Prešeren Day
Encyclopedia
The Prešeren Day, the full name being Prešeren Day, the Slovenian Cultural Holiday , is a public holiday
celebrated in Slovenia
on 8 February. It is marking the anniversary of the death of the Slovene national poet France Prešeren
on February 8, 1849. The holiday was established to honour achievements in the Slovenian culture
.
The anniversary of Prešeren's death first became a prominent date during World War II
in 1942, when the so-called "cultural silence" was imposed by the Liberation Front
, banning all Slovene artists from further public appearances under occupation. It was first commemorated as a holiday in the partisan-liberated territory in 1944 and officially proclaimed a cultural holiday in 1945. It remained a public holiday during the era of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
within the SFR Yugoslavia
and it was celebrated also by the Carinthian Slovenes
and the Slovenes in Italy. It was marked with many cultural festivals and remembrances, with school excursions to culturally significant institutions.
In 1991, it was declared a work-free day. Many opposed this gesture, claiming it would bring the banalisation of a holiday designed to be dedicated to cultural events. As a result, December 3, the anniversary of the poet's birth, has also become widely celebrated as an alternative holiday. Today both days are almost equally celebrated, with no antagonism between the two, although only Prešeren Day in February is officially recognized as a national holiday.
On February 7, the eve of the holiday, the Prešeren Award
s and the Prešeren Foundation Awards, the highest Slovenian recognitions for cultural achievements, are conferred.
Prešeren Day continues to be one of the most widely celebrated Slovene holidays. It is not only celebrated in Slovenia, but by the Slovene communities all around the world.
Public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year....
celebrated 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...
on 8 February. It is marking the anniversary of the death of the Slovene national 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....
on February 8, 1849. The holiday was established to honour achievements in the Slovenian culture
Culture of Slovenia
Slovenia's first book was printed by the Protestant reformer Primož Trubar . It was actually two books, Katekizem and Abecednik, which was published in 1550 in Tübingen, Germany....
.
The anniversary of Prešeren's death first became a prominent date during 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...
in 1942, when the so-called "cultural silence" was imposed by the Liberation Front
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"...
, banning all Slovene artists from further public appearances under occupation. It was first commemorated as a holiday in the partisan-liberated territory in 1944 and officially proclaimed a cultural holiday in 1945. It remained a public holiday during the era of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
Socialist Republic of Slovenia
The Socialist Republic of Slovenia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1943 until 1990...
within the SFR 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,...
and it was celebrated also by the Carinthian Slovenes
Carinthian Slovenes
Carinthian Slovenes are the Slovene-speaking population group in the Austrian State of Carinthia. The Carinthian Slovenes send representatives to the National Ethnic Groups Advisory Council...
and the Slovenes in Italy. It was marked with many cultural festivals and remembrances, with school excursions to culturally significant institutions.
In 1991, it was declared a work-free day. Many opposed this gesture, claiming it would bring the banalisation of a holiday designed to be dedicated to cultural events. As a result, December 3, the anniversary of the poet's birth, has also become widely celebrated as an alternative holiday. Today both days are almost equally celebrated, with no antagonism between the two, although only Prešeren Day in February is officially recognized as a national holiday.
On February 7, the eve of the holiday, the Prešeren Award
Prešeren Award
Prešeren Award is the highest decoration in the field of artistic and in the past also scientific creation in Slovenia awarded each year to one or two eminent Slovene artists...
s and the Prešeren Foundation Awards, the highest Slovenian recognitions for cultural achievements, are conferred.
Prešeren Day continues to be one of the most widely celebrated Slovene holidays. It is not only celebrated in Slovenia, but by the Slovene communities all around the world.