Slovenian political press about the war with the Russian and other Slavic adversaries in 1914–1916

Abstract

For a vast majority of Slovenians and Slovenian soldiers the Slavic opponents of the Monarchy were enemies. In the period from 1914 to 1916 such sentiments were encouraged by two Slovenian political daily newspapers catholic Slovenec and liberal Slovenski narod, whose attitude allowed no ideas about interaction between Slovenians and the other Slavic nations. Regarding the issue of Slavic identity on the fi rst place were front lines which ran between Austria-Hungary and Germany on the one side and Slavic countries fi ghting them on the other. Despite some articles in which no harsh words were shared concerning Slavic opponents, the path to considering the mutual Slavic identity was decisively closed at both newspapers. There were only the Austrian sense of self-worth and its narrow attitude towards the Slavic identity and culture. Both Slovenec and Slovenski narod signifi cantly consolidated the position that Slovenians ― just like other Slavs in the Habsburg Monarchy ― were Austrians, and those who did not feel the same came from other planet. This attitude was laid by the war, subordinated Slavic interests to the interests of the states participating in it.