Reflection of Vojvodina Slovaks in the work of Štefan Krčméry

Abstract

The article maps the cultural relationships between Štefan Krčméry (1892 – 1955) and the Slovaks of Vojvodina, which he established during his public activities on the Slovak cultural scene in the first half of the 20th century. Based on selected sources (reports and commentaries, critiques, excerpts from literary-historical works, and correspondence), it traces the line that enters into the discussion of the awareness of contemporary public opinion about Slovak ethnic minorities that gained the status of foreign Slovaks after 1918. In Krčméry’s concept of Slovak literary development, the geographical separation of Vojvodina Slovak writers did not pose an obstacle because he perceived the influence of a foreign environment on the authors as a stimulus for a unique expression of national identity, fully integrating their work into the mainstream of Slovak literature. The specific issues of Vojvodina Slovaks are embedded in a broader context of national identity questions with their specific manifestations and processes of formation and preservation. In comparison with current studies on the issue of Lowland Slovaks, Krčméry’s reflection on the ethnic minority appears as a relevant source of information that can confirm or further develop the conclusions of contemporary historical research.

Keywords

• vojvodina slovaks
• national identity
• štefan krčméry
• matica slovenská
• slovenské pohľady