Unexplored Latin and German Literature in the Slovenian Lands in the Baroque Period

The main subject of Slovenian literary history has traditionally been Slovenian literature, especially after the middle of 19th century, when Slovenian literature was recognized as the central bearer of the national idea. This was the main reason why literary historians never systematically studied the distinctively multilingual literature and culture that was characteristic of the Slovenian lands from the late Middle Ages to the early 19th century. They thereby renounced hosts of authors, especially from the 17th and 18th centuries, that were writing in Latin and German. To date, the literature of this period has never been fully described in a synthesis or bibliography.

This project represents the first systematic study of multilingual literature of the Slovenian lands in the Baroque period. Its main goal is to address the principal issues of the period that were overlooked by literary historians. The project will first focus on analyzing the three most important sources: 1) the Memoriale by Ljubljana’s Bishop T. Hren, describing the literary activity of the Slovenian Protestants (1605); 2) the chapter in Die Ehre deß Hertzogthums Crain listing the writers of Carniola by polymath J. V. Valvasor (1689); and 3) a biographical and bibliographical survey of the literature in the Slovenian lands titled Bibliotheca Labacensis publica by the historiographer J. G. Dolničar (1715).

On the basis of this analysis, the project will focus on research on important Baroque books and manuscripts that were neglected by literary historians. Re 1) In connection with Hren’s Memoriale the project envisages: searching for lost original manuscript and collating the text with the bishop’s later supplements. This will be followed by a detailed study of the development of literature in the Slovenian lands after the suppression of the Reformation. The research will include systematic investigation of old monastic libraries. The most important analysis will focus on presently unknown works; namely, four literarized epistles by the bishop of the Lavantine diocese, Stobej Palmburg: De reformatione religionis in Styria, Carinthia et Carniola. Re 2) In connection with Valvasor’s chapter, the project envisages (with special regard to the development of new literary genres) a study of selected (once famous) works by Valvasor’s contemporaries; for example, romance novels by Baron Wützenstein. Re 3) With regard to Dolničar’s essay, the project envisages a study of contemporary authors and works that remained relatively unknown and unstudied in spite of their importance. The focus of interest will be on authors that were active in a broader European context (A. Ž. Dolničar in Italy), and works that introduced or consolidated new literary genres in the Slovenian lands (e.g., the epic and travel journal). In connection with all the aims listed above, the project will also launch an investigation of certain foreign libraries (Český Krumlov castle) that probably hold some rare or supposedly lost publications. The results will be fully published in digital edition of sources (Hren, Valvasor, Dolničar), in a monograph (the synthesis of new investigations), and in articles (individual subjects). The final aim of the project is the groundwork for a synthetic literary and cultural history of the Slovenian lands in the Baroque period.

This project is directed toward acquiring, publishing, and explaining exclusively new information. The results will be original scholarly findings, acquired through research on historical and literary sources that are newly discovered or have been exhaustively studied for the first time. New information will have an influence on Slovenian cultural, and general history. New findings will be of interest to Austrian, German, and Italian readers. Above all, the project will be important for Slovenian literary history: studies of old literary sources became exceedingly rare in the last five decades.