Mohorjeva družba Celovec

Mohorjeva družba Celovec (also known as the Celovška Mohorjeva družba or Hermagoras Society in Klagenfurt) is a Slovene Catholic cultural and publishing institution based in Klagenfurt/Celovec, the capital of the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is part of the wider Mohorjeva družba tradition, named after Saint Hermagoras, and serves the Slovene-speaking minority in Carinthia as well as Slovene readers in Austria and Slovenia. Its headquarters are at Viktringer Ring 26 in Klagenfurt, where it operates a publishing house, bookstore, printing press, digital archive, event centre and a range of educational and social facilities. The society traces its roots to the mid-19th century, when Slovene Catholic circles founded the Družba sv. Mohorja to publish affordable religious and educational literature in Slovene. After the First World War and the division of Carinthia, the Klagenfurt branch continued its work among Carinthian Slovenes. Its activities were interrupted and severely constrained during the Nazi period and the Second World War, and its buildings were damaged by bombs and occupied by British forces after 1945. The society was reconstituted in January 1946, and its printing press resumed operation in 1951 after a long struggle to regain its printing and publishing concession. In the post-war decades, Mohorjeva družba Celovec developed into a broad cultural and educational centre. Its official website lists education services (kindergarten, primary school, childcare), a student residence, a canteen, an event centre (Forum Slovenicum), a publishing house, a bookstore, a webshop, a printing press, a digital archive, textbooks and various projects. It also maintains an art collection and participates in cross-border projects such as CAR2GO, LINGUA, DIGI4YOUTH, SPREAD and KARAWANKS. The society has historically been closely tied to the Catholic Church and to the cultural and political life of Carinthian Slovenes. In the immediate post-war period it was, until the founding of the National Council of Carinthian Slovenes in 1949, the only cultural-political organisation among Carinthian Slovenes operating on Christian principles. It also had a long-running rivalry with the Celje Mohorjeva družba in Slovenia, which the Yugoslav authorities regarded as the sole legitimate successor of the pre-war society. Despite these conflicts, Mohorjeva družba Celovec remains active today as a private, non-listed institution supported by its publishing, educational and cultural activities.

The Mohorjeva družba (Hermagoras Society) tradition began in the mid-19th century among Slovene Catholic clergy and laypeople who wanted to publish affordable religious and educational books in Slovene. The Klagenfurt/Celovec branch, known as Mohorjeva družba Celovec or Celovška Mohorjeva družba, became the society's centre for Carinthian Slovenes. Its official website's digital archive lists publications dating back to 1858, indicating a long publishing history. After the First World War and the 1920 plebiscite that kept southern Carinthia within Austria, the society continued its work among the Slovene-speaking population of Carinthia. During the Nazi era and the Second World War, its activities were suppressed, and its buildings suffered bomb damage. In 1945, British military units occupied Carinthia, and the main Mohorjeva building on Viktringer Ring was occupied by British forces and private parties. The society had to buy back occupancy rights from private tenants and state offices. On 28 January 1946, the first provisional committee of the society after the Second World War was constituted in Klagenfurt. The state police took note of the committee and ordered it to convene a general assembly; the Klagenfurt diocese confirmed the committee. A crucial meeting in August 1947 decided that the society would revive its activities as a brotherhood with its own printing press, rather than founding a separate typographic cooperative. Prelate Dr. Rudolf Bluml is credited with initiating the idea of reviving the society as a strong religious-cultural centre, and his proposal was accepted by a majority vote. Dr. Janko Hornböck, a long-time board member and director of the Družba sv. Mohorja in Klagenfurt, later highlighted the pioneering work of Valentin Podgorc, who enjoyed the trust of both the provincial government and the British authorities. The society faced severe political attacks from the Liberation Front (OF) and from Yugoslav-oriented circles. Until the founding of the National Council of Carinthian Slovenes in 1949, Mohorjeva družba Celovec was the only cultural-political organisation among Carinthian Slovenes operating on Christian principles and the only political representation for Carinthian Slovenes. The Yugoslav regime opposed the revival of the society in Klagenfurt and tried to prevent it through various measures. Regaining the printing and publishing concession was a long struggle. Municipal and provincial authorities delayed and refused; only after Mr. Sharp, head of the Slovene section in the British administration, strongly advocated for the return of the printing concession did the Klagenfurt magistrate finally issue an operating permit for the printing press. The printing press began operating in 1951. The society also faced rivalry with the Celje Mohorjeva družba in Slovenia, which the political leadership in Slovenia considered the sole legitimate successor of the pre-war Mohorjeva družba and therefore the only entity entitled to the property of the Klagenfurt society. This led to constant attacks and defamation in Slovene media in both Carinthia and Slovenia. In the following decades, Mohorjeva družba Celovec expanded its activities. Its official website today lists a wide range of services: education (kindergarten, primary school, childcare), a student residence, a canteen, an event centre (Forum Slovenicum), a publishing house, a bookstore, a webshop, a printing press, a digital archive, textbooks and various projects. It also maintains an art collection and participates in cross-border projects such as CAR2GO, LINGUA, DIGI4YOUTH, SPREAD and KARAWANKS. The society remains a private, non-listed institution and a central cultural anchor for Carinthian Slovenes.

• 1951

  The printing press begins operating after the printing and publishing concession is restored.

• 1949

  The National Council of Carinthian Slovenes is founded; until then, Mohorjeva družba Celovec was the only cultural-political organisation among Carinthian Slovenes operating on Christian principles.

• 1948

  In a letter dated 13 July to Bishop Dr. Jožef Kostner, Dr. Janko Hornböck mentions that Prelate Dr. Rudolf Bluml initiated the idea of reviving the society after the Second World War.

• 1947

  In August, a board meeting decides that the society will revive as a brotherhood with its own printing press.

• 1946

  On 28 January, the first provisional committee of the society after the Second World War is constituted in Klagenfurt.

• 1945

  British military units occupy Carinthia; the main Mohorjeva building on Viktringer Ring is occupied by British forces and private parties.

• 1908

  Publication year listed in the digital archive.

• 1858

  Earliest publication year listed in the society's digital archive.

A Catholic-rooted Slovene cultural and publishing institution serving the Carinthian Slovene minority, combining religious, educational and literary publishing with a broad range of community and educational services.

• Slovenian-language books and textbooks

• Religious and educational literature

• Printing services

• Bookstore and webshop

• Digital archive

• Educational services (kindergarten, primary school, childcare)

• Student residence and canteen

• Event centre (Forum Slovenicum)

1. 1Mohorjeva družba v Celovcu – official websitemohorjeva.info
2. 2Celovška Mohorjeva družba – Wikipedia (Slovenian)sl.wikipedia.org
3. 3Mohorjeva družba Celovec – Wikidatawikidata.org