2000

[Editor's note: we do not attest to the accuracy or completeness of these notes which are provided by the Croatian and Slovenian Postal authorities and other independent sources.] 

(SLO) ELVIRA KRALJ (1900 - 1978)

• Date of issue: January 20, 2000
• Design: Novi kolektivizem
• Printer: DELO - TISKARNA d.d., Ljubljana
• Realization: Pola (25)
• Perforation: comb, 11.5
• Size: 40,32*28,80
• Paper: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
• Color and Printing Method: Multicolored Lithography
• Face value: 120 SIT
• Print quantity: 80000

Slovensko

Born in Trieste, Elvira Kralj, Slovene theatre and film actress, made her first stage appearance at the age of nine. In 1919 she joined the Maribor National Theatre and was notable in a succession of memorable characterizations of girls, wives and mothers. From 1942 until her retirement in 1952 she was a member of the Ljubljana Drama. She also performed on radio and television, and made many notable film appearances. Elvira Kralj acted in a versatile range of roles bringing to them a depth of character. She received numerous awards for her life's work, the most important being the Prešeren's Life Achievement Award and the Boršnik's Ring, which she received in 1970. 

***

Gledališka in filmska igralka Elvira Kralj se je rodila 16. avgusta 1900 v Trstu. Gledališče jo je očaralo že v otroških letih, ko je hodila k sosedom, kjer so imeli lutkovno gledališče. Z devetimi leti je pričela kot otrok nastopati v tržaškem Narodnem domu in ko jih je štela trinajst, je odigrala v tem gledališčo že tri vloge.

Po nekajletnem zatišju je spomladi leta 1918 prevzel vodenje gledališča v Trstu Milan Skrbinšek. Elvira Kralj je v tistem času obiskovala dvoletno trgovsko šolo, takoj pa se je vpisala tudi v enoletno igralsko šolo, ki jo je vodil novodošli, tedaj že uveljavljeni igralec in režiser. Konec svetovne vojne pa je bil za Slovence v Trstu tragičen. Zapostavljanje in preganjanje slovenskega življa na Primorskem je bilo vse brutalnejše in tako so se mnoge družine selile v Slovenijo, med njimi tudi družina Kralj. Poleti leta 1919 so prispeli primorski begunci v Maribor. Elvira se je takoj vpisala v dramsko šolo Hinka Nučiča in še isto leto postala poklicna igralka, članica drame Narodnega gledališča v Mariboru. V tem gledališču je igrala okoli 280 različnih vlog, v katerih je oživila množico raznovrstnih likov deklet, žena in mater. Leta 1941 je spet bežala, tokrat pred nemškim okupatorjem. Zatočišče je našla v Ljubljani, kjer je bila članica Drame od leta 1942 do upokojitve leta 1952.

Upokojitev pa za Elviro Kralj ni pomenila konca kariere. Še več, razen v 40 gledaliških vlogah , od teh večina v ljubljanski Drami, nekaj po tudi v drugih slovenskih gledališčih, je nastopila tudi v radijskih in televizijskih igrah in kot filmska igralka v slovenskem filmu. Bila je odlična karakterna igralka. Enako kot v gledališču je tudi na radiju in televiziji ustvarila vrsto nepozabnih likov in pomagala je graditi slovenski filmski izraz. Za svoje delo je dobila več priznanj. Najpomembnejši sta Prešernova nagrada za življenjsko delo, ki jo je dobila leta 1967 in Borštnikov prstan, ki ga je kot prva dobitnica prejela leta 1970.

Mag. Bojan Bračič

(SLO) Folklore - Masks - "Pustôvi from Drežnica"

• Date of issue: January 20, 2000
• Face value: 34,00 SIT & 80,00 SIT
• Type: PZ
• Ilustration: Milena Gregorčič
• Drawing: Milena Gregorčič
• Design: Milena Gregorčič
• Motif: Pustôvi
• Printed by: DELO - TISKARNA d. d., Ljubljana
• Printing technique: 4-colour offset
• Sheet: 16
• Paper: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
• Size: 50,75 x 36,25 mm

The Slovene carnival heritage is very rich and of the numerous carnival masks, the ones from the villages under Krn, Drežniške Ravne, Jezerca, Magozd and Drežnica are particularly interesting. Within the group of masks called "pustôvi", there is a whole catalogue of excellent masquerade forms, the most interesting being those wearing wooden face masks called "ta grdi" (the ugly ones) or "lavfarji" (runners). These fearsome masks are accompanied by a special apparel with a fur mantle reaching to the waist and multicoloured textile ribbons hanging beneath. Hung with cowbells "lavfarji" pick at children and girls, in particular, with their extendible tongs. One of them leads a chained black "devil". Other masked characters taking part in the group are "ta lepi" (the nice one), "harmonikaš" (the accordion player) and "kšeftarji" (businessmen) who are responsible for the offerings collected. The nice ones dance in front of every house, which represents a special honour for the family. Another interesting character is "srečelov", who carries a cock in a cage and sells lottery tickets.

Despite the fact that the masks have been submitted to constant and ongoing development, one can still trace archaic forms of masquerading, which make a meeting with these masks a special experience.

(SLO) Return of Exiles 1941 - 1945

• Date of issue: March 21, 2000
• Face value: 25,00 SIT
• Type: PZ
• Ilustration: Darja Brečko
• Drawing: Darja Brečko
• Design: Darja Brečko
• Motif: Swallows
• Printed by: DELO - TISKARNA d. d., Ljubljana
• Printing technique: 4-colour offset
• Sheet: 25
• Paper: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
• Size: 40,32 x 28,80 mm

Following the German invasion in 1941, Slovene territory was divided among Germany, Italy and Hungary. Nazi Germany occupied the largest part of the country, starting a brutal campaign to make it German. Their sinister plot involved the expulsion of Slovenes. Families had two hours to pack their bags for a journey into the unknown.

Altogether 63,000 people were sent into exile by the Nazis. Most of them were deported to German internment camps. A total of 10,000 people were deported to Croatia and 7,500 to Serbia. Approximately 17,000 Slovenes managed to escape to the Ljubljana region and other places, thus avoiding deportation. Most of the exiles interned in the camps lived in miserable conditions and they were exploited by the Germans as a cheap labour force. - Slovenes who were exiled to other places of former Yugoslavia and those who escaped were in no better position.

After the end of World War II, the strong wish of exiles to return to their homes finally came true. Unfortunately, not all have lived to see the day. Those who survived and came back found their homes devastated and plundered or had nowhere to go.

In 1991, a total of 8,000 Slovene exiles gathered at the Rajhenburg Castle in Brestanica near Krško through which more than 45,000 Slovenes were sent into the exile. At that gathering they established the Slovene Exiles Society, which endeavours to preserve the historical memory of the tragedy of Slovene exiles and helps the civil victims of war assert their rights. Slovene Exiles Society 1941 - 1945

(SLO) Minerals/Fossils - Dravite

• ate of issue: March 21, 2000
• Face value: 90,00 SIT
• Type: PZ
• Design: Matjaž Učakar
• Motif: Dravite
• Printed by: DELO - TISKARNA d. d., Ljubljana
• Printing technique: 4-colour offset
• Sheet: 25
• Paper: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
• Size: 40,32 x 28,80 mm

The mineral dravite is magnesium tourmaline with a characteristic golden brown to dark brown, or almost black colour. It was named after the river Drava by the well-known Austrian imperial mineralogist Tschermak in 1883. The dravite appears in triangular or hexagon columns - prisms ending predominately in trigonal pyramids. The crystals mostly reach 1 cm in size. The biggest ones found measured around 10 cm. Dravite's specific gravity is between 3.0 g/cm3 and 3.15 g/cm3 and it has a hardness of 7 to 7.5.

The specimens of Slovene dravite are very valuable to mineral collectors and museums around the world as they come from dravite's discovery locality. They are also appreciated for their beautiful shapes, typical colour and the colour contrast with the rock in which it is found. The dravite and its deposit Dobrava near Dravograd belong to the Slovene heritage of inanimate nature.

(SLO) Minerals/Fossils - Trilobite

• Date of issue: March 21, 2000
• Face value: 80,00 SIT
• Type: PZ
• Design: Matjaž Učaka
• Motif: Trilobite
• Printed by: DELO - TISKARNA d. d., Ljubljana
• Printing technique: 4-colour offset
• Sheet: 25
• Paper: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
• Size: 40,32 x 28,80 mm

Trilobite Paladin (Kaskia) bedici Trilobites are a group of extinct arthropods. Their body was segmented into the cephalon (head), segmented thorax (body), and pygidium (tail). Their back was covered with a hard three-part chitinous skeleton divided into the head, thoracic and tail shield. The trilobites bore a long central axis, or axial lobe, flanked on each side by the lateral lobe. The exoskeleton (external skeleton) was divided lengthwise into three prominent lobes, the medially located axial lobe and two lateral pleural lobes (on each side of the body).

Trilobites were in the Palaeozoic Era one of the most important and the most numerous animal species. The oldest specimens appeared in the Early Cambrian Epoch, about 520 million years ago and last ones died out at the end of the Palaeozoic Era about 250 million years ago.

The trilobite species Paladin (Kaskia) bedici depicted on the stamp lived together with two other trilobite species and two subspecies on the territory of today's Spodnje Počivale in the Late Carboniferous Epoch, a little more than 290 million years ago and represented the most important Carboniferous trilobite fauna in the Karavanke. Spodnje Počivale in Javorniški Rovt is a very rich collecting area of Late Carboniferous fossils where several samples of the new trilobite species were found, among them the whole exoskeleton. The species was described by Prof. Gerhard Hahn and Renata Hahn from the Marburg University . At Anton Ramovš's suggestion, the species was named bedici in honour of the Jesenice-native Jože Bedič, who contributed a great deal to the very rich trilobite collection from the Jesenice area.

• Date of issue: April 20, 2000
• Type: RZ
• Ilustration: Andrejka Čufer
• Drawing: Andrejka Čufer
• Design: Andrejka Čufer
• Motif: Predjama Castle
• Printed by: DELO - TISKARNA d. d., Ljubljana
• Printing technique: 2-colour offset
• Sheet: 25
• Paper: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
• Size: 25,60 x 34,50 mm
• Note: In sheets of 50 (se-tenant 2 x 25) stamps

This mighty and mysterious castle, dark and wrapped in a veil of ancient legends, is hidden deep in a karst hollow. There is hardly a Slovene that does not know the famous story of the robber baron Erasmus of Predjama (Erazem Lueger). For months he taunted his besiegers, who wanted to starve him out, by throwing grilled mutton, which the castle was supplied with through the secret underground passageway, over the rock crest. The old legend entranced Valvasor, nobleman and polymath, harbinger of the Slovenian Enlightenment, who wrote extensively on the story, but pointed out that Erasmus met his deserved death in a "hidden room" (lavatory).

Predjama Castle changed hands many times in the past. Apart from the Luegers and Kobenzls the castle was also owned in the end by the Windischgrätzs. Today the castle has been renovated and houses a museum. The visitor, however, will probably be more impressed by the castle architecture than the museum collections. In its core, the castle is medieval, dating from the 12th and earlier 13th centuries. It was built by the Patriarchs of Aquillea and was once or twice raised to the present height. In the late Middle Ages it was also provided with what is termed "Erasmus cave". Even today visitors can see the walled up passage through which the knight supplied himself with fresh food. Visitors will also be attracted by the strongly reinforced small Renaissance entrance tower, cellar in which silver goblets and other objects were found during archaeological researches, as well as by numerous cave hideouts. If only these hideouts that are still firing our imagination could speak.

(SLO) Fruits in Slovenia - Apple TREE (Malus domestica Borkh)

(HRV) 600th ANNIVERSARY OF THE KASTAV - CASTUA STATUTE

• Date / Vrijednost:  June 6, 2000
• Designer / Autor: Orsat Franković, from Dubrovnik
• Printer / Tiskara: Zrinski d.d.,Čakovec
• Size / Velična: 35.50 x 29.82 mm
• Paper / Papir: White, 102 g, gummed
• Perforation: 14
• Printing: Multicolour offset
• Quantity / Naklada: 350,000
• Denomination: 1.80 K

Motif: detail from an old postcard of Kastav and the facsimile of the copy of the Kastav Statute

600 years ago the citizens of Kastav wrote down their "old rights" in the "Law of the City of Castua from the year 1400". This happened at the time of the change of the feudal masters of the Kvarner estate. The estate consisted of the cities-communes Rijeka (Fiume) and Kastav (Castua) and the citadels-communes Veprinac, Lovran (Laurana), Mošćenice (Moschiena) and Brseč (Bersezio). The German counts Walsee came in place of the counts Devini from Duino near Trieste. By their permission, the fundamental statute of the commune was written in the mother tongue of the citizens, in the croatian chakavian dialect. and there is an indication that it was written in the Glagolitic script. Unfortunately, this first manuscript of the statutory regulations of Kastav, which represents a transition from common to written law, was not preserved.Yet there are several of its copies that have been preserved, i.e. the ones in the chakavian dialect of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, but also copies in the Latin, Italian and German languages. These copies are kept in the Croatian state archives in Zagreb and in the Archives of the Croatian Academy of Arts and Science in Zagreb.

The Kastav Statute awakened the interest of many scientists and experts, because it offers a handful of data regarding the life and activities of the citizens of Kastav at the time of the developed Middle Ages.

The articles of the Kastav Statute make it quite obvious that the whole of the population was subordinated to the feudal superior, a foreigner, and on his behalf the captain of Kastav filled the post in civil and military affairs. He was supported by two judges of advanced age, elected from among the councilors of Kastav. Until the beginning of the 17th century the honour of councilor was hereditary, and the councilors constituted the Great and the Small Council. The circle of the distinguished persons of Kastav also included the captain, the attendant, the parish priest and the secretary of the commune. Most of the subjects living in the city of Kastav and the villages of the commune were commoners and serfs. The commoners were engaged in craft and trade, the serfs lived on the land. Legally, the serfs were free, but they were economically dependent on the land owner. All the subjects of Kastav were obliged to pay their feudal lord an annual lump sum in money and give him a tenth yield in corn, wine and young animals. There was also a special group among the population, "guests", newcomers who could gain the status of a member of the Kastav municipality after a period of time.

"The Law of the City of Castua from the year 1400" in its chapters, the capitule, and in the decisions of the city councils reflects the medieval everyday life of the Kastav commune, one of the largest communes of that time in the region of eastern Istria.

See also: Kastav (Castua)

(Cherry Blossom)

• Date of issue: June 23, 2000
• Type: RZ
• Ilustration: Matjaž Učakar
• Drawing: Matjaž Učakar
• Design: Matjaž Učakar
• Motif: (1) Cherry Blossom, (2) European cherry fruit fly & (3) Vigred cherry
• Printed by: DELO - TISKARNA d. d., Ljubljana
• Printing technique: 4-colour offset
• Sheet: 45
• Paper: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
• Size: 23,20 x 30,45 mm
• Note: V polah po 45 znamk so trojčki 3 x 15 znamk

Cherry Tree (Prunus Avium L.)

Cherries are one of the most popular and attractive fruit trees. In Slovenia the cultivation of cherries has a rich tradition. The leading cherry-producing regions are the Gorica region (the Vipava Valley and the Goriška Brda region) and the Slovene Istria, though cherries are also successfully produced in other fruit-growing parts of Slovenia. The cultivation of cherries for market began 140 years ago. At that time the towns on the territory of the present-day Slovenia were already linked by the southern railway (Vienna - Ljubljana - Trieste (1856), Gorica (1866)). The railway connection made brisk trading possible with other towns within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. From the Gorica region, which is today the most important cherry-producing region in Slovenia, cherries were successfully sold in Vienna, Prague and other European cities. Slovenia was an important cherry exporter even in the period between the wars. After the year 1950 the export sharply declined and since 1970 cherries have been cultivated only for the home market.

The cherry has beautiful medium-sized white blossoms. Blossoms are bisexual consisting of 5 petals and 5 sepals. The pistil is encircled by 15 to 30 stamens. The tree is self-sterile, which means that different cherry varieties blooming at the same time must be interplanted to provide compatible pollen for pollination. For effective pollination cherries require the presence of honeybees, which effect the pollination of most blossoms.

The European cherry fruit fly or cherry maggot (Rhagoletis cerasi L.) causes the greatest damage on medium late to late cherry varieties. Attacked fruit is wormy and inedible. The cherry fruit fly hatches in mid-May. The adult flies measure about 5 mm. The body is shinny black with yellow triangular shield at the end of thorax. The wings are transparent with prominent dark crossbands. The flies start to lay eggs when cherry fruits start to turn yellowish. The fly inserts eggs just beneath the skin of the fruit close to the stalk. Normally a single egg per fruit is inserted. The larvae feed on the pulp surrounding the kernel. When full grown, they leave the fruit, normally when the latter drops to the ground. The maggot burrows into the soil, where it pupates and hibernates.

The stamp depicts a new Slovenian sweet cherry variety - 'Vigred', produced by hybridization. The tree is medium vigorous, wide spreading with large leaves and blossoms. It blooms in the second or third group of cherry blossoming with the fruit ripening in the third cherry week. The fruit is of large size averaging 8.5 grams. The skin is glossy red to brown red. The flesh is firm, sweet and red in colour. It has a small stone and medium stalk. Vigred is medium susceptible to cracking.

Franci Štampar, Ph.D

900th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAŠKA STONE TABLET IN KRK - VEGLIA

• Date / Vrijednost: June 24, 2000
• Designer / Autor: Nikola Šiško, Designer / Autor:, Zagreb
• Printer / Tiskara: Zrinski d.d., Čakovec
• Size / Veličina:  95 x 67 (48.28 x 24.14) mm
• Paper / Papir: White, 102 g, gummed
• Perforation: 14
• Technique: Multicolor offset
• Quantity / Naklada: 100 000
• Denomination: 16.70 K

The Baška Stone Tablet (Baščanska ploča) is one of the oldest and most important Croatian epigraphic monuments whose text, cut in stone in the Glagolitic script, is of enormous importance for the Croatian history, language and literature.

The Baška Stone Tablet is the left side of the erstwhile altar partition in the Benedictine church in Jurandvor near Baška on the island of Krk. It was put up following the death of King Zvonimir, probably somewhere around the year 1100. Its width is 197 cm, its height 99 cm, and it is 8 cm thick. It is a limestone tablet decorated with the Romanesque ornament – a triple vine that envelops a spread-out leaf. Below the ornament we find the barely legible text in the Glagolitic script. The letters have actually become almost completely worn off, since the tablet was used as a cover to the tomb on the church floor. When the text was noticed, the tablet was taken to Zagreb where the layer of salt was first removed and then it was preserved. Since then this precious historical monument of the Croatian written culture is on constant display in the atrium of the Croatian Academy of Science and Art.

The carved text is in the transitional type of the Glagolitic script – from the round (the older) going towards the angular (the newer, Croatian) Glagolitic alphabet, with a few letters in the old Cyrillic alphabet (or the Latin alphabet which for these letters was the same). There are one hundred words cut in stone in thirteen lines, thirty letters a line, altogether four hundred letters.

The study and research into the text of the Baška Stone Tablet has kept the Croatian philologists busy for a century and a half, taxing them to delve into the areas of the Glagolitic paleography, history of the language, common law, history and literature. Trying to solve the problem of the text and its message, all the eminent Croatian philologists and historians have written many works, and poets have written poetry inspired by it. There is a feeling that the Baška Stone Tablet has made the Croats “rise to the surface from the darkness of their undocumented history”. The tablet marks the beginning of the written history of the Croatian language and literature.

The Baška Stone Tablet gives proof of the existence of the Croatian king Zvonimir, the Benedictine Glagolitic monks, the witnesses to the king’s gift; it also proves the erection of the church. In its text there we find evident influence from both the West (Curia Romana) and the North (the centres of culture undergoing their renaissance) upon the Croatian poetic and rhetoric speech. The script, the Glagolitic alphabet, and the firm and systematic organisation of the sentence, all this makes the vivid and permanent influence of the principles of St. Cyril and Methodius clearly evident. On account of all this, the Baška Stone Tablet is a precious stone upon which rests not only the Croatian political and ecclesiastic history but the history of the Croatian language and literature as well.

See also: Glagolitic

• Date of issue: September 15, 2000
• Type: PZ
• Ilustration: Aleš Sedmak
• Design: Aleš Sedmak
• Motif: Zelen
• Printed by: DELO - TISKARNA d.d., Ljubljana
• Printing technique: 4-colour offset
• Sheet: 25
• Paper: Chancellor oba free L.S.PVA GMD 102g, gummed
• Size: 28,80 x 40,32 mm
• Note: In sheets of 25 stamps and iniature sheets of 4 stamps

Old Vine Types in Slovenia

Over the centuries, vineyards in Slovenia have preserved some old vine types, whose characteristics are of interest even today. They contribute to the diversity of vines and give a special stamp to some traditional wines, i.e. Cviček, Teran, Bizeljčan and Haložan. In addition, these vines are modest in their claims on soil and site, they grow well and give a plentiful yield. Also, they are resistant to moulds. On the other hand, the quality of their must and wine is inferior mostly due to the fact that these types ripen late. As a result, the maturity is sometimes not sufficient and the must is acidic. With the selection some of these old vine types improved and consequently they have been included in vineyards to a greater extent, i.e. Zelen in the Vipava region. They are a part of Slovenia's natural heritage, which should be better studied and preserved.

VIPAVA ZELEN is another old vine grown mostly in the Vipava Valley. The vine gives moderate yield and favours sunny sites and moderately fertile soil. The grape is rather small and pointed. The berries are round, rather big and greenish-yellow in colour with small brown spots. The juice is sweet with a pleasant bouquet. Vipava Zelen is a high-quality wine of a straw yellow colour with a gentle greenish cast. The flavour is fruity and aromatic, the taste is full-bodied, the acids are moderate and balanced. It is a wine worth respect and has a promising future.

BELA RANFOL is one of Slovenia's oldest types. It is widely cultivated in the Haloze region. It gives a regular and plentiful yield and the vine prospers even in modest, marl soil. The vine is resistant to moulds, but rather nonresistant to frost because it buds early. The grapes are medium large with round yellow berries containing mildly sweet juice. They ripen late. The wine with a neutral bouquet is moderate in alcohol and rich in acids. It is blended with other wines to produce Haložan.

MODRA KAVČINA or ŽAMETOVKA is an old vine type from the Dolenjsko region. A 400-year-old vine in Maribor Lent's district, which is considered to be the oldest vine in the world, proves that it was also widely grown in Styria. Žametovka gives a regular and plentiful yield. The grapes ripen late and demand superior sites. The vine is not choosy as far as soil is concerned. It is resistant to disease but sensitive to frost. The big, round and dark-blue berries contain sweet juice. The wine is light, nicely red in colour. It is an essential ingredient of Cviček.

RUMENI PLAVEC is an old vine type from the Posavje region. It is most widely grown in the Bizeljsko region. The vine gives a plentiful yield. It is resistant to moulds, but vulnerable to frost. Rumeni Plavec is not particularly choosy as far as types of soil and sites are concerned. The grape has large greenish yellow round berries giving a slightly acidic juice. The grapes ripen late and give a slightly acidic wine. Rumeni Plavec is as essential ingredient of Bizeljčan.

Bibliography:

• Croatian Post Inc. - Croatian Postage Stamps - English & Hrvatski
• Post of Slovenia - English & Slovensko
• VACCARI, Philately books - Vaccari News (Liceo ginnasio "Gian Rinaldo Carli")
• "Gian Rinaldo Carli", text accompanying the postcard (first day issue) - courtesy of Pietro Valente
• Emissioni 2003