Milica Kacin Wohinz
Encyclopedia
Milica Kacin Wohinz is a Slovenia
n historian
, renowned for her seminal study on the history of the Slovenes in the Julian March
during the Italian administration between 1918 and 1943.
She was born as Milica Brezigar in the small Alpine
town of Cerkno
in what was then the Kingdom of Italy (now in Slovenia
). She attended Italian-language schools in Cerkno and Tolmin
until 1942, where she was expelled because of her father's anti-Fascist activities. Still as a teenager, she collaborated with the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
. After World War II
and the annexation of the Slovenian Littoral
to Yugoslavia
in 1947, she frequented the Slovene language high schools in Postojna
and Ljubljana
. In 1952, she enrolled to the University of Ljubljana
, where she studied history. She obtained her PhD in 1970 under the supervision of Vasilij Melik
. Since 1959, she worked at the Institute of Contemporary History
in Ljubljana. Between 1979 and 1983, she was head of the Institute.
She has researched the history of Slovenes and Croats
in the Julian March
. Her works on Slovene and Croat anti-Fascism during the Italian administration are considered pioneer. She was one of the first historians to engage in thorough research of the militant anti-Fascist organization TIGR
.
She was member of the Slovenian-Italian Cultural-Historical Commission, established by the governments of the two countries to shed light on the historical relationship between the two peoples from 1880 to 1954.
In Italian
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...
n 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...
, renowned for her seminal study on the history of the Slovenes in the Julian March
Julian March
The Julian March is a former political region of southeastern Europe on what are now the borders between Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy...
during the Italian administration between 1918 and 1943.
She was born as Milica Brezigar in the small Alpine
Julian Alps
The Julian Alps are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps that stretches from northeastern Italy to Slovenia, where they rise to 2,864 m at Mount Triglav. They are named after Julius Caesar, who founded the municipium of Cividale del Friuli at the foot of the mountains...
town of Cerkno
Cerkno
Cerkno is a small town and a municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.It has around 2,000 inhabitants and is the administrative centre of the Cerkno hills...
in what was then the Kingdom of Italy (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...
). She attended Italian-language schools in Cerkno and Tolmin
Tolmin
Tolmin is a small town and municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.-Geography:Tolmin, the old town that gave the name to the entire area , is the largest settlement in the Upper Soča Valley , as well as its economic, cultural and administrative centre. It is located on a terrace above the...
until 1942, where she was expelled because of her father's anti-Fascist activities. Still as a teenager, she collaborated with the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
On 26 April 1941 in Ljubljana the Anti-Imperialist Front was established. It was to promote "an international massive movement" to "liberate the Slovenian nation" whose "hope and example was the Soviet Union"...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the annexation of the Slovenian Littoral
Slovenian Littoral
The Slovenian Littoral is a historical region of Slovenia. Its name recalls the historical Habsburg crown land of the Austrian Littoral, of which the Slovenian Littoral was a part....
to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1947, she frequented the Slovene language high schools in Postojna
Postojna
Postojna is a town and a municipality in the traditional region of Inner Carniola, from Trieste, in southwestern Slovenia. Population 14,581 .-History:...
and 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...
. In 1952, she enrolled to the University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
, where she studied history. She obtained her PhD in 1970 under the supervision of Vasilij Melik
Vasilij Melik
Vasilij 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...
. Since 1959, she worked at the Institute of Contemporary History
Institute of Contemporary History
The name "Institute of Contemporary History" is used by the following institutions:* The Wiener Library and Institute of Contemporary History, London, England* Institut für Zeitgeschichte, Munich, Germany* Inštitut za novejšo zgodovino, Ljubljana, Slovenia...
in Ljubljana. Between 1979 and 1983, she was head of the Institute.
She has researched the history of Slovenes and Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
in the Julian March
Julian March
The Julian March is a former political region of southeastern Europe on what are now the borders between Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy...
. Her works on Slovene and Croat anti-Fascism during the Italian administration are considered pioneer. She was one of the first historians to engage in thorough research of the militant anti-Fascist organization TIGR
TIGR
TIGR, abbreviation for Trst , Istra , Gorica and Reka , with the full name Revolutionary Organization of the Julian March T.I.G.R. was a militant anti-Fascist and insurgent organization active in the 1920s and the 1930s in the eastern Italian border region known as the Julian March.The...
.
She was member of the Slovenian-Italian Cultural-Historical Commission, established by the governments of the two countries to shed light on the historical relationship between the two peoples from 1880 to 1954.
Main works
In Slovene- Slovenci v zamejstvu : pregled zgodovine 1918-1945 ("Slovenes Beyond the Borders: A Historical Overview"), co-authored with Tone Ferenc. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije, 1974;
- Narodnoobrambno gibanje primorskih Slovencev, 1921-1928 ("The National Defence Movement of the Slovenes in the Littoral Region between 1921 and 1928"). Koper: Lipa, 1977;
- Prvi antifašizem v Evropi. Primorska 1925-1935 ("The First Anti-Fascism in Europe. The Slovenian Littoral between 1925 and 1935"). Koper: Lipa, 1990;
- Primorski upor fašizmu : 1920-1941 ("The Slovene Resistance against Fascism, 1920-1941"), co-authored with Marta VerginellaMarta VerginellaMarta Verginella is a Slovenian-Italian historian from Trieste, and one of the most prominent contemporary Slovene historians.- Biography :She was born in Trieste, Italy, where she attended Slovene language schools...
. 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...
, 2008.
In Italian
- Storia degli sloveni in Italia : 1866-1998 ("History of the Slovenes in Italy, 1866-1998"),co-authored with Jože PirjevecJože PirjevecJože Pirjevec is a Slovene historian from Italy. He is one of the most prominent diplomatic historians of the west Balkans region, and member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts....
. Venice: Marsilio, 1998; - Vivere al confine : sloveni e italiani negli anni 1918-1941 ("Living on the Border: Slovenes and Italians between the Years 1918 and 1941"). Gorizia: Goriška Mohorjeva družba, 2004.