Josip Vandot
Encyclopedia
Josip Vandot was a Slovene writer
and poet
who wrote mainly for young readers.
(called "Borovška vas" at the time) in Upper Carniola
, then part of Austria-Hungary
, now in Slovenia
. Under the interwar Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, he was employed as a railway official in Maribor
, from where he was deported to Croatia by the occupying German forces
in 1941. He was killed in the Allied bombing of Slavonski Brod
in 1944.
, a brave and clever shepherd boy from the highlands of his home region, the Karavanke and Julian Alps
. He wrote three books with Kekec as the main character:
The Kekec books were adapted into three films about the character, though only the first was a direct adaptation of the first book:
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 poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who wrote mainly for young readers.
Biography
Vandot was born in Kranjska GoraKranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps...
(called "Borovška vas" at the time) 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 Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, 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...
. Under the interwar 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...
, he was employed as a railway official in Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
, from where he was deported to Croatia by the occupying German forces
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in 1941. He was killed in the Allied bombing of Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod is a city in Croatia, with a population of 59,507 in 2011. The city was known as Marsonia in the Roman Empire, and as Brod na Savi 1244–1934. It is the sixth largest city in Croatia, after Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek and Zadar. Located in the region of Slavonia, it is the...
in 1944.
Work
Vandot is most famous for the creation of the character KekecKekec
Kekec is a Slovenian book fictional child hero character created by Josip Vandot.It was first published in Zvonček publication in 1918. He is widely recognized as a Slovenian cultural icon. Kekec is a brave boy, a fearless shepperd from the highlands of his home region, the Karavanke and Julian Alps...
, a brave and clever shepherd boy from the highlands of his home region, the Karavanke and Julian Alps
Julian Alps
The Julian Alps are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps that stretches from northeastern Italy to Slovenia, where they rise to 2,864 m at Mount Triglav. They are named after Julius Caesar, who founded the municipium of Cividale del Friuli at the foot of the mountains...
. He wrote three books with Kekec as the main character:
- Kekec na hudi poti ("Kekec on the Hard Path," 1918)
- Kekec na volčji sledi ("Kekec on the Wolf Trail," 1922)
- Kekec nad samotnim breznom ("Kekec Above the Lonely Abyss," 1924)
The Kekec books were adapted into three films about the character, though only the first was a direct adaptation of the first book:
- KekecKekec (1951 film)Kekec is a 1951 Slovene adventures-youth film directed by Jože Gale, based on novel Kekec nad samotnim breznom by Josip Vandot. Film was produced by Triglav Film and distributed by Viba Film....
(1951) - Srečno, Kekec (1963) ("Good Luck, Kekec") - the first Slovene colour film
- Kekčeve ukane (1968) ) ("Kekec's Wiles")