Fran Saleški Finžgar

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Fran Saleški Finžgar
Fran Saleški Finžgar (1931)
Fran Saleški Finžgar (1931)
Born(1871-02-09)February 9, 1871
Doslovče
DiedJune 2, 1962(1962-06-02) (aged 91)
Ljubljana
OccupationRoman Catholic priest, novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet, translator
LanguageSlovene
Notable worksPod svobodnim soncem (1906–1907)
Mister Torrent (1941)
Notable awardsPrešeren Award (1951)
Levstik Award (1953)

Fran Saleški Finžgar (February 9, 1871 – June 2, 1962) was perhaps the most popular Slovene folk writer.[1] He is particularly known for his novels and short stories, although he also wrote poems and plays.

Life

Fran Saleški Finžgar was born into a poor peasant family in the

Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his baptismal name was recorded as France Finžgar.[2] His full name Fran Saleški refers to the saint he was named after, Francis de Sales. After finishing primary education in the town of Radovljica, he attended secondary school in Ljubljana between 1882 and 1891, continuing his education at the theological college. He was ordained priest in 1894 and worked in various parishes in Upper Carniola and Ljubljana until 1936, when he retired.[3] He died in Ljubljana at the age of 91 and was buried at the Žale
cemetery.

Politically, Finžgar was close to the

Liberation Front of the Slovenian People, which led him to some conflict with the collaborationist bishop of Ljubljana, Gregorij Rožman
.

The

Trnovo in Ljubljana, Plečnik was his neighbour. In the late 1920s, Finžgar commissioned the renovation of the Trnovo parish church
to his architect friend.

Work

Finžgar started his literary career as a poet, but later turned to prose. He wrote novels in the

Migration Era of the 6th century AD, and depicted a three-way conflict between the primitive but vital South Slavic tribes, the advanced but decadent Byzantine Empire, and the brutal and culturally-alien Avars
. The central character is the young Slavic prince Iztok, who makes his way incognito to Constantinople and joins the army in order to learn Roman military tactics, but also falls in love with a Greek noblewoman, navigates Byzantine court intrigue, and converts to Christianity.

Finžgar also wrote short stories and tales for children, the best known of which is Mr. Squall (Gospod Hudournik), a set interlinked humorous adventures of a city-dweller who delights in holidaying in the high

Slovene Academy of Sciences and Arts
.

In 1939, Finžgar participated in the opening of the

black and white sound documentary O, Vrba.[4] It was directed by Mario Förster [sl] and produced in 1941. The house was presented by Finžgar, whereas Oton Župančič read the poem "O Vrba".[5]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fran Saleški Finžgar.
  1. ^ a b c "Kako je Finžgarja zasulo do pasu in kako družina še danes hrani tisto srajco" [How Finžgar Got Buried up to His Waist and How the Family Still Keeps That Shirt]. MMC RTV Slovenija (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. 25 May 2012.
  2. ^ Geburts- und Tauf-Buch. Breznica. 1867–1911. p. 15. Retrieved October 1, 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ Anton Slodnjak (1971). Živan Milisavac (ed.). Jugoslovenski književni leksikon [Yugoslav Literary Lexicon] (in Serbo-Croatian). Novi Sad (SAP Vojvodina, SR Serbia): Matica srpska. p. 124.
  4. COBISS 899445. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  5. ^ "Filmi iz okupirane Ljubljane" [Films from the Occupied Ljubljana]. MMC RTV Slovenija. RTV Slovenija. 9 May 2008.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fran_Saleški_Finžgar&oldid=1184486781"