Matija Majar
Encyclopedia
Matija Majar, also spelled Majer (7 February 1809 - 31 July 1892) was a Carinthian Slovene Roman Catholic priest and political activist, most famous as the author of the idea of a United Slovenia
. He was also known under the pseudonym Ziljski.
Majar was born in the small village of Wittenig south-west of Hermagor
in the Gail (Zilja) river valley in southern Carinthia
, then part of the Austrian Empire
. He grew up in a bilingual, Slovene-German
environment and then attended the lyceum in Klagenfurt
and in Graz
. During his study in Klagenfurt, he came under the influence of Anton Martin Slomšek
, a Roman Catholic priest and author who propagated the use of Slovene in the public sphere.
Majar served as priest in Slovene-speaking parishes in Carinthia, first in Rosegg
and then in Žabnice
(today known as Camporosso) in the Canale Valley (now in Italy
). In 1837, he moved back to Klagenfurt, where he first worked in the administration of the Diocese of Gurk, and from 1843 as the chaplain of Klagenfurt Cathedral. During his Klagenfurt years, Majar came into contact with several Slovene ethnographers and authors who worked on the revival of the Slovene language and culture, such as Urban Jarnik
, Anton Janežič
, Matija Ahacel
, and Davorin Trstenjak
. Influenced by the Illyrian Movement
in Croatia
, especially by the Slovene-Croatian poet and activist Stanko Vraz
, Majar started developing Pan-Slavist ideals.
In the early days of the revolution of 1848
, Majar formulated and published a political manifesto demanding the unification of all Slovene Lands
into one single politically autonomous administrative entity, called Slovenia
. In the following months, Majar's manifesto was elaborated into a program known under the name of United Slovenia
.
Because of his radical political activity, Majar was transferred from Klagenfurt to the remote parish of Hohenthurn
on the border with Friuli
. After more than decade in isolation, in 1867 Majar took part in a journey to Moscow later nicknamed the "Slav Pilgrimage", where he presented the valley of the Gail river at the Ethnographic Exhibition. Through this four-week absence without leave from his parish he completely fell out with the church authorities. Majar then returned to public life. He even tried to introduce the Cyrillic script among Slovenes. He published his ethnographic research in several Russian journals, and in 1870, he was offered tenure as professor in Odessa
, in the Russian Empire
. However, since he was still a Roman Catholic priest, this plan failed as the Russian authorities did not grant him entry to the country. Nevertheless, Majar continued to propagate radical pan-Slavic ideas through the magazine Slavjan ("The Slav"), which he had founded in 1873. The magazine had limited success and was closed in 1875. In 1885, Majar moved to Prague
, where he lived until his death in 1892.
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...
. He was also known under the pseudonym Ziljski.
Majar was born in the small village of Wittenig south-west of Hermagor
Hermagor-Pressegger See
Hermagor-Pressegger See is the administrative centre of the Hermagor district in the Austrian state of Carinthia. The town is named after Saint Hermagoras, the first bishop of Aquileia.-Location:...
in the Gail (Zilja) river valley in southern Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
, 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...
. He grew up in a bilingual, Slovene-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....
environment and then attended the lyceum in Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
and 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...
. During his study in Klagenfurt, he came under the influence of 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...
, a Roman Catholic priest and author who propagated the use of Slovene in the public sphere.
Majar served as priest in Slovene-speaking parishes in Carinthia, first in Rosegg
Rosegg
Rosegg is a town in the district of Villach-Land in Carinthia in Austria. According to the national census 6.1% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes.-Neighboring municipalities:- Sources :...
and then in Žabnice
Tarvisio
Tarvisio is a town in the Province of Udine, in the northeastern part of the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region in Italy...
(today known as Camporosso) in the Canale Valley (now in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
). In 1837, he moved back to Klagenfurt, where he first worked in the administration of the Diocese of Gurk, and from 1843 as the chaplain of Klagenfurt Cathedral. During his Klagenfurt years, Majar came into contact with several Slovene ethnographers and authors who worked on the revival of the Slovene language and culture, such as Urban Jarnik
Urban Jarnik
Urban Jarnik was a Carinthian Slovene priest, historian, poet, author and ethnographer.He was born in the lower Gailtal in the Duchy of Carinthia. He served as a parish priest in several villages and towns throughout southern Carinthia, including Klagenfurt and Moosburg, which at the time still...
, Anton Janežič
Anton Janežic
Anton Janežič, also known in German as Anton Janeschitz was a Carinthian Slovene linguist, philologist, author, editor, literary historian and critic.- Life :...
, Matija Ahacel
Matija Ahacel
Matija Ahacel, also known in German as Matthias Achazel , born Matija Kobentar, was a Carinthian Slovene philologist, publicist, and collector of folk songs....
, and Davorin Trstenjak
Davorin Trstenjak
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...
. Influenced by 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...
in 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 ...
, especially by the Slovene-Croatian poet and activist Stanko Vraz
Stanko Vraz
Stanko Vraz was a Croatian-Slovenian poet. He Slavicized his name to Stanko Vraz in 1836.-Biography:...
, Majar started developing Pan-Slavist ideals.
In the early days of the revolution of 1848
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
, Majar formulated and published a political manifesto demanding the unification of all 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 single politically autonomous administrative entity, called 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...
. In the following months, Majar's manifesto was elaborated into a program known under the name 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...
.
Because of his radical political activity, Majar was transferred from Klagenfurt to the remote parish of Hohenthurn
Hohenthurn
Hohenthurn is a municipality in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia, situated in the valley of the Gail river on the northern slope of the Carnic Alps at the border with Italy. It comprises the Katastralgemeinden of Hohenthurn and Dreulach...
on the border with Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
. After more than decade in isolation, in 1867 Majar took part in a journey to Moscow later nicknamed the "Slav Pilgrimage", where he presented the valley of the Gail river at the Ethnographic Exhibition. Through this four-week absence without leave from his parish he completely fell out with the church authorities. Majar then returned to public life. He even tried to introduce the Cyrillic script among Slovenes. He published his ethnographic research in several Russian journals, and in 1870, he was offered tenure as professor in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. However, since he was still a Roman Catholic priest, this plan failed as the Russian authorities did not grant him entry to the country. Nevertheless, Majar continued to propagate radical pan-Slavic ideas through the magazine Slavjan ("The Slav"), which he had founded in 1873. The magazine had limited success and was closed in 1875. In 1885, Majar moved to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, where he lived until his death in 1892.
Sources
- Andreas Moritsch, Matija Majar-Ziljski. Ljubljana - Klagenfurt: Mohorjeva družba, 1995.