Davorin Trstenjak
Encyclopedia
Davorin Trstenjak was a Slovene writer
, historian
and Roman Catholic priest.
He was born in the village of Kraljevci
near Sveti Jurij ob Ščavnici, in what was then the Austrian
Duchy of Styria
(now in Slovenia
). He attended the elementary school
in his home village and later in Bad Radkersburg
where he met the philologist Peter Dajnko
, with whom he established a close friendship. He studied at the lyceum in Maribor
and later in Graz
, where he became a supporter of the Illyrian movement
, a Romantic nationalist
cultural movement that spread from the neighbouring Croatia
, and which advocated a cultural and linguistic unification of the South Slavic peoples
.
After graduating from theology, he served as a parish priest in the Lower Styria
n village of Hajdina
and later in the town of Ptuj
. He collaborated closely with the Slovene-Croatian poet and ethnologist Stanko Vraz
. Influences by the theories of Jan Kollar
and Pavel Jozef Šafařik
, two influential Czech philologists who advocated Pan-Slavic ideals, Trstenjak wrote several historical books, in which he claimed that the Slavs were the most ancient people in Europe
.
During the Spring of Nations in 1848, Trstenjak became an enthusiast supporter of the United Slovenia
program. As a close collaborator of Matija Majar
, the author of the program, Trstenjak helped in raising signatures for the establishment of a unified political entity comprising all Slovenian ethnic territory. After 1849, he established contacts with Janez Bleiweis
and Lovro Toman
who became the leaders of the Slovene National Movement in the 1850s and early 1860s. He was also a collaborator of the bishop Anton Martin Slomšek
.
He was also a writer and poet. He wrote in a typically Romantic manner, following the example of France Prešeren
and Josipina Turnograjska
. He rejected the literary realism
of the younger generations of Slovene authors who entered the scene in the mid 1860s: he strongly polemicised against Fran Levstik
and rejected the poetry of Simon Gregorčič
and Josip Stritar
, as well as the circle around the literary journal Ljubljanski zvon
. In 1878, he was elected as the first president of the Slovene Writers' Association
.
In 1863, he was among the co-founders of the prestigious publishing house and scientific society Slovenska matica
.
He died in Slovenj Gradec
in 1890.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and Roman Catholic priest.
He was born in the village of Kraljevci
Kraljevci, Slovenia
Kraljevci is a settlement in the Sveti Jurij ob Ščavnici municipality in northeastern Slovenia. It lies in the Slovenske Gorice hills on the road leading west out of Sveti Jurij towards Cerkvenjak. Traditionally the area was part of Lower Styria. It is now included in the Mura statistical...
near Sveti Jurij ob Ščavnici, in what was then the Austrian
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
Duchy of Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
(now in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
). He attended the elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
in his home village and later in Bad Radkersburg
Bad Radkersburg
Bad Radkersburg is a city in the southeast of the Austrian state of Styria and capital of the district of Radkersburg. It is located at an elevation of 208 m and covers an area of 2.17 km². Its population amounts to about 1,940 people...
where he met the philologist Peter Dajnko
Peter Dajnko
Peter Dajnko was a Slovene priest, author, and linguist, known primarily as the inventor of an innovative proposal for the writing system for Slovene: the Dajnko alphabet ....
, with whom he established a close friendship. He studied at the lyceum in Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
and later in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, where he became a supporter of the Illyrian movement
Illyrian movement
The Illyrian movement , also Croatian national revival , was a cultural and political campaign with roots in the early modern period, and revived by a group of young Croatian intellectuals during the first half of 19th century, around the years of 1835–1849...
, a Romantic nationalist
Romantic nationalism
Romantic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs...
cultural movement that spread from the neighbouring Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, and which advocated a cultural and linguistic unification of the South Slavic peoples
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
.
After graduating from theology, he served as a parish priest in the Lower Styria
Lower Styria
Lower Styria or Slovenian Styria is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of Lower Styria in its historical boundaries amounts to around 705,000 inhabitants, or 34.5% of the population of Slovenia...
n village of Hajdina
Hajdina
Hajdina is a small municipality on the right bank of the river Drava near Ptuj in northeastern Slovenia. Its administrative centre is the village of Zgornja Hajdina. Traditionally the area was part of the Lower Styria region. The municipality is now included in the Podravje statistical region...
and later in the town of Ptuj
Ptuj
Ptuj is a city and one of 11 urban municipalities in Slovenia. Traditionally the area was part of the Lower Styria region. The municipality is now included in the Podravje statistical region...
. He collaborated closely with the Slovene-Croatian poet and ethnologist Stanko Vraz
Stanko Vraz
Stanko Vraz was a Croatian-Slovenian poet. He Slavicized his name to Stanko Vraz in 1836.-Biography:...
. Influences by the theories of Jan Kollar
Ján Kollár
Ján Kollár was a Slovak writer , archaeologist, scientist, politician, and main ideologist of Pan-Slavism.- Life :...
and Pavel Jozef Šafařik
Pavel Jozef Šafárik
Pavol Jozef Šafárik Pavol Jozef Šafárik (Safáry / Schaffáry/ Schafary/ Saf(f)arik / Šafarík/ Szafarzik, Czech Pavel Josef Šafařík, German Paul Joseph Schaffarik, Serbian Павле Јосиф Шафарик, Latin Paulus Josephus Schaffarik, Hungarian Pál József Saf(f)arik) Pavol Jozef Šafárik (Safáry /...
, two influential Czech philologists who advocated Pan-Slavic ideals, Trstenjak wrote several historical books, in which he claimed that the Slavs were the most ancient people in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
During the Spring of Nations in 1848, Trstenjak became an enthusiast supporter of the United Slovenia
United Slovenia
United Slovenia is the name of an unrealized political programme of the Slovene national movement, formulated during the Spring of Nations in 1848...
program. As a close collaborator of Matija Majar
Matija Majar
Matija Majar, also spelled Majer was a Carinthian Slovene Roman Catholic priest and political activist, most famous as the author of the idea of a United Slovenia...
, the author of the program, Trstenjak helped in raising signatures for the establishment of a unified political entity comprising all Slovenian ethnic territory. After 1849, he established contacts with Janez Bleiweis
Janez Bleiweis
Janez Bleiweis was a Slovene conservative politician, journalist and public figure. He was the leader of the so-called Old Slovene political movement. Already during his lifetime, he was called father of the nation....
and Lovro Toman
Lovro Toman
Lovro Toman was a Slovene politician and author. Together with Janez Bleiweis and Etbin Henrik Costa, he was part of the leadership of the national conservative Old Slovene party....
who became the leaders of the Slovene National Movement in the 1850s and early 1860s. He was also a collaborator of the bishop Anton Martin Slomšek
Anton Martin Slomšek
Anton Martin Slomšek was a Slovene bishop, author, poet, and advocate of Slovene culture.Slomšek was born to a peasant family in the hamlet of Slom near the village of Ponikva in the Municipality of Šentjur, Lower Styria. He studied theology and philosophy before being ordained in 1824 at the...
.
He was also a writer and poet. He wrote in a typically Romantic manner, following the example of France Prešeren
France Prešeren
France Prešeren was a Slovene Romantic poet. He is considered the Slovene national poet. Although he was not a particularly prolific author, he inspired virtually all Slovene literature thereafter....
and Josipina Turnograjska
Josipina Turnograjska
Josipina Urbančič , who published under the pen name Josipina Turnograjska , was one of the first Slovene female writers, poets, and composers.-Biography:...
. He rejected the literary realism
Literary realism
Literary realism most often refers to the trend, beginning with certain works of nineteenth-century French literature and extending to late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century authors in various countries, towards depictions of contemporary life and society "as they were." In the spirit of...
of the younger generations of Slovene authors who entered the scene in the mid 1860s: he strongly polemicised against Fran Levstik
Fran Levstik
Fran Levstik was a Slovene writer, political activist, playwright and critic. he was one of the most prominent exponents of the Young Slovene political movement.-Life and work:...
and rejected the poetry of Simon Gregorčič
Simon Gregorcic
Simon Gregorčič was a Slovene poet and Roman Catholic priest.- Biography :Gregorčič was born in the small mountain village of Vrsno above the river Soča in the County of Gorizia and Gradisca. In 1851, he attended primary school in Libušnje, but was in 1855 sent to school in Gorizia. After...
and Josip Stritar
Josip Stritar
Josip Stritar was a Slovene writer, poet, playwright, publisher and translator.Stritar spent his early childhood in his home village in rural Lower Carniola and was sent to school in Ljubljana...
, as well as the circle around the literary journal Ljubljanski zvon
Ljubljanski zvon
Ljubljanski zvon was a journal published in Ljubljana in Slovene between 1881 and 1941. It was considered one of the most prestigious literary and cultural magazines in Slovenia.- Early period :...
. In 1878, he was elected as the first president of the Slovene Writers' Association
Slovene Writers' Association
The Slovene Writers' Association is a non-profit association of Slovene writers based in Ljubljana.The Association was founded on 21 April 1872 in Ljubljana at the initiative of Davorin Trstenjak who also became its first president. It operated under various names over the years and re-adopted its...
.
In 1863, he was among the co-founders of the prestigious publishing house and scientific society Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica , also known as Matica slovenska, is the second-oldest publishing house in Slovenia, founded in the 19th century as an institution for the scholarly and cultural progress of Slovenes...
.
He died in Slovenj Gradec
Slovenj Gradec
Slovenj Gradec is a town and a municipality in northern Slovenia. It is part of the historic Lower Styria region, since 2005 it belongs to the NUTS-3 statistical region of Carinthia...
in 1890.
Sources
- "Trstenjak, Davorin" in Slovenski biografski leksikon, edited by Izidor CankarIzidor CankarIzidor Cankar was a Slovenian author, art historian, diplomat, publicist, translator, and liberal conservative politician...
(Ljubljana: Zadružna gospodarska banka, 1925). - Bogo GrafenauerBogo GrafenauerBogo Grafenauer was a Slovenian historian, who mostly wrote about medieval history in the Slovene Lands. Together with Milko Kos, Fran Zwitter, and Vasilij Melik, he was one of the founders of the so-called Ljubljana school of historiography.- Early life :He was born in Ljubljana in a well...
, Struktura in tehnika zgodovinske vede (Ljubljana: Univerza v Ljubljani, 1980).