Women’s Branches of the Sts Cyril and Methodius Society as Agents of Social and Economic Development in Border Regions: An introduction.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51663/pnz.66.1.03Keywords:
Sts Cyril and Methodius Society, women branches, Austrian Littoral, economic and social life, družba Sv. Cirila in Metoda, ženske podružnice, Avstrijsko primorje, ekonomsko in socialno življenjeAbstract
This paper explores the relations and interconnections between the national affirmation movement and economic and social development. Focusing on women’s national activism in an ethnically diverse peripheral (border) area, the study examines the Austro-Hungarian land of the Austrian Littoral as a case of a nationally heterogeneous space, in which competing national projects developed under unequal access to political, economic, and cultural resources.
In such contexts, economic and social strategies played a vital role in shaping and reinforcing national claims, serving as key tools for creating, negotiating, and maintaining national identity in everyday life. Women emerged as significant, yet often overlooked, participants in these processes, operating at the crossroads of economic activity, social engagement, and national mobilisation.
References
Archival sources
• AST, Archivio di Stato di Trieste, i. r. Luogotenenza del Litorale, Atti generali – Società, 1814–1918, fasc. 27. fol. 10, class. b/v, Associazioni nazionalistiche, anni 1890–1916.
• AST, fasc. 27. fol. 10, class. b/v, Associazioni nazionalistiche, anni 1890–1916, Ženska podružnica družbe sv. Cirila in Metoda in Sesana.
• SI AS, Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, SI AS 622 Družba sv. Cirila in Metoda v Ljubljani (1886- cca.1952), fasc. 2, fol. 1738, letter from Justina Štrukelj sent from Komen to the Society in Ljubljana on the 8th July 1892. The letter also addresses other issues, including the lack of interest in establishing a female branch in Komen and, consequently, the need to support the already existing male branch.
• SI AS, Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, SI AS 622 Družba sv. Cirila in Metoda v Ljubljani (1886- cca.1952), fasc. 2, fol. 1738, Description of program of the Sežana assembly, sent to the Sts Cyril and Methodius Society in Ljubljana, 11th July 1893.
• SI AS, Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, AS 622, Družba sv. Cirila in Metoda v Ljubljani (1886- cca.1952), fasc. 3, fol. 2333, 15.7.1893. Letter from Ivan Kuret, the headmaster of the school in Dekani to the Society.
• SI AS, Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, SI AS 622 Družba sv. Cirila in Metoda v Ljubljani (1886- cca.1952), fasc. 4, fol. 2598, letter from the teacher Peter Kavčič, Leskovec pri Ptuju Prošnja za darovanje knjig, ki bi vplivale na gospodarsko izobraževanje. Ptuj, sent to the Society on the 27th December 1893.
• SI AS, Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, SI AS 622, fasc. 4, fol. 2992, 23.1.1895. Letter from Henrik Šonc (?) the auxiliary teacher in the school in Krkavče to the Society.
• SI AS, Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, SI AS 622, fasc. 5, fol. 4266, 19.12.1898. Letter from Jakob Čemažar (?) the headmaster and catechist in the school in Krkavče to the Society.
Bibliography
• Devetak, Robert. “Boj za slovenske šole in delovanje ženskih podružnic Družbe svetega Cirila in Metoda na Goriškem in Gradiškem v obdobju pred prvo svetovno vojno,” 74, n. 3/4 (2020): 360–387.
• Kavrečič Božeglav, Petra. Turizem v Avstrijskem Primorju: zdravilišča, kopališča in kraške jame (1819-1914). Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem, 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14712/23363525.2017.45
• Kavrečič Božeglav, Petra. “Tourism and fascism: tourism development on the eastern Italian border,” Prispevki za novejšo zgodovino 60, n. 2 (2020): 99–119. DOI: https://doi.org/10.51663/pnz.60.2.05
• Kmetijske in rokodelske novice 6.11.1891, 49, 44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/101594
• Kontestabile Rovis, Mirjana. “Pogledi na delovanje in usposabljanje bodočih učiteljev na učiteljišču Koper: 1947–1968.” PhD thesis, University of Primorska, 2024.
• Marušič, Branko. »Zahodno slovensko ozemlje: Iskanje ozemeljske istovetnosti.« V: Regionalni vidiki slovenske zgodovine, ur. Peter Štih in Bojan Balkovec, 55–64. Ljubljana: Zveza zgodovinskih društev Slovenije, 2004.
• Okoliš, Stane. Zgodovina šolstva na Slovenskem. Ljubljana: Slovenski šolski muzej, 2008.
• Soča 17.8.1901, 94, 3.
• Šatej, Barbara. “Prispevek k delovanju sežanske ženske podružnice Družbe sv. Cirila in Metoda”, Kronika (Ljubljana) 63, n. 3 (2015): 575–590. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56420/Kronika.63.3.11
• Vestnik šolske družbe sv. Cirila in Metoda 1, n. 1 (1887): 1–55.
• Vestnik šolske družbe sv. Cirila in Metoda 7, n. 7 (1893): 71–164.
• Vovko, Andrej. “Stare” podružnice “Družbe sv. Cirila in Metoda” na Goriškem v letih 1885-1918. Goriški letnik, separat 6 (1979): 67–91.
• Vovko, Andrej. Odborniki in članstvo podružnic Družbe sv. Cirila in Metoda 1885–1918. Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2004.
Internet sources
• Inštitut z narodnostna vprašanja. “Women’s National Activism: The Work of Women’s Branches of the Society of St. Cyril and Methodius on the Slovenian National Borders.” Accessed 1.3.2026, https://inv.si/en/projects/zenski-narodni-aktivizem-delovanje-zenskih-podruznic-sv-cirila-in-metoda-na-slovenskih-narodnih-mejah/.
• Obrazi slovenskih pokrajin. “Franja Malenšek (por. Gulič).” Accessed 2.3.2026, https://www.obrazislovenskihpokrajin.si/oseba/franja-malensek-por-gulic/
• Obrazi slovenskih pokrajin. “Rajmund (Frančišek Karol) Mahorčič.” Accessed 2.3.2026, https://www.obrazislovenskihpokrajin.si/oseba/rajmund-francisek-karol-mahorcic/
• Slovenska biografija. “Slovenski biografski leksikon, Andrej Vovko.” Accessed 2.3.2026, https://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi815803/.
• Slovenska biografija. “Slovenski biografski leksikon, Rajmund Mahorčič.” Accessed 2.3.2026, https://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi922620/
• Slovenska biografija. “Slovenski biografski leksikon, Otokar Rybář.” Accessed 2.3.2026, https://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi530001/
• Slovenska biografija. “Slovenski biografski leksikon, Gregor Žiberna.” Accessed 2.3.2026, https://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi900072/
• Verfassungen Österreichs. “Die Verfassung der österreichischen Monarchie, nebst zwei Beilagen vom 26. Februar 1861,” accessed 23.2.2026, https://www.verfassungen.at/at-18/februarpatent61-i.htm.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Petra Kavrečič
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
