene travellers have visited them and reported about the States through books, among those Božidar Jakac with the book Odmevi rdeče zemlje, which the poet and Jakac's friend Miran Jarc prepared from his letters. The work was published in 1932. It is placed in the group of travelogue books that were published on Slovene market in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century, that is, just before, during and after the world economic crisis. Let me here mention the works: by the politician and publicist Anton Kristan V Ameriko in po Ameriki (1928), translator and publicist Anton Brežnik V senci nebotičnikov (1930), and electrical engineer and chess player Milan Vidmar Med Evropo in Ameriko (1937).

Božidar Jakac travelled round the United States from the spring 1929 to the summer 1931. As an artist, he perceived and took perspectives upon them through the eyes of an artist, painter, photographer and filmmaker; least but not last as a note-keeper where Miran Jarc also influenced his emotiveness of experiencing and written evidencing. However, assertions about America, its people, nature, art, immigrants, social and political order and other, are Jakac’s. They are subjective views, often stereotypic and many times accepting and refusing in almost the same breath novelties, diversity, tempo of life, American civilisation, achievements and similar. Therefore, we are not surprised Louis Adamič responded to those views and Josip Vidmar intervened in the polemics (in the journal Sodobnost 1933). Most convincing is Jakac with his American painting opus although at home he experienced more or less ungracious and negative critiques (Karel Dobida, Rajko Ložar, France Stelè, Fran Šijanec etc.). However, his Ljubljana exhibition in Jakopič’s salon (1931) echoed among visitors and Jakac sold half of the exhibited pastels, drawings, portraits, graphics …
Jakac’s contemplations in the book are variegated. Pointed out in the treatise are the following themes: contact with the New world, the United States and Americans, comparison of human with machine and American painting, film and nature. Jakac was particularly enraptured with the nature and with Hollywood. He deliberates with a large measure of emotionality and disappointment about Slovenes in the U.S.A. that will disappear in the American melting pot, which the author mentions only cursory for he presented the thematic in Melikov zbornik 2001. On every occasion, Jakac likes to expose the homeland in comparison to the American world. In the book, he also publishes 192 pastels, drawings, sketches, and similar.
In short, Jakac was torn between enthusiasm, despondence, and scepticism in regard of America, their way of life and its future. A black-white perception is present; he is often in contradiction with himself for something he disapproves of at his arrival he praises at his departure, for example New York. The skyscrapers as symbols of American mightiness are to Jakac something wonderful (we often find them on preserved Jakac’s films) and at the same time burdensome, as if they want to bruise the mass of pedestrians beneath them.
The treatise is based on the book and on responses to it in newspapers, partly in comparability with coincident previously mentioned books and the there published reviews. Unfortunately, Jakac’s legatees did not permit me insight into his personal archival material, particularly into his letters, which were the foundation for the book. Also not yet studied is the material on Jakac’s first visit to the U.S.A. (the second was in 1958/59); he was present in numerous intellectual circles, frequently portrayed American people from public life, had contacts with important Slovene emigrant organizations and individuals, cooperated at exhibitions, and similar.
Although Jakac’s American period painting opus is supposedly a step back, the book presents a large step forward in travelogue literature as compared with other travel writers about America, Jakac experienced the U.S.A. very intimately although by opinion of many deficiently… who experienced America into detail, and is that at all possible? The preserved paintings, photos and films (the latter are the only material entirely accessible to the public as they are kept in the Arhiv Republike Slovenije) enable us to understand Jakac’s experiencing, regardless of whether we accept or decline his views.

23 / 2006

Peter Vodopivec

MILAN VIDMAR BETWEEN EUROPE AND AMERICA

ABSTRACT
The article presents the book by Milan Vidmar, a longtime professor of electrotechnology at the Ljubljana University and greatest Slovene chess player, in which the author describes hid impressions from the two journeys to the United States of America. In 1927, Vidmar travelled to the USA for the first time and for the second time in 1936. Accordingly, his first staying in the USA was in the time of economic prosperity, and the second was after the big economic crisis, which to his opinion revealed the fragility of the capitalist system and liberal economic policy. Vidmar, as he wrote in the USA, missed after the first journey the “soul” European cities supposedly had and American did not. In that view, the USA were marked by poor history, borrowed English language and the population that were supposedly not a “nation” but a collective of “national minorities”. At the same time, the united States were not to have had their authentic culture, which was a result of the fact that the American population were mainly immigrants. The only genuine natives were by Vidmar the American Black people.

Americans were in Vidmar’s eyes not a nation but a human army literally struggling for survival. The American comprehension of “freedom” and “democracy”, which were supposedly only fictitious for as American voters could decide about “the fate of the homeland” only every fourth year at elections with “yes” or “no”, was to him, although liberal by principle, unfamiliar. At the same time, Vidmar resolutely rejected American capitalism and liberal individualism, which were undoubtedly revealing that the USA were a battlefield. He compared “economic freedom” with the universe that was supposedly as well composed of “fragments”, which “do not care about one another”.
Human economy – as the 1929 crisis indicated – must not be left to “coincidence and chaotic dance of fragments”, for it needs order and planning. Consequently, Vidmar advocated for an economic policy based in science and reason, and for an active social policy of the state. In the USA, he was repulsed by the “obsession with money (dollar)” and consumption, and as well by “unwise exploitation of nature”. He greeted with sympathy the reform endeavours of the president of the USA Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was to Vidmar “the representative of collective benefit of all citizens”.
The author of the article finds that Vidmar’s bok should be understood in the context of circumstances in the 30s of the 20th century when after the great economic crisis it seemed the liberal economic policy experienced a complete failure. The author is of opinion that Vidmar was with his referring to “nation”, “history”, “language”, “culture”, “land” and “tradition” a typical representative of the Slovene liberal intelligentsia, and that reserved and critical views upon the USA have – as Vidmar’s book demonstrates – a longer history than generally perceived.

23 / 2006

Peter Vodopivec

MILAN VIDMAR BETWEEN EUROPE AND AMERICA

ABSTRACT
The article presents the book by Milan Vidmar, a longtime professor of electrotechnology at the Ljubljana University and greatest Slovene chess player, in which the author describes hid impressions from the two journeys to the United States of America. In 1927, Vidmar travelled to the USA for the first time and for the second time in 1936. Accordingly, his first staying in the USA was in the time of economic prosperity, and the second was after the big economic crisis, which to his opinion revealed the fragility of the capitalist system and liberal economic policy. Vidmar, as he wrote in the USA, missed after the first journey the “soul” European cities supposedly had and American did not. In that view, the USA were marked by poor history, borrowed English language and the population that were supposedly not a “nation” but a collective of “national minorities”. At the same time, the united States were not to have had their authentic culture, which was a result of the fact that the American population were mainly immigrants. The only genuine natives were by Vidmar the American Black people.

Americans were in Vidmar’s eyes not a nation but a human army literally struggling for survival. The American comprehension of “freedom” and “democracy”, which were supposedly only fictitious for as American voters could decide about “the fate of the homeland” only every fourth year at elections with “yes” or “no”, was to him, although liberal by principle, unfamiliar. At the same time, Vidmar resolutely rejected American capitalism and liberal individualism, which were undoubtedly revealing that the USA were a battlefield. He compared “economic freedom” with the universe that was supposedly as well composed of “fragments”, which “do not care about one another”.
Human economy – as the 1929 crisis indicated – must not be left to “coincidence and chaotic dance of fragments”, for it needs order and planning. Consequently, Vidmar advocated for an economic policy based in science and reason, and for an active social policy of the state. In the USA, he was repulsed by the “obsession with money (dollar)” and consumption, and as well by “unwise exploitation of nature”. He greeted with sympathy the reform endeavours of the president of the USA Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was to Vidmar “the representative of collective benefit of all citizens”.
The author of the article finds that Vidmar’s bok should be understood in the context of circumstances in the 30s of the 20th century when after the great economic crisis it seemed the liberal economic policy experienced a complete failure. The author is of opinion that Vidmar was with his referring to “nation”, “history”, “language”, “culture”, “land” and “tradition” a typical representative of the Slovene liberal intelligentsia, and that reserved and critical views upon the USA have – as Vidmar’s book demonstrates – a longer history than generally perceived.

22 / 2005

Irena Gantar Godina

SLOVENIAN INTELLECTUALS FROM PRAGUE TO CROATIA

ABSTRACT
The article gives a survey of life and work of three Slovenian intellectuals-emigrants, Luka Zima, Lovro Mahnič and Franjo Marn, who were, as were many Slovenians, deeply impressed by the announced results of the all-Slavic Congress in Prague in 1848. Therefore they decided not to study in the German environement since it proved to be unfavourable for the preservation of Slovenian national identity. Thus they decided to study in Slavic Prague. The Charles University was up to 1882 only a German University, but living in Prague they could have experienced Slavic milieu and Slavic atmosphere. After 1860 they could have witnessed the Czech cultural and political activities which even intensified their South-Slavic sentiments. Also for these reasons they decided to work as grammar teachers in »Illyrian« Croatia where they spent all their lives.

The discussed emigrant intellectuals had few things in common: they all were philologists, but it was only Lovro Mahnič who was fully occupied with Slavic languages, while Zima and Marn worked with classical philology. They all had great pedagogical abilities, at the time acknowledged also by the Croatian society. The most distinctive was their devotion to South-Slavic idea. They all decided to leave for Croatia voluntarily, as they expected more Slavic, more motivating milieu. After 1860 the then Croatian society was permeated with enthusiasm for »Croatisation« in all the spheres of life, particularly education, expressing national and political demands. Consequently, many Slovenian gymnasium professors who the Croats found overly loyal to the authorities, wished to and in fact left Croatia. In such, rather demanding atmosphere Franjo Marn and Luka Zima successfully and rapidly adapted by entirely devoting themselves to school and scholar work. They became honoured and loyal members of Croatian society. In the memory of Croats they both remained an example of »the good Slovenians«. Lovro Mahnič was different: he rejected to conceal his political convictions and activities and his way of life as well; in general, he was not able to adjust to the demands of any of the then society, not only Croatian. Nevertheless, August Šenoa’s novel “Prijan Lovro”, is a monument in remembrance of his short life.
As permanent displaced persons, Zima, Marn and Mahnič, being both, Slovenians and South-Slavs, successfully helmed between the demands of the Croatian nationalism and their commitment to preserve their national identity.

22 / 2005

Irena Gantar Godina

SLOVENIAN INTELLECTUALS FROM PRAGUE TO CROATIA

ABSTRACT
The article gives a survey of life and work of three Slovenian intellectuals-emigrants, Luka Zima, Lovro Mahnič and Franjo Marn, who were, as were many Slovenians, deeply impressed by the announced results of the all-Slavic Congress in Prague in 1848. Therefore they decided not to study in the German environement since it proved to be unfavourable for the preservation of Slovenian national identity. Thus they decided to study in Slavic Prague. The Charles University was up to 1882 only a German University, but living in Prague they could have experienced Slavic milieu and Slavic atmosphere. After 1860 they could have witnessed the Czech cultural and political activities which even intensified their South-Slavic sentiments. Also for these reasons they decided to work as grammar teachers in »Illyrian« Croatia where they spent all their lives.

The discussed emigrant intellectuals had few things in common: they all were philologists, but it was only Lovro Mahnič who was fully occupied with Slavic languages, while Zima and Marn worked with classical philology. They all had great pedagogical abilities, at the time acknowledged also by the Croatian society. The most distinctive was their devotion to South-Slavic idea. They all decided to leave for Croatia voluntarily, as they expected more Slavic, more motivating milieu. After 1860 the then Croatian society was permeated with enthusiasm for »Croatisation« in all the spheres of life, particularly education, expressing national and political demands. Consequently, many Slovenian gymnasium professors who the Croats found overly loyal to the authorities, wished to and in fact left Croatia. In such, rather demanding atmosphere Franjo Marn and Luka Zima successfully and rapidly adapted by entirely devoting themselves to school and scholar work. They became honoured and loyal members of Croatian society. In the memory of Croats they both remained an example of »the good Slovenians«. Lovro Mahnič was different: he rejected to conceal his political convictions and activities and his way of life as well; in general, he was not able to adjust to the demands of any of the then society, not only Croatian. Nevertheless, August Šenoa’s novel “Prijan Lovro”, is a monument in remembrance of his short life.
As permanent displaced persons, Zima, Marn and Mahnič, being both, Slovenians and South-Slavs, successfully helmed between the demands of the Croatian nationalism and their commitment to preserve their national identity.