Carinthian Slovenes
Encyclopedia
Carinthian Slovenes are the Slovene-speaking population group in the Austria
n State of Carinthia
. The Carinthian Slovenes send representatives to the National Ethnic Groups Advisory Council. The status of the minority group is guaranteed in principle constitutionally and under international law.
The Slovene language area was initially settled towards the end of the migration period
by, among others, the western Slavs, and thereafter eventually by southern Slavs, who became the predominant group. A southern Slavonic informal language with western Slavonic influence arose. At the end of the migration period, a Slavic national proto-state called Carantania, the precursor of the later Duchy of Carinthia
, arose; it extended far beyond the present area of the present state and its political center is said to have lain in the Zollfeld
.
, Carantania became part of the Frankish Empire
and, in consequence, of the Holy Roman Empire
. As a result of this, German noble families became gradually prevalent, while the population remained Slovene. Finally, the Bavarii
moved into Carinthia as settlers. They settled the hitherto sparsely populated areas, such as wooded regions and high valleys. Only here and there did this lead to the direct displacement of Slavs (the development to being Slovenians did not take place until later). However, a process of assimilation of Slovenes by Germans
began. In the 19th century, about two thirds of the Carinthians had in this way become German speaking. Nevertheless, Klagenfurt
, at this time a German city with Slovene surroundings, was the predominant Slovene city of learning.
; at the same time the conflict between national groups became more intense.
With the end of World War I
the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
for a short time occupied the districts where the greater majority still used the Slovene language. Armed clashes followed and this issue also split the Slovene population. In the plebiscite
zone in which the Slovene-speaking proportion of the population constituted about 70%, 59% of those who voted at the plebiscite voted to remain in Austria
. In the run-up to the plebiscite the state government gave an assurance that it would promote and support the retention of Slovene culture. These conciliatory promises, in addition to economic and other reasons, led to about 40% of the Slovenes living in the plebiscite zone voting to retain the unity of Carinthia. Voting patterns were, however, different by region; in many municipalities there were majorities who voted to become part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
As everywhere else in Europe, nationalism grew in the Interwar period
. Promises made were broken, assimilation was forced by dividing the Slovenes into Slovenes and Windisch
, even by denying that their language - a Slovene dialect with a large number of words borrowed from German - was Slovene at all. This culminated in targeted persecution in the Third Reich. Certainly it was possible to put oneself on good terms with the regime by professing to be Windisch with the associated promise to assimilate. At the same time, many Slovenes took part in Tito’s partisans’ resistance
, and Yugoslav troops after the war again occupied parts of Carinthia including its capital city, Klagenfurt, but withdrew under pressure from the British forces. In view of this extreme development on both sides, the atmosphere between the two national groups was extremely tense after the Second World War
and the Slovene language continued to retreat steadily despite the fact that in the mixed-language areas every schoolchild now had to undergo bilingual instruction. Because of this, however, members of German speaking families were counted among the numbers of Slovene Carinthians in publications from by Communist Ljubljana, which then caused such families to deny their knowledge of the Slovene dialect so that every-day communication in this Slovene dialect between the ethnic groups ceased.
On 15 May 1955 the Austrian State Treaty
was signed, in Article 7 of which the “rights of the Slovene and Croat minorities” in Austria were regulated. In 1975 the electoral grouping of the Slovene national group (Enotna Lista
) only just failed to gain entry to the state assembly. With the argument that in elections the population should vote for the political parties rather than according to their ethnic allegiance, before the next elections in 1979 the originally single constituency of Carinthia
was divided into four constituencies. The area of settlement of the Carinthian Slovenes was divided up and these parts were in turn combined with purely German-speaking parts of the province. In the new constituencies the Slovene-speaking proportion of the population was reduced in such a way that it was no longer possible for the representatives of national minorities to succeed in getting into the state assembly. The Austrian Center for Ethnic Groups and representatives of the Carinthian Slovenes saw in this way of proceeding the successful attempt to reduce the political influence of the Slovene-speaking national minority group.
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In the 1970s the situation again escalated in the so-called dispute over bilingual place-name signs, but thereafter became less tense. However, continuing up to the present, individual statements by Slovene politicians are interpreted by parts of the German-speaking population as Slovene territorial claims, and they therefore regard the territorial integrity of Carinthia as still not being guaranteed. This interpretation is rejected both by the Slovene government and by the organizations representing the interests of the Carinthian Slovenes. The territorial integrity of Carinthia and its remaining part of Austria
are said not to be placed in question at all.
(the former governor of Carinthia from 1999 to 2008) in making a political issue out of the dispute over bilingual place-name signs shows that the conflict is, as before, still present.
At the end of the 19th century, the Carinthian Slovenes comprised approximately one quarter to one third of the total population of Carinthia, which then, however, included parts that in the meantime have been ceded. In the course of the 20th century the numbers declined, especially because of the pressure to assimilate, to an official figure of 2.3% of the total population. As the pressure from German came above all from the west and north, the present area of settlement lies in the south and east of the state, in the valleys known in German as Jauntal (in Slovenian: Podjuna), Rosental (Slovenian: Rož), the lower Lavanttal (Labotska dolina), the Sattniz (Gure) mountains between the Drau River and Klagenfurt
, and the lower part of Gailtal / Ziljska dolina (to about as far as Tröpolach). Köstenberg and Diex
are approximately the most northerly points of current Slovenian settlement. The municipalities with the highest proportion of Carinthian Slovenes are Zell (89%), Globasnitz (42%), and Eisenkappel-Vellach
(38%), according to the 2001 special census which inquired about the mother tongue and preferred language. The actual number of Carinthian Slovenes is disputed, as both the representatives of Slovene organizations and the representatives of Carinthian traditional organizations describe the census results as inaccurate. The former point to the, in part, strongly fluctuating census results in individual municipalities, which in their opinion correlate strongly with political tensions in national minority questions. Consequently the results would underestimate the actual number of Carinthian Slovenes. The South Carinthian municipality of Gallizien is cited as an example: according to the 1951 census the proportion of Slovene speakers was 80%, whereas in 1961—in absence of any significant migratory movements and with approximately the same population—the proportion dropped to only 11%.
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Census results
Year
Number of Slovenes
1818
137,000
1848
114,000
1880
85,051
1890
84,667
1900
75,136
1910
66,463
1923
34,650
1934
24,875
1939
43,179
1951
42,095
1961
24,911
1971
20,972
1981
16,552
1991
14,850
2001
13,109
As a further example the results of the former municipality of Mieger (now in the municipality of Ebental), are cited, which in 1910 and 1923 had a Slovene-speaking population of 96% and 51% respectively, but in 1934 only 3%. After World War II and a relaxation of relations between both population groups, the municipality showed a result of 91.5% in the 1951 census. Ultimately, in 1971 in the run-up to the Carinthian place-name signs dispute, the number of Slovenes was reduced again to 24%. Representatives of the Carinthian Slovenes regard the census results as the absolute lower limit. They refer to an investigation carried out in 1991 in bilingual parishes, in the process of which there was a question about the colloquial language used by members of the parish. The results of this investigation (50,000 members of national minority groups) differed significantly from those of the census that took place in the same year (about 14,000). Carinthian traditional organizations, on the other hand, estimate the actual number of self-declared Slovenes as being 2,000 to 5,000 persons.
group of Slovene dialects extends beyond the present borders of Carinthia. It is spoken in the bilingual areas that until 1918 formed the Duchy of Carinthia
(i.e. in addition to the present State of Carinthia, the upper Kanaltal around Tarvisio
as well as the Meža
Valley in Slovenia
). Additionally, the Carinthian-Slovene form of dialect is spoken in the Upper Carniola
n locality of Rateče in Slovenia
close to the border with Italy
, as well as along the upper Drava
River in Lower Styria
. It can be divided into sub-dialects spoken in the Jaun Valley
, Rosental, and Gailtal.
The Ebriach dialect, which is influenced by the dialect of Upper Carniola
, can be regarded as a subgroup of the Jaun Valley dialect
. The Carinthian dialects
are particularly unadulterated. In the present German-speaking areas the Slavonic basis of place and pasture names as far as into the upper part of the Möll Valley can be demonstrated. German and Slovene have in any case exercised a reciprocal influence in tone and vocabulary on each other in the course of the centuries.
(See also: Slovenian dialects
.)
appeared in a German translation by Peter Handke
, which led to Handke being described by the Wiener Extrablatt as "Article 7 personified" for this literary achievement. In addition to Lipuš, Handke later translated Gustav Januš. However, Slovene literature in Carinthia is made up not only of Januš and Lipuš, but also a number of other authors. Mirko Kumer, Kristo Srienc and Valentin Polanšek are part of the tradition, but in addition to Lipuš, Janko Messner is part of a small, more innovative group that is nevertheless committed to the literary tradition. Lipus himself has developed into an outstanding belletrist. Younger prose authors include Jože Blajs, Martin Kuchling, Kristijan Močilnik and the internationally known Janko Ferk. There are a considerable number of lyric poets, Milka Hartman being outstanding. Anton Kuchling is part of this generation. Gustav Januš and Andrej Kokot, as well as those lyric poets not currently writing, namely Erik Prunč and Karel Smolle, form the next generation. A group including Janko Ferk, Maja Haderlap, Franc Merkac, Jani Oswald, Vincenc Gotthardt, Fabjan Hafner and Cvetka Lipuš
that formed itself predominantly around the literary periodical Mladje (Youth) follows these lyric poets. Rezka Kanzian and Tim O. Wüster, whose works have not (as of 2006) appeared in books of their own, are part of the youngest generation. Slovenian literature
in Carinthia since the Second World War has displayed a clear will to live; in the 2000s it is an emancipated literature free from provincialism. Johann (Janez) Strutz in particular has rendered outstanding services to the literature of the Carinthian Slovenes from the point of view of the sociology, theory and history of literature. His book Profile der neuen slowenischen Literatur in Kärnten (“Profiles of modern Slovene literature in Carinthia”), published in 1998 in a revised and extended edition, is a much respected standard work.
, which was traditionally friendly to the Slovenes. From 1869 there was a major alteration in the instructions regarding the use of the native language in teaching, resulting from the Imperial law on state schools, as from this time the authority maintaining the school could lay down the language of instruction. This led to a large proportion of the compulsory schools being converted into so-called utraquist school
s, in which Slovene was regarded as an auxiliary language to be used in teaching only until the pupils had acquired an adequate command of German. Only a few schools remained purely Slovene (In 1914: St Jakob in Rosental, St Michael ob Bleiburg and Zell Parish). The utraquist form of school remained in existence until 1941. This school system was rejected by the Slovene national minority as an “instrument of Germanization”.
On 3 October 1945 a new law on schools that envisaged a bilingual education for all children in the traditional area of settlement of Carinthian Slovenes, regardless of the ethnic group to which they belonged, was passed. Bilingual education took place in the first three school years, after which Slovene was a compulsory subject. After the signing of the State Treaty in 1955 and the solution of the hitherto open question of the course of the Austrian–Yugoslav border that was implicitly associated with this, there were protests against this model, culminating in 1958 in a school strike. As a result of this development, the state governor (Landeshauptmann
), Ferdinand Wedenig, issued a decree in September 1958 that made it possible for parents or guardians to deregister their children from bilingual teaching. In March 1959 the educational system was again altered to the effect that henceforth pupils had to register explicitly for bilingual education. As a result of what in effect was an associated compulsion to declare one’s allegiance to an ethnic minority, the numbers of pupils in the bilingual system sank considerably. In 1958 only 20.88%, and in the 1970s only 13.9%, of bilingual pupils registered for German–Slovene teaching. The minorities’ school law that was altered in the course of a three-party agreement (SPÖ (Social Democratic Party of Austria
), ÖVP (Austrian People's Party
), and FPÖ (Austrian Freedom Party) that envisaged a far-reaching separation on the basis of classes of primary school pupils into those taught bilingually and those taught only in German. The issue of whether headteachers of bilingual schools must be able to produce a bilingual qualification remains controversial.
An extension of what is being offered by schools is faced with the general development in the bilingual education system that has been described and that is viewed critically by Slovene organizations In 1957 the federal grammar school and federal secondary school for Slovenes (Bundesgymnasium and Bundesrealgymnasium für Slowenen/Zvezna gimnazija in Zvezna realna gimnazija za Slovence) was founded, in whose building the bilingual federal commercial school (Zweisprachige Bundeshandelsakademie/Dvojezična zvezna trgovska akademija) has also been accommodated since 1991. Since 1989 there has been a secondary school (Höhere Lehranstalt) operated by the Roman Catholic Church in St Peter in Rosental (municipality of St Jakob). Following a decision by the Constitutional Court, school pupils in Klagenfurt are able to attend a public-funded bilingual primary school, in addition to the one operated by the Church. As a result of a private initiative, the Slovene music school (Kärntner Musikschule/Glasbena šola na Koroškem) was founded in 1984 and has received public funds since 1998 when a co-operation agreement was concluded with the State of Carinthia. However, the amount of this financial support (in relation to the number of pupils) contravenes the law on equality of treatment in the view of the Austrian National Minorities Center, as the other operator in the Carinthian music school system, the Musikschulwerk, receives, on a per capita basis, a higher amount. The Glasbena šola is able to continue its operations, however, with the help of contributions from the Republic of Slovenia
.
An increased interest by people in South Carinthia in bilingual education has been generally perceptible since the 1990s. In the 2007/08 school year, 41% of the pupils in primary schools in the area in which the minority school system applied were registered for bilingual teaching – the proportion of children without previous knowledge of Slovene amounted to over 50%.
institutions. The main "umbrella organizations" are National Council of Carinthian Slovenes (Narodni svet koroških Slovencev - Rat der Kärntner Slowenen), representing Christian and conservative views, and the Association of Slovenian Organisations (Zveza slovenskih organizacij - Zentralverband slowenischer Organisationen), closer to left-wing and liberal
policies. The main political association is the Koroška enotna lista
(Kärntner Einheitsliste), a joint political platform that runs at local elections. Other important organizations include:
), to individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the cause of co-existence. The prize has been awarded to, among others, the industrialist Herbert Liaunig, the governor of South Tyrol
Luis Durnwalder
, and professor of general and diachronic linguistics at the University of Klagenfurt
Heinz Dieter Pohl, scholar and professor at the Central European University
Anton Pelinka Roman Catholic prelate Egon Kapellari, Austrian politician Rudolf Kirchschläger
and others.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n State of Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
. The Carinthian Slovenes send representatives to the National Ethnic Groups Advisory Council. The status of the minority group is guaranteed in principle constitutionally and under international law.
Migration period
Migration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
by, among others, the western Slavs, and thereafter eventually by southern Slavs, who became the predominant group. A southern Slavonic informal language with western Slavonic influence arose. At the end of the migration period, a Slavic national proto-state called Carantania, the precursor of the later Duchy of 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....
, arose; it extended far beyond the present area of the present state and its political center is said to have lain in the Zollfeld
Zollfeld
Zollfeld is a slightly ascending plain in Carinthia, Austria. It is one of the oldest cultural landscapes in the East Alpine region.-Geography:...
.
Middle Ages and modern times
Under CharlemagneCharlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
, Carantania became part of the Frankish Empire
Frankish Empire
Francia or Frankia, later also called the Frankish Empire , Frankish Kingdom , Frankish Realm or occasionally Frankland, was the territory inhabited and ruled by the Franks from the 3rd to the 10th century...
and, in consequence, of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. As a result of this, German noble families became gradually prevalent, while the population remained Slovene. Finally, the Bavarii
Bavarii
The Bavarii were a Germanic tribe whose name emerged late in Teutonic tribal times. The full name originally was the Germanic *baio-warioz. This name has been handed down as Baiwaren, Baioaren, Bioras, latinised Bavarii, Baioarii. or Bavarii, Bavarians, Bajuwaren, Bajuvarii, Bajuwaren and Baiern....
moved into Carinthia as settlers. They settled the hitherto sparsely populated areas, such as wooded regions and high valleys. Only here and there did this lead to the direct displacement of Slavs (the development to being Slovenians did not take place until later). However, a process of assimilation of Slovenes by Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
began. In the 19th century, about two thirds of the Carinthians had in this way become German speaking. Nevertheless, 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...
, at this time a German city with Slovene surroundings, was the predominant Slovene city of learning.
19th and 20th centuries
With the emergence of the nationalist movement in the late Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, there was an acceleration in the process of assimilationCultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
; at the same time the conflict between national groups became more intense.
With the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs
The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs was a short-lived state formed from the southernmost parts of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy after its dissolution at the end of the World War I by the resident population of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs...
for a short time occupied the districts where the greater majority still used the Slovene language. Armed clashes followed and this issue also split the Slovene population. In the plebiscite
Carinthian Plebiscite
The Carinthian Plebiscite on 10 October 1920 determined the final southern border between the Republic of Austria and the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after World War I.- History :...
zone in which the Slovene-speaking proportion of the population constituted about 70%, 59% of those who voted at the plebiscite voted to remain in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. In the run-up to the plebiscite the state government gave an assurance that it would promote and support the retention of Slovene culture. These conciliatory promises, in addition to economic and other reasons, led to about 40% of the Slovenes living in the plebiscite zone voting to retain the unity of Carinthia. Voting patterns were, however, different by region; in many municipalities there were majorities who voted to become part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
As everywhere else in Europe, nationalism grew in the Interwar period
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
. Promises made were broken, assimilation was forced by dividing the Slovenes into Slovenes and Windisch
Wends
Wends is a historic name for West Slavs living near Germanic settlement areas. It does not refer to a homogeneous people, but to various peoples, tribes or groups depending on where and when it is used...
, even by denying that their language - a Slovene dialect with a large number of words borrowed from German - was Slovene at all. This culminated in targeted persecution in the Third Reich. Certainly it was possible to put oneself on good terms with the regime by professing to be Windisch with the associated promise to assimilate. At the same time, many Slovenes took part in Tito’s partisans’ resistance
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
, and Yugoslav troops after the war again occupied parts of Carinthia including its capital city, Klagenfurt, but withdrew under pressure from the British forces. In view of this extreme development on both sides, the atmosphere between the two national groups was extremely tense after the Second World War
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 Slovene language continued to retreat steadily despite the fact that in the mixed-language areas every schoolchild now had to undergo bilingual instruction. Because of this, however, members of German speaking families were counted among the numbers of Slovene Carinthians in publications from by Communist Ljubljana, which then caused such families to deny their knowledge of the Slovene dialect so that every-day communication in this Slovene dialect between the ethnic groups ceased.
On 15 May 1955 the Austrian State Treaty
Austrian State Treaty
The Austrian State Treaty or Austrian Independence Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state. It was signed on May 15, 1955, in Vienna at the Schloss Belvedere among the Allied occupying powers and the Austrian government...
was signed, in Article 7 of which the “rights of the Slovene and Croat minorities” in Austria were regulated. In 1975 the electoral grouping of the Slovene national group (Enotna Lista
Enotna Lista
The Unity List or EL seeks to represent the autochthonous Slovene minority in Carinthia. It came into existence in 1991, replacing the "Club of Slovenian Local Councillors" , which had existed as an initiative of local Slovenian party lists from various local councils...
) only just failed to gain entry to the state assembly. With the argument that in elections the population should vote for the political parties rather than according to their ethnic allegiance, before the next elections in 1979 the originally single constituency of Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
was divided into four constituencies. The area of settlement of the Carinthian Slovenes was divided up and these parts were in turn combined with purely German-speaking parts of the province. In the new constituencies the Slovene-speaking proportion of the population was reduced in such a way that it was no longer possible for the representatives of national minorities to succeed in getting into the state assembly. The Austrian Center for Ethnic Groups and representatives of the Carinthian Slovenes saw in this way of proceeding the successful attempt to reduce the political influence of the Slovene-speaking national minority group.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
are said not to be placed in question at all.
Current developments
Since the 1990s a growing interest in Slovene on the part of German-speaking Carinthians has been perceptible, but this could turn out to be too late in view of the increase in the proportion of elderly people. The success of Jörg HaiderJörg Haider
Jörg Haider was an Austrian politician. He was Governor of Carinthia on two occasions, the long-time leader of the Austrian Freedom Party and later Chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Austria , a breakaway party from the FPÖ.Haider was controversial within Austria and abroad for comments...
(the former governor of Carinthia from 1999 to 2008) in making a political issue out of the dispute over bilingual place-name signs shows that the conflict is, as before, still present.
Area of settlement and proportion of the population
.png) |
| 2001 census |
_1971.png) |
| 1971 census |
At the end of the 19th century, the Carinthian Slovenes comprised approximately one quarter to one third of the total population of Carinthia, which then, however, included parts that in the meantime have been ceded. In the course of the 20th century the numbers declined, especially because of the pressure to assimilate, to an official figure of 2.3% of the total population. As the pressure from German came above all from the west and north, the present area of settlement lies in the south and east of the state, in the valleys known in German as Jauntal (in Slovenian: Podjuna), Rosental (Slovenian: Rož), the lower Lavanttal (Labotska dolina), the Sattniz (Gure) mountains between the Drau River and 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 the lower part of Gailtal / Ziljska dolina (to about as far as Tröpolach). Köstenberg and Diex
Diex
Diex is a town in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia in Austria. It is known for its Gothic fortified church on a hilltop....
are approximately the most northerly points of current Slovenian settlement. The municipalities with the highest proportion of Carinthian Slovenes are Zell (89%), Globasnitz (42%), and Eisenkappel-Vellach
Eisenkappel-Vellach
Eisenkappel-Vellach is a market township in and around the Vellach Valley of southeast Austria on the border of Slovenia. It is in the Völkermarkt district in the State of Carinthia. It consists of its center Bad Eisenkappel and several small settlements located in small lateral valleys...
(38%), according to the 2001 special census which inquired about the mother tongue and preferred language. The actual number of Carinthian Slovenes is disputed, as both the representatives of Slovene organizations and the representatives of Carinthian traditional organizations describe the census results as inaccurate. The former point to the, in part, strongly fluctuating census results in individual municipalities, which in their opinion correlate strongly with political tensions in national minority questions. Consequently the results would underestimate the actual number of Carinthian Slovenes. The South Carinthian municipality of Gallizien is cited as an example: according to the 1951 census the proportion of Slovene speakers was 80%, whereas in 1961—in absence of any significant migratory movements and with approximately the same population—the proportion dropped to only 11%.
{
As a further example the results of the former municipality of Mieger (now in the municipality of Ebental), are cited, which in 1910 and 1923 had a Slovene-speaking population of 96% and 51% respectively, but in 1934 only 3%. After World War II and a relaxation of relations between both population groups, the municipality showed a result of 91.5% in the 1951 census. Ultimately, in 1971 in the run-up to the Carinthian place-name signs dispute, the number of Slovenes was reduced again to 24%. Representatives of the Carinthian Slovenes regard the census results as the absolute lower limit. They refer to an investigation carried out in 1991 in bilingual parishes, in the process of which there was a question about the colloquial language used by members of the parish. The results of this investigation (50,000 members of national minority groups) differed significantly from those of the census that took place in the same year (about 14,000). Carinthian traditional organizations, on the other hand, estimate the actual number of self-declared Slovenes as being 2,000 to 5,000 persons.
| Municipalities | Percent of Slovenes 2001 | Percent of Slovenes 1951 | Percent of Slovenes 1880 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg/Brdo | Part of Hermagor/Šmohor | 56.1% | 95% |
| Görtschach/Goriče | Part of Hermagor/Šmohor | 58.4% | 98.5% |
| St. Stefan im Gailtal/Štefan na Zilji Sankt Stefan im Gailtal Sankt Stefan im Gailtal is a town in the district of Hermagor in Carinthia in Austria.-References:... |
1.2% | N.D. | 97.4% |
| Vorderberg/Blače | Part of St. Stefan im Gailtal/Štefan na Zilji | 54.8% | 99.8% |
| Hermagor Hermagor The Bezirk Hermagor is an administrative district in Carinthia, Austria.The district has an area of 808.02 km² and a population of . Hermagor's population density is nearly people per km²... /Šmohor |
1.6% | N.D | N.D |
| Arnoldstein Arnoldstein Arnoldstein is a market town in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia.-Location:Arnoldstein is located at Austria's southern border between the Carnic Alps and the Karawanken mountain range, near the confluence of the Gailitz and the Gail River... /Podklošter |
2.1% | 9.2% | 39.7% |
| Augsdorf/Loga vas | Part of Velden am Wörther See/Vrba ob Jezeru | 48.2% | 93.8% |
| Feistritz an der Gail Feistritz an der Gail Feistritz an der Gail is a town in the district of Villach-Land in Carinthia in Austria.-References:... /Bistrica na Zilji |
7.9% | 53.4% | 83.9% |
| Finkenstein/Bekštanj | 5.7% | 24.2% | 96.3% |
| 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... /Straja vas |
8.3 | 27.1% | 98.9% |
| Köstenberg/Kostanje | Part of Velden am Wörther See/Vrba | 40.1% | 76.1% |
| Ledenitzen/Ledince | Part of Sankt Jakob im Rosental/Šentjakob v Rožu | 37.8% | 96.8% |
| Lind ob Velden/Lipa pri Vrbi | Part of Velden am Wörther See/Vrba | 15.8% | 44.5% |
| Maria Gail/Marija na Zilji | Part of Villach/Beljak | 16.7% | 95.9% |
| Nötsch/Čajna | 0.6% | 3.6% | N.D. |
| 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 :... /Rožek |
6.1% | 32.4% | 96.7% |
| Sankt Jakob im Rosental Sankt Jakob im Rosental Sankt Jakob im Rosental is a town in the district of Villach-Land in Carinthia in Austria.According to the 2001 census 16.4% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes.... /Št. Jakob v Rožu |
16.4% | 62.7% | 99.3% |
| Velden am Wörther See Velden am Wörther See Velden am Wörthersee is a market town in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Situated at the western shore of the Wörthersee lake it is one of the most popular holiday resorts of Austria.... /Vrba ob Jezeru |
2.8% | 0.9% | 96.3% |
| Wernberg Wernberg Wernberg is a town in the district of Villach-Land in Carinthia in Austria.-Neighboring municipalities:... /Vernberk |
1.0% | 20.5% | 73.2% |
| Ebental/Žrelec | 4.2% | 16.4% | 62.8% |
| Feistritz im Rosental Feistritz im Rosental Feistritz im Rosental is a market town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is located on the northern slope of the Karawanken mountain range in the Rosental, a valley of the Drava River. According to the 2001 census 13.3% of the population are Carinthian... /Bistrica v Rožu |
13.4% | 47.2% | 97.7% |
| Ferlach Ferlach Ferlach is the southernmost town in Austria, about 17 km south of the Carinthian capital Klagenfurt. It is situated in the Rosental/Rož Valley of the Drava River, at the northern slope of the Karawanken mountain range... /Borovlje |
8.3% | 20.5% | 61.4% |
| Grafenstein Grafenstein Grafenstein is a town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in Carinthia in Austria.-References:... /Grabštajn |
0.8% | 7.6% | 95.6% |
| Keutschach/Hodiše | 5.6% | 60.6% | 96.5% |
| Köttmannsdorf Köttmannsdorf Köttmannsdorf is a town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in Carinthia in Austria.According to the 2001 census 6.4% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes.-References:... /Kotmara vas |
6.4% | 45.6% | 95.3% |
| Ludmannsdorf Ludmannsdorf Ludmannsdorf is a town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in Carinthia, Austria.It is located on the left bank of the Drava river.According to the 2001 census, 28.3% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes.... /Bilčovs |
28.3% | 85.0% | 100% |
| Maria Rain Maria Rain Maria Rain is a town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in Carinthia in Austria, known for its Baroque parish and pilgrimage church .According to the 2001 census 3.9% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes.-References:... /Žihpolje |
3.9% | 10.5% | 55.1% |
| Maria Wörth Maria Wörth Maria Wörth is a municipality in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. The centre of the resort town is situated on a peninsula at the southern shore of the Wörthersee. In the east the municipal area borders the Carinthian capital Klagenfurt. The municipality consists... /Otok |
1.1% | 16.3% | 41.9% |
| Mieger/Medgorje | Part of Ebental/Žrelec | 91.5% | 98.1% |
| Poggersdorf Poggersdorf Poggersdorf is a town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in Carinthia in Austria.-References:... /Pokrče |
1.2 | 2.8% | 87% |
| Radsberg/Radiše | Part of Ebental/Žrelec | 52.0% | 100% |
| Schiefling/Škofiče | 6.0% | 38.4% | 98.9% |
| Sankt Margareten im Rosental Sankt Margareten im Rosental Sankt Margareten im Rosental is a town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in Carinthia in Austria.According to the 2001 census 11,8% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes.... / Šmarjeta v Rožu |
11.8% | 76.8% | 92.4% |
| Magdalensberg Magdalensberg Magdalensberg is a municipality in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in Carinthia in Austria.The municipality comprises 40 villages and hamlets: Christofberg, Deinsdorf, Dürnfeld, Eibelhof, Eixendorf, Farchern, Freudenberg, Gammersdorf, Geiersdorf, Göriach, Gottesbichl, Großgörtschach, Gundersdorf,... /Štalenska gora |
1.5% | 3.1% | N.D. |
| Techelsberg Techelsberg Techelsberg is a town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in Carinthia in Austria.-References:... /Teholica |
0.2% | 6.7% | N.D. |
| Unterferlach/Medborovnica | Part of Ferlach/Borovlje | 47.2% | 99.7% |
| Viktring/Vetrinj | Part of Klagenfurt/Celovec | 3.3% | 57.6% |
| Weizelsdorf/Svetna vas | Part of Feistritz im Rosental/Bistrica v Rožu | 69.3% | 100% |
| Windisch Bleiberg/Slovenji Plajberk | Part of Ferlach/Borovlje | 81.3% | 91.7% |
| Zell/Sele | 89.6% | 93.1% | 100% |
| Feistritz ob Bleiburg Feistritz ob Bleiburg Feistritz ob Bleiburg is a town in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia in Austria.According to the 2001 census 33.3% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes.-References:... /Bistrica pri Pliberku |
33.2% | 82.8% | 98.7% |
| Bleiburg Bleiburg Bleiburg is a small town in the south Austrian state of Carinthia , south-east of Klagenfurt , in the district of Völkermarkt, some four kilometres from the border with Slovenia.... /Pliberk |
30.9% | 16.7% | 15.5% |
| Diex Diex Diex is a town in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia in Austria. It is known for its Gothic fortified church on a hilltop.... /Djekše |
6.9% | 46.1% | 95.8% |
| Eberndorf Eberndorf Eberndorf is a town and summer resort in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia in Austria, the main town in the Jaun Valley , southeast of Lake Klopein.... /Dobrla vas |
8.6% | 47.4% | 90.8% |
| Eisenkappel/Železna Kapla | 38.7% | 20.1% | 48% |
| Gallizien Gallizien Gallizien is a town in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia in Austria.-References:... /Galicija |
8.5% | 80.1% | 99.9% |
| Globasnitz Globasnitz Globasnitz is a town in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia in Austria.A considerable percentage of the population are Carinthian Slovenes, hence Slovene is together with German an official language of the municipality.... /Globasnica |
42.2% | 88.7% | 99.5% |
| Griffen Griffen Griffen can mean any of the following:* Griffen, Austria, a town in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia.* Griffen Island, West Virginia* Everson Griffen, a Minnesota Vikings defensive end from Arizona.... /Grebinj |
1.3% | 34.1% | 83.8% |
| Haimburg/Vovbre | Part of Völkermarkt/Velikovec | 19.9% | 98.2% |
| Loibach/Libuče | Part of Bleiburg/Pliberk | 54.6% | 92.1% |
| Moos/Blato | Part of Bleiburg/Pliberk | 85.8% | 99.8% |
| Neuhaus Neuhaus - Places :*in Germany:**in Bavaria:***Neuhaus an der Pegnitz, in the district Nürnberger Land***Neuhaus am Inn, in the district of Passau**in Lower Saxony:***Amt Neuhaus, in the district of Lüneburg***Neuhaus , in the district of Cuxhaven**in Thuringia:... /Suha |
13.4% | 79.6% | N.D. |
| Ruden Ruden Ruden is a small island in the Baltic Sea, located between Rügen and Usedom off the German coast. The Ruden belongs to the municipality Kröslin, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Before the storm tide of All Saints day 1304, Ruden was probably part of a land bridge between... /Ruda |
3.9% | 51.7% | 93% |
| Sittersdorf Sittersdorf Sittersdorf is a town in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia in south central Austria. According to the 2001 census, 19.8% of the population were Carinthian Slovenes.- External links :* - town website... /Žitara vas |
19.8% | 84.4% | 98.2% |
| Sankt Kanzian am Klopeiner See Sankt Kanzian am Klopeiner See Sankt Kanzian am Klopeiner See is a municipality in the district of Völkermarkt in Carinthia in Austria.-References:... /Škocijan v Podjuni |
13.2% | 49.3% | 98.4% |
| Sankt Peter am Wallersberg/Št. Peter na Vašinjah | Part of Völkermarkt/Velikovec | 62.6% | 90.7% |
| Tainach/Tinje | Part of Völkermarkt/Velikovec | 11.1% | 95.9% |
| Vellach/Bela | Part of Eisenkappel | 73.8% | 94.2% |
| Völkermarkt Völkermarkt Völkermarkt is a city of about 11,000 inhabitants in Carinthia, Austria.According to the 2001 census 2.6% of the population are Carinthian Slovenes.... /Velikovec |
2.6% | 8.3% | 26.6% |
| Waisenberg/Važenberk | Part of Völkermarkt/Velikovec | 21.0% | 97.4% |
Dialects
The CarinthianCarinthian dialect group
The Carinthian dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Carinthian dialects are spoken by Carinthian Slovenes in Austria, in Slovenian Carinthia, and in the northwestern parts of Slovenian Styria along the upper Drava Valley, and in the westernmost areas of Upper...
group of Slovene dialects extends beyond the present borders of Carinthia. It is spoken in the bilingual areas that until 1918 formed the Duchy of 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....
(i.e. in addition to the present State of Carinthia, the upper Kanaltal around Tarvisio
Tarvisio
Tarvisio is a town in the Province of Udine, in the northeastern part of the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region in Italy...
as well as the Meža
Meža
The Meža is a long river in Carinthia, Slovenia. It has its source on the Austrian side of the state border near Mount Olševa, becomes subterranean a kilometer from its source, and reappears on the surface in Koprivna near Črna na Koroškem, Slovenia. It is the central river of the Mežica Valley...
Valley 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...
). Additionally, the Carinthian-Slovene form of dialect is spoken in the Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
n locality of Rateče 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...
close to the border with 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...
, as well as along the upper Drava
Drava
Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
River in 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...
. It can be divided into sub-dialects spoken in the Jaun Valley
Jaun Valley dialect
The Jaun Valley dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Carinthian dialect group. It is primarily spoken in the Jaun Valley of Austria as well as in Strojna and Libeliče, Slovenia. It is spoken west of a line from Diex to Völkermarkt to Eberndorf, east of Sittersdorf, and north of the Ebriach dialect...
, Rosental, and Gailtal.
The Ebriach dialect, which is influenced by the dialect of Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
, can be regarded as a subgroup of the Jaun Valley dialect
Jaun Valley dialect
The Jaun Valley dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Carinthian dialect group. It is primarily spoken in the Jaun Valley of Austria as well as in Strojna and Libeliče, Slovenia. It is spoken west of a line from Diex to Völkermarkt to Eberndorf, east of Sittersdorf, and north of the Ebriach dialect...
. The Carinthian dialects
Carinthian dialect group
The Carinthian dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Carinthian dialects are spoken by Carinthian Slovenes in Austria, in Slovenian Carinthia, and in the northwestern parts of Slovenian Styria along the upper Drava Valley, and in the westernmost areas of Upper...
are particularly unadulterated. In the present German-speaking areas the Slavonic basis of place and pasture names as far as into the upper part of the Möll Valley can be demonstrated. German and Slovene have in any case exercised a reciprocal influence in tone and vocabulary on each other in the course of the centuries.
(See also: Slovenian dialects
Slovenian dialects
Slovene dialects are the regional spoken varieties of Slovene, a South Slavic language. Spoken Slovene is often considered to have at least 48 dialects and subdialects . The exact number of dialects is open to debate, ranging from as many as 50 to merely 7...
.)
The term Windisch
The description "Windisch" was originally applied in the German-speaking area to all Slavonic languages and in particular in to the Slovene language southern Austria. The term is still used in part (predominantly by German nationalist circles) as an overall term for Slovene dialects spoken in Carinthia. However, because of the historical associations of the term, “a German word with pejorative overtones”, it is rejected by a large part of the Carinthian Slovene population. In censuses Windisch is counted in addition to Slovene as a separate language category. An interesting point is that it is being revived by certain Slovene groups in Slovenia and elsewhere through the Veneti theory.Literature after the Second World War
In early 1981 the novel Der Zögling Tjaž by Florjan LipušFlorjan Lipuš
Florjan Lipuš, born 4 May 1937 in Lobnig above Bad Eisenkappel, Austria, is a Carintian Slovene writer and translator. Since 1985 he has been a corresponding member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts- References :...
appeared in a German translation by Peter Handke
Peter Handke
Peter Handke is an avant-garde Austrian novelist and playwright.-Early life:Handke and his mother lived in the Soviet-occupied Pankow district of Berlin from 1944 to 1948 before resettling in Griffen...
, which led to Handke being described by the Wiener Extrablatt as "Article 7 personified" for this literary achievement. In addition to Lipuš, Handke later translated Gustav Januš. However, Slovene literature in Carinthia is made up not only of Januš and Lipuš, but also a number of other authors. Mirko Kumer, Kristo Srienc and Valentin Polanšek are part of the tradition, but in addition to Lipuš, Janko Messner is part of a small, more innovative group that is nevertheless committed to the literary tradition. Lipus himself has developed into an outstanding belletrist. Younger prose authors include Jože Blajs, Martin Kuchling, Kristijan Močilnik and the internationally known Janko Ferk. There are a considerable number of lyric poets, Milka Hartman being outstanding. Anton Kuchling is part of this generation. Gustav Januš and Andrej Kokot, as well as those lyric poets not currently writing, namely Erik Prunč and Karel Smolle, form the next generation. A group including Janko Ferk, Maja Haderlap, Franc Merkac, Jani Oswald, Vincenc Gotthardt, Fabjan Hafner and Cvetka Lipuš
Cvetka Lipus
Cvetka Lipuš is an Austrian poet writing in Slovenian.She was born in Bad Eisenkappel/Železna Kapla in the Austrian province of Carinthia as the daughter of the Carinthian Slovenian author Florjan Lipuš...
that formed itself predominantly around the literary periodical Mladje (Youth) follows these lyric poets. Rezka Kanzian and Tim O. Wüster, whose works have not (as of 2006) appeared in books of their own, are part of the youngest generation. 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:...
in Carinthia since the Second World War has displayed a clear will to live; in the 2000s it is an emancipated literature free from provincialism. Johann (Janez) Strutz in particular has rendered outstanding services to the literature of the Carinthian Slovenes from the point of view of the sociology, theory and history of literature. His book Profile der neuen slowenischen Literatur in Kärnten (“Profiles of modern Slovene literature in Carinthia”), published in 1998 in a revised and extended edition, is a much respected standard work.
Educational system
In 1848 the Ministry of Education decreed that compulsory school pupils should be taught in their respective native language. The efforts of German nationalist forces in Carinthia to change this regulation were unsuccessful until the end of the 1860s. Between 1855 and 1869 the Slovene compulsory school system lay in the hands of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, which was traditionally friendly to the Slovenes. From 1869 there was a major alteration in the instructions regarding the use of the native language in teaching, resulting from the Imperial law on state schools, as from this time the authority maintaining the school could lay down the language of instruction. This led to a large proportion of the compulsory schools being converted into so-called utraquist school
Utraquist school
An utraquist school or utraquist gymnasium is a term for bilingual schools in some countries, in which the subjects were taught both in a state language and in the language of some ethnic minority...
s, in which Slovene was regarded as an auxiliary language to be used in teaching only until the pupils had acquired an adequate command of German. Only a few schools remained purely Slovene (In 1914: St Jakob in Rosental, St Michael ob Bleiburg and Zell Parish). The utraquist form of school remained in existence until 1941. This school system was rejected by the Slovene national minority as an “instrument of Germanization”.
On 3 October 1945 a new law on schools that envisaged a bilingual education for all children in the traditional area of settlement of Carinthian Slovenes, regardless of the ethnic group to which they belonged, was passed. Bilingual education took place in the first three school years, after which Slovene was a compulsory subject. After the signing of the State Treaty in 1955 and the solution of the hitherto open question of the course of the Austrian–Yugoslav border that was implicitly associated with this, there were protests against this model, culminating in 1958 in a school strike. As a result of this development, the state governor (Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann is a former German gubernatorial title equivalent to that of a governor of a province or a state....
), Ferdinand Wedenig, issued a decree in September 1958 that made it possible for parents or guardians to deregister their children from bilingual teaching. In March 1959 the educational system was again altered to the effect that henceforth pupils had to register explicitly for bilingual education. As a result of what in effect was an associated compulsion to declare one’s allegiance to an ethnic minority, the numbers of pupils in the bilingual system sank considerably. In 1958 only 20.88%, and in the 1970s only 13.9%, of bilingual pupils registered for German–Slovene teaching. The minorities’ school law that was altered in the course of a three-party agreement (SPÖ (Social Democratic Party of Austria
Social Democratic Party of Austria
The Social Democratic Party of Austria is one of the oldest political parties in Austria. The SPÖ is one of the two major parties in Austria, and has ties to trade unions and the Austrian Chamber of Labour. The SPÖ is among the few mainstream European social-democratic parties that have preserved...
), ÖVP (Austrian People's Party
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
), and FPÖ (Austrian Freedom Party) that envisaged a far-reaching separation on the basis of classes of primary school pupils into those taught bilingually and those taught only in German. The issue of whether headteachers of bilingual schools must be able to produce a bilingual qualification remains controversial.
An extension of what is being offered by schools is faced with the general development in the bilingual education system that has been described and that is viewed critically by Slovene organizations In 1957 the federal grammar school and federal secondary school for Slovenes (Bundesgymnasium and Bundesrealgymnasium für Slowenen/Zvezna gimnazija in Zvezna realna gimnazija za Slovence) was founded, in whose building the bilingual federal commercial school (Zweisprachige Bundeshandelsakademie/Dvojezična zvezna trgovska akademija) has also been accommodated since 1991. Since 1989 there has been a secondary school (Höhere Lehranstalt) operated by the Roman Catholic Church in St Peter in Rosental (municipality of St Jakob). Following a decision by the Constitutional Court, school pupils in Klagenfurt are able to attend a public-funded bilingual primary school, in addition to the one operated by the Church. As a result of a private initiative, the Slovene music school (Kärntner Musikschule/Glasbena šola na Koroškem) was founded in 1984 and has received public funds since 1998 when a co-operation agreement was concluded with the State of Carinthia. However, the amount of this financial support (in relation to the number of pupils) contravenes the law on equality of treatment in the view of the Austrian National Minorities Center, as the other operator in the Carinthian music school system, the Musikschulwerk, receives, on a per capita basis, a higher amount. The Glasbena šola is able to continue its operations, however, with the help of contributions from the Republic of 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...
.
An increased interest by people in South Carinthia in bilingual education has been generally perceptible since the 1990s. In the 2007/08 school year, 41% of the pupils in primary schools in the area in which the minority school system applied were registered for bilingual teaching – the proportion of children without previous knowledge of Slovene amounted to over 50%.
Civil society institutions
The Slovene minority in Carinthia has a well-developed network of civil societyCivil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
institutions. The main "umbrella organizations" are National Council of Carinthian Slovenes (Narodni svet koroških Slovencev - Rat der Kärntner Slowenen), representing Christian and conservative views, and the Association of Slovenian Organisations (Zveza slovenskih organizacij - Zentralverband slowenischer Organisationen), closer to left-wing and liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
policies. The main political association is the Koroška enotna lista
Enotna Lista
The Unity List or EL seeks to represent the autochthonous Slovene minority in Carinthia. It came into existence in 1991, replacing the "Club of Slovenian Local Councillors" , which had existed as an initiative of local Slovenian party lists from various local councils...
(Kärntner Einheitsliste), a joint political platform that runs at local elections. Other important organizations include:
- Krščanska kulturna zveza (Christlicher Kulturverband) – Christian Cultural Association
- Slovenska prosvetna zveza (Slowenischer Kulturverband) – Slovene Cultural Association
- Slovenska gospodarska zveza (Slowenischer Wirtschaftsverband) – Slovene Economic Organization
- Skupnost južnokoroških kmetov (Gemeinschaft der Südkärntner Bauern) – Community of South Carinthian Farmers
- Slovenska planinska Družba (Alpenverein der Kärntner Slowenen) – Alpine Climbing Club of Carinthian Slovenes
- Slovenski atletski klub (Slowenischer Athletikklub) – Slovene Athletic Club
- Koroška dijaška zveza (Slowenischer Studenten Verband) – Slovene Students’ Association
Media
- Nedelja – Slovene-language weekly newspaper of the diocese of Gurk
- Novice – Slovene-language weekly news-sheet
- Mohorjeva družba-Hermagoras – Catholic bilingual publisher (Klagenfurt)
- Drava Verlag – bilingual publisher (Klagenfurt)
Lobbying
The Christian cultural association and the National Council of Carinthian Slovenes have endowed an annual award, the Einspieler prize (named after the founder of the Hermagoras Society Publishing House, Andrej EinspielerAndrej Einspieler
Andrej Einspieler was a Slovene politician, Roman Catholic priest and publicist, and one of the early leaders of the Old Slovene national movement in the 19th century. He was known as the "father of the Carinthian Slovenes"....
), to individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the cause of co-existence. The prize has been awarded to, among others, the industrialist Herbert Liaunig, the governor of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
Luis Durnwalder
Luis Durnwalder
Luis Durnwalder is a politician of Italy, governor of the multilingual autonomous province of South Tyrol, and vice-president of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, in Northern Italy.- Biography :Durnwalder was born in Pfalzen...
, and professor of general and diachronic linguistics at the University of Klagenfurt
University of Klagenfurt
The University of Klagenfurt was founded in 1960 in Klagenfurt, Austria. It began as a College of Educational Studies . Since October 2004 the official German name is Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt in order to stress the intercultural connections between the Alpine regions and the Adriatic Sea...
Heinz Dieter Pohl, scholar and professor at the Central European University
Central European University
For other uses, see European University Central European University is a graduate-level, English-language university offering degrees in the social sciences, humanities, law, public policy, business management, environmental science, and mathematics...
Anton Pelinka Roman Catholic prelate Egon Kapellari, Austrian politician Rudolf Kirchschläger
Rudolf Kirchschläger
Rudolf Kirchschläger was an Austrian diplomat, politician, judge and, from 1974 to 1986, the eighth President of Austria.-Education and early life:...
and others.
Notable Carinthian Slovenians
- Matija AhacelMatija AhacelMatija Ahacel, also known in German as Matthias Achazel , born Matija Kobentar, was a Carinthian Slovene philologist, publicist, and collector of folk songs....
- philologian, publicist, collector of folk songs (1779–1845) - Miha Andreaš - folk poet (1762–1821)
- Tomaz DrumlTomaz DrumlTomaz Druml is an Austrian Nordic combined skier who has competed since 2003. His best World Cup finish was ninth on three occasions, occurring in 2009 and 2010.Druml has 13 victories in lesser known events.-Reference:...
- Nordic combined skier (b. 1988) - Lambert Ehrlich - theologian, ethnologist and political activist (1878–1942)
- Andrej EinspielerAndrej EinspielerAndrej Einspieler was a Slovene politician, Roman Catholic priest and publicist, and one of the early leaders of the Old Slovene national movement in the 19th century. He was known as the "father of the Carinthian Slovenes"....
- priest, author and politician (1813–1888) - Fran Eller - poet (1873–1956)
- Janko Ferk – judge and writer (b. 1958)
- Ivan GrafenauerIvan GrafenauerIvan Grafenauer was a Slovenian literary historian and ethnologist of Carinthian Slovene origin.He was born in the village of Micheldorf near Hermagor in Carinthia, now part of Austria. At that time, Micheldorf was the westernmost Slovene-inhabited village, not only in Carinthia, but in all the...
- literary critic and ethnologist (1880–1964) - Ožbalt Gutsman - author and philologist (1727–1790)
- Maja HaderlapMaja HaderlapMaja Haderlap is a bi-lingual Slovenian-German Austrian writer ....
- writer and poet (b. 1961) - Marko Hanžič - Jesuit historian (1683–1766)
- Milka Hartmann - poet (1902–1997)
- Valentin InzkoValentin InzkoValentin Inzko is an Austrian diplomat of Carinthian Slovene origin. He is currently serving as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, a role which he assumed on March 26, 2009. He is at the same time the European Union Special Representative for Bosnia and...
- diplomat, High Representative for Bosnia and HerzegovinaHigh Representative for Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was created in 1995 immediately after the Dayton Peace Agreement to oversee the civilian implementation of this agreement. The High Representative and the OHR represent the...
(b. 1949) - Anton JanežičAnton JanežicAnton Janežič, also known in German as Anton Janeschitz was a Carinthian Slovene linguist, philologist, author, editor, literary historian and critic.- Life :...
- philologist (1828–1869) - Gustav Januš - poet (b. 1939)
- Urban JarnikUrban JarnikUrban 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...
- ethnographer (1784–1844) - Franc Kattnig – publisher and cultural official (b. 1945)
- Joahim Košutnik - mathematician
- Martin KušejMartin KušejMartin Kušej is an Austrian theatre and opera director and current Artistic Director at the Residenz Theatre in Munich. According to German news magazine Focus Kušej belongs to the ten most important theatre directors who have emerged in the German speaking world since the millenium...
– theatre and opera director (b. 1961) - Cvetka LipušCvetka LipusCvetka Lipuš is an Austrian poet writing in Slovenian.She was born in Bad Eisenkappel/Železna Kapla in the Austrian province of Carinthia as the daughter of the Carinthian Slovenian author Florjan Lipuš...
- poet (b. 1966) - Florjan LipušFlorjan LipušFlorjan Lipuš, born 4 May 1937 in Lobnig above Bad Eisenkappel, Austria, is a Carintian Slovene writer and translator. Since 1985 he has been a corresponding member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts- References :...
– writer and translator (b. 1937) - Matija MajarMatija MajarMatija 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...
- priest, philologist, ethnographer and political activist, author of the United SloveniaUnited SloveniaUnited Slovenia is the name of an unrealized political programme of the Slovene national movement, formulated during the Spring of Nations in 1848...
program (1809–1892) - Mimi Malenšek - writer (b. 1919)
- Janko Messner – writer (b. 1921)
- Mirko Messner – politician (b. 1948)
- Andreas Moritsch - historian
- Valentin Oman – artist (b. 1935)
- Vinko OšlakVinko OšlakVinko Ošlak is a Slovene author, essayist, translator, columnist and esperantist from the Austrian state Carinthia.Ošlak was born in the town of Slovenj Gradec, then part of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia in former Yugoslavia...
- essayist (b. 1947) - Franc Petek - politician (1885–1965)
- Wolfgang PetritschWolfgang PetritschWolfgang Petritsch is an Austrian diplomat of Slovene ethnicity. He was born to a Carinthian Slovene family in Klagenfurt and spent his childhood in a partially Slovene, partially German-speaking environment. He has a PhD from the University of Vienna and was a Fulbright Scholar at the University...
– diplomat, former High Representative for Bosnia and HerzegovinaHigh Representative for Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was created in 1995 immediately after the Dayton Peace Agreement to oversee the civilian implementation of this agreement. The High Representative and the OHR represent the...
(b. 1947) - Hubert PetschniggHubert PetschniggHubert Petschnigg was an Austrian architect.-Life:Petschnigg was born in Klagenfurt, and went to school in Villach. In 1934 he began to study architecture at the Vienna University of Technology, where he entered the Hansea Vienna branch of the Kösener Corps student society...
- architect - Erik Prunč – professor at the University of GrazUniversity of GrazThe University of Graz , a university located in Graz, Austria, is the second-largest and second-oldest university in Austria....
(b. 1941) - Gregorij RožmanGregorij RožmanGregorij Rožman was a Slovenian Roman Catholic clergyman and theologian. Between 1930 and 1959, he served as bishop of the Diocese of Ljubljana. He is most famous for his controversial role during World War II...
- Bishop of Ljubljana (1883–1959) - Jožef Stefan – mathematician and physicist (1835–1893)
- Janez Strutz – professor at the University of KlagenfurtUniversity of KlagenfurtThe University of Klagenfurt was founded in 1960 in Klagenfurt, Austria. It began as a College of Educational Studies . Since October 2004 the official German name is Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt in order to stress the intercultural connections between the Alpine regions and the Adriatic Sea...
(b. 1949) - Katja Sturm-Schnabl - linguist
- Andrej Šuster Drabosnjak - folk poet (1768–1825)
- Joško Tischler - politician (1902–1979)
- Rudi Vouk - lawyer, political activist
- Peter WrolichPeter WrolichPeter Wrolich is a retired Austrian professional road bicycle racer. He was known as a sprinter. He was in the top 10 of the last stage of the 2006 Tour de France, with a total of 65 points.-Races won:2002...
– racing cyclist (b. 1974)
Personalities of Carinthian Slovene ancestry
- 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...
- Slovenian historian (1915–1995; Carinthian Slovene parents) - Peter HandkePeter HandkePeter Handke is an avant-garde Austrian novelist and playwright.-Early life:Handke and his mother lived in the Soviet-occupied Pankow district of Berlin from 1944 to 1948 before resettling in Griffen...
– writer (b. 1942; Carinthian Slovene mother) - Ciril KotnikCiril KotnikCiril Kotnik was a Yugoslav diplomat of Slovene ethnicity.He was born in Ljubljana, then part the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to Carinthian Slovene parents...
- Yugoslav diplomat, antifascist hero (1895–1948; Carinthian Slovene parents) - Julius KugyJulius KugyJulius Kugy was an Austrian - Italian mountaineer and writer of Slovene origin. He wrote mostly in German. He is renowned for his travelogues from the Julian Alps, in which he reflected on the relationship between man, nature, and culture...
- Italo-Slovenian alpinist and writer (1858–1944; Carinthian Slovene father) - Joseph Friedrich Perkonig - Austrian writer and translator (1890–1959; Carinthian Slovene parents)
- Ursula PlassnikUrsula PlassnikUrsula Plassnik is an Austrian diplomat and politician. She was Foreign Minister of Austria between October 2004 and December 2008.-Early life and career:...
- Austrian foreign minister (b. 1956; Carinthian Slovene grandfather) - Kurt SchuschniggKurt SchuschniggKurt Alois Josef Johann Schuschnigg was Chancellor of the First Austrian Republic, following the assassination of his predecessor, Dr. Engelbert Dollfuss, in July 1934, until Germany’s invasion of Austria, , in March 1938...
- Austrian chancellor (1897–1977; Carinthian Slovene grandfather) - Walter VeltroniWalter VeltroniWalter Veltroni, Knight Grand Cross, is an Italian writer, journalist and politician, who served as the first leader of the Democratic Party within the centre-left opposition, until his resignation on 17 February 2009. He served as Mayor of Rome from 2001 to 2008.-Biography:Walter Veltroni was...
- Mayor of RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(b. 1955; Carinthian Slovene great-grandfather) - Ferdinand Wedenig - governor of Carinthia (1896–1975; Carinthian Slovene parents)
- Fran ZwitterFran ZwitterFran Zwitter was a Slovenian historian. He is considered, together with Milko Kos, Bogo Grafenauer and Vasilij Melik, the co-founder of the so-called Ljubljana school of historiography.- Life and work :...
- Slovenian historian (1905–1988; Carinthian Slovene parents)
See also
- Carantanians
- Slovene LandsSlovene LandsSlovene 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.-...
- Demographics of AustriaDemographics of AustriaThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Austria, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
- Burgenland CroatsBurgenland CroatsBurgenland Croats are ethnic Croats in the Austrian state of Burgenland. Although an enclave hundreds of kilometres away from their original homeland, they have managed to preserve culture and language for centuries...
- Kärntner HeimatdienstKärntner HeimatdienstThe Kärntner Heimatdienst is a far right and nationalist advocacy group of the German-speaking majority in the Austrian state of Carinthia. The KHD describes itself as a "nonpartisan patriotic citizens' initiative"...
- Jörg HaiderJörg HaiderJörg Haider was an Austrian politician. He was Governor of Carinthia on two occasions, the long-time leader of the Austrian Freedom Party and later Chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Austria , a breakaway party from the FPÖ.Haider was controversial within Austria and abroad for comments...
- Duke's ChairDuke's ChairThe Duke's Chair, also known as the Duke's Seat , is a medieval stone seat dating from the ninth century and located at the Zollfeld plain near Maria Saal north of Klagenfurt in the Austrian state of Carinthia.-History:...
- Black panther (symbol)Black panther (symbol)Black panther is a Carinthian historical symbol, which represents a stilized heraldic panther. As a heraldic symbol, it appeared on the coat of arms of the Carinthian Duke Herman II as well as of the Styrian Margrave Ottokar III...
Sources
Amt der Kärntner Landesregierung – Volksgruppenbüro (Hrsg.), Die Kärntner Slowenen, 2003 Heinz Dieter Pohl, Die ethnisch-sprachlichen Voraussetzungen der Volksabstimmung- Bratt Paulston and D. Peckham (eds.) ‘‘Linguistic Minorities in Central and Eastern Europe’’, 1998, p. 32 ff., Clevedon (UK), Multilingual Matters, ISBN 1-85359-416-4. Bericht des Österreichischen Volksgruppenzentrums zur Durchführung des Europäischen Rahmenübereinkommens zum Schutz nationaler Minderheiten in der Republik Österreich Teil II (Accessed on 3 August 2006) Volksgruppenarchiv des ORF Kärnten (Accessed on 3 August 2006)