The Best Way to Address a Fallacy is by Means of a Newspaper

Priprave Frana Levstika na izdajo satiričnega lista Pavliha

Abstract

Examined are the preparations for the first issue of Pavliha, a satirical newspaper edited by Fran Levstik. The newspaper was the successor of Levstik’s two previous satirical newspapers, Brencelj (1865) and Dobrodejno olje (1867), both of which were distributed in manuscript form. Levstik’s correspondence and the writing style in these newspapers clearly reflect his position on two leading political orientations in Slovenia and their supporters, the liberal (mladoslovenci) and the conservative option (staroslovenci). A number of newspapers announced the imminent arrival of Pavliha. Attacking Levstik’s newspaper project, Jakob Alešovec, editor of Triglav newspaper, stated, among other things, that the future newspaper will be receiving funding from the government’s so-called dispositional fund. Slovenski narod, edited by Anton Tomšič and his assistant Josip Jurčič, faithfully reported on Levstik’s preparations for publication and defended him against Alešovec’s attacks. According to the liberal faction from Štajersko, Pavliha was going to be an important reinforcement against their conservative political opponents. Accepting Josip Stritar’s invitation from February of 1870, Levstik set off for Vienna on March 5. On March 6, he complied with the wish of Valentin Zarnik, supporter of the liberal orientation, and stopped in Maribor. Acting on Stritar’s advice, Levstik named his newspaper after Pavliha, a popular jester from Slovene mythology, and on April 1870 the first issue of Pavliha newspaper saw the light of day.