Styria (Slovenia)
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Styria (Slovenia)
Spodnja Štajerska / Untersteiermark | |
---|---|
Traditional region | |
Country | Slovenia |
Elevation | 300 m (1,000 ft) |
Styria (Slovene: Štajerska), also Slovenian Styria (Slovenska Štajerska) or Lower Styria (Spodnja Štajerska; German: Untersteiermark), is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of Styria in its historical boundaries amounts to around 705,000 inhabitants, or 34.5% of the population of Slovenia. The largest city is Maribor.
Use of the term
In the 19th century the Styrian duchy, which existed as a distinct political-administrative entity from 1180 to 1918, used to be divided into three traditional regions: Upper Styria (Obersteiermark; Zgornja Štajerska), Central Styria (Mittelsteiermark; Srednja Štajerska), and Lower Styria, stretching from the Mur River and the Slovene Hills in the north down to the Sava. Upper Styria and Central Styria, predominantly German-speaking, today form the Austrian state of Styria (Steiermark). The southern third, predominantly Slovene-speaking Lower Styria, became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia) after World War I. After World War II, it became part of the predecessor of modern Slovenia, the Socialist Republic of Slovenia.
Although used interchangeably at times, the term "Southern Styria" (Südsteiermark) refers to the southern districts of the Austrian state of Styria, whereas the term "Lower Styria" (Spodnja Štajerska) refers to the region of Styria in northeastern Slovenia.[citation needed]
The Slovene name Štajerska is borrowed and adapted from the German name for the region, Steiermark.[1] Both ultimately derive from Celtic, via the river Steyr.
History
In the Middle Ages, the Lower Styrian lands were ruled by several immediate (reichsfrei) dynasties like the Counts of Celje, whose large possessions were not incorporated by the Habsburg dukes until the 15th century.
According to the last Austro-Hungarian census of 1910, Lower Styria had around 498,000 inhabitants, of which around 82% were Slovene and around 18% German speakers.[2]
In 1918, after the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy following
Confirmed by the 1919
In 1922, the County of Maribor was formed, comprising most of the territory of Slovene Styria, plus the
In April 1941, Nazi Germany invaded Yugoslavia and Slovene Styria was annexed, becoming CdZ-Gebiet Untersteiermark under Reichsgau Steiermark. A policy of violent Germanization was introduced. Public use of Slovene was prohibited, and all Slovene associations were dissolved. Members of all professional and intellectual groups, including many clergymen, were expelled. Between April 1941 and May 1942, around 80,000 Slovenes (almost 15% of the overall population) were expelled from Lower Styria, or resettled to other parts of the Reich. As a reaction, a resistance movement developed. Many areas of Lower Styria witnessed fierce fighting between German troops and Slovene partisan units.
After World War II,
Between the 1950s and 1970s, many areas of the region underwent rapid industrialization. Towns like Maribor, Celje, and Velenje became among the most important industrial centers of Slovenia and Yugoslavia.
Statistical division
Lower Styria has no official status as an administrative or statistical unit within Slovenia, although it is widely considered a traditional region. The bulk of Lower Styria is subdivided between the Drava Statistical Region (Slovene: podravska statistična regija) with its seat in Maribor, and the Savinja Statistical Region (savinjska statistična regija) with its seat in Celje. Smaller areas of Lower Styria are included in:
- The Mura Statistical Region (pomurska statistična regija): the subregion called Prlekija, with the municipalities of Apače, Gornja Radgona, Križevci, Ljutomer, Radenci, Razkrižje, Sveti Jurij ob Ščavnici, and Veržej;
- The Slovenj Gradec, and Vuzenica;
- The ;
- The Central Sava Statistical Region (zasavska statistična regija): the territory on the left bank of the Sava River in the municipalities of Hrastnik and Trbovlje.
Nowadays, many of these peripheral areas are no longer considered part of Styria. An exception is the Prlekija subregion, which is still widely considered part of Styria.
Division into various statistical regions
In 2005, Slovenia was divided into 12 statistical regions. Most of the Styria area is now divided into the Drava region (podravska regija) and Savinja region (savinjska regija). An area along the Mura region with
Cities and towns
The cultural and economic centre of Lower Styria has always been the city of Maribor. Other major towns are Brežice, Celje, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec, Slovenska Bistrica, and Velenje.
Tourism
Styria is known for its
-
Savinja Alps from Podolševa
-
Logar Valley
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Lake Ribnica on the Pohorje hills
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Kurentovanje festival in Ptuj
-
The oldest grape vine in the world in Maribor
Prominent people
- Anton Aškerc, poet
- President of the United Nations Security Council, chief justice of the supreme court of Slovenia, World War II partisan war hero, editor of Ljudska pravica
- Marta Brilej, diplomat, partisan war hero, head of PR for tourism Yugoslavia, patron of the arts
- Aleš Čeh, football (soccer) player
- Jolanda Čeplak, athlete
- Peter Dajnko, philologist and poet
- Karel Destovnik Kajuh, poet
- Mladen Dolar, philosopher
- Vekoslav Grmič, theologian
- Drago Jančar, writer
- Edvard Kocbek, writer, poet, and politician
- Anton Korošec, politician, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
- Janez Menart, poet
- Franz Miklosich, linguist
- Matija Murko, linguist and ethnographer
- Johann Puch, inventor, bicycle industry
- Žarko Petan, film and theatre director
- Zoran Predin, singer-songwriter
- Jože Pučnik, dissident, politician and sociologist
- Benka Pulko, author and Guinness World Record setting motorcycle traveler
- Miha Remec, author
- Roman Catholicbishop
- Jože Snoj, poet
- Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, Austrian admiral
- Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia
- Beno Udrih, basketball player
- Josip Vošnjak, political activist
- Stanko Vraz, poet
- Windisch-Graetz, princely family
- Hugo Wolf, composer
- Zlatko Zahovič, football player
- Milan Zver, politician and political scientist
See also
- History of Slovenia
- History of Styria
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Lavant
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Maribor
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Celje
- University of Maribor
- I. High School in Celje
- Savinja
- Rinka Falls
- Counts of Celje
References
- ^ Snoj, Marko (2009). Etimološki slovar slovenskih zemljepisnih imen. Ljubljana: Modrijan. p. 418.
- ^ Gregor Jenuš, Ko je Maribor postal slovenski (Maribor: znanstvenoraziskovalni inštitut dr. Franca Kovačiča, 2011), 81
- ^ "Jänner 1919: Der Bluttag von Marburg a. d. Drau". Die Presse. January 30, 2009. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
Eine Salve nach der anderen feuerten die Soldaten in die nichtsahnende, wehr- und waffenlose Volksmenge, .... 13 Tote und etwa 60 Verwundete...
- ^ Dušan Nećak, Die "Deutschen" in Slowenien (1918-1955): kurzer Abriß (Ljubljana: Znanstveni inštitut Filozofske fakultete, 1998)
- ^ Gregor Jenuš, Ko je Maribor postal slovenski (Maribor: znanstvenoraziskovalni inštitut dr. Franca Kovačiča, 2011), p 89-90
- ^ Map of Yugoslav Banates
- ^ :Slovenia Holidays: Stajerska, the Slovene Styria