“How long will he be allowed to bandy such contemptuous words about our Master?”: Gregor Rihar, the Caecilian Movement, and the Beginnings of Slovenian Statehood

Abstract

The article examines the significance of Gregor Rihar and his work, as well as the role it played in the formation of Slovenian statehood. The main conclusions of the article are: (1) Up until now, Gregor Rihar and his opus have been overlooked when researching the beginnings of Slovenian statehood and the Slovenian national awakening in the 19th century; (2) the spread of the Caecilian Movement throughout Slovenian lands inadvertently produced greater national awareness and the seeds of Slovenian statehood in language and music; (3) reading about Rihar’s supporters and detractors in Slovenian 19th--century newspapers shows that both the liberal and conservative camps came to the defence of Gregor Rihar and his work (particularly in more rural areas and in smaller towns). While each side had its own specific views on the matter, they both shared a common goal – preserving the Slovenian language, building on it, and creating a coherent whole.

Keywords

• gregor rihar
• statehood
• slovenian national awakening
• the caecilian movement