Janko Kersnik
Encyclopedia
Janko Kersnik was a Slovene writer
and politician
. Together with Josip Jurčič
, he is considered the most important representative of Literary realism
in the Slovene language.
near Lukovica
in Upper Carniola
, then part of the Austrian
Duchy of Carniola
(now in Slovenia
). His father Jože Kersnik was a district judge, while his mother Berta Höffern was a local noblewoman. Kersnik grew up in a bilingual, German
-Slovene environment. He attended the German-language grammar school in Ljubljana
, but was expelled under accusations of Slovene nationalism. He continued his studies under the private tutorship of Fran Levec, an influential Young Slovene literary historian.
He studied law
at the University of Vienna
and Graz
, where he graduated in 1874. He worked in the Austro-Hungarian administration in Ljubljana
between 1874 and 1878, where he opened a civil law notary
office in his native Brdo pri Lukovici
.
In the late 1870s, he became active in politics in the liberal Young Slovene party. In 1883, he was elected to the Carniola
n provincial diet. Together with Fran Šuklje, He belonged to the moderate faction of the Slovene Liberals
, and opposed both the conservatism of the Old Slovenes
, the centralism of Austrian liberals
, and the Slovene radical national liberalism
, advocated by Ivan Hribar
and Ivan Tavčar
.
He died in Ljubljana in 1897.
and Simon Jenko
, he began writing in Slovene. He first wrote in late Romantic
style, but under the influence of his personal friend Josip Jurčič
, he switched to literary realism
. He was a prolific author of short stories
, feuilleton
s, and satire
s, in which he critically assessed the backwardness of the Slovene Lands
of his time, and the radicalization of political life.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Together with Josip Jurčič
Josip Jurcic
Josip Jurčič was a Slovene writer and journalist. He was born in Muljava, Austrian Empire and died in Ljubljana, Austria-Hungary...
, he is considered the most important representative of Literary realism
Literary realism
Literary realism most often refers to the trend, beginning with certain works of nineteenth-century French literature and extending to late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century authors in various countries, towards depictions of contemporary life and society "as they were." In the spirit of...
in the Slovene language.
Biography
Kersnik was born in the manor of BrdoBrdo pri Lukovici
Brdo pri Lukovici is a small settlement next to Lukovica in the eastern part of the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.Brdo Castle is the located in the settlement. It is a 16th century castle. In the 19th century it housed the local court, revenue offices and prison...
near Lukovica
Lukovica
Lukovica pri Domžalah is a settlement and municipality in the eastern part of the Upper Carniola region in Slovenia. It lies on the main road from Ljubljana to Celje and has been an independent municipality since 1995.-External links:*...
in Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
, then part of the Austrian
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...
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...
(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...
). His father Jože Kersnik was a district judge, while his mother Berta Höffern was a local noblewoman. Kersnik grew up in a bilingual, German
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....
-Slovene environment. He attended the German-language grammar school 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...
, but was expelled under accusations of Slovene nationalism. He continued his studies under the private tutorship of Fran Levec, an influential Young Slovene literary historian.
He studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
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...
and Graz
University of Graz
The University of Graz , a university located in Graz, Austria, is the second-largest and second-oldest university in Austria....
, where he graduated in 1874. He worked in the Austro-Hungarian administration 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...
between 1874 and 1878, where he opened a civil law notary
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
office in his native Brdo pri Lukovici
Brdo pri Lukovici
Brdo pri Lukovici is a small settlement next to Lukovica in the eastern part of the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.Brdo Castle is the located in the settlement. It is a 16th century castle. In the 19th century it housed the local court, revenue offices and prison...
.
In the late 1870s, he became active in politics in the liberal Young Slovene party. In 1883, he was elected to the 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...
n provincial diet. Together with Fran Šuklje, He belonged to the moderate faction of the Slovene Liberals
Liberalism in Slovenia
This article gives an overview of liberalism in Slovenia. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme...
, and opposed both the conservatism of the 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...
, the centralism of Austrian liberals
Liberalism in Austria
This article gives an overview of liberalism in Austria. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme...
, and the Slovene radical national liberalism
National liberalism
National liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining nationalism with some liberal policies, especially regarding economic liberalism. The roots of it are to be found in the 19th century, when conservative liberalism was the ideology of the political classes in most European countries, then...
, advocated by Ivan Hribar
Ivan Hribar
Ivan Hribar was a Slovene and Yugoslav banker, politician, diplomat and journalist. At the turn of the century, he was one of the leaders of the National Progressive Party, and one of the most important figures of Slovene liberal nationalism...
and Ivan Tavčar
Ivan Tavcar
Ivan Tavčar was a Slovene and Yugoslav writer, lawyer, and politician.- Biography :Tavčar was born into a poor peasant family of Janez and Neža née Perko in the Carniolan village of Poljane near Škofja Loka in what was then the Austrian Empire and is now in Slovenia. It has never been entirely...
.
He died in Ljubljana in 1897.
Literary work
Kersnik started his literary career as a German language poet. Under the influence of Slovene post-Romantic authors Josip StritarJosip Stritar
Josip Stritar was a Slovene writer, poet, playwright, publisher and translator.Stritar spent his early childhood in his home village in rural Lower Carniola and was sent to school in Ljubljana...
and Simon Jenko
Simon Jenko
Simon Jenko was a Slovene poet, lyricist and writer.Jenko was born in Podreča in the Sora Plain in Upper Carniola, then part of the Austrian Empire, now in Slovenia, as an illegitimate son of poor peasant parents...
, he began writing in Slovene. He first wrote in late Romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
style, but under the influence of his personal friend Josip Jurčič
Josip Jurcic
Josip Jurčič was a Slovene writer and journalist. He was born in Muljava, Austrian Empire and died in Ljubljana, Austria-Hungary...
, he switched to literary realism
Literary realism
Literary realism most often refers to the trend, beginning with certain works of nineteenth-century French literature and extending to late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century authors in various countries, towards depictions of contemporary life and society "as they were." In the spirit of...
. He was a prolific author of short stories
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
, feuilleton
Feuilleton
Feuilleton was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criticism, a chronicle of the latest fashions, and epigrams, charades and other literary trifles...
s, and satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
s, in which he critically assessed the backwardness 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.-...
of his time, and the radicalization of political life.