The main tourist route in Slovenia takes people directly to Lake Bled (overnight at Kranj and not Lake Bled? Why??), and Ljubljana, then on to elsewhere. President Bush, with a busy schedule, will probably be limited to that small itinerary.
For the rest of us, take more time. The bucolic views of the castles and lake are only one aspect of this area. This is a vibrant culture, where conquerors marched and divided, and the consequences are still being felt.
1. Triangle of three nations. The crossroads of three nations, Slovenia, Italy and Croatia join at the tip of the Istrian peninsula. Prepare to cross several boundaries in a short time and have your car insurance forms in order.
2. Population changes. Trieste now is part of Italy, but the population of Slovenes remains substantial there. See Trieste at Trieste Road Ways, Crossroads and Minorities. In 1911, a third of the population of Trieste was Slovene. And in the rural areas surrounding, at least 90% were Slovene. See ://www.ce-review.org/01/6/pozun6.html
3. Admire and envy the urban kayakers downtown - port and dock area now includes recreation. But then see the mountain areas surrounding, like a bowl, and remember the atrocities of WWII there.
4. Crises. Croatia wanted Trieste. Slovenia wanted Trieste. Italy got Trieste, fully in 1954. But a declaration does not a solution make. Slovenia, as part of Yugoslavia, had some leverage against Italy and Rome. Now that it is independent, matters are risky for Slovenes.
5. Basic Chronology of interweavings. Pre WWI, immediately preceding (not looking at the ancient situation) - Slovenia was governed by Austria, the Habsburgs.
After 1918 - given over to Italy.
1920 or so - Italian assaults and violence against Slovenes. Banks shut down, language could not be spoken, priests arrested and sent into exile. Slovenes even had to take on Italian last names.
Enter an era of atrocity, as WWII ended. See ://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE5D9163EF933A15757C0A961958260&n=Top/News/World/Countries%20and%20Territories/Serbia%20and%20Montenegro. A long-sought investigation into the perhaps hundreds and even thousands killed, and left or buried in the mountain ravines surrounding Trieste, has been blocked. Italians and Slovenes both have reasons to avoid exhuming bodies. Read about the foibas - potholes, some large, like mines, where things and people were thrown. ://miran.pecenik.com/ts/balkan/balkan6.htm
WWII to 1954 - Trieste was administered by British and Americans. There was supposed to be a free city of Trieste, but instead it ended up with the Italians, a sore point to Slovenes who felt betrayed. A 1949 election clearly showed rejection of the idea of secession to the Italians.
1957 - Belgrade (capital of Yugoslavia) built up a rival port, Koper. It thrived. Trieste lost ground.
Minority status of Slovenes in Trieste - precarious.
For nations whose history includes invasions and take-overs from Rome self-governing to medieval Swabian Germans to Habsburg Austrians to WWII Hitlerian nightmares, to multi-nation administration, then a Division regardless, our isolation makes our judgments on other people's tumultuous lives look juvenile. As we are, with our 250 years.
Monday, June 09, 2008
The Three-Sided Cooker: Slovenia, Trieste (now Italy), and Istria (Croatia), Changing rule, and minorities.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
The Expunged, Ancient Dynasty of Carantania. Propaganda in Identify Theft. The denied Slavica Lex. Beatrice, of Charlemagne's Line, Denied.
Carantania. Long gone. Vends. Long gone. But with traces.
Why pay attention to history, especially in a country like Slovenia, small in size, not now a major power, which once was Carantania. What do the Slovenians, as a currently undervalued population in terms of military and commercial control, know of the heritage that once was. Great topic. Go from there to others - indigenous Mexicans - some day we will go there and do a Mexico Road Ways that highlights the glories of any people later taken over, used.
Good reason to look at History. Carantania rising! Hillary Clinton's supporters are expressing their anger and dismay, at US democratic delegate rejection of her candidacy as nominee for the Democratic Party for President of the United States. How culturally-imposed is a perception that women do not belong in leadership positions, is it founded in genetics, and is any of that relevant.
Girls look back
We supported Obama in our house, but remain keenly aware of the issues and empathize with Hillary.
Issue: Are we our history, and if so, can we see what is artificial and cultural. Can we, by education and perspective, change current cultural values -- as not etched in stone at all. Just cultural, and flawed as serving the interests in power at the time they imposed their power.
Identity theft gives a clue: What was there once, was stolen. See the theft at work here in Slovenia, of female place in power with full capacity to act, in the Vendic culture, the peoples known as the Vends, in broad areas of the now-Germany, and Slovenia, with similarities to the Celts.
Best site so far: See Vendic culture at ://www.carantha.net/the_vends_and_the_germans.htm, we suggest, by the macho Germanic types, Swabians and later the Habsburgs (Austria); and specifically, loss of the grand tradition of the ancient Slavica Lex in establishing succession rights for both male and female. Is this right? Follow along. The Carantanian dynasties are also known as "Medieval Slovenian Vendic (Slovenian) State." See the carantha.net site above.
Start with history and the place of men and women.
In Slovenia, political change was forced, as usual. Go to your map and see where we are. We are looking at the old Carantanian dynasties of Slovenia, that were overcome by the German Swabians. See their Schwabisch Hall, town named for the Swabians of old, at Germany Road Ways Schwabisch Hall, Swabians. Swabians made their mark in many places, including Sicily, the Crusades. The Swabians were different from another group living in Germany and Slovenia at the time, these were the Vends. Their laws and customs were nothing like the Swabians. So: from which group do present Germans derive, the Swabians or the Vends.
But it was the Swabians that took over Slovenia, and in so doing, the Swabians cast aside a basic tenet of the old Lex Slavica, the Slavic law, that did not differentiate between succession by a female or a male. And this change, this barring of female succession and legal rights to act, affected every land that the Germans took over after that. Scroll down the left-side margin at the carantha.net site, for all the topics.
To the Germans from the North, no. No woman could take the throne. And so it went. And this was also true for the Jewish cultures. Capacity to act, juridical capacity, was a male prerogative. See carantha.net site. Vends also lived in Eastern and Central Germany (not the same borders then) and there are Vendic names of people and towns. See carantha.net site. Near the Elbe River is "Vendland." [do they make square burgers at Vendy's?] Bavaria used to be Vendelicia. Carantha.net site.
Read ://www.theslovenian.com/articles/savli.htm. We were looking up the geneology of Premysl Ottokar II, father of the good Wenceslas, and found this chronology, roughly. Who has time to do all the research on a topic like this, so we lay this one out to encourage replies:
Rough chronology:
1. Tenth Century Slovenia was comprised of a combination of Franks and Slovenians, based on the old "Carantanian" social structure, with leaders from the villages elected to a general assembly. Lords, however, were hereditary. There were three major dynasties or "houses." The people were "Vends" - a population that spread through much also of eastern and central Germany. See the German maypoles today, and traces of the custom to the Vends. See Germany Road Ways, Maypoles; and Germany Road Ways, Vends.
2. One "house" connected to the Swabians in Germany (currently in Germany) through Beatrice; this "house" produced the dynasty of Carantania. Not entirely clear on details, this is only so far.
3. This dynasty is significant because Carantanian law permitted succession to any child, male or female. The last duke of this line was Ulric III in 1269, and he appointed our research subject, Otokar II, to the throne - Otokar was King of Bohemia, in the current Czech Republic. See Czech Republic Road Ways - Hluboka nad Vltavou. Otokar was a maternal cousin.
Then, in time, the Swabians from Germany, who also went to Sicily, see a Schwabian town at Germany Road Ways, Schwabisch Hall. the Habsburgs from Austria took over, and - stay with us here - the German and Habsburg line refused to recognize the Carantanian dynasty or its laws, and imposed instead, the German.
4. The old Carantanian law was known as the "Slavica Lex" and soon diminished in influence, and understanding. This means no more female succession in the Carantanian lands. Yet, even today, the Swabian coat of arms in Germany bears the reference to Beatrice, and the female succession from the Carantanian and Slavica lex, law of the Slavs.
5. And it is Beatrice who is of Carolingian descent - from Charlemagne. She is considered the "mother" of the two houses of Carantania.
6. In the 14th Century, the Habsburgs from Austria took over Slovenia. More Germanic roots. See ://www.slovenia.si/history/habsburgs/
Soon the Carantanian culture was so downtrodden that the Slovenian people were referred to by the rulers only as "historical serfs." See theslovenian.com site.
In the 15th and 16th Centuries, in came Turkish influence. See ://www.slovenia.si/history/habsburgs/. And in 1572-73, the peasants' revolt. One system of laws followed by another with each cultural overrun, and none serving the needs of the Slovenes. Uprisings continued until the mid 18th century.
In current times, according to theslovenian.com site, this attitude followed through to Serbia and the old Yugoslavia, of which Slovenia was a part, in imposing from Belgrade a "cheap instrument for their ideological and political manipulation."
Other devalued populations today. Probably not "inherently" so - who did what to them when.
Why pay attention to history, especially in a country like Slovenia, small in size, not now a major power, which once was Carantania. What do the Slovenians, as a currently undervalued population in terms of military and commercial control, know of the heritage that once was. Great topic. Go from there to others - indigenous Mexicans - some day we will go there and do a Mexico Road Ways that highlights the glories of any people later taken over, used.
Good reason to look at History. Carantania rising! Hillary Clinton's supporters are expressing their anger and dismay, at US democratic delegate rejection of her candidacy as nominee for the Democratic Party for President of the United States. How culturally-imposed is a perception that women do not belong in leadership positions, is it founded in genetics, and is any of that relevant.
Girls look backWe supported Obama in our house, but remain keenly aware of the issues and empathize with Hillary.
Issue: Are we our history, and if so, can we see what is artificial and cultural. Can we, by education and perspective, change current cultural values -- as not etched in stone at all. Just cultural, and flawed as serving the interests in power at the time they imposed their power.
Identity theft gives a clue: What was there once, was stolen. See the theft at work here in Slovenia, of female place in power with full capacity to act, in the Vendic culture, the peoples known as the Vends, in broad areas of the now-Germany, and Slovenia, with similarities to the Celts.
Best site so far: See Vendic culture at ://www.carantha.net/the_vends_and_the_germans.htm, we suggest, by the macho Germanic types, Swabians and later the Habsburgs (Austria); and specifically, loss of the grand tradition of the ancient Slavica Lex in establishing succession rights for both male and female. Is this right? Follow along. The Carantanian dynasties are also known as "Medieval Slovenian Vendic (Slovenian) State." See the carantha.net site above.
Start with history and the place of men and women.
In Slovenia, political change was forced, as usual. Go to your map and see where we are. We are looking at the old Carantanian dynasties of Slovenia, that were overcome by the German Swabians. See their Schwabisch Hall, town named for the Swabians of old, at Germany Road Ways Schwabisch Hall, Swabians. Swabians made their mark in many places, including Sicily, the Crusades. The Swabians were different from another group living in Germany and Slovenia at the time, these were the Vends. Their laws and customs were nothing like the Swabians. So: from which group do present Germans derive, the Swabians or the Vends.
But it was the Swabians that took over Slovenia, and in so doing, the Swabians cast aside a basic tenet of the old Lex Slavica, the Slavic law, that did not differentiate between succession by a female or a male. And this change, this barring of female succession and legal rights to act, affected every land that the Germans took over after that. Scroll down the left-side margin at the carantha.net site, for all the topics.
To the Germans from the North, no. No woman could take the throne. And so it went. And this was also true for the Jewish cultures. Capacity to act, juridical capacity, was a male prerogative. See carantha.net site. Vends also lived in Eastern and Central Germany (not the same borders then) and there are Vendic names of people and towns. See carantha.net site. Near the Elbe River is "Vendland." [do they make square burgers at Vendy's?] Bavaria used to be Vendelicia. Carantha.net site.
Read ://www.theslovenian.com/articles/savli.htm. We were looking up the geneology of Premysl Ottokar II, father of the good Wenceslas, and found this chronology, roughly. Who has time to do all the research on a topic like this, so we lay this one out to encourage replies:
Rough chronology:
1. Tenth Century Slovenia was comprised of a combination of Franks and Slovenians, based on the old "Carantanian" social structure, with leaders from the villages elected to a general assembly. Lords, however, were hereditary. There were three major dynasties or "houses." The people were "Vends" - a population that spread through much also of eastern and central Germany. See the German maypoles today, and traces of the custom to the Vends. See Germany Road Ways, Maypoles; and Germany Road Ways, Vends.
2. One "house" connected to the Swabians in Germany (currently in Germany) through Beatrice; this "house" produced the dynasty of Carantania. Not entirely clear on details, this is only so far.
3. This dynasty is significant because Carantanian law permitted succession to any child, male or female. The last duke of this line was Ulric III in 1269, and he appointed our research subject, Otokar II, to the throne - Otokar was King of Bohemia, in the current Czech Republic. See Czech Republic Road Ways - Hluboka nad Vltavou. Otokar was a maternal cousin.
Then, in time, the Swabians from Germany, who also went to Sicily, see a Schwabian town at Germany Road Ways, Schwabisch Hall. the Habsburgs from Austria took over, and - stay with us here - the German and Habsburg line refused to recognize the Carantanian dynasty or its laws, and imposed instead, the German.
4. The old Carantanian law was known as the "Slavica Lex" and soon diminished in influence, and understanding. This means no more female succession in the Carantanian lands. Yet, even today, the Swabian coat of arms in Germany bears the reference to Beatrice, and the female succession from the Carantanian and Slavica lex, law of the Slavs.
5. And it is Beatrice who is of Carolingian descent - from Charlemagne. She is considered the "mother" of the two houses of Carantania.
6. In the 14th Century, the Habsburgs from Austria took over Slovenia. More Germanic roots. See ://www.slovenia.si/history/habsburgs/
Soon the Carantanian culture was so downtrodden that the Slovenian people were referred to by the rulers only as "historical serfs." See theslovenian.com site.
In the 15th and 16th Centuries, in came Turkish influence. See ://www.slovenia.si/history/habsburgs/. And in 1572-73, the peasants' revolt. One system of laws followed by another with each cultural overrun, and none serving the needs of the Slovenes. Uprisings continued until the mid 18th century.
In current times, according to theslovenian.com site, this attitude followed through to Serbia and the old Yugoslavia, of which Slovenia was a part, in imposing from Belgrade a "cheap instrument for their ideological and political manipulation."
Other devalued populations today. Probably not "inherently" so - who did what to them when.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
European Union - Slovenia Holds Current Presidency
The value or membership in the European Union to a small nation - here, small-sized Slovenia enjoys its turn at the rotating presidency trio of the EU: Slovenia, Germany and Portugal this time. Jose Manuel Barroso lays out his priorities at ://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/focus/slovenian-presidency/index_en.htm. See ://www.eu2007.de/en/The_Council_Presidency/trio/index.html (German perspective) and ://www.mzz.gov.si/fileadmin/pageuploads/Novinarsko_sredisce/sta/maj-ang.pdf (Slovenian perspective). Slovenia presides beginning 2008.
Particular interest: the issue of Kosovo's independence arises in 2008, see topic already in headlines, at ://eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=19700. Meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital, already held in January 2008. See Ljubljana posts here for photos.
However, Russia and the United States apparently are not attending. Great, guys. Slovenia is a neighbor in the Balkans, was part of the old Yugoslavia, as was Serbia and Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia and Montenegro - it has unique knowledge and perspective. Listen up, someone, please.
Particular interest: the issue of Kosovo's independence arises in 2008, see topic already in headlines, at ://eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=19700. Meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital, already held in January 2008. See Ljubljana posts here for photos.
However, Russia and the United States apparently are not attending. Great, guys. Slovenia is a neighbor in the Balkans, was part of the old Yugoslavia, as was Serbia and Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia and Montenegro - it has unique knowledge and perspective. Listen up, someone, please.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Ljubljana, capitol - French. Austrian and Jewish connections
In the city, there are canals and other waterways, markets, and this Square commemorating the French. The French occupied Ljubljana from 1809-1813; then the area came under Austrian control. See www.ljubljana.si/en/ljubljana/history/18th-19th/default. There you will find more on Ljubljana in the 18th-19th Centuries.
Napoleon is well respected here, and the French are seen as less exploitative than other occupiers. See www.ijs.si/slo/ljubljana/ for more on Ljubljana.
The Jewish population was small by 1919, and they joined with the Jewish community in Zagreb, Croatia. Their history in Slovenia dates from Roman days. See www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/slovenia. Do look up Jewish history and culture in Slovenia and the other Balkan countries. The populations were decimated in World War II in many places. Renewals are happening, though, and the European Jewish Press cited a specific annual day of celebration of Jewish culture, held in Ljubljana this year. See www.ejpress.org/article/news/10772.
Napoleon is well respected here, and the French are seen as less exploitative than other occupiers. See www.ijs.si/slo/ljubljana/ for more on Ljubljana.
The Jewish population was small by 1919, and they joined with the Jewish community in Zagreb, Croatia. Their history in Slovenia dates from Roman days. See www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/slovenia. Do look up Jewish history and culture in Slovenia and the other Balkan countries. The populations were decimated in World War II in many places. Renewals are happening, though, and the European Jewish Press cited a specific annual day of celebration of Jewish culture, held in Ljubljana this year. See www.ejpress.org/article/news/10772.
Beats US in education, despite our disregard - Can we learn from that?
Slovenia. Beautiful, and cultured. It enjoys another side of the Alps. See //www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/slovenia/. As far as most of us are concerned, however, we are in the dark about it. Slovenia used to be part of the countries comprising the old Yugoslavia, and there were many of them: Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Slovakia, Montenegro.
1. We don't know where it is. It's just that more people don't have maps in their houses. See //www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57327. Slovenia variously borders Italy and Austria and Croatia - look at a map and find Trieste, Italy - that is a handy reference. It sometimes gets mixed up, by the more mainstream (self-selecting) West with Slovakia, the country that used to be united with the Czech Republic as Czechoslovakia, see //www.slovakia.com/; or with Slavonia, an eastern region of Croatia. See //www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-slavonia-slovakia-and-slovenia.htm
Silly us. Our lack of education is showing.
2. We are very behind it in education. See where the years tested were grades 4, 8, and 12 as follows: Slovenia surpasses the US in Math grades 4 and 12, Science grades 8 and 12, Advanced Science and Advanced Math (both) in Grade 12, See //www.4brevard.com/choice/international-test-scores.htm. This is a site with an ax to grind, in promoting a school voucher program, but their figures may well be fine. You check. You will also find all the other countries we may disparage in our separate ways, that surpass us.
The point is that a major international power is failing its children, while those we sometimes look down upon are succeeding.
Earlier post, 9/06, referred to President Janez Denovsek and his book on leading a life not bound by consumerism or power, but mutual responsibilities, a common good.
We may be seeing more leaders lead in new ways. High time. See the film/book complex by Al Gore - now a Nobel Prize winner, see //nobelpeaceprize.org/; and his film won an Oscar, for "An Inconvenient Truth." Time for a statesman with vision and ability to implement for the common good? Maybe. Who can fit the slipper. Put the wrong foot forward again and everything shatters.
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