Josip Vošnjak
Encyclopedia
Josip Vošnjak was a Slovene politician
and author
, leader of the Slovene National Movement in the Duchy of Styria
, and one of the most prominent representatives of the Young Slovene movement.
He was born in an industrialist family in the Lower Styria
n town of Šoštanj
, then part of the Austrian Empire
. His father was a wealthy leather manufacturer and landowner. Josip grew up in a nationally indifferentiated environment; although his mother tongue was German
, he was fluent in Slovene since childhood. He attended the prestigious First Celje Grammar School
, where he became involved in the Slovene national revival
. He continued his high school studies in Graz
and in Vienna
. He studied medicine at the University of Vienna
. After graduation in 1858, he practiced as a physician in his hometown for one year, and then in Ljubljana
, Kranj
, Slovenska Bistrica
, Šmarje pri Jelšah
, before finally settling in Ljubljana in 1872.
He entered politics in Kranj, under the influence of the national conservative leader Janez Bleiweis
. Upon returning to Lower Styria in 1861, he became the leader of the Slovene National Movement in the Duchy of Styria. He was a fervent supporter of United Slovenia
, and was, together with Karel Lavrič
, the crucial organizer of a series of mass rallies organized between 1867 and 1871 in support of the unification of Slovene Lands
into one autonomous political-administrative entity. These rallies, known as the Tabori movement, which were modelled on Daniel O'Connell
's monster meetings.
In 1867, Vošnjak was elected to the Styrian Provincial Diet
, where he remained until 1878. During this time, he became one of the most radical members of the national liberal Young Slovene party. In 1868, he co-founded the newspaper Slovenski narod, which became the herald of Slovene liberalism
until the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Between 1873 and 1885, he served as member of the Austrian Parliament
.
After the death of his closest collaborator Josip Jurčič
in 1881, Vošnjak's influence started to decline. He served as member of the Carniola
n Provincial Diet until 1895, but his political activity was overshadowed by a new, much more radical generation of Slovene liberal politicians, such as Janko Kersnik
, Ivan Hribar
, Ivan Tavčar
and Fran Šuklje.
Vošnjak was also a prolific author; he wrote many political articles and essays, as well as plays and short stories. He was interested in spiritism
, which he saw as a counterbalance to "soul-less capitalism
". He was also a radical Anti-semite and one of the first theorists of racial antisemitism in the Slovene Lands.
He retired from public life in 1895, and moved to his estate Visole near Slovenska Bistrica
, where he died in 1911.
Josip Vošnjak was the uncle of the Yugoslav
politician, diplomat and historian Bogumil Vošnjak
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, leader of the Slovene National Movement in the 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...
, and one of the most prominent representatives of the Young Slovene movement.
He was born in an industrialist family 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 town of Šoštanj
Šoštanj
Šoštanj is a town and municipality in northern Slovenia. It was first mentioned in written documents dating to around 1200 as Schönstein in relation to its castle. As a market town it was first mentioned in 1348. It was given town status in 1919 and until the 1960s was the center of the Šalek...
, then part of the Austrian Empire
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...
. His father was a wealthy leather manufacturer and landowner. Josip grew up in a nationally indifferentiated environment; although his mother tongue was German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, he was fluent in Slovene since childhood. He attended the prestigious First Celje Grammar School
First Grammar School, Celje
First Grammar School in Celje is a coeducational nondenominational state secondary general education school for students aged between 15 to 19 in Celje, Slovenia. It was the first high school built in the region, established in 1808 by the Austrian Empire. Initially, the language of instruction...
, where he became involved in the Slovene national revival
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...
. He continued his high school studies 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...
and in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He studied medicine at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
. After graduation in 1858, he practiced as a physician in his hometown for one year, and then in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, Kranj
Kranj
' is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 . It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana...
, Slovenska Bistrica
Slovenska Bistrica
Slovenska Bistrica is a town and a municipality south of Maribor in eastern Slovenia. It is one of the largest municipalities in Slovenia. Traditionally the area was part of the Lower Styria region. The municipality is now included in the Drava statistical region. The town was established in the...
, Šmarje pri Jelšah
Šmarje pri Jelšah
Šmarje pri Jelšah is a town and a municipality in eastern Slovenia. The area was part of the traditional region of Lower Styria. The municipality is now included in the Savinja statistical region...
, before finally settling in Ljubljana in 1872.
He entered politics in Kranj, under the influence of the national conservative leader 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....
. Upon returning to Lower Styria in 1861, he became the leader of the Slovene National Movement in the Duchy of Styria. He was a fervent supporter of 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...
, and was, together with Karel Lavrič
Karel Lavrič
Karel Lavrič, also spelled Laurič or Lauritsch , was a Slovene liberal politician and lawyer from the Slovenian Littoral, and one of the most prominent activists of the Young Slovene movement. Together with the conservative Lovro Toman, he was considered among the most popular Slovene politicians...
, the crucial organizer of a series of mass rallies organized between 1867 and 1871 in support of the unification of Slovene Lands
Slovene Lands
Slovene Lands or Slovenian Lands is the historical denomination for the whole of the Slovene-inhabited territories in Central Europe. It more or less corresponds to modern Slovenia and the adjacent territories in Italy, Austria and Hungary in which autochthonous Slovene minorities live.-...
into one autonomous political-administrative entity. These rallies, known as the Tabori movement, which were modelled on Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...
's monster meetings.
In 1867, Vošnjak was elected to the Styrian Provincial Diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
, where he remained until 1878. During this time, he became one of the most radical members of the national liberal Young Slovene party. In 1868, he co-founded the newspaper Slovenski narod, which became the herald of Slovene liberalism
Liberalism in Slovenia
This article gives an overview of liberalism in Slovenia. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme...
until the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Between 1873 and 1885, he served as member of the Austrian Parliament
Reichsrat (Austria)
The Imperial Council of Austria from 1867 to 1918 was the parliament of the Cisleithanian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Herrenhaus and the Abgeordnetenhaus...
.
After the death of his closest collaborator Josip Jurčič
Josip Jurcic
Josip Jurčič was a Slovene writer and journalist. He was born in Muljava, Austrian Empire and died in Ljubljana, Austria-Hungary...
in 1881, Vošnjak's influence started to decline. He served as member of the Carniola
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
n Provincial Diet until 1895, but his political activity was overshadowed by a new, much more radical generation of Slovene liberal politicians, such as Janko Kersnik
Janko Kersnik
Janko Kersnik was a Slovene writer and politician. Together with Josip Jurčič, he is considered the most important representative of Literary realism in the Slovene language.- Biography :...
, Ivan Hribar
Ivan Hribar
Ivan Hribar was a Slovene and Yugoslav banker, politician, diplomat and journalist. At the turn of the century, he was one of the leaders of the National Progressive Party, and one of the most important figures of Slovene liberal nationalism...
, Ivan Tavčar
Ivan Tavcar
Ivan Tavčar was a Slovene and Yugoslav writer, lawyer, and politician.- Biography :Tavčar was born into a poor peasant family of Janez and Neža née Perko in the Carniolan village of Poljane near Škofja Loka in what was then the Austrian Empire and is now in Slovenia. It has never been entirely...
and Fran Šuklje.
Vošnjak was also a prolific author; he wrote many political articles and essays, as well as plays and short stories. He was interested in spiritism
Spiritism
Spiritism is a loose corpus of religious faiths having in common the general belief in the survival of a spirit after death. In a stricter sense, it is the religion, beliefs and practices of the people affiliated to the International Spiritist Union, based on the works of Allan Kardec and others...
, which he saw as a counterbalance to "soul-less capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
". He was also a radical Anti-semite and one of the first theorists of racial antisemitism in the Slovene Lands.
He retired from public life in 1895, and moved to his estate Visole near Slovenska Bistrica
Slovenska Bistrica
Slovenska Bistrica is a town and a municipality south of Maribor in eastern Slovenia. It is one of the largest municipalities in Slovenia. Traditionally the area was part of the Lower Styria region. The municipality is now included in the Drava statistical region. The town was established in the...
, where he died in 1911.
Josip Vošnjak was the uncle of the Yugoslav
Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
politician, diplomat and historian Bogumil Vošnjak
Bogumil Vošnjak
Bogumil Vošnjak, also known as Bogomil Vošnjak was a Slovene and Yugoslav jurist, politician, diplomat, author and legal historian...
.
Sources
- Vasilij MelikVasilij MelikVasilij Melik was a Slovenian historian, who mostly worked on political history of the Slovene Lands in the 19th century.He was born in Ljubljana as the only son of the renowned geographer Anton Melik...
, "Josip Vošnjak in njegovi Spomini" (Ljubljana: Slovenska maticaSlovenska maticaSlovenska 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...
, 1982).