1 / 1990

Mirko Jurak

Ivan Dolenc and John Križane: Two Canadian Authors of Slovene Origin

In the novel Za dolar človečnosti (For a Dollar of Humanity, 1983) written by Ivan Dolenc, a biographical account of a typical struggle of a (Slovene) immigrant for survival and success in his new country, Canada, is presented. The life of Slovene and Yugoslav immigrants is stretched between hope and despair. Dolenc's novel is written in a straightforward type of narrative, with a number of digressions including some short stories in the second half of the novel. The author stresses that the migrant must be included in a new environment also spiritually, if he wishes his desires for freedom, honest way of life and personal integrity to be fulfilled. John Krizanec, a son of a Slovene immigrant, was born in Canada. He has already written some successful plays, among them Tamara (1981) and Prague (1983). In the latter he presents the life and activity of a theatrical group which endeavours to perform in Prague a work defending political freedom. However, political controllers prevent them from doing this, at least for the time being. Krizanc's heroes struggle to achieve the same aims as the protagonist of Dolenc's novel.

1 / 1990

Mirko Jurak

Ivan Dolenc and John Križane: Two Canadian Authors of Slovene Origin

In the novel Za dolar človečnosti (For a Dollar of Humanity, 1983) written by Ivan Dolenc, a biographical account of a typical struggle of a (Slovene) immigrant for survival and success in his new country, Canada, is presented. The life of Slovene and Yugoslav immigrants is stretched between hope and despair. Dolenc's novel is written in a straightforward type of narrative, with a number of digressions including some short stories in the second half of the novel. The author stresses that the migrant must be included in a new environment also spiritually, if he wishes his desires for freedom, honest way of life and personal integrity to be fulfilled. John Krizanec, a son of a Slovene immigrant, was born in Canada. He has already written some successful plays, among them Tamara (1981) and Prague (1983). In the latter he presents the life and activity of a theatrical group which endeavours to perform in Prague a work defending political freedom. However, political controllers prevent them from doing this, at least for the time being. Krizanc's heroes struggle to achieve the same aims as the protagonist of Dolenc's novel.

1 / 1990

Barbara Suša

Bronasti tolkač and V kljunu golobice by Bert Pribac

Bert Pribac definitely belongs among the major Slovene poets in Australia. In a way, his creations also merge with literary stream s in the homeland. Pribac’s beginnings as a poet can be linked to the elated, post-war reconstruction period of Slovene poetry. Also associated with it are the first shoots of optimistic intimism and, later, its destruction. After his departure abroad, Pribac’s poetry, with his homesick Istrian nostalgia, acquires typical traits of an emigrant poetry, but, on the other side, its treatment of human loneliness and smallness and the inhumanity of today’s civilization merge it with contemporary Slovene and broader stream s in poetry During his s ta y in Australia, Pribac also began to write in English and asserted himself in his new homeland with the publications in multicultural and Australian literary magazines.

1 / 1990

Barbara Suša

Bronasti tolkač and V kljunu golobice by Bert Pribac

Bert Pribac definitely belongs among the major Slovene poets in Australia. In a way, his creations also merge with literary stream s in the homeland. Pribac’s beginnings as a poet can be linked to the elated, post-war reconstruction period of Slovene poetry. Also associated with it are the first shoots of optimistic intimism and, later, its destruction. After his departure abroad, Pribac’s poetry, with his homesick Istrian nostalgia, acquires typical traits of an emigrant poetry, but, on the other side, its treatment of human loneliness and smallness and the inhumanity of today’s civilization merge it with contemporary Slovene and broader stream s in poetry During his s ta y in Australia, Pribac also began to write in English and asserted himself in his new homeland with the publications in multicultural and Australian literary magazines.

1 / 1990

Janja Žitnik Serafin

Vinko Žitnik, a Slovene-Argentinian Poet

The purpose of the paper is to present the life and work of Vinko Žitnik, a poet who has remained practically unknown in his homeland despite the relatively high artistic level found in some of his cycles and poems. Žitnik belongs to the middle generation of the so-called Slovene political emigrants, those who settled in Argentina by the end of the 1940’ and continued to develop the Slovene culture with a commendable zeal. A short biography of the poet is followed by an outline of the themes treated in all his creative periods. The central part of the study presents the contextual and form al side of Žitnik’s poetry from the early publications in 1928, to his only collection, Pomlad (The Spring) printed in 1937 and well reviewed, through to his last poems, published shortly before his death in Antologija slovenskega zdomskega pesništva (The Anthology of Slovene Emigrant Poetry). Žitnik certainly is one of the more prolific Slovene poets, as he has left, besides the numerous pre- and post-war publications in various domestic and emigrant publications, as m any as for ty unpublished collections containing almost 4000 poems, many of which doubtlessly deserve publication.

1 / 1990

Janja Žitnik Serafin

Vinko Žitnik, a Slovene-Argentinian Poet

The purpose of the paper is to present the life and work of Vinko Žitnik, a poet who has remained practically unknown in his homeland despite the relatively high artistic level found in some of his cycles and poems. Žitnik belongs to the middle generation of the so-called Slovene political emigrants, those who settled in Argentina by the end of the 1940’ and continued to develop the Slovene culture with a commendable zeal. A short biography of the poet is followed by an outline of the themes treated in all his creative periods. The central part of the study presents the contextual and form al side of Žitnik’s poetry from the early publications in 1928, to his only collection, Pomlad (The Spring) printed in 1937 and well reviewed, through to his last poems, published shortly before his death in Antologija slovenskega zdomskega pesništva (The Anthology of Slovene Emigrant Poetry). Žitnik certainly is one of the more prolific Slovene poets, as he has left, besides the numerous pre- and post-war publications in various domestic and emigrant publications, as m any as for ty unpublished collections containing almost 4000 poems, many of which doubtlessly deserve publication.

1 / 1990

Jerneja Petrič

Again: Adamic - a Writer, Yes or No?

Despite the fact that much has been written and said in the last two decades about the life and work of Louise Adamic, there are voids in both his life and work, which will probably never be filled for the lack of information. The author analyses Adamic’s creative periods and ascertains that, given the various areas of his interest, it is no wonder that he was perfect in none. She underlines that while his literature did not stand up to the pressure of time and his works are not literary gems, the warm humanism and humane message the emanate are worth emphasizing.

1 / 1990

Jerneja Petrič

Again: Adamic - a Writer, Yes or No?

Despite the fact that much has been written and said in the last two decades about the life and work of Louise Adamic, there are voids in both his life and work, which will probably never be filled for the lack of information. The author analyses Adamic’s creative periods and ascertains that, given the various areas of his interest, it is no wonder that he was perfect in none. She underlines that while his literature did not stand up to the pressure of time and his works are not literary gems, the warm humanism and humane message the emanate are worth emphasizing.

1 / 1990

Janja Žitnik Serafin

The Delay in Slovene Publication of The Eagle and the Roots

The paper treats the circumstances which have resulted in an eighteen-year delay in publication of the Slovene edition of The Eagle and the Roots, the last book by the Slovene-American author Louis Adamic. It initially explains that the Slovene edition is an authentic translation of the unabridged American edition and not a much censored version, as general opinion would wrongly have it. The opinions of some of the author’s contemporaries on the reasons for the delay in publication of the Slovene edition and a comment upon the supposition that Adamic was killed by agents o f the Yugoslav government are followed by an insight into the disagreement between Adamic and the Yugoslav political leadership in the years 1949-51. First presented are the obstacles which lay in the way of Adamic’s cooperation with the Yugoslavs regarding the preparation o f a Slovene and a partial Serbo-Croatian translation of the book The Eagle and the Roots. The author identifies the reasons why Adamic’s text was unacceptable in Yugoslavia during the 1950’s by offering a short review of the most disputable political aspects and of the methodological approaches in this, Adamic’s last book. They are: Adamic’s viewpoint about the Yugoslav-Soviet split and about the necessity for economic aid from the United States to Yugoslavia; his indirect criticism of privileges given to Yugoslav state dignitaries; his view of the justification for existing government property in Yugoslavia; and his stressing of the need for internal democratization in the country, including the delivery of more information to both domestic and foreign publics - matters which, in that system , one could not discuss openly in a literary work intended for a broad readership. Besides that, some people were upset by Adamic’s free interpretation of his discussions with Yugoslav politicians and other public workers and by his peculiar approach to the biography of president Tito. It is possible, however, that further research could prove that all these elements are only secondary factors in the sudden »distance« our politicians took soon after Louis Adamic’s last return to the United States.

 

1 / 1990

Janja Žitnik Serafin

The Delay in Slovene Publication of The Eagle and the Roots

The paper treats the circumstances which have resulted in an eighteen-year delay in publication of the Slovene edition of The Eagle and the Roots, the last book by the Slovene-American author Louis Adamic. It initially explains that the Slovene edition is an authentic translation of the unabridged American edition and not a much censored version, as general opinion would wrongly have it. The opinions of some of the author’s contemporaries on the reasons for the delay in publication of the Slovene edition and a comment upon the supposition that Adamic was killed by agents o f the Yugoslav government are followed by an insight into the disagreement between Adamic and the Yugoslav political leadership in the years 1949-51. First presented are the obstacles which lay in the way of Adamic’s cooperation with the Yugoslavs regarding the preparation o f a Slovene and a partial Serbo-Croatian translation of the book The Eagle and the Roots. The author identifies the reasons why Adamic’s text was unacceptable in Yugoslavia during the 1950’s by offering a short review of the most disputable political aspects and of the methodological approaches in this, Adamic’s last book. They are: Adamic’s viewpoint about the Yugoslav-Soviet split and about the necessity for economic aid from the United States to Yugoslavia; his indirect criticism of privileges given to Yugoslav state dignitaries; his view of the justification for existing government property in Yugoslavia; and his stressing of the need for internal democratization in the country, including the delivery of more information to both domestic and foreign publics - matters which, in that system , one could not discuss openly in a literary work intended for a broad readership. Besides that, some people were upset by Adamic’s free interpretation of his discussions with Yugoslav politicians and other public workers and by his peculiar approach to the biography of president Tito. It is possible, however, that further research could prove that all these elements are only secondary factors in the sudden »distance« our politicians took soon after Louis Adamic’s last return to the United States.