Croatian festivities in Vienna in 1888. (Tricentenary of the birth of Gundulić)

Abstract

From Jan. 8 to Jan. 11, 1888, celebrations were held in Vienna, the centre of the monarchy, as well as in many cities of Croatia, commemorating the tricentenary of the birth of Ivan Gundulić, the great Croatin poet. A large number of individuals, clubs and associations had requested that the celebrations be held in Vienna. Their motivation was identical: to show to the Germans that the Croats are not barbarians: that with their spirit, their emotions, and their intellect, as well as their heroism they are worthy to stand side by side with other cultural nations of Europe; that long before Goethe and Schiller were bom the Croats had had their poet Gundulić and possessed a flourishing culture. It was not only the celebration of Gundulić (concerts, recitations, dances, etc.) but also a great cultural event and the presentation of the Croatian culture in the capital of the monarchy. In particular, many participants and reporters took the celebrations as a review and evaluation of the Croatian cultural heritage, as well as an impetus for new actions which could bring closer the splendor of the Croatian cultural heritage to the peoples of the monarchy and to the rest of the world.