Trubar Memorial in Ljubljana

Abstract

Marking the 400th anniversary of the birth of Primož Trubar, the originator of Slovene literature who laid the foundations of the standard Slovene language, was liberal in its nature. Slovene liberals used Trubar in their cultural struggle against the Catholic camp, particularly by drawing attention to parallels between Protestantism and contemporary freethinking. The Catholic ranks recognized Trubar’s literary achievement; however, they considered him to be, fi rst and foremost, a Protestant reformer and a heretic. Anton Aškerc was a prime mover in the initiative to set up a monument commemorating Trubar. Contributions were gathered by a committee which was established in late 1907 on the initiative of the Slovene Writers’ and Journalists’ Association. Donors’ names were published in the liberal newspaper Slovenski narod. In April 1908 the sculptor Franc Berneker was entrusted with producing the monument. The foundation stone was unveiled in a ceremony that took place in September 1908, during the 8th Pan-Slavic Journalistic Congress, and the monument itself was unveiled in May 1910. Berneker produced the statue of Trubar standing behind a preaching stand in the manner of modern statuary art.