Title page of the book with the image of Prince's Stone and Slovenian Hat
Backpage with the Ducal Hat and full coat of arms of Carantania
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Title page of the book with the image of Prince's Stone and Slovenian Hat
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Backpage with the Ducal Hat and full coat of arms of Carantania
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| It was a special day in honour of Slovenia's Independence and Statehood on June 25th. »Karantanija« is the title of the new book, written by Dr. Jožko Šavli in Slovenian language, and published in June of 2007 by Humar Editorial (Nova Gorica). The presentation was held for the first time in conjunction with the celebration of June 25th, which was prepared by the Italian Branch of the Slovenian World Congress. Marjan Terpin, the chairman of the branch, organized the event in his Slovenian garden in the evening of June 22nd. A linden tree grows in the middle of the family garden, and the ground around it is covered with Slovenian symbols, like replicas of the Princes' Stone and the Duke's Throne, a stone with the effigy of Kralj Matjaž, followed by glass illustrations of the Black Panther, Goldenhorn... Among the guests of honour, the Slovenian Minister of Education, Dr. Milan Zver, deserves particular mentioning. Several mayors, the Slovenian representative of the regional Government of the Friuli - Julian Venetia district and others attended the ceremony as well. In his intervention, Minister Zver dedicated most of his attention to the new book. Indeed, it presents the history of Slovenians from an all different viewpoint. Subsequently, the author explained several new facts, which are pointed out in the book concerning the Slovenian historical statehood. The presentation was followed by a cultural program. As pointed out by the author, the key point in the book is the famous rite of the Installation of the Dukes of Carantania. It served Thomas Jefferson as an example at the time when he wrote the Declaration of Independence (1776). The Installation was the expression of a people's democracy which had no equal in the world, said Jean Bodin in his book (1576). A part of the book was already published in 1990. This edition is however supplemented and enlarged. It contains also the Habsburg period until the middle of the 15th century. The book is an interdisciplinary work. Carantania is presented from the point of view of history, sociology, law, ethnology, heraldry, church tradition etc. The new edition reveals a breathtaking image of Carantania. Indeed, we Slovenians never imagined our past in such a majestic setting. But we also cannot imagine, that this historical richness of ours has been covered up under a »scientific« (read: ideological) mask by opposite forces and regimes. Now, our history comes to life. The future battle for Slovenian independence will be the battle for its true historic image. |