Peter Božič
Encyclopedia
Peter Božič was a Slovenia
n writer
, playwright
, journalist
and politician
. He is renowned for his modernist novels in which he described the horrors of World War II
, and for the literary depictions of lower classes.
, Slovenia
, then part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
.
He spent his early childhood in Novo Mesto
and in Maribor
. During World War II
, he was transferred with his family to the Silesia
n city of Breslau (now Wroclaw in Poland
), and later to Dresden
. As a child, he was touched by the cruelty of war: among other, he witnessed the bombing of Dresden
.
After the war, he returned to Maribor, where he finished high school. He enrolled at the University of Ljubljana
, but he never finished his studies. In his student years, he lived a bohemian lifestyle at the edge of society. He worked as a librarian in the industrial town of Jesenice and in the Lower Carniola
n village of Krvava Peč
.
In the late 1950s, he started collaborating with the so-called Critical Generation, a group of young Slovene intellectuals that challenged the rigid cultural policies of the Titoist regime. In the 1960s, he returned to Ljubljana, where he lived as a freelance writer and later as a journalist. He frequently interchanged years in isolation and years of public activity.
In the early 1990s, after downfall of the Communist regime, he became involved in politics. In 1990, he joined the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia, led by his youth friend Jože Pučnik
. He quit the party in 1992, after Janez Janša
was elected its president, and joined the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
. In 1998, he was elected to the City Council of Ljubljana
. During his career in Ljubljana local politics, Božič was involved in several controversies, mainly connected with the internal fights within the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia. In 2006, he became one of the foremost supporters of the mayor Zoran Janković, and was re-elected to the Ljubljana City Council on the Zoran Janković Civic List. He later joined the social liberal party Zares
. In 2009, shortly after the discovery of the mass grave in Barbara pit
, he proposed that a street in Ljubljana be named after the Yugoslav Communist dictator Josip Broz Tito
.
He died in Ljubljana at the age of 77.
and Eugene Ionesco
. He also experimented with surrealism
and expressionism
.
He is most famous for his literary depictions of lower urban classes, and individuals living at the edges of society. His novels are frequently set in amidst urban poverty. His most famous novel, 'The Death of Father Vincent' (Očeta Vincenca smrt), in which he described his childhood experiences of war and exile, is considered as one of the best literary descriptions of World War Two in Slovenian literature
.
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 writer
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....
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is renowned for his modernist novels in which he described the horrors of 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 for the literary depictions of lower classes.
Life
He was born as Peter Jožef Božič in BledBled
Bled is a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area, within the Julian Alps, is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, 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...
, then part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
.
He spent his early childhood in Novo Mesto
Novo Mesto
Novo Mesto is a city and municipality in southeastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. The town is traditionally considered the economic and cultural centre of the historic Lower Carniola region.-Geography:...
and 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....
. During 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...
, he was transferred with his family to the Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
n city of Breslau (now Wroclaw in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), and later to Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. As a child, he was touched by the cruelty of war: among other, he witnessed the bombing of Dresden
Bombing of Dresden in World War II
The Bombing of Dresden was a military bombing by the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force and as part of the Allied forces between 13 February and 15 February 1945 in the Second World War...
.
After the war, he returned to Maribor, where he finished high school. He enrolled at 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:...
, but he never finished his studies. In his student years, he lived a bohemian lifestyle at the edge of society. He worked as a librarian in the industrial town of Jesenice and in the Lower Carniola
Lower Carniola
Lower Carniola was a kreis of the historical Habsburg crown land of Carniola from 1849 till 1919 and is nowadays a traditional region of Slovenia. Its center is Novo Mesto, while other urban centers include Kočevje, Grosuplje, Krško, Trebnje, Mirna, Črnomelj, Semič, and Metlika.-See also:* Upper...
n village of Krvava Peč
Krvava Peč
Krvava Peč is a village in the hils to the west of Velike Lašče in central Slovenia. The entire Velike Lašče municipality is part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola and is now included in the Central Slovenia statistical region....
.
In the late 1950s, he started collaborating with the so-called Critical Generation, a group of young Slovene intellectuals that challenged the rigid cultural policies of the Titoist regime. In the 1960s, he returned to Ljubljana, where he lived as a freelance writer and later as a journalist. He frequently interchanged years in isolation and years of public activity.
In the early 1990s, after downfall of the Communist regime, he became involved in politics. In 1990, he joined the Social Democratic Party of Slovenia, led by his youth friend Jože Pučnik
Jože Pucnik
Jože Pučnik was a Slovenian public intellectual, sociologist and politician. During the Communist regime of Josip Broz Tito, Pučnik was one of the most outspoken Slovenian critics of dictatorship and lack of civil liberties in former Yugoslavia. He was imprisoned for a total of 7 years, and later...
. He quit the party in 1992, after Janez Janša
Janez Janša
Janez Janša is a Slovenian politician who was Prime Minister of Slovenia from November 2004 to November 2008. He has also been President of the Slovenian Democratic Party since 1993...
was elected its president, and joined the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia is a liberal political party in Slovenia. It is led by Katarina Kresal and is a member of the Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party...
. In 1998, he was elected to the City Council of 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...
. During his career in Ljubljana local politics, Božič was involved in several controversies, mainly connected with the internal fights within the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia. In 2006, he became one of the foremost supporters of the mayor Zoran Janković, and was re-elected to the Ljubljana City Council on the Zoran Janković Civic List. He later joined the social liberal party Zares
Zares
Zares – Social Liberals is a social-liberal political party in Slovenia. Its president is Gregor Golobič, former Secretary General of the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia and former close advisor to the late Janez Drnovšek, who had previously abandoned active political involvement due to...
. In 2009, shortly after the discovery of the mass grave in Barbara pit
Barbara pit
The Barbara Pit is a pit near Huda Jama in Slovenia, known as the site of a World War II-era mass grave. The mass grave site was first publicly discussed in 1990, after the fall of communism in Yugoslavia...
, he proposed that a street in Ljubljana be named after the Yugoslav Communist dictator Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
.
He died in Ljubljana at the age of 77.
Work
Božič's early writings reflect the author's interest in existential philosophy, and show an influence of Samuel BeckettSamuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
and Eugene Ionesco
Eugène Ionesco
Eugène Ionesco was a Romanian and French playwright and dramatist, and one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd...
. He also experimented with surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
and expressionism
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
.
He is most famous for his literary depictions of lower urban classes, and individuals living at the edges of society. His novels are frequently set in amidst urban poverty. His most famous novel, 'The Death of Father Vincent' (Očeta Vincenca smrt), in which he described his childhood experiences of war and exile, is considered as one of the best literary descriptions of World War Two in Slovenian literature
Slovenian literature
Slovene literature, meaning the literature in the Slovene language, starts with Freising manuscripts around 1000. From first printed Slovene religious books in 1550 it is followed by these literary periods and notable authors:-Middle Ages:-Folk poetry:...
.