Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography
Croatia's national institution for lexicography, encyclopedic scholarship, and reference publishing.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
The Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography, commonly known by its Croatian name Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleža or the abbreviation LZMK, is Croatia's national lexicographical institution. Based in Zagreb, it researches, compiles, edits, and publishes encyclopedias, dictionaries, lexicons, atlases, maps, and other reference works covering the humanities, sciences, technology, medicine, law, arts, history, geography, culture, and public life. The institution was established in 1950 as the Lexicographical Institute of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. Writer Miroslav Krleža served as its longtime director, while Mate Ujević was an important early editorial figure. During the socialist Yugoslav period, the institute operated as a federal reference-publishing body and developed an extensive program of general and specialist encyclopedias. Its work included the Encyclopedia of Yugoslavia and major reference series devoted to medicine, maritime affairs, forestry, music, fine arts, agriculture, physical culture, technology, and film. The institute also maintained branches in Ljubljana and Belgrade, reflecting the federal scope of its work. The organization was renamed the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute in 1962. After Krleža's death in 1981, his name was formally incorporated into the institutional title. In 1983 it became the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute “Miroslav Krleža,” and following the dissolution of Yugoslavia it adopted its present Croatian name in 1991. It subsequently became the national lexicographical institution of the Republic of Croatia. Since Croatian independence, the institute has concentrated on reference works connected with Croatian language, history, culture, territory, and national heritage while continuing specialist publishing. Its major Croatian projects include the eleven-volume Croatian Encyclopedia, the Croatian Biographical Lexicon, the Miroslav Krleža Encyclopedia, the Croatian Literary Encyclopedia, the Encyclopedia of Croatian Art, the Dictionary of the Croatian Language, the Atlas of Croatian History, and regional works on Istria, Hrvatsko Zagorje, Zagreb, and Turopolje. Specialist lexicons have addressed subjects including medicine, economics, religion, film, football, technology, law, philosophy, fine arts, and the work of figures such as Marin Držić, Ruđer Bošković, Antun Gustav Matoš, and Miroslav Krleža. The institute's role is scholarly as well as editorial. Its publications depend on contributions from researchers and subject specialists, and its reference works help standardize and disseminate Croatian terminology and historical knowledge. Current activities include the online edition of the Croatian Encyclopedia, the continuing Croatian Biographical Lexicon, and the Croatian Technical Encyclopedia and portal devoted to Croatian technical heritage. The institute therefore functions both as a publisher and as a long-term research infrastructure for Croatian cultural memory and specialized knowledge.
History
The institute was founded in Zagreb in 1950 as the Lexicographical Institute of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. Its creation established a centralized institution for the preparation of encyclopedias and other reference works for the federal state. The writer Miroslav Krleža became its longtime director, and Mate Ujević served as a leading chief editor. The institute developed a large scholarly and editorial operation, employing specialists across the sciences, humanities, arts, medicine, technology, and other fields. In its early decades, the organization produced general encyclopedic works as well as specialized publications. The first edition of its general encyclopedia appeared between 1955 and 1964 in seven volumes under the title Encyclopedia of the Lexicographical Institute. A second edition followed in six volumes between 1966 and 1969, and a third edition appeared in eight volumes between 1977 and 1982, with a supplement published later. The institute also began the first Encyclopedia of Yugoslavia, issued in eight volumes from 1955 to 1971, and launched a second edition in 1980, of which six of a projected twelve volumes were published before the end of the Yugoslav period. The institution's federal remit was reflected in branches in Ljubljana and Belgrade. Its Belgrade office opened in 1981 to facilitate communication with federal institutions and other organizations. Administratively, the institute was renamed the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute in 1962. Although it was a federal body, its founding rights were transferred to the Socialist Republic of Croatia during the 1970s. After Krleža died in 1981, his name was added to the institutional title. In 1983 the organization became the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute “Miroslav Krleža.” The Yugoslav period produced a wide-ranging reference catalog. Major series included the Maritime Encyclopedia, Medical Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of Forestry, Encyclopedia of Music, Encyclopedia of Fine Arts, Encyclopedia of Agriculture, Encyclopedia of Physical Culture, Encyclopedia of Yugoslav Fine Arts, Technical Encyclopedia, and Film Encyclopedia. The institute also issued general and specialist lexicons, including the Lexicon JLZ, the Lexicon of Yugoslav Music, the Sports Lexicon, and the Maritime Lexicon. With the breakup of Yugoslavia, the institution was renamed the Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography in 1991 and became Croatia's national lexicographical institute. Its post-1991 program emphasized Croatian national, linguistic, regional, and cultural reference works. The eleven-volume Croatian Encyclopedia was published from 1999 to 2009. Other major projects included the Miroslav Krleža Encyclopedia, the Encyclopedia of Croatian Art, the Dictionary of the Croatian Language, the Atlas of Croatian History, the Istrian Encyclopedia, the Croatian Literary Encyclopedia, and the Encyclopedia of Hrvatsko Zagorje. The institute has also continued its specialist lexicographic work through publications such as the Lexicon of Medicine, Lexicon of Economy, Croatian General Lexicon, General Lexicon of Religion, Film Lexicon, Lexicon of Soccer, Lexicon of Zagreb, Technical Lexicon, Law Lexicon, Lexicon of Marin Držić, Lexicon of Ruđer Bošković, Lexicon of Philosophy, Lexicon of Fine Arts, Lexicon of Antun Gustav Matoš, and Lexicon of Turopolje. The Croatian Biographical Lexicon, begun in the earlier institutional period, remains a continuing project. In the digital era, the institute has expanded access to its work through online reference projects. Its current activities include the online Croatian Encyclopedia, the continuing Croatian Biographical Lexicon, and the Croatian Technical Encyclopedia with a portal focused on Croatian technical heritage. The institution remains a public scholarly publisher and a central part of Croatia's cultural and knowledge infrastructure.
- 1999
Croatian Encyclopedia publication begins
[1]The institute began publishing its major eleven-volume Croatian Encyclopedia, completed in 2009.
- 1991
Became Croatia's national lexicographical institute
[1]After Yugoslavia's dissolution, the institution adopted its current name and national Croatian role.
- 1983
Krleža's name added to the title
[1]Following Miroslav Krleža's death, the institute was named the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute “Miroslav Krleža.”
- 1981
Belgrade office opened
[1]A Belgrade office was established to improve communication with federal institutions and organizations.
- 1962
Renamed Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute
[1]The institution adopted the name Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute.
- 1955
First general encyclopedia begins publication
[1]The first edition of the institution's general encyclopedia began appearing and was completed in seven volumes in 1964.
- 1950
Institution founded
[1]Established in Zagreb as the Lexicographical Institute of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia.
Products and positioning
National scholarly authority for Croatian lexicography, encyclopedic knowledge, terminology, and reference publishing.
General and national encyclopedia · 1999
Croatian Encyclopedia
A comprehensive Croatian general and national encyclopedia published in eleven volumes between 1999 and 2009. It is one of the institute's principal post-independence reference projects and is also available through an online edition.
Biographical reference work · 1983
Croatian Biographical Lexicon
A long-running biographical project documenting notable people connected with Croatian history and culture. The work began in the Yugoslav period and has continued under the Croatian institute, with nine volumes reported as published between 1983 and 2021.
National encyclopedia · 1955
Encyclopedia of Yugoslavia
A major federal Yugoslav encyclopedia project. Its first edition was issued in eight volumes from 1955 to 1971, while a second edition began in 1980 and reached six of a planned twelve volumes before the project's interruption.
Technical encyclopedia · 1963
Technical Encyclopedia
A large specialist encyclopedia covering technical knowledge and engineering subjects. Thirteen volumes were published between 1963 and 1997, and the institute later developed the Croatian Technical Encyclopedia and an associated digital portal on Croatian technical heritage.
Author encyclopedia · 1993
Miroslav Krleža Encyclopedia
A three-volume reference work devoted to the life, writings, ideas, and cultural context of Miroslav Krleža, the writer associated with the institute's foundation and name.
Literary encyclopedia · 2010
Croatian Literary Encyclopedia
A four-volume encyclopedia of Croatian literature published from 2010 to 2012, extending the institute's national reference program into literary history and criticism.
Historical atlas · 2003
Atlas of Croatian History
A cartographic and historical reference work presenting Croatian history through maps and explanatory material. A first edition appeared in 2003, followed by a second edition in 2018.
General lexicon · 1996
Croatian General Lexicon
A one-volume general reference lexicon issued in successive editions in 1996, 2005, and 2012, providing concise entries across broad areas of knowledge.
Digital and specialist encyclopedia
Croatian Technical Encyclopedia
An ongoing project devoted to technical knowledge and Croatian technical heritage. It includes a portal intended to make technical history and terminology accessible online.
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