“The most famous living Slovenian is undoubtedly Melania Trump, the long-suffering spouse of the former president of the USA.” Methinks Melania is having the time of her life and is hardly ‘long suffering’.
My thoughts too. Seems nobody in the media can mention the name “Trump” without putting the boot in.
Chris Martin
2 years ago
I think the author misses an important point. Slovenia was, by far, the most ethnically homogenous of the Yugoslav republics. Nearly all (90%) of those living in Slovenia were Slovenes. This is key – and a sad commentary on the risks that face multi ethnic states. Croatia and Bosnia were ethnically divided: Bosnia especially so. That surely is the key reason why the civil war was so bad in those areas. It remains a strong problem in Bosnia now and there is a sort of two state system with UN troops still policing things.
I know he said that, but that single statement creates a misleading impression. It implies the root of the Yugoslav war was solely from a Serbian cause. In reality surely it was the much more complex ethnic and religious divides of the other republics that were the crucible of the war – Slovenia was very different and able to stay isolated. The big drivers were both Croat and Serb drives for Greater Serbia and Greater Croatia and the particular focus of the war and atrocities was in Bosnia, with its extremely mixed Serb, Croat and Bosniak population. I guess that was the point I thought could have been emphasised more.
Ailsa Roddie
2 years ago
This made me laugh. I’ve got a Slovenian granny who claimed her early years there involved fighting a bear with matches in the woods so that’s been my overriding image of the place, although it is almost certainly false because she will say anything. I’ve managed to track down some long lost distant cousins in Slovenia now thanks to the power of DNA and I look forward to learning more about the place.
Chris Wheatley
2 years ago
True that Croatia started after Slovenia but you only have to visit Croatia to see that it will always be more important than Slovenia – geography and natural resources will win in the end.
Presumably, a lot of those Serbians are still there. Are they finding it possible to assimilate?
Never mind ex-First Lady’s and ageing rock bands, Slovenia produced the winner AND second placed rider in last year’s Tour de France!
And neither was riding for Team Sky/Ineos.
Jorge Espinha
2 years ago
Laibach are more famous than Žižek? I have been living a very sheltered life.
“The most famous living Slovenian is undoubtedly Melania Trump, the long-suffering spouse of the former president of the USA.”
Methinks Melania is having the time of her life and is hardly ‘long suffering’.
My thoughts too. Seems nobody in the media can mention the name “Trump” without putting the boot in.
I think the author misses an important point. Slovenia was, by far, the most ethnically homogenous of the Yugoslav republics. Nearly all (90%) of those living in Slovenia were Slovenes. This is key – and a sad commentary on the risks that face multi ethnic states. Croatia and Bosnia were ethnically divided: Bosnia especially so. That surely is the key reason why the civil war was so bad in those areas. It remains a strong problem in Bosnia now and there is a sort of two state system with UN troops still policing things.
He didn’t miss it at all. He said only 40,000 Serbians out of a population of 2,000,000.
I know he said that, but that single statement creates a misleading impression. It implies the root of the Yugoslav war was solely from a Serbian cause. In reality surely it was the much more complex ethnic and religious divides of the other republics that were the crucible of the war – Slovenia was very different and able to stay isolated. The big drivers were both Croat and Serb drives for Greater Serbia and Greater Croatia and the particular focus of the war and atrocities was in Bosnia, with its extremely mixed Serb, Croat and Bosniak population. I guess that was the point I thought could have been emphasised more.
This made me laugh. I’ve got a Slovenian granny who claimed her early years there involved fighting a bear with matches in the woods so that’s been my overriding image of the place, although it is almost certainly false because she will say anything. I’ve managed to track down some long lost distant cousins in Slovenia now thanks to the power of DNA and I look forward to learning more about the place.
True that Croatia started after Slovenia but you only have to visit Croatia to see that it will always be more important than Slovenia – geography and natural resources will win in the end.
Presumably, a lot of those Serbians are still there. Are they finding it possible to assimilate?
I suspect ethnically cleansed
A lot but not all. Don’t believe it.
Never mind ex-First Lady’s and ageing rock bands, Slovenia produced the winner AND second placed rider in last year’s Tour de France!
And neither was riding for Team Sky/Ineos.
Laibach are more famous than Žižek? I have been living a very sheltered life.