Open AccessThe Russian Matica
Author(s) -
Alen Novalija
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
monitor ish
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1580-688X
pISSN - 1580-7118
DOI - 10.33700/1580-7118.16.1.69-85(2014
Subject(s) - slavic languages , monarchy , russian culture , russian literature , ukrainian , russian language , exhibition , history , russian history , refugee , nazism , publishing , political science , classics , ancient history , law , politics , art , literature , art history , linguistics , philosophy
The matica is a type of Slavic cultural institution that was established in the 19th century by all Slavic peoples of the Habsburg Monarchy, including the Galician Russophiles in 1848. The establishment of the Slovenian Matica was promoted by certain Russian individuals and institutions. In 1924, when the Russian Matica in Galicia had almost ceased to exist, Russian refugees to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians established their own ‘Russian Matica’ in Ljubljana. Several branches sprang up in various parts of the Kingdom. The Russian Matica organised lectures, literary evenings, Sunday school, literary competitions, sports events, exhibitions, and courses in the Russian language, photography and music, while also providing special funds for poor children, Russian schools, the disabled, etc. Its most successful branch was the one in Novi Sad (Serbia), while its planned publishing activity was not as vigorous as its work on establishing Russian libraries. The Russian Matica died out with the occupation of Yugoslavia by the Fascist and Nazi troops in 1941.