Valentin Vodnik
Encyclopedia
Valentin Vodnik was a Slovene priest
, journalist
and poet
from the late Enlightenment
period.
, now a suburb of Ljubljana
, then part of the Habsburg Monarchy
. He was raised in a relatively well-to-do peasant-artisan family.
He became a Franciscan
and studied in Ljubljana, Novo Mesto
and Gorizia
, finishing his studies in 1782. He worked as a priest in Ljubljana, in the Upper Carniola
n village of Sora, in Bled
, and in Ribnica. In 1793 he returned to Ljubljana and joined the intellectual circle of Sigmund Zois, in which several figures of the Slovenia
n Enlightenment gathered. Zois remained Vodnik's sponsor until his death. In 1797, Vodnik became a teacher at the local Lyceum
.
Vodnik dedicated himself to writing poetry in the Slovenian, which he referred to as the Carniola
n language. His first poems were published in Marko Pohlin
's collections of Slovenian folk songs. Vodnik's poetry was relatively simple, with a generally patriotic and satirical character. One of his most famous poems, "Dramilo," is a poetic appeal to Slovenes to be proud of their land, language, and heritage. In 1806, he published his first collection of poetry, entitled Pesme za pokušino (Poetic Essays). He was also the editor of the first Slovenian newspaper Lublanske novice, which was issued twice a week from 1797 to 1800.
In addition to poetry and journalism, Vodnik also wrote grammars, textbooks, and even a cookbook (Kuharske bukve, 1799) and a manual for midwifes (Babištvo, 1818).
In the 1810s, he became a fervent supporter of the French occupation of the Slovene Lands
. In 1809, he wrote a poem, called Ilirija oživljena ("Illyria
Reborn"), in which he praised Napoleon Bonaparte for having established the Illyrian Provinces
. During the short-lived French administration, he was instrumental in convincing the authorities to promote the use of Slovene in education, culture, and administration. After the return of Austrian
rule in 1813, most of these reforms in language policy
were retained, but Vodnik himself was viewed with mistrust. He was retired and removed from public life.
He died in Ljubljana
. He is buried in the Navje
cemetery in the Bežigrad district of Ljubljana.
Vodnik is generally regarded as the first real poet in the Slovene language, as well as the first journalist. In his writings, written in the old bohoričica orthography, he used his native Upper Carniolan dialect
, into which he incorporated words and grammatical features from other Slovenian dialects
to make it more widely understood. Although he is rarely praised for being a deep or original poet, his poems convey honest sentiments, and his use of irony is noteworthy. As a member of Sigmund Zois' circle, he helped several younger talents, among whom also France Prešeren
, the most important Slovenian poet. After Vodnik's death, Prešeren wrote two elegies
in his memory.
Valentin Vodnik was selected as a main motif for a recent commemorative coin series: the 250th anniversary of the birth of Valentin Vodnik
, minted in January 2008. The obverse shows Valentin Vodnik's profile, the bottom portion of the coin is inscribed with the last verse of the poem "Moj spomenik," which in English says:
"No daughter no son,
to come after me,
enough memory done,
my songs sing of me."
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
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...
from the late Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
period.
Life and work
He was born in ŠiškaŠiška
The Šiška District or simply Šiška is the most populous of the city districts of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Several cultural monuments are located in Šiška, among them St. Bartholomew's Church, built in the 13th century and remodeled between 1933 and 1936 by the Slovene architect Jože...
, now a suburb of 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...
, then part of the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
. He was raised in a relatively well-to-do peasant-artisan family.
He became a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
and studied in Ljubljana, Novo Mesto
Novo 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:...
and Gorizia
Gorizia
Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
, finishing his studies in 1782. He worked as a priest in Ljubljana, in the 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 :...
n village of Sora, in Bled
Bled
Bled is a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area, within the Julian Alps, is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, and in Ribnica. In 1793 he returned to Ljubljana and joined the intellectual circle of Sigmund Zois, in which several figures of the 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...
n Enlightenment gathered. Zois remained Vodnik's sponsor until his death. In 1797, Vodnik became a teacher at the local Lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
.
Vodnik dedicated himself to writing poetry in the Slovenian, which he referred to as 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 language. His first poems were published in Marko Pohlin
Marko Pohlin
Marko Pohlin , was a Slovene philologist and author. He is generally considered the first exponent of the Age of Enlightenment in the Slovene lands....
's collections of Slovenian folk songs. Vodnik's poetry was relatively simple, with a generally patriotic and satirical character. One of his most famous poems, "Dramilo," is a poetic appeal to Slovenes to be proud of their land, language, and heritage. In 1806, he published his first collection of poetry, entitled Pesme za pokušino (Poetic Essays). He was also the editor of the first Slovenian newspaper Lublanske novice, which was issued twice a week from 1797 to 1800.
In addition to poetry and journalism, Vodnik also wrote grammars, textbooks, and even a cookbook (Kuharske bukve, 1799) and a manual for midwifes (Babištvo, 1818).
In the 1810s, he became a fervent supporter of the French occupation 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.-...
. In 1809, he wrote a poem, called Ilirija oživljena ("Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
Reborn"), in which he praised Napoleon Bonaparte for having established the Illyrian Provinces
Illyrian provinces
The 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...
. During the short-lived French administration, he was instrumental in convincing the authorities to promote the use of Slovene in education, culture, and administration. After the return of 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...
rule in 1813, most of these reforms in language policy
Language policy
Many countries have a language policy designed to favour or discourage the use of a particular language or set of languages. Although nations historically have used language policies most often to promote one official language at the expense of others, many countries now have policies designed to...
were retained, but Vodnik himself was viewed with mistrust. He was retired and removed from public life.
He died 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...
. He is buried in the Navje
Navje
Navje, formerly known as St. Christopher's Cemetery is a memorial park in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is located in the Bežigrad district, just behind the Ljubljana railway station....
cemetery in the Bežigrad district of Ljubljana.
Legacy
Upper Carniolan dialect group
The Upper Carniolan dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Upper Carniolan dialects are spoken in spoken in most of Upper Carniola and in Ljubljana.-Phonological and morphological characteristics:...
, into which he incorporated words and grammatical features from other Slovenian dialects
Slovenian dialects
Slovene dialects are the regional spoken varieties of Slovene, a South Slavic language. Spoken Slovene is often considered to have at least 48 dialects and subdialects . The exact number of dialects is open to debate, ranging from as many as 50 to merely 7...
to make it more widely understood. Although he is rarely praised for being a deep or original poet, his poems convey honest sentiments, and his use of irony is noteworthy. As a member of Sigmund Zois' circle, he helped several younger talents, among whom also 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....
, the most important Slovenian poet. After Vodnik's death, Prešeren wrote two elegies
Elegy
In literature, an elegy is a mournful, melancholic or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead.-History:The Greek term elegeia originally referred to any verse written in elegiac couplets and covering a wide range of subject matter, including epitaphs for tombs...
in his memory.
Valentin Vodnik was selected as a main motif for a recent commemorative coin series: the 250th anniversary of the birth of Valentin Vodnik
Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Slovenia)
Euro gold and silver commemorative coins are special euro coins minted and issued by member states of the Eurozone, mainly in gold and silver, although other precious metals are also used in rare occasions. Slovenia introduced the euro on 1 January 2007...
, minted in January 2008. The obverse shows Valentin Vodnik's profile, the bottom portion of the coin is inscribed with the last verse of the poem "Moj spomenik," which in English says:
"No daughter no son,
to come after me,
enough memory done,
my songs sing of me."
Further reading
- Janko KosJanko KosJanko Kos is a Slovenian literary historian, theoretician and critic.He was born in Ljubljana in what was then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as the son of the painter and sculptor Tine Kos...
, Valentin Vodnik (Ljubljana: Partizanska knjiga, 1990)