In the Spring of Slovenian Literary Language

The exhibition In the Spring of Slovenian Literary Language presents the link between the watershed Reformation movement in the German lands (Luther) and the formation of Slovenian literarylanguage and literature. The “founding fathers” of the Protestant Church in Carniola – Trubar, Dalmatin, Bohorič, Krelj, etc. – were in fact prolific writers, meeting the needs of the new faith. It was in this way that Slovenians gained their first book in their own language, the first complete translation of the Bible, catechisms, hymnals, etc., and thus the entire humanistic literature of the Protestant type, comprising almost 15,000 printed pages. In less than half a century (1550–1599), some 56 titles were published, including two complete editions of the Bible (Dalmatin, Hutter).

The exhibition informs visitors about the key personalities, events and places in Ljubljana and the wider Slovenian territory associated with the emergence of Protestantism in the Slovenian lands. The timeframe extends from the first echoes of the Reformation on Slovenian soil – in Carniola at the beginning of the 1520s – until the end of the 16^th century, when the Counter-Reformation and the re-catholicisation of Inner Austria, and thus also of Slovenians, suppressed the publicly functioning Protestant church, education and printing, forcing Evangelicals to either convert to the Catholic Church or emigrate.

 

Author of the Texts: Dr Jonatan Vinkler

Exhibition Curator: Dr Nadja Zgonik

 

In cooperation with the National and University Library Ljubljana.

The exhibition is part of the project Luther and Slovenian Protestants.

 

We recommend using the funicular to visit the exhibition.