Slovenes
Slovenians (Slovenian Slovenci, singular Slovenec, feminine Slovenka) or sometimes an equivalent but archaic version Slovenes is a South Slavic nation that is primarily associated with Slovenia and the Slovenian language.
Most Slovenians today live within the borders of the independent Slovenia (circa 2.000.000). There are autochthonous Slovene minorities in northeastern parts of Italy (100.000), southern Austria (15.000), Croatia (20.000) and Hungary (6.000).
Many Slovenian emigrants are also scattered across Europe and overseas, for example in the USA, Canada, Argentina, Australia, South Africa (300.000).
Early Slovenians
Around 570, the Slavic tribes start to settle in the region between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea.
From 623 to 658, the Slavic tribes between the upper Elbe River and the Karavanke mountain range were united in their first state under the leadership of King Samo (Kralj Samo) in a so called King Samo's Empire. The tribal union collapsed after Samo's death, but a smaller Slavic state Karantania (Karantanija) (present-day Carinthia) persisted, with its center in the region of Carinthia (most of it lies in the present Austria).
Slovenians during the Frankish Empire
Due to pressing danger of Avar tribes from the east, Karantanians accepted union with Bavarians in 745 and later recognized Frankish rule and accepted Christianity in the 8th century. The last Slavic state formation in the region, the principality of Prince Kocelj, lost its independence in 874. Slovenian ethnic territory subsequently shrunk due to pressing of Germans from the west and the arrival of Hungarians in the Pannonian plain, and stabilized in the present form in the 15th century.
The earliest documents written in Slovenian are the Freising manuscripts (Brižinski spomeniki, Freisinger Denkmäler), dated between 972 and 1022, found in 1803 in Freising, Germany. The first book printed in Slovenian is Cattechismus and Abecedarium, written by the Protestant reformer Primož Trubar in 1550 and printed in Tübingen, Germany. Jurij Dalmatin translated the Bible into Slovenian in 1584. In the half of the 16th century the Slovenian came known to other European languages with the multilingual dictionary, compiled by Hieronymus Megisar.
Slovenians between the 18th century and the Second World War
Slovenian lands were part of the Illyrian provinces, the Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary (in Cisleithania).
Many Slovenians emigrated to the USA at the turn of the 20th century, mostly due to economic reasons.
Following the 1st World War (1914-1918), they joined other South Slavs in the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, followed by Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and finally Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In the new system of banovinas (since 1929), Slovenes formed a majority in the "Dravska Banovina".
In 1920 most of Carinthia became part of Austria. Between the two world wars, westernmost provinces inhabited by Slovenes were part of Italy.
Slovenian volunteers also participated in the Spanish Civil War, and the 2nd Abyssinian War.
Slovenians during and after the 2nd World War
Slovenians participated in the so-called National Liberation Fight ("NOB") while Yugoslavia was occupied in the Second World War (1941-1945).
- The commander of the High command of the Slovenian partisan's army Franc Rozman Stane
- The Pohorje battalion
- The Battle of Osankarica
- The National heroes
There were Slovenians also in the German army.
In 1945, Yugoslavia was liberated and made into a Communist state, with Slovenia a socialist republic.
Northern parts of Carinthia became part of Austria and estimated 25,000-40.000 Slovenians in the Austrian state of Carinthia were recognized as a minority and have enjoyed special rights following the State Treaty (Staatsvertrag) dated from 1955. The Slovenians in the Austrian state of Styria are not recognized as a minority and do not enjoy special rights, although the State Treaty from July 27, 1955 obliges to do so.
Yugoslavia acquired some territory from Italy after WWII but some Slovenians were still left behind the Italian border, notably around Trieste and Gorizia.
In 1991, Slovenia became an independent nation state.
See also
- History of Slovenia,
- Timeline of Slovenian history,
- History of Yugoslavia,
- History of Croatia,
- Demographics of Slovenia,
- Demographics of Austria,
- Demographics of Italy,
- Demographics of Croatia,
- Demographics of Hungary,
- List of Slovenians.
External links
History
The origin of Slovenians
- http://www.thezaurus.com/sloveniana/Veneti_ancestors.htm.
- History of Slovenians: http://www.randburg.com/si/general/slo2.html
- History of Slovenians in Europe: http://www.dangel.net/JimsHomePageFolder/Veneti.html
- Slovenians in the USA: http://www.wvculture.org/goldenseal/slovene.html.
- Slovenians between 1918 and 1941: http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/EastEurope/YugoKingdom.html
- Slovenians living abroad: http://www.sigov.si/mzz/ang/slovenes_abro/about_us.html