10 October Commemorations in Carinthia: Promoting Unity or Division?

Abstract

10 October is a major referent of cultural memory and regional identity in Austria's southernmost province, Carinthia. The region is home to both Slovene-speaking and German-speaking communities and has a long history of interethnic conflict. This article sets out to examine the origins and development of the annual 10 October commemorations, discussing the extent to which these activities contribute to a sense of unity or division in the province. Contemporary commemorations are afforded particular attention and are found to be essentially “exclusive” of the Slovene minority, despite recent efforts to make the commemorations more conciliatory. The fact of a shared cultural space has not yet translated into the true sense of the word “shared”; 10 October does little to promote a sense of unity in the province.