Fran Saleški Finžgar
Encyclopedia
Fran Saleški Finžgar was a Slovene writer
, playwright
, translator
and Roman Catholic priest
.
Fran Saleški Finžgar was born into a poor peasant family in the Upper Carniola
n village of Doslovče
(a part of Žirovnica
), in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After finishing primary education in the town of Radovljica
, he attended secondary school in Ljubljana
between 1882 and 1891, continuing his education at the theological college. He was ordained priest in 1894 and worked in various parishes in Upper Carniola and Ljubljana until 1936, when he retired.
Finžgar started his literary career as a poet, but later turned to prose. He wrote novels in the Neo-Romantic style, depicting rural and small town life. He is best known for his historical novel Pod svobodnim soncem ("Under a Free Sun") written between 1906 and 1907. The novel is set in the period of conflict between South Slavic
tribes and the Byzantine Empire
in the 6th century AD. He also wrote a number of plays, none of them as successful as his novel. He is also famous for his short stories and tales for children.
He was editor of the literary magazine Mladika and member of the Slovene Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Finžgar was also a translator. Among other, he translated several works of the Austria
n poet Peter Rosegger
, whom he admired, into Slovenian.
Finžgar was a close friend and personal advisor of the architect Jože Plečnik
. When Finžgar served as a priest in the parish of Trnovo
in Ljubljana, Plečnik was his neighbour. In the late 1920s, Finžgar commissioned the renovation of the Trnovo parish church to his architect friend.
Politically, he was close to the Christian Socialist ideals of the Slovenian Catholic political activist and leader Janez Evangelist Krek
. He was also an admirer and friend of the Social Democratic author Ivan Cankar
, whom he even catered at his deathbed in 1918. During World War II
, he collaborated with the Communist-led Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
, which led him to some conflict with the then bishop of Ljubljana
, Gregorij Rožman
.
He died in Ljubljana and was buried in the cemetery of Žale
. His birth house in the village of Doslovče was transformed into a museum in 1971.
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...
, translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
and Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
.
Fran Saleški Finžgar was born into a poor peasant family 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 village of Doslovče
Doslovce
Doslovče is one of ten villages in the Žirovnica municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. It is best known as the birth place of the Slovene writer Fran Saleški Finžgar. His house has been a small museum since 1971.- External links :**...
(a part of Žirovnica
Žirovnica
Žirovnica is a municipality in Slovenia. It is located in the historic Upper Carniola region, on the southern slope of the Karavanke mountain range, close to the border with Austria...
), in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After finishing primary education in the town of Radovljica
Radovljica
Radovljica is a town and a municipality in in the Upper Carniola region of northern Slovenia. The municipality has around 18,000 inhabitants and an area of 118 km²...
, he attended secondary school in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
between 1882 and 1891, continuing his education at the theological college. He was ordained priest in 1894 and worked in various parishes in Upper Carniola and Ljubljana until 1936, when he retired.
Finžgar started his literary career as a poet, but later turned to prose. He wrote novels in the Neo-Romantic style, depicting rural and small town life. He is best known for his historical novel Pod svobodnim soncem ("Under a Free Sun") written between 1906 and 1907. The novel is set in the period of conflict between South Slavic
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
tribes and the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
in the 6th century AD. He also wrote a number of plays, none of them as successful as his novel. He is also famous for his short stories and tales for children.
He was editor of the literary magazine Mladika and member of the Slovene Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Finžgar was also a translator. Among other, he translated several works of the 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...
n poet Peter Rosegger
Peter Rosegger
Peter Rosegger was an Austrian poet from the province of Styria. He was a son of a farmer and grew up in the forests and fields. Rosegger went on to become a most productive poet and author as well as an insightful teacher and visionary...
, whom he admired, into Slovenian.
Finžgar was a close friend and personal advisor of the architect Jože Plečnik
Jože Plecnik
Jože Plečnik , was a Slovene architect who practised in Vienna, Belgrade, Prague and Ljubljana.-Biography:...
. When Finžgar served as a priest in the parish of Trnovo
Trnovo, Ljubljana
The Trnovo District or simply Trnovo is a city district of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia....
in Ljubljana, Plečnik was his neighbour. In the late 1920s, Finžgar commissioned the renovation of the Trnovo parish church to his architect friend.
Politically, he was close to the Christian Socialist ideals of the Slovenian Catholic political activist and leader Janez Evangelist Krek
Janez Evangelist Krek
Janez Evangelist Krek was a Slovene Christian Socialist politician, priest, journalist and author.He was born in a peasant family in the village of Sveti Gregor , in what was then the Austrian Empire. His father died when he was a child...
. He was also an admirer and friend of the Social Democratic author Ivan Cankar
Ivan Cankar
Ivan Cankar was a Slovene writer, playwright, essayist, poet and political activist. Together with Oton Župančič, Dragotin Kette, and Josip Murn, he is considered as the beginner of modernism in Slovene literature...
, whom he even catered at his deathbed in 1918. 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 collaborated with the Communist-led 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"...
, which led him to some conflict with the then bishop of Ljubljana
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ljubljana is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Slovenia. It was erected as the Diocese of Ljubljana by Pope Eugene IV on 6 December 1461 and was immediately subject to the Holy See from its creation until erected...
, Gregorij Rožman
Gregorij Rožman
Gregorij 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...
.
He died in Ljubljana and was buried in the cemetery of Žale
Žale
Žale Central cemetery , often abbreviated to Žale, is the largest and the central cemetery in Ljubljana. It is located in the Bežigrad district and operated by the Žale Public Company.- History :...
. His birth house in the village of Doslovče was transformed into a museum in 1971.
Sources
- Bojan Godeša, Kdor ni z nami, je proti nam: slovenski izobraženci med okupatorji, Osvobodilno fronto in protirevolucionarnim taborom (Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba, 1995).