Anton Füster
Encyclopedia
Anton Füster, also spelled as Fister (5 January 1808 - 12 March 1881) was an Austria
n Roman Catholic priest, theologian, pedagogue, radical
political activist and author
of Slovene origin. He was one of the leaders of the Viennese
March Revolution of 1848
.
He was born in Radovljica
, Carniola
(now in Slovenia
). He studied in Ljubljana
, where he was consacrated priest in 1832. He was part of the intellectual circle of Matija Čop
, where he became a friend of the poet France Prešeren
. In 1835, he went to Trieste
, where he served as a German language
preacher. In 1839, he moved to Gorizia
, where he worked as a professor of religion and pedagogy at the State Gymnasium
. During this period, he became a close friend of the Slovene priest and activist Valentin Stanič, and became an active member of his Association against the Torture of Animals, one of the first animal rights
movements in Central Europe
. He also instrumental in the introduction of the chair for Slovene language in the priest seminary of the Archdiocese of Gorizia.
In 1847, he was appointed professor of philosophy at the University of Vienna
, where he promoted democratic ideas among the students. On Sunday, March 12, 1848, Füster gave a semon that encouraged the students in attendance at the Mass to revolt the next day--March 13, 1848--in the streets of Vienna. The Uprising the developed in Vienna in the following months, was the first major revolt in German lands of 1848, outside the important but relatively minor demonstrations against Lola Montez
in Bavaria on February 9, 1848. After the outbreak of the revolution of 1848, Füster became a fervent revolutionary activist; he became a chaplain of the insurgent
Academic Guard, and fought on the barricades with students. In the first months of the revolution, he was sympathetic to the Slovene national movement, and was among the academicians who published the manifesto for a United Slovenia
in April 1848. He later moved away from the romantic nationalist positions; on August 9th, 1848, a group of radical Slovene students, led by Lovro Toman
, staged a public event, in which they "solemnly expelled Füster from the people of Slovene descent".
In July 1848, he was elected to the so-called Kremsier Parliament
. After its dissolution by the Austrian imperial authorities in March 1849, Füster emigrated to England
, and then to the United States
, settling in Philadelphia.
He returned to Austria in 1876, first to Graz
and then to Vienna
, where he published his memories from the revolutionary period. He died in Vienna.
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...
n Roman Catholic priest, theologian, pedagogue, radical
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
political activist and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of Slovene origin. He was one of the leaders of the Viennese
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
March Revolution of 1848
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
.
He was born in Radovljica
Radovljica
Radovljica is a town and a municipality in in the Upper Carniola region of northern Slovenia. The municipality has around 18,000 inhabitants and an area of 118 km²...
, Carniola
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
(now in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
). He studied in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, where he was consacrated priest in 1832. He was part of the intellectual circle of Matija Čop
Matija Cop
Matija Čop , also known in German as Matthias Tschop, was a Slovene linguist, literary historian and critic.- Biography :...
, where he became a friend of the poet France Prešeren
France Prešeren
France Prešeren was a Slovene Romantic poet. He is considered the Slovene national poet. Although he was not a particularly prolific author, he inspired virtually all Slovene literature thereafter....
. In 1835, he went to Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, where he served as a 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....
preacher. In 1839, he moved to Gorizia
Gorizia
Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
, where he worked as a professor of religion and pedagogy at the State Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
. During this period, he became a close friend of the Slovene priest and activist Valentin Stanič, and became an active member of his Association against the Torture of Animals, one of the first animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
movements in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
. He also instrumental in the introduction of the chair for Slovene language in the priest seminary of the Archdiocese of Gorizia.
In 1847, he was appointed professor of philosophy at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, where he promoted democratic ideas among the students. On Sunday, March 12, 1848, Füster gave a semon that encouraged the students in attendance at the Mass to revolt the next day--March 13, 1848--in the streets of Vienna. The Uprising the developed in Vienna in the following months, was the first major revolt in German lands of 1848, outside the important but relatively minor demonstrations against Lola Montez
Lola Montez
Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld , better known by the stage name Lola Montez, was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a "Spanish dancer", courtesan and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who made her Countess of Landsfeld. She used her influence to institute liberal...
in Bavaria on February 9, 1848. After the outbreak of the revolution of 1848, Füster became a fervent revolutionary activist; he became a chaplain of the insurgent
Insurgency
An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents...
Academic Guard, and fought on the barricades with students. In the first months of the revolution, he was sympathetic to the Slovene national movement, and was among the academicians who published the manifesto for a 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 April 1848. He later moved away from the romantic nationalist positions; on August 9th, 1848, a group of radical Slovene students, led by Lovro Toman
Lovro Toman
Lovro Toman was a Slovene politician and author. Together with Janez Bleiweis and Etbin Henrik Costa, he was part of the leadership of the national conservative Old Slovene party....
, staged a public event, in which they "solemnly expelled Füster from the people of Slovene descent".
In July 1848, he was elected to the so-called Kremsier Parliament
Kremsier Parliament
The Kremsier Parliament was a constituent assembly called in July 1848 in reaction to opposition to the Pillersdorf Constitution of 25 April 1848 and would last until its dissolution on 7 March 1849...
. After its dissolution by the Austrian imperial authorities in March 1849, Füster emigrated to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and then to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, settling in Philadelphia.
He returned to Austria in 1876, first to Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
and then to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he published his memories from the revolutionary period. He died in Vienna.