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January 2024
Saving, the Main Principle of a Good Housewife
In 1937, the Union of the Savings Banks of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia printed a brochure consisting of articles, written by three housewives from Zagreb, Belgrade and Kranj. Saving was not only relevant during the world wars or around October 31, but has, in a way, been a constant in our lives. "Saving" brochure, preserved among the archival records of the Drava Banovina Savings Bank, is presented here as the archivalia for the month of January.
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February 2024
Sigmund Herberstein Renounces His Status as a Member of the Carniolan Territorial Estates
The family of the famous diplomat Sigmund Herberstein is first recorded in Styria at the end of the 13th century. From the beginning of the 15th century, one of the family’s feudal estates was also the seigniory of Lupoglav. In 1525, however, the family decided to exchange their estates in Istria and in the Karst for the Neuberg Castle and two villages near Hrastovec. In February 1524, Sigmund wrote an interesting letter to his Estates's colleagues, informing them about this exchange of his family’s estates and stressing that the Herbersteins had no intention of continuing to pay taxes into the treasury of the Carniolan Estates.
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March 2024
The Trail Left by the Nazi War Criminal Johann Mechels on the Slovenian Soil
This month's archivalia is a letter from the commander of the Reserve Police Troop »Wien« to the District Councillor in Celje Anton Dorfmeister, in which the German Captain asks for a written praise for his work in Celje or a written recommendation. In addition to having a direct effect on the fates of many inhabitants of Lower Styria, Mechels's wartime activities also left an indelible mark in the Dutch village of Trimunt, where in May 1943 he was responsible for the death of sixteen people.
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April 2024
»The Thought of a Poet and the Call of a Soldier«
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted a decision of declaring the year 2024 as the Year of General Rudolf Maister, since it marks the 150th anniversary of his birth and the 90th anniversary of his death. The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia is paying its respect to this great Slovenian man by presenting to the audience a short documentary film that was written and directed by Milan Ljubić. By using documents, photographs and film shots of places where Maister resided, the author of the film portrays a narrative of Maister’s life and work.
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May 2024
The 2004 European Parliament Elections
Between June 6 and 9, 2024, citizens of the EU Member States will have a chance to elect new members of the 720-seat European Parliament. Elections of nine members from Slovenia will be held on Sunday, June 9. Slovenia elected its first members of the European Parliament on June 13, 2004, just a month and a half after its accession to the European Union. Let us see some of the documents related to this process.
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June 2024
Antisemitism in the Administration of the Men's Penitentiary at the Ljubljana Castle
In the closing decades of the 19th century, there was a noticeable rise in antisemitism sweeping across Europe and in Slovenian lands as well. It was deeply embedded in all layers of the Slovenian society, regardless of the differences in ideology or class, and it was no stranger to Austrian state administration as well, as evidenced by the documents preserved in the fonds of the State Prosecutor’s Office in Ljubljana, pertaining to a rather bizarre case against Abraham Diamant in 1887.
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July 2024
»The Devils Killed Marina the Witch«
In the 17th century, the Hrastovec seigniory was one of the centres of witchcraft trials. A comprehensive report on the trial of Marina Vukinec, written by the blood court (Blutgericht) judge Volk Lovrenc Lampertič on December 20, 1673, has been preserved. Lampertič was summoned to the Hrastovec Castle by Erazem Friderik Count Herberstein to continue the trial of Marina, who had been imprisoned there together with her husband and other suspects since December 1.
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August 2024
On the Expulsion of Wilhelm Palz from Ljubljana
Right of residence (Heimatrecht) allowed an individual to live in a municipality without interference. Individual received his right of residence by birth or marriage, or by applying for it at the municipal committee after having resided in the municipality continuously for four years. Expulsion was a common practice used by local authorities to deal with various unwanted subjects who were believed to cast a bad light on a certain town or municipality. The search for the right of residence of the artist Wilhelm Palz lasted for six whole years without success.
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September 2024
Confirming of the Privileges Granted to the Poor Clare Convent in Mekinje/Minkendorf
Between 1300 and 1782, the Poor Clares founded six convents in the Slovenian ethnical territory. The oldest and the most important among them was the convent in Mekinje near Kamnik (Minkendorf near Stein), which was granted its first princely privilege already in 1338. Presented here as this month’s archivalia is a 300-year-old privilege preserved among other charters of the Poor Clare convent. The privilege was issued by Emperor Charles VI of Habsburg (1711-1740) and confirmed the convent's earlier rights, freedoms and good habits.
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October 2024
Archival Legacy of Karel Smolle
Recently, the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia acquired the written legacy of Karel Smolle. Presented here as this month's archivalia are some interesting documents, such as the ballot paper that Smolle used to prove that, as a federal representative, he did not vote for Kurt Waldheim in the 1986 Austrian presidential election. There is also an anonymous letter, which shows that the anti-Slovenian sentiment in Carinthia, Austria, was still rather toxic just 15 years ago.
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November 2024
Renovation of the Former Barracks on Roška or Poljanska Street for the Needs of the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia
In mid-October 2024, the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia achieved its decades long ambition when it relocated to the renovated central wing of the former barracks on Roška or Poljanska Street and was finally able to house most of its spaces for its various activities under one roof. This month’s archivalia documents several stages of the more than three-decades long saga, marked by frequent disappointments and surprises. Ultimately, persistence and patience were rewarded.
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December 2024
Commander Stane: from a Farmhand to the Commander of the Headquarters of the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Slovenia
November 7, 2024, marked the 80th anniversary of the tragic death of Franc Rozman Stane, commander of the Headquarters of the Slovenian Partisan Army. Although the cause of the accident occurring during mortar testing has been the subject of several theories, none of them have any solid evidence. Therefore, we are presenting here as this month’s archivalia some of the documents created for the occasion of his funeral.
