Fran Zwitter
Encyclopedia
Fran Zwitter was a Slovenia
n historian. He is considered, together with Milko Kos
, Bogo Grafenauer
and Vasilij Melik
, the co-founder of the so-called Ljubljana school of historiography.
in what was then the Duchy of Carniola
, Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the son of Davorin Zwitter, a Carinthian Slovene judge. The family decided to stay in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
after the Carinthian Plebiscite
assigned their native region to the Republic of Austria. After finishing grammar school in Novo Mesto, he enrolled to the University of Ljubljana
, where he studied history
and geography
. Between 1926 and 1928, he studied also at the University of Vienna
. Between 1930 and 1932, he studied in Paris
under the supervision of Albert Mathiez
. Between 1932 and 1938, he taught at the Ljubljana Classical Lyceum. In 1938, he became professor at the University of Ljubljana.
In the 1930s, he was active in the public life, publishing critical articles in left liberal journals, such as Sodobnost
and Ljubljanski zvon
. Soon after the Axis
invasion of Yugoslavia
in April 1941, he joined the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
. In May of the same year, he was arrested by the Italian occupation authorities of the Province of Ljubljana
, but released soon afterwards. In March 1942, he was arrested again and sent to the internment camp in Aprica
, on the Italian
-Swiss
border. After the Italian armistice, he found his way back to Slovenia
, where he joined the partisan resistance. Between January 1944 and March 1945, he organized and led the Scientific Institute of the Executive Council of the Liberation Front, a unique institution in the Nazi-occupied Europe. The institute mainly prepared documentation on border issues and prepared expertises for the Yugoslav
territorial claims against Italy in the Julian March
and against Austria
in Carinthia
. In 1945, he moved to the Yugoslav capital Belgrade
, where he worked as an expert on north-western border issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After 1948, he moved back to Ljubljana
, where he taught at the Department of History of the University of Ljubljana. Between 1952 and 1954, he served as rector of the University. In 1953, he became member of the Slovenian
and later also of the Yugoslav (1961) and the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
(1970). Between 1975 and 1978, he served as president of the prestigious publishing house Slovenska matica
.
Zwitter's initial expertise was social history of medieval towns, but under the influence of his supervisor Albert Mathiez
, he switched to modern history. Under the influence of the French Annales school
, he introduced several methodological innovation in the study of the demographic history of the Slovene Lands
. After World War II
, he turned to the study of nationality issues in the Habsburg Empire.
He died in Ljubljana in 1988, and was buried in the cemetery in Bela Cerkev.
His son Matjaž Zwitter is a physician, his other son, Tomaž Zwitter is an astronomer, and his daughter, Anja Dular is a historian, librarian and social anthropologist.
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...
n historian. He is considered, together with Milko Kos
Milko Kos
Milko Kos was a Slovenian historian, considered the father of the so-called Ljubljana school of historiography....
, Bogo Grafenauer
Bogo Grafenauer
Bogo Grafenauer was a Slovenian historian, who mostly wrote about medieval history in the Slovene Lands. Together with Milko Kos, Fran Zwitter, and Vasilij Melik, he was one of the founders of the so-called Ljubljana school of historiography.- Early life :He was born in Ljubljana in a well...
and Vasilij Melik
Vasilij Melik
Vasilij Melik was a Slovenian historian, who mostly worked on political history of the Slovene Lands in the 19th century.He was born in Ljubljana as the only son of the renowned geographer Anton Melik...
, the co-founder of the so-called Ljubljana school of historiography.
Life and work
He was born in the village of Bela Cerkev near Novo MestoNovo Mesto
Novo Mesto is a city and municipality in southeastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. The town is traditionally considered the economic and cultural centre of the historic Lower Carniola region.-Geography:...
in what was then the Duchy of 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...
, Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the son of Davorin Zwitter, a Carinthian Slovene judge. The family decided to stay in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
after the Carinthian Plebiscite
Carinthian Plebiscite
The Carinthian Plebiscite on 10 October 1920 determined the final southern border between the Republic of Austria and the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after World War I.- History :...
assigned their native region to the Republic of Austria. After finishing grammar school in Novo Mesto, he enrolled to the University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
, where he studied history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
. Between 1926 and 1928, he studied also 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...
. Between 1930 and 1932, he studied in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
under the supervision of Albert Mathiez
Albert Mathiez
Albert Mathiez was a French historian, known for his work on the French Revolution.He was a student of Alphonse Aulard. His La Révolution française appeared in three volumes . He wrote it as a socialist , pro-Robespierre interpretation, where Aulard had been pro-Danton...
. Between 1932 and 1938, he taught at the Ljubljana Classical Lyceum. In 1938, he became professor at the University of Ljubljana.
In the 1930s, he was active in the public life, publishing critical articles in left liberal journals, such as Sodobnost
Sodobnost
Sodobnost is a Slovenian literary and cultural magazine, established in 1933. It is considered the oldest of currently existing literary magazines in Slovenia. Although Sodobnost has traditionally been a magazine focused on cultural and literary issues, it nowadays covers a wide range of current...
and Ljubljanski zvon
Ljubljanski zvon
Ljubljanski zvon was a journal published in Ljubljana in Slovene between 1881 and 1941. It was considered one of the most prestigious literary and cultural magazines in Slovenia.- Early period :...
. Soon 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, he joined the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
On 26 April 1941 in Ljubljana the Anti-Imperialist Front was established. It was to promote "an international massive movement" to "liberate the Slovenian nation" whose "hope and example was the Soviet Union"...
. In May of the same year, he was arrested by the Italian occupation authorities of the Province of Ljubljana
Province of Ljubljana
The Province of Ljubljana was a province of the Kingdom of Italy and of the Nazi German Adriatic Littoral during World War II. It was created on May 3, 1941 from territory occupied and annexed to Italy after the Axis invasion and dissolution of Yugoslavia, and it was abolished on May 9, 1945, when...
, but released soon afterwards. In March 1942, he was arrested again and sent to the internment camp in Aprica
Aprica
Aprica is a town and comune in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy, northern Italy. It is located on the eponymous pass, the most favourable one connecting Valtellina to Val Camonica.Its main activity is winter tourism.-External links:* * *...
, on the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
border. After the Italian armistice, he found his way back to 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...
, where he joined the partisan resistance. Between January 1944 and March 1945, he organized and led the Scientific Institute of the Executive Council of the Liberation Front, a unique institution in the Nazi-occupied Europe. The institute mainly prepared documentation on border issues and prepared expertises for the Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
territorial claims against Italy in the Julian March
Julian March
The Julian March is a former political region of southeastern Europe on what are now the borders between Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy...
and against Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in 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...
. In 1945, he moved to the Yugoslav capital Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, where he worked as an expert on north-western border issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After 1948, he moved back to 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 taught at the Department of History of the University of Ljubljana. Between 1952 and 1954, he served as rector of the University. In 1953, he became member of the Slovenian
Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the national academy of Slovenia, which encompasses science and the arts and brings together the top Slovene researchers and artists as members of the academy....
and later also of the Yugoslav (1961) and the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the most prominent academic institution in Serbia today...
(1970). Between 1975 and 1978, he served as president of the prestigious publishing house Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica , also known as Matica slovenska, is the second-oldest publishing house in Slovenia, founded in the 19th century as an institution for the scholarly and cultural progress of Slovenes...
.
Zwitter's initial expertise was social history of medieval towns, but under the influence of his supervisor Albert Mathiez
Albert Mathiez
Albert Mathiez was a French historian, known for his work on the French Revolution.He was a student of Alphonse Aulard. His La Révolution française appeared in three volumes . He wrote it as a socialist , pro-Robespierre interpretation, where Aulard had been pro-Danton...
, he switched to modern history. Under the influence of the French Annales school
Annales School
The Annales School is a group of historians associated with a style of historiography developed by French historians in the 20th century. It is named after its scholarly journal Annales d'histoire économique et sociale, which remains the main source of scholarship, along with many books and...
, he introduced several methodological innovation in the study of the demographic history 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.-...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he turned to the study of nationality issues in the Habsburg Empire.
He died in Ljubljana in 1988, and was buried in the cemetery in Bela Cerkev.
His son Matjaž Zwitter is a physician, his other son, Tomaž Zwitter is an astronomer, and his daughter, Anja Dular is a historian, librarian and social anthropologist.
Major works
- Starejša kranjska mesta in meščanstvo ("The Burhers in the Older Carniolian Towns"). Ljubljana, 1929;
- Les origines de l'illyrisme politique et la création des Provinces illyriennes ("The Origins of Political IllyrismIllyrian movementThe Illyrian movement , also Croatian national revival , was a cultural and political campaign with roots in the early modern period, and revived by a group of young Croatian intellectuals during the first half of 19th century, around the years of 1835–1849...
and the Creation of the Illyrian ProvincesIllyrian provincesThe Illyrian Provinces was an autonomous province of the Napoleonic French Empire on the north and east coasts of the Adriatic Sea between 1809 and 1816. Its capital was established at Laybach...
). Dijon, 1933; - Les problemes nationaux dans la monarchie des Habsbourg ("National Questions in the Habsburg Monarchy"), co-authored with Jaroslav Šidak and Vaso Bogdanov. Belgrade, 1960;
- Die Kärntner Frage ("The Carinthian Question"). Klagenfurt, 1979;
- O slovenskem narodnem vprašanju ("On the Slovene national question"). Selected articles edited by Vasilij MelikVasilij MelikVasilij Melik was a Slovenian historian, who mostly worked on political history of the Slovene Lands in the 19th century.He was born in Ljubljana as the only son of the renowned geographer Anton Melik...
, Ljubljana, 1990.
Further reading
- Peter ŠtihPeter ŠtihPeter Štih is a Slovenian historian, specialising in medieval history.Štih was born in Ljubljana, but spent most of his childhood years in the town of Most na Soči in the Goriška region of western Slovenia. He attended grammar school in Tolmin and studied history at the University of Ljubljana,...
, ed, Zwittrov zbornik (Ljubljana: Zbirka Zgodovinskega časopisa, 2006).