Ciril Kotnik
Encyclopedia
Ciril Kotnik was a Yugoslav
diplomat of Slovene ethnicity.
He was born in Ljubljana
, then part the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to Carinthian Slovene parents. He attended the Ljubljana Classical Gymnasium, where he became member of the radical student association Preporod ("Rebirth"), which advocated the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and the creation of a common state for all South Slavic peoples. At the outbreak of the First Balkan War
in 1912, Kotnik volunteered in the Serbian army. After the war, he was awarded the Karadjordje's star, one of the highest military awards in the Kingdom of Serbia
.
After the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, Kotnik was included in the diplomatic service of the new state. He was sent to Rome
, where he worked at the Yugoslav embassy to the Kingdom of Italy. He lived and worked in Rome for more than two decades and married a local woman, Maria Tommassetti.
After the Axis
invasion of Yugoslavia
in April 1941, the Yugoslav embassy was closed down and its personnel dismissed. Kotnik was put into house arrest
in his home in Rome. At the end of 1941, the Royal Yugoslav Government-in-Exile decided to include Kotnik in the Yugoslav diplomatic delegation to the Holy See
. He maintained close contacts with the Yugoslav government in London
, the monarchist resistance movement of general Draža Mihajlović, but was hostile to the Communist-led Yugoslav partisans of Josip Broz Tito
.
After the Italian armistice in September 1943, Kotnik took advantage of his position of ambassador to the Holy See in order to help many anti-fascists
and Jews
to escape Nazi German persecution. During this time, he established contacts with the political activist Janko Kralj, and Slovene emigrant from Gorizia
, who also helped many anti-Nazis and Jews to escape persecution. On October 28 1943, the Nazis arrested Kotnik and jailed him in the prison on Via Tasso. He was submitted to heavy torture, but did not reveal his sources.
After the war, he collaborated with the Slovene political emigrants Miha Krek
and Ivan Ahčin
in helping Slovene refugees fleeing from Socialist Yugoslavia
. Kotnik died in 1948 because of the lesions suffered under torture. In 2007, members of the Jewish community of Rome proposed to erect a monument in his memory.
Ciril Kotnik was the cousin of the Slovene philologian and literary historian Franc Kotnik and of the linguist Janko Kotnik. His half-brother is the missionary Jaroslav Kotnik from Trieste
. He had three daughters, including the Italian Canadian journalist Dara Kotnik Mancini and Ivanka Kotnik, mother of the Italian politician Walter Veltroni
, former Mayor of Rome and former president of the Democratic Party
.
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
diplomat of Slovene ethnicity.
He was born 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...
, then part the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to Carinthian Slovene parents. He attended the Ljubljana Classical Gymnasium, where he became member of the radical student association Preporod ("Rebirth"), which advocated the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and the creation of a common state for all South Slavic peoples. At the outbreak of the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912, Kotnik volunteered in the Serbian army. After the war, he was awarded the Karadjordje's star, one of the highest military awards in the Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
.
After the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, Kotnik was included in the diplomatic service of the new state. He was sent to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he worked at the Yugoslav embassy to the Kingdom of Italy. He lived and worked in Rome for more than two decades and married a local woman, Maria Tommassetti.
After the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
invasion of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
in April 1941, the Yugoslav embassy was closed down and its personnel dismissed. Kotnik was put into house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
in his home in Rome. At the end of 1941, the Royal Yugoslav Government-in-Exile decided to include Kotnik in the Yugoslav diplomatic delegation to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. He maintained close contacts with the Yugoslav government in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the monarchist resistance movement of general Draža Mihajlović, but was hostile to the Communist-led Yugoslav partisans of Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
.
After the Italian armistice in September 1943, Kotnik took advantage of his position of ambassador to the Holy See in order to help many anti-fascists
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...
and Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
to escape Nazi German persecution. During this time, he established contacts with the political activist Janko Kralj, and Slovene emigrant from 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...
, who also helped many anti-Nazis and Jews to escape persecution. On October 28 1943, the Nazis arrested Kotnik and jailed him in the prison on Via Tasso. He was submitted to heavy torture, but did not reveal his sources.
After the war, he collaborated with the Slovene political emigrants Miha Krek
Miha Krek
Miha Krek was a Slovenian lawyer and conservative politician. Between 1941 and 1969, he was the informal leader of the Slovenian anti-Communist emigration....
and Ivan Ahčin
Ivan Ahcin
Ivan Ahčin was a Slovene sociologist, publicist, journalist, author and politician.He studied theology at the University of Ljubljana, where he graduated in 1925. He later worked as a professor of sociology at the University of Ljubljana...
in helping Slovene refugees fleeing from Socialist Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. Kotnik died in 1948 because of the lesions suffered under torture. In 2007, members of the Jewish community of Rome proposed to erect a monument in his memory.
Ciril Kotnik was the cousin of the Slovene philologian and literary historian Franc Kotnik and of the linguist Janko Kotnik. His half-brother is the missionary Jaroslav Kotnik from 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...
. He had three daughters, including the Italian Canadian journalist Dara Kotnik Mancini and Ivanka Kotnik, mother of the Italian politician Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni, Knight Grand Cross, is an Italian writer, journalist and politician, who served as the first leader of the Democratic Party within the centre-left opposition, until his resignation on 17 February 2009. He served as Mayor of Rome from 2001 to 2008.-Biography:Walter Veltroni was...
, former Mayor of Rome and former president of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Italy)
The Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in Italy, that is the second-largest in the country. The party is led by Pier Luigi Bersani, who was elected in the 2009 leadership election....
.
Sources
- Ivo Jevnikar: Il nonno sloveno di Walter Veltroni
- Walter Veltroni, La bella politica (Milano: Rizzoli, 1996).