Ensuring the Memory of Oral Folklore and Developing Culture

Slovenian literature began in the early Middle Ages with short religious texts, the earliest written testimonials of Slovenian language and culture, whose formal and stylistic features already render them artistic. Slovenian folk literature had originated even before the creation of first Slovenian books and continued even during fully developed artistic literature. It was created by talented individuals and survived by being transferred from generation to generation by narration, singing, as well as transcribing. The difference between folk and artificial literature does therefore not relate to the initial creative act as much as to the manner of existence of a text, whether poetry, prose or drama. Systematic collection and publishing of Slovenian folk poetry began in the 19 century.

The first major folk poetry collection. Emil Korytko from Poland, who was politically exiled to Ljubljana between 1937 and 1839, showed a profound interest in Slovenian folk poetry and, together with associates, collected a rich collection kept in its original manuscript form.

A leaflet containing the first printed words in Slovenian (peasant rebellion paroles). There are only two known copies preserved (Ljubljana and Berlin).

The first printed words in Slovenian language: “Stara prauda” (Old law) and “Leukhup, leukhup, leukhup, leukhup woga gmaina” (Unite, unite, unite poor peasants).

Shortly after the first two Slovenian books, Katekizem and Abecednik (1550), Trubar undertook the translation of the Bible.

In only a few years he succeeded in publishing the complete translation of the New Testament.

The greatest and perhaps the most important Slovenian book. It contains a short German and a comprehensive Slovenian foreword, the complete Old and New Testaments, several indexes and the first Slovenian monolingual dictionary.

The work is invaluable in terms of culture and also of high material value.

The translation of the whole Luther's postille, a collection of Sunday and festive gospels. An extraordinarily beautifully elaborated prints, richly decorated with woodcuts. Trubar's last work.

Like all modern literatures, Slovenian developed all genres: poetry, fiction and drama. It gradually freed itslef from the religious, didactic and ideological tendencies and clung firmly to aesthetic principles. Artistic poetry developed first. the 17th century saw the first attempts at secular poetry, followed by the poetry almanac Pisanice at the end of 18th century. Only a few years later, in 1806, Slovenians got the first poetry collection by a single person, Vodnik's Pesme za pokušino. 

Slovenian artistic prose did not exist in a true sense until the mid-19th century; only a number of works important in terms of language, style and content, without which true artistic prose could not develop. When Janez Cigler broke the ice in 1836 with his picturesque tale Sreča v nesreči, other authors were quick to follow. Slovenian original drama is based on medieval mystery plays and passion plays. At the end of the 18th century, Enlightenment comedy brought it to stages and later in books. The cornerstone of our drama was laid by Anton Tomaž Linhart; Ivan Cankar brought it to its peak in terms of artistic value.

The first poetry collection by a single author. Manuscript with the the author's hand.

The highest achievement of Slovenian poetry. A high Romantic lyric poetry which placed our literature on par with the acme of European literature at the time. It has been translated into all European and some non-European languages. Prešeren's original manuscript, printing basis.

Cankar (1876–1918) is considered to be the best Slovenian writer and playwright.

The manuscript of this play contains Cankar's own drawings of the main characters.