Highlights from the margins

From the memories about Tržič as written by the Slovenian cultural worker, publicist, art historian, conservationist, castellologist and vedutist Ivan Stopar

Abstract

In the spring of 2018, the renowned Slovenian cultural worker, publicist, art historian, conservator, castellologist and vedute researcher Ivan Stopar (29 April 1929, Ljubljana–12 December 2018, Celje) set himself to write memoirs about his childhood, youth, the period of study, and career. However, his writing was cut short by illness and death, and it was never released in the envisaged book form. Of particular interest from the cultural-historical perspective are the memories of his childhood and youth during the 1930s and 1940s, which he spent in Tržič, Kranj, and Ljubljana. The author succeeded in bringing this segment of memorial writings to full completion. In it, he presented his life in Tržič, which was punctuated by daily, special and also tragic events, his childhood, education and leisure activities, family relations, complex developments during the Second World War, and joining the Partisan resistance movement. He also depicted his connections with his uncle, the Ljubljana-based industrialist Ivan (Žan) Mathian, and the historian Josip Žontar.