Fran Saleški Finžgar

Fran Saleški Finžgar
Fran Saleški Finžgar

Fran Saleški Finžgar is Slovenian writer, translator and dramatist, who was born on 8. Februar 1871 in Doslovče (village under Stol in Gorenjska), and died on 2. June 1962 in Ljubljana. Due to his longer and shorter narrations about peasant and bourgeois life is very importan and known in Slovenian literature. He also wrote folks plays. His works are available for the young and the elderly population.

He was born into a poor family, his father helped as a tailor. His carefree childhood ended with a visit of one-class school in Beznica. Soon he attracted the attention of a teacher and a priest, and thus they conviced his father that he was sent to Radovljica in the third grade of elementary school, where he also learned the German language. After schooling at home and in Radovljica in year from 1882 to 1891 he attended grammar school in Ljubljana. Despite the difficulties he had in school, he in year 1891 managed to graduate with honors. After that he went to theological seminary in Ljubljana, where he was in year 1894 sacred. He served as a priest in Bohinj, Jesenice, Kočevje, Idrija, Sora, Želimlje and elsewhere. In year 1918 he accepted his last wordk in Ljubljana, Trnovo. Here he retired in year 1936, but still remained active as a priest and writer. As golden jubilee priest he celebrated in year 1944. Until his death he lived in Ljubljana, in house at Kolezija, designed by architect Jože Plečnik. The house is situated at a stream Gradaščica. The street, on which stands his home, is today called Finžgarjeva ulica (no. 12). His birthhouse was arranged as a museum. A literary prize was named after him, called Finžgar prize.

At the beginning se worked with songs, but he later abanded them. He continued with narrative works from peasant and bourgeois life. His, probably most known work is Under the free son, which he wrote when he served in Želimlje. The subtitle of the book is The story of ancient ancestors (1906 – 1907), where he showed battles between Slavs (called Slovene) and Byzantines. The story is intently and expanded, which could be encouraged by the people. Just because of these book Škofljica’s Svarunova path arose, which runs along the historic places that were part of the novel. When the first world war begin occured chronicle Predicted, which contains stories Struggles, Prophecy of the dawn, The chronicle of Mr. Urban and other.

The world he knew in his youth he depicted in the folk tales (tales Uncles, Ančka, White Groom), also in folk plays Wild hunter, Chain, Wreckage of life. In work Years of my journey he summed up memories of his youth (1957). He also wrote for students (Student should be, Mister Hudournik, Makalonca).He was editor of Mladika and first among regular member os the Slovenian Academy of Science and Arts.

 


travel-slovenia-svarunova-path-viewSvarunova path
Svarunova path is a circular hiking path that leads through places which were part of historical novel by Fran Saleški Finžgar Under the free sun, which he wrote when he served in Želimlje. The first march was organized by the Tourist association Škofljica on 25th June 1996, on the National day. [_Read more_]