Page 303 - Weiss, Jernej, ur. 2017. Glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti - Musical Migrations: Crossroads of European Musical Diversity. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 1
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jan václav lego – a her ald of slovene-czech r eciprocity
dies Club, the Slavija Academic Society, and the Umelecki besedi (Art Lit-
erary Club). He made a major contribution to the foundation of School of
Slavonic languages, where he taught Slovene and Croatian. He organized
exchanges of Slovene and Czech journals, promoted teaching the Czech
language in Slovenia, was regularly sending Czech books to the Czech cir-
cles in Slovenia.
In Prague he headed the Czech branch of Slovenska Matica, gaining
many members not only in Prague but also in other Czech towns. He gave
the initiative to Slovenes to found Ciril-Metodovo Društvo (Cyril-Method
Society) based on Czech example. Successful was his effort to increase rec-
iprocity between Slovenes and Czechs by publishing Vodnik po Sloveniji
(Guide to Slovenia) in 1887, and the Czech-Slovene dictionary, which was
published twice, in 1883 and 1892.
Regardless of many friends and colleagues among the Slovenes, Lego
also had many opponents, particularly within the Catholic circles. They
were strongly against any cooperation with Young Czech promoters of na-
tional and Slavic awakening. One of the harshest critics was undoubted-
ly Anton Mahnič, who viewed as harmful liberalism of the Young-Czechs.
He accused Lego not only of freemasonry but also of leading Slovene pu-
pils and students astray, claiming that they were embracing liberal, godless
spirit when studying in Prague. Mahnič was particularly upset by a letter,
which Lego wrote to a Slovene pupil, in which he attempted to discourage
him from studying theology, inviting him instead to study in Prague. In
general, Mahnič considered Slavic idea inappropriate also because he be-
lieved that sympathy for Russia might strengthen Orthodoxy versus Ca-
tholicism.
But the Slovenes who respected Lego’s work repaid their debt by pro-
claiming him an honorary member of Slovenska Matica, of Glasbena Mati-
ca, honorary citizen of Kamnik and the capital Ljubljana. In 1912 the Slovene
delegation to the 9th Pan-Slavic Journalist Conference in Prague unveiled a
memorial to Jan Lego as “With thanks and the expression of respect for this
meritorious promoter of Czech-Slovene reciprocity… it should be a man-
ifestation of all Slovenes as we must show the Czechs and all Slavs how we
honor people who work for us…”4
Lego described his sympathies for the Slovene nation in an article sent
to Slovan (The Slav) in 1884, which was serialized. He began his description
4 “Formal unveiling of Jan Lego Memorial in Prague,” Edinost (Unity), June 26, 1912,
177.
301
dies Club, the Slavija Academic Society, and the Umelecki besedi (Art Lit-
erary Club). He made a major contribution to the foundation of School of
Slavonic languages, where he taught Slovene and Croatian. He organized
exchanges of Slovene and Czech journals, promoted teaching the Czech
language in Slovenia, was regularly sending Czech books to the Czech cir-
cles in Slovenia.
In Prague he headed the Czech branch of Slovenska Matica, gaining
many members not only in Prague but also in other Czech towns. He gave
the initiative to Slovenes to found Ciril-Metodovo Društvo (Cyril-Method
Society) based on Czech example. Successful was his effort to increase rec-
iprocity between Slovenes and Czechs by publishing Vodnik po Sloveniji
(Guide to Slovenia) in 1887, and the Czech-Slovene dictionary, which was
published twice, in 1883 and 1892.
Regardless of many friends and colleagues among the Slovenes, Lego
also had many opponents, particularly within the Catholic circles. They
were strongly against any cooperation with Young Czech promoters of na-
tional and Slavic awakening. One of the harshest critics was undoubted-
ly Anton Mahnič, who viewed as harmful liberalism of the Young-Czechs.
He accused Lego not only of freemasonry but also of leading Slovene pu-
pils and students astray, claiming that they were embracing liberal, godless
spirit when studying in Prague. Mahnič was particularly upset by a letter,
which Lego wrote to a Slovene pupil, in which he attempted to discourage
him from studying theology, inviting him instead to study in Prague. In
general, Mahnič considered Slavic idea inappropriate also because he be-
lieved that sympathy for Russia might strengthen Orthodoxy versus Ca-
tholicism.
But the Slovenes who respected Lego’s work repaid their debt by pro-
claiming him an honorary member of Slovenska Matica, of Glasbena Mati-
ca, honorary citizen of Kamnik and the capital Ljubljana. In 1912 the Slovene
delegation to the 9th Pan-Slavic Journalist Conference in Prague unveiled a
memorial to Jan Lego as “With thanks and the expression of respect for this
meritorious promoter of Czech-Slovene reciprocity… it should be a man-
ifestation of all Slovenes as we must show the Czechs and all Slavs how we
honor people who work for us…”4
Lego described his sympathies for the Slovene nation in an article sent
to Slovan (The Slav) in 1884, which was serialized. He began his description
4 “Formal unveiling of Jan Lego Memorial in Prague,” Edinost (Unity), June 26, 1912,
177.
301
