Exporting Dissent: Made in the Czech Republic
It may be eclipsed by the anti-EU musings of the current Czech president, but the influence of Vaclav Havel lives on in Czech efforts to support dissidents and promote democracy.
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It may be eclipsed by the anti-EU musings of the current Czech president, but the influence of Vaclav Havel lives on in Czech efforts to support dissidents and promote democracy.
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Bribery is devaluing the notion of education as valuable in itself. But the value of a diploma in Russia seems to be rising.
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The aim of this essay is to examine the contextual parameters that culminated in Turkey’s retreat from Europeanization and subsequent move towards re-nationalization in terms of its foreign policy. The paper is organized into three sections. The first section examines the analytical tools that may provide explanations for the transformations in Turkey’s foreign policy domain, while the second section discusses the early effects of European integration after 1999, with the aim of decoding Europeanization in terms of changes in the foreign policy domain. The third section scrutinizes the contextual parameters of change, which resulted in Turkey’s disenchantment with the EU integration in relation to certain topics on Turkey’s foreign policy agenda. The empirical parts of the essay focus on Turkey’s relations with Greece, Cyprus and Armenia since the shifts in Turkey’s policy preferences are more profound and observable in these areas.
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South-Eastern Europe´s ethnic shape was highly influenced by migration throughout its history, which can be defined as a “migration history”. Probably the most important of them is the Serbian immigration to Southern Hungary, which was later to become Ottoman territory and – as a result of the Ottomans being defeated by Austria – part of the Habsburg Monarchy thereafter. Of outstanding importance is the Serbian Migration organized by patriarch Arsenije III. Čarnojević from 1690, also known as „The Great Migration“(Velika Seoba). With the Serbs also settling in Banat, this multiethnic region became an object of retroactive, ethnicity-based claims in modern Serbian and Romanian historiography. They both reproject ethnic differences and identities upon a population that was ethnically diverse, but not yet nationally differentiated according to contemporary criteria.
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This paper aims to present several of the most important aspects concerning political spatiality and its various dimensions, such as the physical, symbolic and charismatized aspects. This analysis will serve a two-fold purpose: 1) depicting the main types of spatiality, while concentrating more on the difficulty in defining and categorising sacred space; 2) how the use of spatiality can aid in the creation of ideological hegemony, of social homogeneity and, ultimately, of a distinct teleological narrative which may legitimize communities, as well as modern ideocratic regimes.
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Being theoretically located within the debate regarding the positive or negative consequences of the migrant’s remittances for local development, the paper is the result of field research in the rural area of Southern Danube Micro-region, from Teleorman County, Romania. The main contribution of the paper resides in challenging the general assumption that transnational migration from rural Eastern Europe is always caused by underdevelopment, and in proving instead that the local process of development itself, in its particular post-socialist-cum-neoliberal form, may determine and enhance migration. As the argument goes, the paper gives an assessment of the extent and the general causes of transnational migration from this region to Spain, and reveals the formation of different patterns of migration along the generational, confessional and ethnic lines. The statements of the paper are illustrated ethnographically with instances from the village with the highest rate of migration. Among the important findings of the research are that the emergence of entrepreneurial behavior, as result of migration, tends to be linked with the minority group of the Adventists, and that the mass migration of the Ursari Roma has resulted in a geographical and a social repositioning of this ethnic group within the villages.
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The aim of the current article is to analyze the actions of the French diplomat Jacques Truelle who from his early position as a Vichy diplomat later rallied himself to General de Gaulle in June 1943. Firstly, our aim is to evaluate the difficulties he encountered into joining the Resistance movement, and those regarding the acceptance of de Gaulle’s persona as the leader of Free France. Furthermore, we seek to outline his “double game” policy and the role he played regarding the fate of Jews he encountered in the turmoil of the Second World War.
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The paper brings new insight into Filić’s manifold achievements regarding Varaždin theatre life, which has undeniably been a part of its cultural history. The report follows the extraordinary merits and achievements of Krešimir Filić, the most prominent in the history of the 20th century Varaždin stage, as a, a multiform theatre assistant and a guardian of cultural and theatre heritage. The conclusion assesses Filić both as an initiator and a promoter of cultural strategy aiming at the prosperity of Varaždin, based on the vision of Varaždin as a city of culture. We consider this vision to be originally his.
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Buildings imply energy consumption in their life cycle, right from the excavation, transport and production of the construction material, up to the energy demanded for their construction, maintenance and demolition. Studies on energy use during the different phases in life cycle of the building could identify phases of the largest energy use and related greengases emissions to develop target strategies for their reduction. Kyoto target obligations necessitating the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions at the national level caused the growing need of the usage of this kind of an analyses. The method of assessing lifetime building energy and its environmental impact is known as Life-Cycle Energy Analysis, though the final agreement and standards for the scope of the monitored system have not been yet achieved. This paper briefly explains Life-Cycle Energy Analysis method as well as associated terminology providing an embodied energy and life cycle energy assessment of a detached house in Varaždin, Croatia. Main construction materials i.e. aluminium, glass, concrete and clay blocks have been analysed to determine building’s embodied energy. Embodied energy of the various construction materials involved has been estimated to be equal to 303,60 GJ, and it is also found that clay blocks, mineral wool and steel sheet are the three most energetically expensive materials. Furthermore, results show expected importance of the operating energy (83%) as well as the significance of the embodied energy (17%) in building’s life cycle energy demand. Operating energy share in total lifetime building energy is anticipated to decrease through efficiency improvements and lifestyle changes, so the significance of the embodied energy value will increase. The case study illustrates how particular design strategies make a significant impact on building’s embodied energy and life cycle energy. The aim of this study is to compare embodied energy in different building materials and to demonstrate Life Cycle Energy Assessment on the studied house.
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Albert Bazala offers his understanding of dreams in his book “Psychology in Croatian Artistic Poetry” (Psihologija u hrvatskom umjetnom pjesništvu) published in Zagreb in 1901. His starting point are examples taken from various poems by eight Croatian poets: M. Bogović, F. Marković, L. Botić, Gj. Arnold, P. Preradović, D. Demeter, A. Tresić-Pavičić and S. S. Kranjčević. Bazala first deals with the causes of dreams, then with the properties of dreams and finally he explains the connection between dreams and imagination. In his approach to dreams Bazala is influenced by the legacy of the philosophical school of J. F. Herbart, especially by Gj. Arnold and his high-school textbook Psychology for High-schools (Psihologija za srednje škole).
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The contribution of the historian Krešimir Filić (1891- 1972) to the research of the merchant family Praunsperger in Varazdin is twofold. His research, conducted during the 1940’s, was recorded in his manuscript books, notebooks and papers and it dealt with the history and construction of the Franciscan church and monastery in Varaždin and ancient inscriptions in the city, as well as containing notes on houses within the Varaždin city walls. In 1944 Krešimir Filić published the information on the Franciscan church and convent in a monograph entitled Franjevci u Varaždinu (Franciscans in Varaždin). In it he included as well the information on the wealthy merchant Daniel Praunsperger (1635-1692), the commissioner of the artistically crafted St. Joseph’s chapel in the Franciscan church. His monograph came to be a source for researchers, particularly art historians, who wrote about the chapel, placing it along and comparing it to other works of art of the early baroque period in the north-western part of Croatia. His second major contribution consists of manuscripts - namely, notebooks and papers containing information about the Franciscan church and convent, which shed new light on St. Joseph’s chapel and its modification in the 19th century. In a manuscript entitled Bilješke o kućama grada Varaždina (intra moenia civittis) prema Proth. Magistraturale i Liber Fassionum. Varaždin, dne 1./I. 1940. (Notes on the Houses of the City of Varaždin (intra moenia civitis) with respect to Proth. Magistraturale and Liber Fassionum. Varaždin, dated 1/1/1940) based on The Records of the Varaždin City Council, Filić gathered information on Daniel’s son Francis Ignatius Praunsperger, a military officer serving with the Generalship of Varaždin, the husband of Catharine Ester Guallander, and one of the owners of what is now known as the Mrazović House in Varaždin, which he purchased from the widow Magdalene Sidonia Czunko-Multnperg on May 1st 1710 . Therefore, with his findings, both the ones published and the ones gathered in manuscripts, Krešimir Filić contributed to the research of the merchant family Praunsperger in Varaždin, by revealing its identity.
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In this piece the author shows us the work of the grammar school professor Krešimir Filić (1891. – 1972.) as a museum worker and historian of the Varaždin area. The first part shows his work on foundation and development of the city museum of Varaždin, from the exhibition related to the history of art of the city of Varaždin from 1923. – 1957., when he retires. In the second part, a historiographical overview of his history-related work that speak about the different themes related to Varaždin.
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Varaždinski filozofski krug Hrvatskog filozofskog društva (Varazdin’s Philosophical Circle of Croatian Philosophical Society) was an organization that aimed at bringing together philosophy teachers in Varazdin high schools. The article takes two factual directions: a historic-temporal and personal-scientific. The author records the establishment and activities of the Krug by dates: gathering, organizing public lectures and book presentations. Then the paper focuses on the individual scientific activity of its three most prominent and most active members: Ivan Čehok, Ćiril Čoh and Eduard Vargović. As the Krug was particularly linked with the philosophical journal Metodički ogledi, the article concentrates on their activities associated with the journals, primarily during the existence of the Krug, but also later. Consequentially, the Krug reaches its sublimation after its formal extinction (but not revocation), through its contribution made to the setup of Ethics classes in high schools to a greater extent, and Philosophy classes to a lesser extent.
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Despite his many activities as a teacher at Gimnazija – Varaždin, where he worked from 1917 to 1942, Krešimir Filić made an enormous contribution to various fields, especially to adult education in Varaždin and its surroundings. The adult education took place in Varaždin Extension School, later known as Pučko Sveučilište („community college“). Alongside professors Vladimir Deduš, Milan Kaman and Franjo Košćec, he was one of the foundors of the College. During a swift expansion of the college in the period between 1920 and 1925, he was the secretary of the Extension School, whereas later on he became a member of its committee. At this position he was organizing and helping with its many cultural and educational activities He made a particularly valuable contribution to the organization of the cultural/ historical exhibition of the town of Varaždin, and at the same time he took special care about the teaching activies of the School. He was one of the most successful and prolific lecturers of the Extension School and his lectures were attended by a socially heterogeneous audiences from Varaždin and the surrounding villages. His public lectures which dealt with a plethora of topics were a true magnet for a wide range of audiences due to their high quality and interesting character.
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Unbestreitbar ist der Beitrag von Kresimir Filic zum Fachgebiet der Museologie, die er als Gründer und Direktor des Varazdiner Museums und als Geschichteprofessor an Gymnasium durchführte. Gleichzeiting, ist Filic, durch Bearbeitung von zahlreichen geschichtlichen und kunstgeschictlichen Themen betreffend der Stadt Varaždin und seiner Umgebung, für deren Popularisierung an ein breiter Leserkreis von unterschiedlichen Zeitungen in Varaždin und Kroatien verdienstvoll. Durch seine Texte in den Zeitungen während seiner sechzigjährigen Arbeit übte er sein Einfluss auf die Anerkennung, besseres Verständnis und eine positive Meinungsbildung von Bürger von Varaždin gegenüber von materiellen und immateriellen Kulturerbe , deren Erhaltung, Schutz von Verfall wie auch deren professionellen und verantwortlichen Präsentation. Es ist selbstverständlich, dass er im Laufe dieser Jahre der Popularisierung des Museums in Varaždin, dessen Sammlungen und dessen anhaltenden Entwicklung zu einer respektablen kroatischen Museumsanstalt treu geblieben ist, wobei er sich auf Verständnis und Hilfe der Mitbürger verlassen hat.
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Professor Krešimir Filić (Bjelovar, 1891 – Varaždin, 1972) was an exceptional personality in the cultural life of Varaždin in the 20th century. His achievements and results have not been exceeded yet and everything he has created still exists, is being developed and enriched. Besides working as a teacher in Varaždin Grammar school for 25 years, where he has worked with many generations of committed students, he also held a series of methodical lectures aimed for the wider public in town and the country. He founded Varaždin city museum, Gallery of Old and Contemporary Masters, and incorporated the Entomological collection into the city museum. Besides the above, prof. Filić was the chairman of the board of the National / Croatian reading room in Varaždin and long standing chairman of the board of Varaždin Public library which shows his commitment to book availability as the core cultural value of our town. Because of all this prof. Filić has an exceptional historical merit when it comes to development and working of the National reading room and Varaždin Public library.
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The Town of Koprivnica Museum has in its possession a collection of guild banners. These textile banners have been stored in the Museum since 1946, after they had been removed from the Koprivnica parish church where they hung beside alters. Textiles are extremely fragile materials and these banners were exposed to various bad microclimatic conditions (light, dust, humidity and insects) that caused extensive damage (mechanical, chemical, photochemical, physical). The museum storage of the banners was to preserve and record the guild period in Koprivnica. Initially, the Museum had limited options to stop further degradation of the textile artefacts as it neither had the financial support nor the facilities to insure adequate storage for effective preservation and display. The Museum has now initiated a project for their conservation and restoration of the artefacts. The main partner in this project is the Restoration Centre Ludbreg of the Croatian Conservation Institute from Zagreb. This institution has completed the restoration and conservation of one of the oldest and the most valuable banners from the Museum collection – the banner of the barber, hairdresser, mead and gingerbread, baker, cord maker, soap boiler and turner guilds. The restoration process was very complex and long-lasting, so it is very important to decide how the banner will be kept and stored at the Museum after restoration. Advice from an expert panel suggested that in accordance with contemporary conservation principals, the banner could be kept and displayed inside the Museum showroom. It should however, be displayed lying on a flat, slightly inclined surface (max. 15%) inside a showcase covered by glass. The showcase has to be placed in a room under controlled conditions at a temperature of 18-22°C, relative humidity of 45-55 % and maximum lighting of 50 lux. Constant control and maintenance of adequate microclimatic conditions are very important factors in the safekeeping of textile artefacts making them more resistant to further degradation.
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Die Restaurierung der mittelalterlichen sakralen Architektur des Varaždiner Archidiakonats hat im 17. Jahrhundert einen großen Schwung erlebt, vor allem wegen des Bevölkerungswachstums im Nordwesten Kroatiens. Sakrale Denkmäler wurden meist im Mittelalter errichtet, zum größten Teil während des 14. Jahrhunderts im damals dominierenden gotischen Stil. Die Denkmäler wurden seit Ende des 16. Jahrhunderts nach den Bestimmungen des Konzils von Trient restauriert, im Zeitgeist, den man heute katholische Restauration nennt. Die Pfarrkirche der Himmelfahrt der Jungfrau Maria in Biškupec bei Varaždin, eine harmonische einschiffige barocke Kirche mit einem polygonalem Heiligtum und einem Glockenturm an der Hauptfront, fällt in die Kategorie von in der posttridentinischen Zeit restaurierten Objekten, aber auch in die Kategorie von Objekten, die in der ersten Hälfte und Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts signifikante Umgestaltungen erlebt haben. Es wird davon ausgegangen, dass sie als solche bis heute erhalten geblieben ist, und dass sie eines von vielen Beispielen ist, an dem der Barockstil in der Architektur und skulpturalen Ausstattung systematisch studiert werden kann. Im Beitrag wurden die chronographische Inschrift in der Kirche und die sich heute im Stadtmuseum Varaždin befindende Graphik, die die Kirche aus dem Jahr 1747 zeigt, als Ausgangspunkte der Forschung definiert. Da die Jahre in der Graphik und in den Inschriften auf die Jahre um die Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts deuten, wurden kunsthistorische Daten aus Archivquellen, d.h. aus den kanonischen Visitationen ausgewählt, um den architektonischen Korpus, die Ausstattung und den Erhaltungszustand dieser Zeit vollständig zu analysieren.
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The author analyses the murder of teacher Slavko Kukolj in the village of Podturen in Međimurje in 1945. Till present time, this crime has not been suitably explained, including the identification of the murderer and his motives. Investigating this case, in existing descriptions of the mentioned event, the real murder Zvonimir Panić was not only granted amnesty for his crime, but was also declared a martyr of the struggle for Croatian national independence. This was possible, since until now, writers about this event followed and assessed only Panić’s tragic end at the Criminal correctional institution in Lepoglava. However, analyzing this case from different angles, the author, proves that the mentioned conclusion is completely wrong, and that real victims are members of the families Kukolj and Hajdarović. Struck particularly hard was the Hajdarović family, entirely innocent, whose persecutors were never punished for the crime they have committed. Besides the resolution of this single case, fitting it in a wider context clearly showed that in the period after the communist government takeover in Međimurje, the political authorities had a much too large influence on all institutions’ work activities as well as, in general, the lives of individuals. Since, in the beginning, the new government followed Stalin’s model of society formation, for a classic crime of self-interest, they systematically looked for political motives and justifications. Once a sequence of doubts was launched, it caused the persecution of entire families, as well as political and social consequences that even in present time still resonate. Therefore, in the conclusion, the author calls for a more objective approach in regards to World War II victims, in order to accomplish, not just, more satisfactory historical evaluations, but also stop the trauma that has been incurred from generation to generation.
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In 1917 Krešimir Filić returns to war-torn Varaždin from Prague, where he graduated from University. It was in Varaždin that he engaged in intensive activity within the “Tomislav” Academic Society. He would remain active in Varaždin as a professor, geographer, historian, social activist, scientific researcher, writer, enlightening intellectual, museologist, musician and organizer of music events and musical education until his very old age. He was extremely active in the organizations he was a member of. When it was necessary he carried out reforms of the organizations, helped them improve or founded new ones. Many of them flourish even today, such as Pučko otvoreno učilište /Open University/, City Museum, “Ravna Gora” Mountaineering Association, Music School, Varaždin Baroque Evenings. Some of the institutions did not survive, mainly due to a lack of support from the political regime (such as the theatre orchestra, “Vatroslav Jagić” Choral Society, Music Lovers’ Society). He left behind the idea of a music collection of the City Museum, which was not realized. In a 1968 issue of “Vjesnik” he published an article focusing on the achievements in this field, describing the current situation and suggesting future activities. Between 20th and 21st century, following in his footsteps, several restored instruments (Rudolf Rapoldt’s positive organ and Michael Rosenberger’s Hammerklavier), were included in the Museum’s collection and used to be played on at public concerts held at the Varaždin Baroque Evenings. Expert opinions on the other musical instruments of the Museum stock have been provided, and documents have been collected enabling a future restoration. Filić’s idea can be realized by taking further action to have these musical instruments restored, as well as by creating a collection of other exhibits (sheet music, written sources, musical iconography, electronic media contents) thus not only paying him homage, but creating new conditions for further research and creativity in the field of music, science, education, as well as tourism.
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