Slovenian Songs as Carriers of National Identity during the Second World War

Abstract

On the basis of songs published in songbooks from the Second World War, this paper presents Slovenian song as an element of national identification during the Second World War, i.e. during the period when the very existence of the Slovenian nation was challenged. The period of the Second World War in Slovenian historiography is multifaceted and intertwined with various processes, which are also reflected in the legacy of song creativity in Slovenia. During the Second World War, songs reflected the rebellion, national consciousness and simultaneous division that was present in Slovenian society. The paper analyses the lyrics of Partisan and Home Guard songs, in which we have identified traces of national consciousness and also of the propaganda activities of individual political groups. The paper highlights the importance of Slovenian song during the Second World War as a historical source that reflects the intimate experience of the individual, as well as the collective memory and identification of the wider community – the nation.

Keywords

• second world war
• slovenian song
• occupation
• denationalization
• national identification
• partisan songs
• home guard songs