Žarko Petan
Encyclopedia
Žarko Petan is a Slovenia
n writer
, essayist, screenwriter
, and theatre and film director
. He is most famous as writer of aphorism
s.
Petan was born in a relatively wealthy urban middle class family in Ljubljana
, Slovenia, then part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
. He spent his childhood in Zagreb
, Croatia
, where his father owned a hotel in the city centre. In 1940, the family moved to Maribor
in Slovenia, where they owned a café. After the Axis
invasion of Yugoslavia
in 1941, they moved to Trieste
to escape Nazi German persecution. After the end of World War II
, they returned to Maribor.
Petan soon entered in conflict with the new Communist regime. In 1949, while serving in the Yugoslav People's Army
, he was accused of enemy propaganda and sentenced to 9 years in jail. He was released already in 1951, and enrolled to the University of Ljubljana
, where he studied economy. After graduation, he enrolled to the Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television
in Ljubljana, where he studied theatre directing.
In the late 1950s, he worked together with Jože Javoršek
and Bojan Štih
at the Drama theatre in Ljubljana, which was one of the first theatre to introduce the theatre of absurd on Yugoslav stages. Together with Dominik Smole
, Taras Kermauner
and Dane Zajc
, he was one of the co-founders of the alternative theatre Stage 57, which challenged the rigid cultural policies of the Titoist regime. After the abolition of the theatre by the authorities in 1964, Petan returned to the established theatres.
Between 1992 and 1994, he served as Director General of the Slovenian National Radio and Television Broadcast
.
Žarko Petan is an extremely prolific writer. He has published more than 60 books in Slovene, and many others in other languages, especially in Croatian
. His work has been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages.
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....
, essayist, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and theatre and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. He is most famous as writer of aphorism
Aphorism
An aphorism is an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic and memorable form.The term was first used in the Aphorisms of Hippocrates...
s.
Petan was born in a relatively wealthy urban middle class family 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...
, Slovenia, then part of the 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 spent his childhood in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, 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 ...
, where his father owned a hotel in the city centre. In 1940, the family moved to 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....
in Slovenia, where they owned a café. After the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
invasion of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
in 1941, they moved to Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
to escape Nazi German persecution. After the end of 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...
, they returned to Maribor.
Petan soon entered in conflict with the new Communist regime. In 1949, while serving in the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
, he was accused of enemy propaganda and sentenced to 9 years in jail. He was released already in 1951, and 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:...
, where he studied economy. After graduation, he enrolled to the Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television
Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television
The Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television is an academy of the University of Ljubljana in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is the only college and graduate school in Slovenia with a similar curriculum. It is composed of three colleges: the College for Theatre and Radio, the College for Film and...
in Ljubljana, where he studied theatre directing.
In the late 1950s, he worked together with Jože Javoršek
Jože Javoršek
Jože Javoršek was the pen name of Jože Brejc , a Slovenian playwright, writer, poet, translator and essayist. He is regarded as one of the greatest masters of style and language among Slovene authors...
and Bojan Štih
Bojan Štih
Bojan Štih , was a Slovene literary critic, stage director, and essayist. He was one of the most influential figures in modern Slovene theatre after 1945....
at the Drama theatre in Ljubljana, which was one of the first theatre to introduce the theatre of absurd on Yugoslav stages. Together with Dominik Smole
Dominik Smole
Dominik Smole was a Slovenian writer and playwright.-Biography:Smole was born in Ljubljana in what was then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia...
, Taras Kermauner
Taras Kermauner
Taras Kermauner was a Slovenian literary historian, critic, philosopher, essayist, playwright and translator.- Life :...
and Dane Zajc
Dane Zajc
Dane Zajc was a Slovenian poet and playwright. He served as president of the Slovene Writers' Association , and was awarded the prestigious Prešeren Award for lifetime achievement...
, he was one of the co-founders of the alternative theatre Stage 57, which challenged the rigid cultural policies of the Titoist regime. After the abolition of the theatre by the authorities in 1964, Petan returned to the established theatres.
Between 1992 and 1994, he served as Director General of the Slovenian National Radio and Television Broadcast
Radiotelevizija Slovenija
Radiotelevizija Slovenija – usually abbreviated to RTV Slovenija – is Slovenia's national public broadcasting organization. Based in the country's capital, Ljubljana, it has regional broadcasting centres in Koper and Maribor and correspondents around Slovenia, Europe and the world...
.
Žarko Petan is an extremely prolific writer. He has published more than 60 books in Slovene, and many others in other languages, especially in Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
. His work has been translated into more than a dozen foreign languages.