Andrej Einspieler
Encyclopedia
Andrej Einspieler was a Slovene politician
, Roman Catholic priest and publicist
, and one of the early leaders of the Old Slovene national movement in the 19th century. He was known as the "father of the Carinthian Slovenes
".
Einspieler was born in the village of Suetschach near Feistritz im Rosental
in the Duchy of Carinthia
. He attended the lyceum
and later the theological seminary in Klagenfurt
. He served as a priest throughout the Slovene-inhabited areas of southern Carinthia. During the spring of nations of 1848, he collaborated with the fellow Carinthian Slovene priest and political activist Matija Majar
and became a fervent advocate of the political program of United Slovenia
. In 1851, Einspieler co-founded the Hermagoras Society (Mohorjeva družba), the oldest Slovene publishing house, together with the Carinthian philologist Anton Janežič
and the Styrian priest Anton Martin Slomšek
. Due to Einspieler's restless cultural and publicist activity, Klagenfurt emerged as the major cultural center of the Slovene national revival
in the 1850s.
With the beginning of the constitutional period
in the Austrian Empire
in 1860, Einspieler gradually abandoned the ideal of United Slovenia as unachieveble. He wrote numerous articles in the German language
, calling for a collaboration between Slovene and German speakers in Carinthia and in other regions of the Slovene Lands
. In 1865, he pushed through initiator the so-called Maribor Program, in which a group of Old Slovenes
(a conservative fraction within the Slovene national movement) proposed the re-establishment of Inner Austria
, a largely autonomous and federative political unit within the Austrian Empire into which the traditional provinces of Carinthia, Styria
, Carniola
, and Austrian Littoral
would be merged. He launched the journal Stimmen aus Innerösterreich ("News from Inner Austria"), written mainly in the German language
, in order to convince the German-speaking public to accept this idea. The program was however rejected by both Slovene and ethnic German
nationalists. At the beginning of the 1870s, Einspieler was marginalized from the mainstream in Slovene politics, although he continued his political activity. In 1876, he was elected in the Klagenfurt municipal council.
He died in Klagenfurt in 1888.
In 1979, the Slovene Christian Cultural Association from Carinthia
Einspieler Prize established the Einspieler Award, which is given to individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the cause of co-existence among different peoples or nationalities. The prize has been awarded to, among others, the governor of South Tyrol
, Luis Durnwalder
; scholar and professor at the Central European University
, Anton Pelinka; Roman Catholic prelate, Egon Kapellari; and Austrian politician, Rudolf Kirchschläger
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, Roman Catholic priest and publicist
Publicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
, and one of the early leaders of the Old Slovene national movement in the 19th century. He was known as the "father of the Carinthian Slovenes
Carinthian Slovenes
Carinthian Slovenes are the Slovene-speaking population group in the Austrian State of Carinthia. The Carinthian Slovenes send representatives to the National Ethnic Groups Advisory Council...
".
Einspieler was born in the village of Suetschach near Feistritz im Rosental
Feistritz im Rosental
Feistritz im Rosental is a market town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is located on the northern slope of the Karawanken mountain range in the Rosental, a valley of the Drava River. According to the 2001 census 13.3% of the population are Carinthian...
in the Duchy of Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
. He attended the lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
and later the theological seminary in Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
. He served as a priest throughout the Slovene-inhabited areas of southern Carinthia. During the spring of nations of 1848, he collaborated with the fellow Carinthian Slovene priest and political activist Matija Majar
Matija Majar
Matija Majar, also spelled Majer was a Carinthian Slovene Roman Catholic priest and political activist, most famous as the author of the idea of a United Slovenia...
and became a fervent advocate of the political program of United Slovenia
United Slovenia
United Slovenia is the name of an unrealized political programme of the Slovene national movement, formulated during the Spring of Nations in 1848...
. In 1851, Einspieler co-founded the Hermagoras Society (Mohorjeva družba), the oldest Slovene publishing house, together with the Carinthian philologist Anton Janežič
Anton Janežic
Anton Janežič, also known in German as Anton Janeschitz was a Carinthian Slovene linguist, philologist, author, editor, literary historian and critic.- Life :...
and the Styrian priest Anton Martin Slomšek
Anton Martin Slomšek
Anton Martin Slomšek was a Slovene bishop, author, poet, and advocate of Slovene culture.Slomšek was born to a peasant family in the hamlet of Slom near the village of Ponikva in the Municipality of Šentjur, Lower Styria. He studied theology and philosophy before being ordained in 1824 at the...
. Due to Einspieler's restless cultural and publicist activity, Klagenfurt emerged as the major cultural center of the Slovene national revival
Romantic nationalism
Romantic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs...
in the 1850s.
With the beginning of the constitutional period
October Diploma
The October Diploma was a constitution adopted by Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph on October 20, 1860. The Diploma attempted to increase the power of the conservative nobles by giving them more power over their own lands through a program of aristocratic federalism...
in the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
in 1860, Einspieler gradually abandoned the ideal of United Slovenia as unachieveble. He wrote numerous articles in the German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, calling for a collaboration between Slovene and German speakers in Carinthia and in other regions of the Slovene Lands
Slovene Lands
Slovene Lands or Slovenian Lands is the historical denomination for the whole of the Slovene-inhabited territories in Central Europe. It more or less corresponds to modern Slovenia and the adjacent territories in Italy, Austria and Hungary in which autochthonous Slovene minorities live.-...
. In 1865, he pushed through initiator the so-called Maribor Program, in which a group of Old Slovenes
Old Slovenes
Old Slovenes is the term used for a national conservative political group in the Slovene Lands from the 1850s to the 1870s, which was opposed to the radical national liberal Young Slovenes...
(a conservative fraction within the Slovene national movement) proposed the re-establishment of Inner Austria
Inner Austria
Inner Austria was a term used from the late 14th to the early 17th century for the Habsburg hereditary lands south of the Semmering Pass, referring to the duchies of Styria, Carinthia, Carniola and the Windic March, the County of Gorizia , the city of Trieste and assorted smaller possessions...
, a largely autonomous and federative political unit within the Austrian Empire into which the traditional provinces of Carinthia, Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
, Carniola
Duchy of Carniola
The Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
, and Austrian Littoral
Austrian Littoral
The Austrian Littoral was established as a crown land of the Austrian Empire in 1849. In 1861 it was divided into the three crown lands of the Imperial Free City of Trieste and its suburbs, the Margraviate of Istria, and the Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca, which each had separate...
would be merged. He launched the journal Stimmen aus Innerösterreich ("News from Inner Austria"), written mainly in the German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, in order to convince the German-speaking public to accept this idea. The program was however rejected by both Slovene and ethnic German
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
nationalists. At the beginning of the 1870s, Einspieler was marginalized from the mainstream in Slovene politics, although he continued his political activity. In 1876, he was elected in the Klagenfurt municipal council.
He died in Klagenfurt in 1888.
Legacy
During all his active life, Einspieler fought for the linguistic and political rights of the Carinthian Slovenes. He became known as "the father of Carinthian Slovenes".In 1979, the Slovene Christian Cultural Association from Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
Einspieler Prize established the Einspieler Award, which is given to individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the cause of co-existence among different peoples or nationalities. The prize has been awarded to, among others, the governor of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
, Luis Durnwalder
Luis Durnwalder
Luis Durnwalder is a politician of Italy, governor of the multilingual autonomous province of South Tyrol, and vice-president of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, in Northern Italy.- Biography :Durnwalder was born in Pfalzen...
; scholar and professor at the Central European University
Central European University
For other uses, see European University Central European University is a graduate-level, English-language university offering degrees in the social sciences, humanities, law, public policy, business management, environmental science, and mathematics...
, Anton Pelinka; Roman Catholic prelate, Egon Kapellari; and Austrian politician, Rudolf Kirchschläger
Rudolf Kirchschläger
Rudolf Kirchschläger was an Austrian diplomat, politician, judge and, from 1974 to 1986, the eighth President of Austria.-Education and early life:...
.
Sources
- Jože PogačnikJože PogačnikJože Pogačnik is a retired Slovenian film director and screenwriter.After studying film directing, Pogačnik first worked as a film critic, before becoming a prominent author of docmentary films in the 1960s, manly dealing with social issues...
, "Andrej Einspieler" in Slovenska misel: eseji o slovenstvu (Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba, 1987), 436-437. - KSZ: Andrej Einspieler
- Kočna.at: Andrej Einspieler