Rudi Šeligo
Encyclopedia
Rudi Šeligo was a Slovenia
n writer
, playwright
, essayist and politician
. Together with Lojze Kovačič
and Drago Jančar
, he is considered as one of the foremost Slovenian modernist writers of the post-World War II
period.
, now part of the city of Rijeka
, Croatia
. In 1939, he moved with his family to the industrial town of Jesenice in north-western Slovenia. After finishing high school, he worked as an industrial worker in the local iron mill for few years. He then moved to the small town of Tolmin
, where he finished a teacher's academy. In 1956, he moved to Ljubljana
, where he enrolled to the University of Ljubljana
, studying philosophy and sociology. In Ljubljana, Šeligo became involved with a group of young and intelelctuals known as the Critical generation. He published several short stories in the alternative literary journal Revija 57. He became friends with the dissident intelelctual Jože Pučnik
, and wittnessed his arrest in 1958.
In 1962, he became a lecturer at the School for Sociology and Working Management in Kranj
, and continued publishing his works, mostly in the alternative journal Perspektive. When the journal was forced to close down by the Communist regime, Šeligo entered a "creative strike", refusing to publish any of his works for two years. In the late 1960s, he started collaborating the renowned literary theorists and philosopher Dušan Pirjevec Ahac.
In the 1987, Šeligo was elected as president of the Slovene Writers' Association
. In a period of social and political ferment, Šeligo used his position to transform the association in an open platform of public debate, promoting the values of pluralism and democracy. In 1989, he was among the founding members of the Slovenian Democratic Union
. In the first free elections in Slovenia in 1990, he was elected to the Slovenian Parliament
. Between 1990 and 1994, he also presided the Advisiory Board of the Slovenian Radio and Television Broadcast. In 1994, he joined the Slovenian Social Democratic Party. Between June and November 2000, he served as Minister for Culture in the short lived centre-right government of Andrej Bajuk
. During this short period, he compiled the so-called "National Program for Culture", an integrative document on the aims of cultural policy in Slovenia, which became the basis for the cultural policies of all later Slovenian governments. In 2001, he became member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
.
He died in Ljubljana and was buried in the Žale
cemetery.
. His short novel "The Tryptich of Agata Schwarzkobler" (Triptih Agate Schwarzkobler), published in 1968, is considered the first example of reism
in Slovene literature. His early novels were under the influence of the French Nouveau roman
, and were characterized by thick descriptions and anti-psychologic attitude.
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 writer
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....
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, essayist 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 Lojze Kovačič
Lojze Kovačič
Lojze Kovačič was a Slovene writer. His novel The Newcomers is often considered one of the most important Slovene novels of the 20th century and has been translated into German, French, Spanish and Dutch....
and Drago Jančar
Drago Jancar
Drago Jančar is a Slovenian writer, playwright and essayist. Jančar is one of the most known contemporary Slovene writers. In Slovenia, he is also famous for his political commentaries and civic engagement.-Life:...
, he is considered as one of the foremost Slovenian modernist writers of the post-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...
period.
Life
Šeligo was born in a Slovene family in Sušak, Kingdom of YugoslaviaKingdom 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...
, now part of the city of Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. In 1939, he moved with his family to the industrial town of Jesenice in north-western Slovenia. After finishing high school, he worked as an industrial worker in the local iron mill for few years. He then moved to the small town of Tolmin
Tolmin
Tolmin is a small town and municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.-Geography:Tolmin, the old town that gave the name to the entire area , is the largest settlement in the Upper Soča Valley , as well as its economic, cultural and administrative centre. It is located on a terrace above the...
, where he finished a teacher's academy. In 1956, he moved 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 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:...
, studying philosophy and sociology. In Ljubljana, Šeligo became involved with a group of young and intelelctuals known as the Critical generation. He published several short stories in the alternative literary journal Revija 57. He became friends with the dissident intelelctual Jože Pučnik
Jože Pucnik
Jože Pučnik was a Slovenian public intellectual, sociologist and politician. During the Communist regime of Josip Broz Tito, Pučnik was one of the most outspoken Slovenian critics of dictatorship and lack of civil liberties in former Yugoslavia. He was imprisoned for a total of 7 years, and later...
, and wittnessed his arrest in 1958.
In 1962, he became a lecturer at the School for Sociology and Working Management in Kranj
Kranj
' is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 . It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana...
, and continued publishing his works, mostly in the alternative journal Perspektive. When the journal was forced to close down by the Communist regime, Šeligo entered a "creative strike", refusing to publish any of his works for two years. In the late 1960s, he started collaborating the renowned literary theorists and philosopher Dušan Pirjevec Ahac.
In the 1987, Šeligo was elected as president of the Slovene Writers' Association
Slovene Writers' Association
The Slovene Writers' Association is a non-profit association of Slovene writers based in Ljubljana.The Association was founded on 21 April 1872 in Ljubljana at the initiative of Davorin Trstenjak who also became its first president. It operated under various names over the years and re-adopted its...
. In a period of social and political ferment, Šeligo used his position to transform the association in an open platform of public debate, promoting the values of pluralism and democracy. In 1989, he was among the founding members of the Slovenian Democratic Union
Slovenian Democratic Union
The Slovenian Democratic Union was a Slovenian liberal political party, active between 1989 and 1991, during the democratization and the secession of the Republic of Slovenia from Yugoslavia....
. In the first free elections in Slovenia in 1990, he was elected to the Slovenian Parliament
Slovenian Parliament
The Slovenian Parliament is the informal designation of the general representative body of the Slovenian nation and the legislative body of the Republic of Slovenia....
. Between 1990 and 1994, he also presided the Advisiory Board of the Slovenian Radio and Television Broadcast. In 1994, he joined the Slovenian Social Democratic Party. Between June and November 2000, he served as Minister for Culture in the short lived centre-right government of Andrej Bajuk
Andrej Bajuk
Andrej Bajuk, also known in Spanish as Andrés Bajuk was a Slovene politician and economist. He served shortly as Prime Minister of Slovenia in the year 2000, and Minister of Economy in the centre right government of Janez Janša between 2004 and 2008...
. During this short period, he compiled the so-called "National Program for Culture", an integrative document on the aims of cultural policy in Slovenia, which became the basis for the cultural policies of all later Slovenian governments. In 2001, he became member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
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....
.
He died in Ljubljana and was buried in the Žale
Žale
Žale Central cemetery , often abbreviated to Žale, is the largest and the central cemetery in Ljubljana. It is located in the Bežigrad district and operated by the Žale Public Company.- History :...
cemetery.
Work
In the 1950s, Šeligo was among those who brought radical avantgardist innovations to the Slovenian literatureSlovenian literature
Slovene literature, meaning the literature in the Slovene language, starts with Freising manuscripts around 1000. From first printed Slovene religious books in 1550 it is followed by these literary periods and notable authors:-Middle Ages:-Folk poetry:...
. His short novel "The Tryptich of Agata Schwarzkobler" (Triptih Agate Schwarzkobler), published in 1968, is considered the first example of reism
Reism
Reism or concretism is a philosophical theory of Tadeusz Kotarbiński, based on the ontology of Stanislaw Lesniewski, specifically, his "calculus of names".In ontological sense, reism was condensed by Kotarbiński to the two postulates...
in Slovene literature. His early novels were under the influence of the French Nouveau roman
Nouveau roman
The nouveau roman is a type of 1950s French novel that diverged from classical literary genres. Émile Henriot coined the title in an article in the popular French newspaper Le Monde on May 22, 1957 to describe certain writers who experimented with style in each novel, creating an essentially new...
, and were characterized by thick descriptions and anti-psychologic attitude.