Traian Stoianovich
Encyclopedia
Traian StoianovichTraian Stoianovich (1920 in Gradešnica
Yugoslavia
(now Republic of Macedonia
– December 21, 2005 in New Brunswick
) was a historian
and a professor
of history
at the Rutgers University
. He specialized in the history of the Balkans
.
Research Institute's Advisory Board when he died after a long struggle with cancer. Of Serbian background, Stoianovich was born in 1920 in Graješnica, then part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, but grew up in Rochester, New York, after his parents brought him to America. At a time when it was difficult for working class people and immigrants to achieve higher education, he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester
. After serving in the United States Army
during World War II
, he took a masters degree at New York University
and received a doctorate from Université de Paris in 1952, where he became a major figure in the internationally influential Annales School
of history.His doctoral mentor was Fernand Braudel
.
Stoianovich was for four decades a teacher of European and world history at Rutgers University. He has also taught at New York University, the University of California (Berkeley), Stanford University, and Sir George Williams University (renamed University of Concordia) in Montreal, Quebec (Canada).
He applied his education to the study of the Balkans, publishing "A Study of Balkan Civilization" (1967) which is regarded as both a classic and a major educational text. After his retirement he published a four volume collection of articles and essays, "Between East and West, the Balkan and Mediterranean Worlds" (1992–1995) and also "Balkan Worlds: The First and Last Europe" (1994) rich in its insights and understanding for both the Balkans and European civilization. Many of his works were translated into Serbian and published in the former Yugoslavia, as well as other major languages.
Dr. Norman Markowitz, JRI Director, Professor of History, Rutgers University, remembers him well:
"I had the privilege of knowing Traian Stoianovich as an outstanding colleague and friend at Rutgers University
, both before and after his retirement. A kind and gentleman, Traian was fiercely proud in a non-chauvinist way of his Serbian heritage and of the achievements of the Serbian people. He detested not only the NATO war that devastated Serbia and dismembered Yugoslavia, but what he regarded as the racist libels and slanders directed against the Serbian people both during and after the war. When the politicians and generals who directed that war of aggression are ugly footnotes to history, his work as a scholar and his enormously positive achievements as a teacher will continue to live."
He continued to work as a scholar right up to his death on December 21, 2005.
. His daughter Diana Stoianovich married in 1986 to Charles H. Revson Jr., heir of Charles Revson and they have two sons, Charles H. Revson III and Alexander Traian Revson. His son, Christian Stoianovich is a screenwriter and film producer
Gradešnica
Gradešnica is a village in the Municipality of Novaci of the Republic of Macedonia. According to the census of 2002 the population of Gradešnica is composed of 88 Macedonians and 1 Turk.-References:...
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(now Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
– December 21, 2005 in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
) was a historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at the Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
. He specialized in the history of the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
Biography
Traian Stoianovich was a world renowned scholar of Balkan history and a member of the JasenovacJasenovac
Jasenovac is a village and a municipality in Croatian Slavonia, in the southern part of the Sisak-Moslavina county at the confluence of the river Una into Sava.The name means "ash tree" or "ash forest" in Croatian, the area being ringed by such a forest....
Research Institute's Advisory Board when he died after a long struggle with cancer. Of Serbian background, Stoianovich was born in 1920 in Graješnica, then part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, but grew up in Rochester, New York, after his parents brought him to America. At a time when it was difficult for working class people and immigrants to achieve higher education, he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
. After serving in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
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 took a masters degree at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and received a doctorate from Université de Paris in 1952, where he became a major figure in the internationally influential Annales School
Annales School
The Annales School is a group of historians associated with a style of historiography developed by French historians in the 20th century. It is named after its scholarly journal Annales d'histoire économique et sociale, which remains the main source of scholarship, along with many books and...
of history.His doctoral mentor was Fernand Braudel
Fernand Braudel
Fernand Braudel was a French historian and a leader of the Annales School. His scholarship focused on three main projects, each representing several decades of intense study: The Mediterranean , Civilization and Capitalism , and the unfinished Identity of France...
.
Stoianovich was for four decades a teacher of European and world history at Rutgers University. He has also taught at New York University, the University of California (Berkeley), Stanford University, and Sir George Williams University (renamed University of Concordia) in Montreal, Quebec (Canada).
He applied his education to the study of the Balkans, publishing "A Study of Balkan Civilization" (1967) which is regarded as both a classic and a major educational text. After his retirement he published a four volume collection of articles and essays, "Between East and West, the Balkan and Mediterranean Worlds" (1992–1995) and also "Balkan Worlds: The First and Last Europe" (1994) rich in its insights and understanding for both the Balkans and European civilization. Many of his works were translated into Serbian and published in the former Yugoslavia, as well as other major languages.
Dr. Norman Markowitz, JRI Director, Professor of History, Rutgers University, remembers him well:
"I had the privilege of knowing Traian Stoianovich as an outstanding colleague and friend at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, both before and after his retirement. A kind and gentleman, Traian was fiercely proud in a non-chauvinist way of his Serbian heritage and of the achievements of the Serbian people. He detested not only the NATO war that devastated Serbia and dismembered Yugoslavia, but what he regarded as the racist libels and slanders directed against the Serbian people both during and after the war. When the politicians and generals who directed that war of aggression are ugly footnotes to history, his work as a scholar and his enormously positive achievements as a teacher will continue to live."
He continued to work as a scholar right up to his death on December 21, 2005.
Family
Traian Stoianovich was married to painter Marcelle Stoianovich, active mostly in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. His daughter Diana Stoianovich married in 1986 to Charles H. Revson Jr., heir of Charles Revson and they have two sons, Charles H. Revson III and Alexander Traian Revson. His son, Christian Stoianovich is a screenwriter and film producer
Main publications
- The Pattern of Serbian Intellectual Evolution 1830-1880. 1959.
- Conquering Balkan Orthodox Merchant. 1960.
- A Study in Balkan Civilization. Knopf, 1963.
- French Historical Method. Cornell University Press, 1976.
- Between East and West: The Balkan and Mediterranean Worlds. 1992–1995, 4 volumes.
- Balkan Worlds: The First and Last Europe. Armonk, New York, and London, England: M.E. Sharpe, 1994.
- Introduction to The Balkans Since 1453, by Leften Stavros Stavrianos. New York: New York University Press, 2009.