NAGROBNI NAPISI NA SLOVENSKIH POKOPALI.EIH Marija Stanonik Kljuene besede: Slovenija, smrt, pokopali.ea, nagrobni napisi, slovenska literatura Uvod Senca smrti spremlja eloveka, odkar se zaveda svojega .ivljenja. Na diahroni osi je dokaz za to najstarej.a znana pesnitev elove.ke civilizacije - sumerski ep o Gilgame.u, ki je nastal predvidoma okoli leta 2000 pred Kristusovim rojstvom v Mezopotamiji in katerega glavna téma je smrt: Vladar Gilgame. izgubi zvestega prijatelja Engiduja, ki je bil v najbolj.ih letih, in tega ne more sprejeti. Be.i v daljnje kraje in celo na oni svet gre povpra.evat po skrivnosti .ivljenja in smrti. Zve pa le to: .Neizbe.na je bridka smrt.1 Toda napis - ali ga smemo .teti za najzgodnej.i nagrobni napis? - na eni od egiptovskih piramid iz 3. tisoeletja pred Kristusom zagotavlja: Spi., / da se zopet zbudi., / umrje., / da .ivi..2 Enako pomenljive besede, ki jih lahko obrne vsak tudi nase, je dal .e za .ivljenja napisati na svoj nagrobnik koro.ki duhovnik v Meiseldingenu: * 1906 incipit mori z rojstvom je (sem) zaeel umirati . ? incipit vivere s smrtjo je (sem) zaeel .iveti3 . Ta latinski napis iz sodobnosti je lepa iztoenica za opozorilo na rimske nagrobnike z latinskimi napisi, ki tudi na slovenskih tleh dokazujejo, ee drugega ne, da so lahko pomemben vir za preueevanje nekdanjih prebivalcev in njihovih kultur v tem prostoru.4 Nagrobni napis .kofu Gaudenciju v tedanjem Poetoviu (Ptuju) priea, da .so tudi na.i kraji poznali kree mladega kr.eanstva. Pesnik Gaudencijevega nagrobnega napisa namree prosi pokojnega .kofa, naj ne pozabi moliti, da bi obvaroval svojo eredo 1 Anton Feinig, Neizbe.na je bridka smrt, Nagrobni napisi, Celovec-Dunaj-Ljubljana 1997, 9. Ep o Gilgame.u (Sivi kondor V), Ljubljana 1963. 2 Anton Trstenjak, Umrje., da .ivi., Celje 1993, 101-107. M.R., Umrje., da .ivi.. Knjiga .93/6, Ljubljana 1993, 131. 3 A. Trstenjak, n. d., 154. 4 Iva Curk, Rimljani na Slovenskem, Ljubljana 1976, 11, 42. Marija Stanonik vernih pred grabe.ljivim levom, odpadom od vere, kot to razlagajo poznavalci..5 To je .e obdobje, blizu pape.u Damazu, ki med pape.i iz 4. stoletja .e posebej izstopa zaradi odloeilnega prispevka k ee.eenju kr.eanskih mueencev, saj je zanje med drugim pisal nagrobne napise (epitafe). Eeprav so nekateri verzi okorni, mu ne gre odrekati pesni.ke nadarjenosti. .Njegov prijatelj Filokal je prav za klesanje teh napisov oblikoval novo pisavo, ki ohranja monumentalnost stare kvadratne kapitale in dodaja nevsiljivo ornamentiko..6 I. Nagrobni napisi v slovenski publicistiki V slovenskem kulturnem prostoru so, po dosedanjem védenju, prvo pozornost slovenskim nagrobnim napisom zaeeli namenjati sredi 19. stoletja, z nastankom mo.nosti njihovega objavljanja. Kmetijske in rokodelske novice imajo easovno prednost,7 vendar pa kmalu te.i.ee njihovih objav prevzame Zgodnja Danica. Ni te.ko razumeti, zakaj. Ta prvi verski slovenski easopis je od leta 1849 dalje v ne zmeraj enakomernih presledkih v rubriki Nagrobni napisi popolnoma anonimno priobeeval za to specifieno pesni.ko vrsto ustrezne verze. Vendar se zdi, da ne gre za zapise s terena, to je za prepise z nagrobnikov, ampak za koncept uredni.tva, ki je tudi po tej poti sku.alo pribli.ati bralcem neizbe.no resnico prepletenosti .ivljenja in smrti. Kljub doloeenim razloekom v sporoeilu in obliki posameznih epitafov ni mogoee reei, ali je v rubriki sodelovalo vee avtorjev ali imajo zasluge zanjo posamezniki.8 Cenjen avtor tovrstnih napisov je moral biti Matev. Frelih (Lozice na Vipavskem 1828, umrl kot dekan v Trebnjem 1892), saj so iz.li skupaj z drugimi njegovimi prigodnimi pesmimi tudi v posebni knji.ici leta 1854 in .e tretjie v popravljenem ponatisu leta 1886.9 Zanesljivo je v letu svoje smrti, morda v slutnji njenega bli.anja in deloma tudi v duhu svojega easa, zlagal nagrobnice Matev. Lotrie (.elezniki, 1840-1864), ki je umrl .e istega leta, kot je bil posveeen v duhovnika.10 5 Iva Curk, n. d., 89. V bogatem arheolo.kem gradivu ptujskih najdi.e pa se lahko seznanimo tudi z gr.kim napisom, za katerega sklepajo, da je pripadal grobu kr.eanskega mueenca, verjetno iz easa vladanja Diokleciana in Maksimijana. I. Curk, n. d. 61, 89. 6 Zgodnjekr.eanska latinska poezija. Prevedel in komentarje napisal Miran .pelie, Ljubljana 1997, 85. Iz istega obdobja, leta 344, se je ohranil nagrobni napis, ki je kakor molitev za pokojnega: Bog vseh duhov in vsake stvari, / ki si premagal smrt, / ki si dal .ivljenje svetu, / nakloni pokoj du.i mojega oeeta Sinesa. / Naj bo blizu Abrahama, Izaka in Jakoba / v de.eli luei in poeitka, / kjer ni vee trpljenja, boleeine in solza. / Odpusti mu vsak greh, / ki ga je storil v besedah, dejanjih ali mislih, / ker si dober in prijatelj ljudi. / Ti edini si Bog, na tebi ni nobenega greha, tvoja pravienost je veena. / Gospod, tvoja beseda je resnica. / Nakloni pokoj du.i mojega oeeta Sinesa, / ti, ki si pokoj, .ivljenje in vstajenje. / Slava tebi, Oee, Sin in Sveti Duh. / Amen. Miran .pelie, Nagrobni napis, Dru.ina 47, 1. november 1998, .t. 43, 7. 7 Prim. Nagrobni napisi, Kmetijske in rokodelske novice V/1847, 181; IX/1851, 185. 8 Prim. Zgodnja Danica II/1849, 352; III/1850, 25; VIII/1855, 144 152, 164, 192, 202; IX/1856, 20, 198. XXXVIII/1885, 182, 236. 9 Josip Marn, Jezienik XXX, 1892, 12. 10 Karel Glaser, Zgodovina slovenskega slovstva III, 1896, 183. Nagrobni napisi na slovenskih pokopali.eih Primeri iz Zgodnje Danice s podnaslovom Na vsaki grob. Kmalo bode. tud med nami, Morde ravno v moji jami; Zdaj cveteee truplo tvoje Namestilo bode moje.11 Ti, ki tukaj se sprehajaš In po grobih tu postaja. , Truplo moje tu poeiva, Du.a tam plaeilo v.iva; Klieem milo s temne jame: Moli, o prijatel, za-me!12 Preden moje vse ko.ice Bodo zopet prekopali, Bo obledelo tvoje lice, In mem mene Bodo tebe Znabit tukaj pokopali.13 Elovek, glej gomilo mojo! Kar sim jest, bo. skorej ti, In za vso o.abnost svojo Bo. zadobil pest persti.14 Gleda. semterje krog sebe, I.e. kdo de tu alj tam le.i; Sli.i, kaj iz groba klieem ti: .Danes mene, juter tebe. . Ee .eli., de truplo tvoje Vstane v easti sodnji dan, Ne pozabi du.e svoje, Delaj za-njo neugnan.15 Elovek, glej! rebrovje moje, Skorej, skorej bo strohnelo, Namestilo ga bo tvoje, Zdaj cveteee, kmal pa velo.16 11 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 32, 9. véliciga serpana 1855, 136. 12 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 36, 6. kimovca 1855, 152. 13 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 39, 27. kimovca 1855, 164. 14 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 45, V Ljubljani 8. listopada 1855, 192. 15 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 47, V Ljubljani, 22. listopada 1855, 202. 16 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj IX, list 6, Ljubljana 20. su.ca 1856, 56. Marija Stanonik Kaj pomeni pojasnilo Za vsak grob, se poueimo iz primerov, kjer je podnaslov zamenjan z drugim, npr. Na grob mladenea. Lej, o elovek! tako truplo moje, .e clo mlado, skorej bo strohnelo; Spomni se, de tudi truplo tvoje, Pred ko misli., bode ocvetelo.17 Na grob device. Si poni.na ro.ica cvetela Tu na zemlji le za Jezusa, Zdaj pa novo pesem bode. pela Kot devica v dru.bi Jagnjeta.18 Obeasno so jih objavljali tudi drugi easopisi (Slovanski svet19 ), revije (Dom in svet20 ) in koledarji (Drobtinice,21 Mohorjev koledar22 ). V ta okvir sodijo tudi .tevilni zapisi iz easa druge svetovne vojne.23 II. Nagrobni napisi v slovenski literarni kulturi Ta problematika bi zaslu.ila samostojno poglavje, saj bi se ji bilo treba pribli.ati z vee vidikov. Njihova funkcija je mnogostranska. a) Izvr.evalca Glavarjeve oporoke sta dala nad grobom Petra Pavla Glavarja iz Komende v kamen vklesati v latin.eini besede, ki se v prevodu glasijo: .Ubogi! / Pridite, poglejte! / pa tudi .alujte! / Pod kamnitim pokrovom poeiva v miru / Peter Pavel Glavar, / izredni stvariteljski smrtnik. / K .ivljenju bo vstal ob glasu angelske trombe!.24 .e pre- den je Jakob Alja. pri.el na Dovje, je dal zapisati svoji materi na spomenik: Veena lue naj jim sveti, sreno ste nas vi ljubili, / dobra mati bili ste, / vam hvale.no smo toeili / vroeih solzic jagode. / Ko trobenta zabuei, / videli se bomo vsi. 25 .e na prvi pogled opazimo, da oba zapisa vsebujeta motiv .angelskih tromb. / trobent iz svetopisemskega Razodetja. Naslednji napis se je .e izloeil iz te klasiene tradicije in se trudi na.teti vse zasluge pokojnega v smislu realistienega pogleda na svet: Tukaj poeivajo / preeastiti gospod zlatoma.nik / Dr / Jo.ef Mur.ec-.ivkov, / biv.i profesor v Gradcu, / konsistorijalni 17 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 33, 16. véliciga serpana 1855, 140. 18 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 33, 16. véliciga serpana 1855, 140. 19 Slovanski svet VI/1893, 236. 20 Dom in svet 25/1912, 195. 21 Drobtinice 1854, 127, 128; 1859-60, 173 sl. 22 Mohorjev koledar za leto 1953, 175. 23 Prim. Marija Stanonik, Iz kaosa kozmos, Ljubljana 1995, 172-180. 24 Ivan Sivec, In veeno bodo cvetele lipe. Celje 1991, 213. 25 Navaja Ivan Sivec, Triglavski kralj, Dru.ina 38, 13. marca 1994, .t. 11, 13. Nagrobni napisi na slovenskih pokopali.eih svetovalec sekov. in lavant. .kofije, / roj. 1. su.ca 1807 v Bi.u, / umrli 25. vinotoka 1895 v Gradcu. / Bili so pobo.en in izgleden / duhovnik, odlieen slovenski / rodoljub in pisatelj, ter / velikodu.en dobrodelnik / svojim sorodnikom in / .upniji sv. Bolfanka. / Ljubi Bog bodi jim povraenik / v nebesih!26 b) Da nagrobni napis nikakor ni zanemarljiva, ampak v slovenski zavesti stalno navzoea pesni.ka vrsta, dokazujejo France Pre.eren (Grobni napisi: Matiji Eopu, Antonu Linhartu, Francetu Julianiju, Ovsenekovima deekoma, Juriju Kalanu;27 Grabschrift für Emil Korytko28 ), Anton Medved (prve objavljene v Domu in svetu29 ), Alojz Gradnik (Pojoea kri30 ), Ciril Kosmae.31 Ta problematika je bila na robu zanimanja Josipa Vidmarja, ki se je sicer prvi sooeil z .mrtva.kim plesom., to je motivom smrti sploh v slovenski poeziji,32 ker je nagrobni napis praviloma izrecno prigodno literarno dejanje. 67 c) Moean znaeaj in zrelo osebnost dokazujejo mo.je, ki si napi.ejo nagrobni napis zase kar sami. Od kod dobivajo nagib za tako odloeitev, pove dejstvo, da gre, vsaj v doslej znanih primerih vedno za duhovnike. Za Matijo Kastelca (1620-1688) morda ne bi mogli trditi, da se je poleg nabo.nega slovstva ukvarjal tudi s stavbarstvom, ee si ne bi sam na nagrobnik napisal .sciens architecturam. (ve.e arhitekture).33 Miklo. Küzmie (17371804), prekmurski katoli.ki pisatelj34 , je ravnal enako. V slovenskem prevodu se v latin.eini ohranjen nagrobni napis, ki si ga je sam sestavil, glasi: Tu le.im kot prah zemljé, / .itek moj konean je .e. / V Dolnjih Slaveeih sem se rodil / in za Mikló.a kr.een bil. / So Küzmie mi priimek dali / in v Ivanovcih me pokopali. / Pravienega Sodnika preiskavo / sem prestal, prejel razsodbo pravo, / Ti ki bere. erke, / vdolbene v kamen, / moli zame, da me Bog oeisti. Amen.35 Franc Kogej (1884-1938), pokopan v grobnici .entvi.kih (.entvid nad Ljubljano) duhovnikov, je svojo duhovno oporoko .elel imeti napisano na nagrobnem spomeniku: .Kar sem ueil vas, zvesto dr.ite, / lepo .ivite / in za svojega kateheta molite!.36 Tudi Ksaver Me.ko (1874-1964) si je sam pripravil napis za svoj nagrobnik: Na grob pa kri. lesen mi zasadite, / naj vera vam v .ivljenju bo, / le mnogokrat se vanj ozrite, / ker ka.e pot vam v nebo. / Uvene ro.a, a sveti kri. ostane,/ .ivljenje mine, a ostane du.a! / Zato, otroci, le molite zame, / ko grob zelen mi .e zaraste ru.a.37 26 Jo.e Pavlie, Vklesani spomin, Dru.ina 39 (29. okt. 1995), .t. 43, 16. 27 France Pre.eren, Pesnitve in pisma, Ljubjana 1962, 130-131. 28 France Pre.eren, Pesnitve in pisma, Ljubljana 1962, 171. 29 Leksikon Slovenska knji.evnost, Ljubljana 1996, 289. 30 Alojz Gradnik, Pojoea kri, Ljubljana 1944, 37-38. 31 Silvo Fatur, Ljudje in kraji ob Pivki, Postojna 1975, 304-305. 32 Josip Vidmar, Mrtva.ki ples, Ljubljana 1983. 33 Ivo Pirkovie, O nastanku .itnega kozolca, Slovenski etnograf XVI-XVII, Ljubljana 1946, 303. 34 Vsa leta svojega duhovni.kega .ivljenja je prebival v starem lesenem .upnijskem hramu v samotnem Ivano vskem dolu pod bregom Sv. Benedikta v Kaneevcih. Tam, v cerkvi sv. Benedikta, tudi poeiva. Jo.ef Smej, Dru.ina 38 (1994), .t. 14, 12. 35 Jo.ef Smej, Dru.ina 38 (1994), .t. 14, 12. 36 .upnija Ljubjana-.entvid, 900 let, Ljubljana 1991, 145. 37 Viktor Levovnik, V Me.kovih Selah, Rodna gruda 40, julij 1993, 14. Marija Stanonik Tak napis bi utegnil sestaviti tudi pesnik Jo.a Lovreneie, vendar o tem ni nikakr .nih podatkov, razen besedila samega: Moli zame / v upanju kri.a, / ki naju zbli.a / onstran jame. / Moli zame!38 In kadar spet bukve zagore / in kadar spet gabri za.are / bodo iz mene .areli. // .ar - .um in hlad - vse iz mene / pesem, cvet livad - vse iz mene / vse iz mene mrtvega.39 Ali je Stanko Majcen oblikoval napis na naein vlo.nice svojemu sinu, ki je bil izginil leta 1945, ali je imel pred oemi sebe, iz vira ni razvidno. To bi lahko ugotovili na podlagi datuma nastanka besedila. Kr.eansko pojmovanje posmrtne prihodnosti je tu nadomestilo estetsko do.ivljanje panteistienega krogotoka. Obstaja izroeilo, da si je tudi France Pre.eren (1800-1849) zase v kranjskem obdobju ob neki prilo.nosti improviziral navihane verze za napis na svojem grobu: Tukaj 68 poeiva Franc Pre.eren, / nejeveren in vendar veren.40 Drobna besedna igra svetovnonazorsko meri na agnosticizem, a kot .egavi domislici ji lahko postavimo ob bok Partljieevo ..alostno komedijo. iz na.ih dni Na svidenje nad zvezdami: .Humorno bridke so scene pri Tozdu Pogrebnik; prizadevanje, da bi iz njega naredili .najmodernej.e samoupravno podjetje, dru.benopolitieno .iroko odprto vsem obeanom.. Odpraviti napise, ki .izra.ajo religiozno naravnanost na.ega naroda., napis .na svidenje nad zvezdami., je .mistika, vera v posmrtno .ivljenje., zahteva pa napis v slogu: .Tu poeiva Valerija, spreminja se v materija!..41 III. Nagrobni napisi kot vir za razliene zgodovinske panoge Najprej so zbudili pozornost slovenski nagrobni napisi na koro.kih pokopali.eih. Od Strojne in .t. Danijela nad Prevaljami do Peenice pri Ba.kem jezeru jih je iz obdobja med 1853 do 1909 zbral in v treh presledkih objavil Ksaver Me.ko.42 To je spodbudilo Ivana Grafenauerja, da se je naklonjeno pomudil ob njih: .Ob vodilnih umetnikih iz Koro.ke Slovenije tudi preproste umetnosti koro.kih ljudskih pesnikov in bukovnikov ne smemo pozabiti. Priee naravnega pesemskega daru, ne.nih in slikovito izra.enih misli, so mnogi izmed napisov na grobnih spomenikih, kamnitih in lesenih..43 Najlep.i rezultat te prizadevnosti je prva samostojna knjiga slovenskih nagrobnih napisov, ki jo je pripravil Anton Feinig.44 V njej je otetih pozabe tristo (296) koro .kih nagrobnih napisov, ki jih je zaeel zbirati .e v zaeetku .estdesetih let.45 38 Miran Mihelie, .Jaz bi rad ro. rudeeih. Ob 50-letnici obsodbe dr. Jo.e Lovreneiea iz Kreda, Dom 31 (1996), .t. 12, 3. 39 Jo.e Zadravec, .Tje bomo na.li pot., Ljubljana 1988, 105-106. 40 Boris Paternu, France Pre.eren in njegovo pesni.ko delo, Ljubljana 1976, 34. France Stele, Donesek k spominu na Pre.erna, Dom in svet 1930, 309. 41 Tone Partljie, .In kadar spet bukve zagore in kadar spet gabri za.are., Delo, Knji.evni listi, 9. 12. 1993, 7. 42 Ksaver Me.ko, Koledar Mohorjeve dru.be 1910, 72; 1911, 26-29; 1921, 52. 43 Ivan Grafenauer, Slovensko slovstvo na Koro.kem, .iv elen vseslovenskega slovstva, Literarnozgodovinski spisi, Ljubljana 1980, 517. 44 Anton Feinig, Nagrobni napisi od .entlenarta do Gol.ova, Celovec 1997. 45 A. Feinig, n. d., 7. Nagrobni napisi na slovenskih pokopali.eih Prav je, da avtor ob tem na zamolei pe.anja in sramovanja slovenske narodne prepoznavnosti: .Na .alost je na na.ih koro.kih pokopali.eih vedno manj slovenskih napisov, .e bolj redki pa postajajo verzi. Stari napisi so .e obledeli in se slabo vidijo, nekateri so .e neeitljivi, ker jih nihee ne obnovi vee. Na novih nagrobnih kamnih pa so napisana najveekrat le .e imena umrlih in letnice rojstva in smrti, slovenskih rajmov pa je zelo zelo malo. Opa.am velik strah pred vsako slovensko besedo, celo pred erko!, da ne bi izdala prikrito narodnost. To je za nas seveda velika .koda. Polagoma bodo izbrisane .e vse zadnje sledi, celo na kraju na.ega zadnjega poeitka. Ti zbrani nagrobni napisi - verzi naj bi odprli koro.kim Slovencem oei, da bi spoznali, kak.na pomembna kulturna dragocenost so bili in so ti rajmi..46 V smislu koncentrienih krogov zaeenjamo njihovo predstavitev na zunanjem obo-69 du, v slovenskem zamejstvu. Poleg pietetne funkcije, ki jo nagrobni napisi v prvi vrsti opravljajo, imajo v tem prostoru .e veliko veljavnej.o, dru.beno razse.nost, ki se jo dá lepo razbrati iz kritiene Feinigove to.be nad njihovim izginjanjem. Nagrobni napis duhovniku v Ukvah govori sam zase, da je bila v 19. stoletju sloven.eina v Kanalski dolini obieajni jezik sporazumevanja: Gospod Jo.ef .karbina / rojeni v Loeah 10. nov. 1821. Umerli 29. sept. 1879. Fajmo.ter v Ukvah 13 let, / Bili so svoji eedi zvest pastir, / mladini skrbljiv ueenik, za bo.jo / east ves unet, zatorej nam nepozabljen.47 Na nagrobniku koro.kega .upnika Vinka Poljanca, ki je mueeni.ke smrti umrl leta 1938, napis na spomeniku kratko pove, kdo je bil pokojni in kaj je pomenil koro.kim Slovencem: Bil je skrben du.ni pastir! - Znaeaj kakor eisto zlato! - Bo.je ljubezni nositelj! Narodu modri voditelj! 48 Morda se bo v tujem svetu, kjer niti ni (bilo) pogojev za rezko tekmovalnost, njihova prieevalnost la.je upirala zobu easa kakor v na.em zamejstvu, kjer konkurenenost dveh ali treh subjektov za .ivljenjski prostor neizprosno bri.e kulturo .ibkej.ega, eemur smo neposredne priee. Na krajih, kamor so se v tak.ni ali drugaeni stiski zatekli na.i ljudje, bodo morda ostali nemi pomniki vztrajnosti in .ilavosti, upa in obupa. Nekoe bodo na njihovi podlagi odkrivali, kje vse so (bile) po starem ali novem svetu raztresene naselbine slovenskih izseljencev: .Pokrajina, suha in posuta s skalami, sredi nje pokopali.ee. Zrak je eist, obrisi zarje nataneno loeijo zemljo od nebes. In v daljavi mogoena Aconcagua z veenim belim snegom. Na tem ko.eku ameri.ke zemlje, pod najvi.jo goro Novega sveta, poeiva prvi izseljenski duhovnik med rojaki v Argentini, Jo.e Kastelic. Sin slovenske zemlje ter ljubitelj gora, neumorni du.ni pastir svojih rojakov, razpr.enih po .irjavah Novega sveta. Ljubezen do gorskih vi.in ga je gnala na Aconcaguo, kjer je za vedno zaspal sredi viharja v letu 1940. Verzi na kamnitem stebru, ki so mu ga .hvale.ni rojaki. postavili na grob, ga predstavijo: 46 Anton Feinig, Uvodna beseda, Nagrobni napisi od .entlenarta do Gol.ova, Celovec 1997, 7-8. 47 Dorica Makuc, Ukljankski .upniki, Rodna gruda 37, .t. 1, 1990, 20. 48 I. M. Spominska prireditev, Pred 50 leti je mueeni.ke smrti umrl na Koro.kem .upnik Vinko Poljanec. Dru.ina 37 (1988), .t. 35, 2. Marija Stanonik V miru poeivaj slovenske zemlje sin, vneti ljubitelj visokih planin. Narodu bil si vodnik do veenih vi.in.49 V kamen vklesani napisi (ni nujno, da so ravno v verzih) so toliko bolj neprecenljiv vir za razliene zgodovinske panoge, kolikor starej.i so. Lepo prilo.nost za dokaz te trditve daje naslednji primer. .Med potjo s pokopali.ea se mi oko ustavi .e na lepem starinskem spomeniku, kjer pi.e: Tu poeiva na. dobri oee Peter Zadravec - Amerikanec, eastni elan pari.ke Akademije znanosti, posestnik in mlinar v Loper.icah. Roj. 1. VII. 1850, umrl 29. VII. 1936. ,Na bo.je poti rad si romal, ni ti te.ka bila pot, koneno k Bogu si priromal svojo zadnjo bo.jo pot.. 50 Pa smo tam, sem dejal. Na majhnem skritem, humskem pokopali.eu poeivajo posmrtni ostanki velikega mo.a, ki ga nihee vee ne omenja, eloveka, ki je mnogo prispeval k na.i prehrani, ki je izumil posebno moko, hrano dojenekov in starekov. Zaslu.il si je spomenik v Ormo.u, ne samo tistega, ki so mu ga postavili hvale.ni otroci na humskem pokopali.eu..51 IV. Zamisel o zbiranju slovenskih nagrobnih napisov Prva misel o zbiranju nagrobnih napisov se je porodila .e za easa .tudija ob nekem potovanju iz Kranjske gore eez Vr.ie v So.ko dolino. Ustavili smo se v Logu pod Mangrtom in tedaj sem postala pozorna na .tevilne imenitne nagrobne napise na pokopali.eu zraven avtobusne postaje. Leta in leta sem eutila dol.nost, da bi jih morala iti zapisat, toda ko sem se ob prilo.nosti, spet na vo.nji z avtobusom, tam pomudila, sem razoearano ugotovila, da sem prepozna. Veeino nagrobnikov so zamenjali in na novih 49 Irene Mislej, Ob 60-letnici Duhovnega .ivljenja, Mohorjev koledar 1994, Celje 1993, 124. 50 Slovenski biografski leksikon, 14. zvezek, 1986, 740 pi.e o njem: Zadravec Peter, mlinar in izumitelj, roj. 1. avg. 1850 v Loper.icah tesarju Jo.efu in Margareti, r. Lukman, ter u. 29. jul. 1936 (pok. v Humu pri Ormo.u). Po osnovni .oli v Humu se je izueil za mlinarja v Sredi.eu ob Dravi in delal po veejih mlinskih obratih na .tajerskem. Od mladosti se je zanimal za mehaniko, zlasti za mlinske naprave in stroje. V .elji, da bi se seznanil z najnovej.o mlinsko tehniko, je 1885 odpotoval v ZDA, kjer je ostal do 1893. Najprej je delal na kmetiji, nato v San Antoniu (Teksas) v umetnem mlinu, kjer je bil zadnji dve leti obratovodja. V prostem easu je .tudiral strok. literaturo. Skonstruiral je sito za moko (flour separator) in pogon za veeji vetrni mlin (primeren za Holandijo). .e med bivanjem v Ameriki je kupil v bli.ini svojega doma v Loper.icah mlin z malim posestvom, kjer je po vrnitvi mlinaril do smrti (prijel se ga je vzdevek Amerikanec). Z nasveti je pomagal okoli.kim mlinarjem in podpiral .olarje rodnega kraja. Za uspe.ne inovacije in praktiene izbolj.ave v mlinski tehniki mu je Academie parisienne des inventeurs industrielles et exposants podelila diplomo z zlato medaljo in ga imenovala za eastnega elana. 51 Rado Kukovec, S Huma po ..tükeh. v Ormo., Mohorjev koledar 1992, Celje 1991, 89-90. Nagrobni napisi na slovenskih pokopali.eih je le tu in tam vklesan .e kak zapis. Ee so .e mene opisane zamenjave trpko presenetile, kako lahko zadenejo .ele neposredno prizadete. ..Namesto kri.a stoji na grobu razko .en spomenik, na katerem pi.e: Tu poeiva Franc Le.niear. To je mo. moje sestre Micike, ki je umrl pred kratkim. Sestra mu je postavila spomenik na dedkovem in babieinem grobu, na spomeniku pa ni na.la prostora za njuno ime. .alostno po.rem slino, ki se mi je ustavila v grlu, in reeem: .Ne razumem, ne razumem! Zakaj? Zakaj? Kako je mogla?. In potrt zapu.eam materin grob, ki ga ni vee. Z mislijo na dedeka in babico, ki nimata vee spomenika in bosta zato ostala le v mojem srcu. se vraeam..52 Vedno vee takih do.ivetij narekuje, da je treba pohiteti. Za tukaj.njo prilo.nost je mogoee podati le neke vrste medfazno poroeilo. S pomoejo nekaterih sodelavk53 je bilo doslej pregledanih dvain.tirideset slovenskih pokopali.e54 in tako zbranih blizu 900 napisov. Ee zra-71ven pri.tejemo .e .e objavljene iz omenjene knjige, ki vsebuje slovenske napise s Koro .ke v Avstriji, je ta eas evidentiranih 1187 nagrobnih napisov. Tako .tevilo .e omogoea nakazati prve obrise njihovih posebnosti. a) Nagrobni napisi iz 19. stoletja Prvo lepo preseneeenje se navezuje na diahrono perspektivo. Kar nekaj napisov je .e mogoee najti iz 19. stoletja. Zasluga za to gre praksi, da so nekdaj nagrobnike uglednih mo. po doloeenem obdobju vzidavali na zunanjo stran cerkvenih sten. Praviloma gre za nagrobne napise duhovnikom. Zato so .e toliko bolj dragoceni primeri, kot je ta iz .entlovrenca na Dolenjskem: Tukej poeivata, in pereakujeta / goruztajine MATIJA SUPANEIE / iz Korenitke, 73 let star, / vmerl v letu 1845 - in njegova / .ena JRA, na gorenskim / rojena PEGAM, stara 75 let, / vmerla v letu 1848 - / Bog bodi jima milaztu, / daj jima veein mir in pokoj / in veena ljue jima sveti.55 b) Nagrobni napisi otrokom Najbolj pretresljivi so napisi globoko .alujoeih star.ev za svojimi prezgodaj umrlimi otroki. Starej.i napisi zanje se navezujejo na staro vero, da nedol.ni otroci postanejo po smrti angeleki. .e France Pre.eren se je oprl nanjo, a jo zvoeno in vizualno in gestikulacijsko razgibal: Jasni so in sreeni b.li / njij. .ivljenja kratki dni. / Glas zasli..ta: .Prid.te k meni, / majhni vi, nezadol.eni!. / Du.e njij.ne sta vesele / repetnieice razpele. / Oea, matere oeesa / môkre gledajo v nebesa.56 Ka.e, da je ta ljubka metaforika spodbujala dokaj moean pesni.ki navdih, kakor dokazujeta naslednja primera. Prvi za 52 R. Kukovec, S Huma, n. d., 89-90. 53 Breda Karner (Hlevni Vrh, Ledine, Medvedje Brdo, Nova Oselica, Rovte, Stara Oselica, Vrh Svetih Treh kraljev, Zavratec, 128 nagrobnih napisov), Marta Koren (.krile pri Danah, .pitalie, 2), Zdenka Primo.ie (Lipica pri .kofji Loki, Reteee, Stara Loka, .kofja Loka, 230 nagrobnih napisov), Ema in Andreja Sev.ek (Dobrepolje, dvoje pokopali.e, 98 napisov), nekaj .tudentk (Maribor, Gornja Radgona, 19 napisov). 54 Po abecedi: Breznica na Gorenjskem, Ee.nijice nad Blagovico, Erna na Koro.kem, Dravlje, Leskovica v Poljanski dolini, Ljubno na Gorenjskem, Hrenovice, Jezersko, Komenda, Luee, Mekinje pri Kamniku, Mohliee na Koro.kem, Nova vas v Istri, Postojna, Sela pri Kamniku, Sveta Gora (Skalnica), Soleava, Stranje pri Kamniku, .entgo tard pri Trojanah, Tremun, Tunjice, Zaplana, Zasavska Sveta Gora. 55 Jo.e Pavlie, Vklesani spomin, Dru.ina 39 (29. okt. 1995), .t. 43, 16. 56 F. Pre.eren, Ovsenekovima deekoma, Pesnitve in pisma, Ljubljana 1962, 130. Marija Stanonik deeka: Bil sem angeleek pri vas doma, / .e lep.i sem angel v naroeju / veenega Boga.57 In drugi za deklico: .e mala v cvetju mladih let / pustila si ta revni svet. // Zdaj v raju z angelci vesela / Bogu bo. veeno Hvalo pela.58 Pogosto je prebrati: Sladko spanekaj, Sladko spavaj, vendar sintagmi kljub temu ne delujeta kli.ejsko. c) Nagrobni napisi mladim Ti napisi so po svoje .e bolj oto.ni kakor napisi otro(e)kom, saj se njihovi najbli.ji ne morejo vee tola.iti z njihovo angelsko transformacijo, poleg tega pa so se tudi eustveno .e bolj navezali nanje. Tu dr.i, kakor je dejala stara .ena iz Soleave, ki je ostala sama: .Pravijo, da je najhuj.e svojo kri pokopavat.,59 namree - svojega otroka. Vendar je tudi tu, kro 72 nolo.ko gledano, zaznati precej.nje spremembe v te.i.eu sporoeila. Napis iz prve polovice 20. stoletja napeljuje, se zdi, na razoearanje zaradi izloeitve mladeniea iz va.ke skupnosti in rodovnega nasledstva: Bil velik si oeetov up - / in fantov pogre.a te eeta, / Prej dru.be in dru.tva vnet elan, / u.ivaj nebesa zdaj sveta. / Postavil .alostni oee.60 Sredi stoletja je aktualna metafora .cvet mladosti., ki je znana tudi iz drugih lirskih vrst: V cvetju mladosti / zapustil si svet, / v raju nebe.kem / se vidimo spet.61 Konec sedemdesetih let je resignacija polo.ena v usta pokojnega: Zbogom vam in mladosti, / ki sem jo pre.ivel med vami.62 Zamisel o posmrtnem .ivljenju je ali zatajena ali pa je vee ni. e) Nagrobni napisi ponesreeenim V tej skupini se loeita dve skupini ponesreeencev: planinci in .rtve prometnih nesree. Na primer: Tukaj poeiva / .rtev Kamni.kih / planin / RUDI PEEAR / * 22. 4. 1912 . 2. 9. 1930 // Tebi RUDI sveti raj, / nam pa Bog tola.bo daj. // Prijatelji prijatelju.63 Naslednje besedilo je lep primer prepletanja metaforike .cveta., znanega iz razdelka o mladosti, in gora: Ta gomila mlad pod sabo / skriva cvet omahnil v gorah / sredi si najlep.ih let.64 Iz standardnih okvirov izstopa napis, ki v primerjavi z drugimi deluje naravnost romaneskno: V triglavskem pogorju izzvenel / tvoj korak, gore so zadu.ile / tvoj poslednji krik, a nam, / ki smo ljubili te, iz dneva / v dan raste v neskonenost / tvoj dragi lik.65 Naslednja dva napisa delujeta kot ubesedene risbe na tablah oz. znamenjih, ki so zaznamovala kraj nesreee. Gre za sorazmerno prozaieni sporoeili, ki ju obkro.a eustvo le na robu. Kolesa avtomobila / so me odtrgala od vas, / ne .alujte dragi za menoj, / saj sinko je .e vedno va..66 Kruti topol te je ubil - / ljubezen mojo pogubil. / Irena.67 57 A. Feinig, n. d., 7. 58 Krista Gabriel * 2. 6. 1960 . 15. 9. 1966, .t. Jakob v Ro.u. Zapisala M. Stanonik, 2. 4. 1978. 59 Terenski podatek, Soleava, 22. julija 1995. 60 Sela nad Kamnikom, Francetu Resniku, *1903, . 1926. Umrl kot vojak v Skopju. 61 Leskovica, *1926-1950. 62 Dravlje, *1960-1979. 63 Jo.e Pavlie, Vklesani spomin, Dru.ina 39 (29. okt. 1995), .t. 43, 16. 64 Dravlje, *1964, .1982. 65 Breznica pri Vrbi na Gorenjskem, . 1968, . 1969. 66 Dravlje, *1942, . 1986. 67 Dravlje, Oeka Janez Zajc, *1938 - . 1965. Nagrobni napisi na slovenskih pokopali.eih d) Nagrobni napisi, ki omogoeajo .alo Za konec .e dva napisa, ki dovoljujeta zdravilen na/smeh: Tukaj je en hladen grobek, / kjer poeiva Mici Bobek, / milo kliee iz temne jame: / O, prijatelj, moli zame!68 Dragi mo. / Poeivaj v miru, / dokler se spet / ne snideva.69 Prvi primer povzroea vedrino zaradi prikupne rime prvega dvosti.ja: grobek - Bobek. Kakor da bi se kdo res hotel poigrati s pomanj.evalnienim priimkom. Za drugi napis (mi) lokacija ni znana, zato tudi ni mogoee jameiti za zanesljivost njegovega obstoja, vendar je dokaj verjeten. Prvi hip ni z napisom nie narobe, a pri skrbnej.em branju se zavemo dvoumnosti formulacije. Smeh, eetudi skozi solze, je vedno dobrodo.el. Prva analiza zbranega gradiva narekuje nadaljnjo obravnavo na ravni njegove duhovne sporoeilnosti, du.evnega zdravljenja, kulturnega dokumenta, in celo vrsto 73 oblikovnih vpra.anj, kot so easovna pogojenost stilemov, .anrski problemi, problemi stereotipov in folklorizacije. 68 Sto.ice, napis je obstajal .e v letih po drugi svetovni vojni. Zapisal po spominu Mirko Ramov., ISN, ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, 10. 10. 1988. 69 Sinja Zemljie, ISN, ZRC SAZU, in Ana Lavrie, In.titut za umetnostno zgodovino Franceta Steleta, ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, 28. 2. 1992. EPITAPHS IN SLOVENE CEMETERIES Marija Stanonik Key words: Slovenia, death, cemetery, epitaphs, Slovene literature Introduction Man has lived in the shadow of death since he became aware of himself and life. Diachronically, evidence is provided by the oldest known poem of human civilisation the Sumerian epic about Gilgamesh which presumably dates to around 2000 BC in Mesopotamia and which central theme is death: King Gilgamesh, whose loyal friend Enkidu dies in the prime of his life, refuses to accept the loss. He flees to faraway places and even to the other world to inquire about the secret of life and death. The only answer he gets is: There is no escape from bitter death.1 But the inscription on one of Egypt.s pyramids from the 3rd millennium BC - we may well deem it to be the earliest epitaph in history! - assures us: You live, to wake up again, / you die, to live again.2 A Carinthian priest from Meiseldingen had the following similarly meaningful words which everyone can apply to himself written on his tombstone while he was still alive: * 1906 incipit mori - Upon birth he (I) started to die . incipit vivere - Upon death he (I) started to live3 . This Modern-Age Latin inscription is an adequate starting-point for drawing attention to the Latin inscriptions which, if nothing else, in Slovenia too prove that they can be an important source for the study of the inhabitants and their cultures in this area in the past.4 The epitaph dedicated to Bishop Gaudentius from the then Poetovio (present-day Ptuj) witnesses that .here too, early Christianity experienced convul 1 Anton Feinig, Neizbe.na je bridka smrt, Nagrobni napisi, Celovec-Dunaj-Ljubljana 1997, 9. Ep o Gilgame.u (Sivi kondor V), Ljubljana 1963. 2 Anton Trstenjak, Umrje., da .ivi., Celje 1993, 101-107. M. R., Umrje., da .ivi.. Volume .93/6, Ljubljana 1993, 131. 3 A. Trstenjak, op. cit., 154. 4 Iva Curk, Rimljani na Slovenskem, Ljubljana 1976, 11, 42. Epitaphs in Slovene Cemeteries sions... The author of Gaudentius. epitaph indeed begs the deceased Bishop not to forget to pray and to protect his flock of believers against the greedy lion, that is against apostasy as the metaphor is explained by experts..5 This is indeed a period close to that of Pope Damasus who stands out particularly among the popes of the 4th century because of his decisive contribution to the worship of Christian martyrs, among others by writing tombstone inscriptions or epitaphs for them. Though some of his verses are rather unpolished, they reveal a certain talent for poetry. .His friend Philocalus invented a new script for carving these inscriptions which preserves the monumental character of the old square capitals and adds an unobtrusive ornament to them.6 I. Epitaphs in Slovene journalism Judging from our present knowledge attention was first given to Slovene epitaphs in the Slovene cultural area in the mid-19 century, that is when it became possible to publish them. Kmetijske in rokodelske novice (Peasant and Crafts News) are certainly the first,7 but the focus soon shifted to epitaphs published in Zgodnja Danica, and this is not hard to understand. This first religious newspaper in Slovene published from 1849 onwards printed in not always equal intervals and under the heading Epitaphs completely anonymously appropriate verses which were quite representative of this specific line of poetry. It appears, however, that they are not field notes, that is lines copied from tombstones, but an editorial concept which in this way too endeavoured to familiarise the readers with the inevitable truth that life and death are interconnected. In spite of certain minor differences contained in the messages and in the forms of individual epitaphs we cannot establish whether the section was written by several authors or the fruit of (subsequent) individuals.8 A distinguished author of these inscriptions must have been Matev. Frelih (Lozice, Vipava Valley, 1828, died as deacon in Trebnje in 1892) since they were published together with his other occasional poetry in a special booklet in 1854 and in a third revise reprint in 1886.9 What is known with certainty is that in the year of his death, perhaps as a premonition of his own death, 5 Iva Curk, op. cit., 89. The rich archaeological material from the Ptuj sites also yielded a Greek inscription which is thought to belong to the grave of a Christian martyr, presumably from the reign of Diocletian or Maximian. I. Curk, op. cit. 61, 89. 6 Zgodnjekr.eanska latinska poezija. Prevedel in komentarje napisal Miran .pelie, Ljubljana 1997, 85. From the same period (344) an epitaph has survived that sounds like a prayer for the deceased: God of all spirits and all things / You who defeated death/ who gave life to the world / bequeath peace to the soul of my father Sines. / Let him be close to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob /in the land of light and rest, / where there is no more suffering, nor pain nor tears. / Forgive him all the sins which he committed in words, deeds or thought, / for You are good and a friend of people. / You are the only God, there is no sin on You, Your justice is eternal. / Lord, Your word is the truth. / Give peace to the soul of my father Sines, / You, who are peace, life and the resurrection. / Blessed be the, Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. / Amen. Miran .pelie, Nagrobni napis, Dru.ina 47, 1. november 1998, no. 43, 7. 7 Cp. Epitaphs, Kmetijske in rokodelske novice V/1847, 181; IX/1851, 185. 8 Cp. Zgodnja Danica II/1849, 352; III/1850, 25; VIII/1855, 144, 152, 164, 192, 202; IX/1856, 20, 198. XXXVIII/1885, 182, 236. 9 Josip Marn, Jezienik XXX, 1892, 12. Marija Stanonik but also in the spirit of the time, he wrote the epitaph for Matev. Lotrie (.elezniki, 1840-1864), who died in the year of his ordination to the priesthood.10 Some examples from Zgodnja Danica subtitled for any grave. Soon among us you will be, Right here in my grave maybe; Your body now so fine, Will then replace mine. 11 You who walk around From grave to grave bound, My body rests in this yard, While my soul enjoys its reward; I beg you from the dark grave Let your prayers help me save!12 Before they will rebury These little bones of mine, Your face will turn pale, And next to me A grave will be, that will be all thine. 13 Look, in this mound I hide, What I am now, soon you will be, And for all your pride, Dust is all there shall be for thee.14 You look around to see, Who lies here, who there, you seek; Listen to what from the grave I speak: .Today me, tomorrow thee. ” If you want your body to rise And honour Judgement Day, Do not forget you soul, be wise, Work for it and pray. 15 10 Karel Glaser, Zgodovina Slovenskega slovstva III, 1896, 183. 11 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 32, 9. véliciga serpana 1855, 136. 12 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 36, 6. kimovca 1855, 152. 13 Zgodnja Danica,teeaj VIII, list 39, 27. kimovca 1855, 164. 14 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 45, V Ljubljani 8. listopada 1855, 192. 15 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj VIII, list 47, V Ljubljani 22. listopada 1855, 202. Epitaphs in Slovene Cemeteries Look here, this carcass of mine, Soon, so soon will decline, And yours, still in the prime, Will take its place in no time16 . What is meant by .for any grave. is explained by the examples in which the subtitle reads .for the graves of the young .. Look here, this body of mine, so young, will soon decline. Remember, that your body.s song Will fade out ere long.17 For a virgin.s grave As a humble flower you were blooming, Here on Earth as Jesus. pride. Now a new song you will be singing, As a virgin at the Lamb.s side. 18 Epitaphs were published occasionally also by other newspapers (Slovanski svet19, the magazine Dom in svet20 ) and in calendars (Drobtinice,21 Mohorjev koledar22). To this group also belong the numerous records from the Second World War.23 II. Epitaphs in Slovene literary culture The issue would merit a chapter of its own as it would have to be approached from several angles. The epitaphs have indeed many different functions. a) The executors of the will of Peter Pavel Glavar from Komenda had a Latin inscription carved in his tombstone which reads translated: .Poor people! / Come and watch! / and mourn too! / Under this stone cover rests in peace / Peter Pavel Glavar,/ an exceptional, creative mortal. / He will rise to live again when the angels. trombones will resound!.24 Before he moved to Dovje Jakob Alja. had the following inscription made 16 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj IX, list 6, Ljubljana 20. su.ca 1856, 56. 17 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj IX, list 33, 16. véliciga serpana 1855, 140. 18 Zgodnja Danica, teeaj IX, list 33, 16. véliciga serpana 1855, 140. 19 Slovanski svet VI/1893, 236. 20 Dom in svet 25/1912, 195. 21 Drobtinice 1854, 127, 128; 1859-60, 173 pp. 22 Mohorjev koledar za leto 1953, 175. 23 Cp. Marija Stanonik, Iz kaosa kozmos, Ljubljana 1995, 172-180. 24 Ivan Sivec, In veeno bodo cvetele lipe. Celje 1991, 213. Marija Stanonik on his mother.s tombstone: May the eternal light your path, you who loved us all so dearly, / a good mother you have been, / and in gratitude we shed / hot tears. / When the trumpet resounds, / we shall all meet again.25 It is, of course, obvious right away that both inscriptions contains the same motif from the Book of Revelation - the angels. trombones/trumpet. The next inscription we turn to already diverges from this classical tradition and strives to enumerate all the deceased.s merits in the manner of a realistic view of the world: Here rests / Dr. Jo.ef Mur.ec-.ivkov, / 50 years a priest/ former professor in Graz, / consistory counsellor of the Seckau and Lavant Deaconry, / born March 1 1807 in Bi., / died October 25, 1895 in Graz. // He was a pious and exemplary / priest, an eminent Slovene / patriot and writer and / a generous benefactor / to his rela 78 tives and / to the parish of St Bolfank.// Dear Lord, reward him in heaven!26 b) That epitaphs are far from being a insignificant line of poetry, but instead something that is continuously present in Slovene consciousness, is more than substantiated by the great poets France Pre.eren (epitaphs dedicated to Matija Eop, Anton Linhart, France Juliani, the Ovsenek boys, Jurij Kalan;27 and Grabschrift für Emil Korytko28 ), Anton Medved (the first ones to be published in the magazine Dom in svet29), Alojz Gradnik (Pojoea kri30 ), and by writer Ciril Kosmae.31 The topic was also of marginal interest to Josip Vidmar, who was actually the first to tackle the .Dance of death. that is the motif of death in general in Slovene poetry.32 Epitaphs are indeed as a rule explicitly literary products. c) People who write their own epitaph must be endowed with a strong character and a mature personality. What drives them to it is evident from the fact that at least all cases known to date concern priests. We would hardly have known that Matija Kastelec (1620-1688) occupied himself beside with devout literature also with architecture, if it wasn.t for his tombstone with the inscription .sciens architecturam. (.knowledgeable on architecture.).33 Miklo. Küzmie (1737-1804), a Catholic writer from Prekmurje,34 acted in the same way. The Slovene translation of the Latin epitaph he composed for himself reads: As the dust of the earth here I lie, / my life has gone by. / In Dolnji Slaveei I was born / Mikló. the name to be worn. / Küzmie was the surname I got, / and a grave in Ivanovci my ultimate lot. / A righteous Judge tried me / and a proper verdict issued He, / You who read these letters, / carved in stone, / pray that God may cleanse me of my sins. 25 Navaja Ivan Sivec, Triglavski kralj, Dru.ina 38, 13. marca 1994, no. 11, 13. 26 Jo.e Pavlie, Vklesani spomin, Dru.ina 39 (29. okt. 1995), no. 43, 16. 27 France Pre.eren, Pesnitve in pisma, Ljubjana 1962, 130-131. 28 France Pre.eren, Pesnitve in pisma, Ljubljana 1962, 171. 29 Leksikon Slovenske knji.evnost, Ljubljana 1996, 289. 30 Alojz Gradnik, Pojoea kri, Ljubljana 1944, 37-38. 31 Silvo Fatur, Ljudje in kraji ob Pivki, Postojna 1975, 304-305. 32 Josip Vidmar, Mrtva.ki ples, Ljubljana 1983. 33 Ivo Pirkovie, O nastanku .itnega kozolca, Slovenski etnograf XVI-XVII, Ljubljana 1946, 303. 34 During his entire career as a priest he dwelled in the old wooden parish temple of solitary Ivanovski dol, Sv. Benedikt, Kaneevci. It is there, in the church of St. Benedikt, that he rests. Jo.ef Smej, Dru.ina 38 (1994), no. 14, 12. Epitaphs in Slovene Cemeteries Amen.35 Franc Kogej (1884-1938), buried in the vault of the .entvid priests specified in his last will that he wanted the following inscription on his tombstone: .What I have taught you, adhere to faithfully, / live your life truthfully / and pray for your catechist carefully.! 36 Ksaver Me.ko (1874-1964) too formulated the epitaph for his tombstone himself: .Plant a wooden cross on my grave, / let faith lighten your every day, / turn to it when you need to be brave / to heaven it will show you the way. / A flower withers, but the holy cross stays, / life passes, but the soul never! / Therefore, children, pray for me always / for green sods will cover my grave forever.37 Poet Jo.a Lovreneie may have composed a similar inscription, but there is no actual evidence to prove this, except for the preserved text: .Pray for me / in the hope of the cross / which brings together me and thee / beyond the grave.s loss. / Pray for me!38 79 And when the beeches will blossom once more / and their crowns radiate as never before / they will shine out of me . // Their shine, rustle and shade will all grow out of me / the song and flower of the mead - will come out of me, all out of my dead self...39 Whether Stanko Majcen composed the inscription in the form of a lyrical poem for his son who disappeared in 1945 or whether he had in mind his own person, is not evident from the source. This might, however, be established on the base of the date the text was written. The Christian conception of life after death is here replaced by an aesthetic experience of a pantheistic cycle. The legend has it that during his stay in Kranj France Pre.eren (1800-1849) improvised on a certain occasion the following roguish verses for the inscription on his grave: France Pre.eren rests here / in disbelief/as a believer / in grief.40 This miniature ideological pun points towards agnosticism, but as a pun we can compare it with See you beyond the stars, Partljie.s contemporary .sorrowful comedy.: .Humorous and bitter are the scenes in the state undertakers; the efforts of its staff to make it .the most modern self-governing company, socially and politically open to all citizens.. Replacing .inscriptions which reveal the religious nature of our people., with .see you beyond the stars.; replacing .the mystic belief in life after death. with an inscription in the manner of .Hear me John Natter, I.m changing into matter...41 35 Jo.ef Smej, Dru.ina 38 (1994), no. 14, 12. 36 .upnija Ljubjana-.entvid, 900 let, Ljubljana 1991, 145. 37 Viktor Levovnik, V Me.kovih Selah, Rodna gruda 40, julij 1993, 14. 38 Miran Mihelie, .Jaz bi rad ro. rudeeih. Ob 50-letnici obsodbe dr. Jo.e Lovreneiea iz Kreda, Dom 31 (1996) , no. 12, 3. 39 Jo.e Zadravec, .Tje bomo na.li pot., Ljubljana 1988, 105-106. 40 Boris Paternu, France Pre.eren in njegovo pesni.ko delo, Ljubljana 1976, 34. France Stele, Donesek k spo minu na Pre.erna, Dom in svet 1930, 309. 41 Tone Partljie, .In kadar spet bukve zagore in kadar spet gabri za.are, Delo, Knji.evni listi, 9. 12. 1993, 7. Marija Stanonik III. Epitaphs as a source for various historical disciplines The first to attract attention were the Slovene epitaphs in Carinthian cemeteries. Ksaver Me.ko collected them from Strojna and St. Danijel near Prevalje to Peenica on Faaker See between 1853 and 1909 and published them in three sequels.42 This stimulated Ivan Grafenauer to reflect on these epitaphs with some affection: .Beside the leading artists from Slovene Carinthia we should not forget about the simple artistic endeavours of Carinthian folk poets and writers. Many inscriptions on tombs in wood or stone bear witness to their natural gift for poetry, for reflections expressed gently 80 and charmingly..43 The ripest fruit of these endeavours is the first independent book of Slovene epitaphs edited by Anton Feinig.44 Nearly 300 (to be exact: 296) Carinthian epitaphs gathered from the early 1860s onwards were saved from oblivion.45 The author has the courage not to ignore the weakening of an overt Slovene national identity and the shame accompanying it: .Unfortunately, there are increasingly less Slovene epitaphs to be found in cemeteries, and verses are even rarer. Old inscriptions are fading and hardly visible, some are quite illegible because nobody takes care of them. On new tombstones most often only the names of the deceased are written and their years of birth and death, but there are very few Slovene rhymes. In my eyes this is caused by a great fear of any Slovene word or even Slovene letter, fear to betray one.s concealed nationality. This is of course very detrimental to our cause. Gradually, the last traces will be erased, even at the place of our ultimate rest. These collected epitaphs and verses should open the eyes of the Carinthian Slovenes and tell them how important and culturally precious these rhymes were and continue to be..46 In a sense of concentric circles we shall start the presentation of these epitaphs on the outer fringe or perimeter, that is with the autochthonous Slovenes across the borders. Beside their primary pious function they harbour a much more significant, social dimension in this area which is quite obvious from Feinig.s critical complaint about their gradual disappearing. The epitaph for of a priest in Ukve tells us quite clearly that Slovene was the lingua franca of Val Canale in the 19th century: Reverend Jo.ef .karbina / born in Loee, Nov. 10, 1821. Died Sept, 29, 1879. Priest in Ukve for 13 years, / He was a faithful shepherd to his flock, / a caring teacher to the young / full of zeal in God.s honour, and we shall never forget him.47 On the tombstone of Carinthian parish priest Vinko Poljanec, who died as a martyr in 1938, the inscription tells us succinctly who the deceased was and what he meant to the Carinthian Slovenes: 42 Ksaver Me.ko, Koledar Mohorjeve dru.be 1910, 72; 1911, 26-29; 1921, 52. 43 Ivan Grafenauer, Slovensko slovstvo na Koro.kem, .iv elen vseslovenskega slovstva, Literarnozgodovinski spisi, Ljubljana 1980, 517. 44 Anton Feinig, Nagrobni napisi od .entlenarta do Gol.ova, Celovec 1997. 45 A. Feinig, op. cit., 7. 46 Anton Feinig, Uvodna beseda, Nagrobni napisi od .entlenarta do Gol.ova, Celovec 1997, 7-8. 47 Dorica Makuc, Ukljankski .upniki, Rodna gruda 37, no. 1, 1990, 20. Epitaphs in Slovene Cemeteries He was a concerned pastor! - A nature as pure a gold! - A messenger of God.s love! A wise leader of the people!48 In distant countries where conditions to compete with other nations are (and were) non-existent, the message of these words will withstand the test of time better as with our fellow Slovenes across the borders, where the struggle of two or three nations for lebensraum ruthlessly erases the culturally weaker nation - a development we continue to witness. In faraway places where Slovenes found refuge from various ordeals these epitaphs remain tacit reminders of our perseverance and tenacity, of hope and 81 despair. Some time in the future they will provide the basis for a study where in the Old and in the New World scattered settlements of Slovene emigrants existed: .A arid landscape dotted with rocks, in the middle of it a cemetery. The air is pure, the contours of red dawn sharply separate earth and sky. In the distance looms the mighty Aconcagua, covered by eternal white snow. In this little piece of American land, at the foot of the highest mountain of the New World, rests the first emigrant priest among our fellow Slovenes in Argentine, Jo.e Kastelic. He was born on Slovene soil and a fervent lover of the mountains, tireless pastor of his fellow Slovenes, scattered across the expanses of the New World. His love for the high mountains drove him up the Aconcagua, where he passed away in the middle of a storm in 1940. The verses on the stone pillar which his .grateful compatriots. erected for him, present him with these words: Rest in peace, you who on Slovene soil were born, of the high mountains you were lovelorn. You have led your people to eternal morn.49 Inscriptions carved in stone do not necessarily have to be verses: the older they are, the more precious as sources for several historical disciplines. An excellent example upholding this claim is the following: .On my way to the exit of the cemetery I beheld a beautiful old tombstone with the inscription: .Here rests our good father Peter Zadravec - an American, honorary member of the Paris Academy of Sciences, landlord and miller in Loper.ice. Born 1. VII. 1850, died 29. VII. 1936. ,You loved to go on a pilgrimage, no road was too hard for you, , and now you have made the final pilgrimage to be with the Lord all through..50 48 I. M. Spominska prireditev, Dru.ina 37 (1988), no. 35, 2. 49 Irene Mislej, Ob 60-letnici Duhovnega .ivljenja, Mohorjev koledar 1994, Celje 1993, 124. 50 Slovenski biografski leksikon, volume 14 , 1986, 740 (Slovene Biographic Lexicon): Zadravec Peter, miller and inventor, born August 1, 1850 in Loper.ice, son of carpenter Jo.ef and Margareta, née Lukman, died on July 29, Marija Stanonik This is what.s it all about, I thought. In this small, hidden cemetery in the village of Hum rest the mortal remains of a great man, who nobody ever mentions any more, someone who contributed to the improvement of our nutrition because he invented a special kind of flour for baby food and for the elderly. He really deserves a monument in Ormo., not just the one grateful children erected for him in the Hum cemetery..51 IV. The idea about collecting Slovene epitaphs The idea of collecting epitaphs came to my mind for the first time while I was still a student and on a journey which took me from Kranjska gora across the Vr.ie mountain 82 pass into the Soea Valley. We stopped in Log pod Mangrt and my attention was drawn by the numerous splendid epitaphs in the cemetery beside the bus station. For many years afterwards I felt the urge to go back there and write them down, but when on another occasion, travelling by bus once more, I revisited the village, I was very disappointed to see that it was already too late. Most of the tombstones had been replaced and of the new ones only a handful carry inscriptions. If it was hard for me to accept these changes, how could they not have affected those immediately involved?. ..Instead of a cross there is luxurious tombstone on the grave now with the inscription: Here rests Franc Le.niear. The husband of my sister Micika who died recently. My sister had a tombstone for him put on the grave of grandmother and grandfather but there was no room for their names on them. I felt a tightening of my throat that did not go away and heard myself say: .I don.t understand, I don.t understand! Why? Why was this necessary? How could she?. Struck with grief I leave the grave of my mother, that is not there any more. I think of granny and grandfather who are without a tombstone now and will therefore live on only in my heart . while I.m on my way home ..52 There are increasingly more similar experiences which urge us to hurry. In the context of this article only an intermediate report can be provided. With the assistance of several collaborators53 forty-two Slovene cemeteries have been visited54, yielding a total of approximately 900 inscriptions. If we add these to those 1936 (buried in Hum near Ormo.). After finishing primary school Zadravec learned the trade of a miller in Sredi.ee ob Dravi and worked in several mills in .tajerska. As a youth the was already attracted by mechanics, especially by milling devices and machines. Driven by the wish to learn about the latest milling techniques he left for the USA in 1885 and stayed there until 1893. He first worked on a farm, then in San Antonio (Texas) in a mill which ran the last two years of his stay in America. In his free time he studied the relevant specialist literature. Zadravec constructed a flour separator and an engine for big windmills (suitable for Holland). While still in America he bought close to his home in Loper.ice a mill and a small property, and worked as a miller after his return and until his death (his nickname was .the American.). He helped many local millers with advice and supported students of his native village. His successful innovations and practical improvements of milling techniques earned him the diploma with gold medal of the Academie parisienne des inventeurs industrielles et exposants, whose honorary member he also became. 51 Rado Kukovec, S Huma po ..tükeh. v Ormo., Mohorjev koledar 1992, Celje 1991, 89-90. 52 R. Kukovec, S Huma, op. cit., 89-90. 53 Breda Karner (Hlevni Vrh, Ledine, Medvedje Brdo, Nova Oselica, Rovte, Stara Oselica, Vrh Svetih Treh kraljev, Zavratec, 128 epitaphs), Marta Koren (.krile pri Danah, .pitalie, 2), Zdenka Primo.ie (Lipica pri .kofji Loki, Reteee, Stara Loka, .kofja Loka, 230 epitaphs), Ema and Andreja Sev.ek (Dobrepolje, two cemeteries, 98 inscriptions), students (Maribor, Gornja Radgona, 19 inscriptions). 54 In alphabetic order: Breznica na Gorenjskem, Ee.nijice nad Blagovico, Erna na Koro.kem, Dravlje, Leskovica v Poljanski dolini, Ljubno na Gorenjskem, Hrenovice, Jezersko, Komenda, Luee, Mekinje pri Kamniku, Mohliee Epitaphs in Slovene Cemeteries already published in the above mentioned book which contains Slovene inscriptions from Carinthia in Austria, we get a total of 1187 recorded epitaphs. A quantity which already allows us to indicate some first particularities. a) 19th century epitaphs The first encouraging surprise is connected with the diachronic perspective. Quite some epitaphs from the 19th century have survived as a result of the practice that after a certain period the tombstones of eminent people were built into the outer church walls. They usually involve epitaphs for priests. Even more precious are examples like those from .entlovrenc in Dolenjsko: Here rests, waiting for the resurrection MATIJA SUPANEIE / from Korenitka, 73 years old, / who died in 1845 - and his wife / JERA born in 83 Gorenjsko / rojena PEGAM, 75 years old / died in 1948 - / May God have mercy upon them, / give them eternal peace and quiet / and let the eternal light shine on them.55 b) Epitaphs for children The most heart-rendering are the epitaphs of mourning parents for children who died prematurely. Older epitaphs still refer to the ancient belief that after their death innocent children become angels. Even France Pre.eren referred to it but in a vivid, sonorous and dynamic way: Bright it was and gay / their life.s brief stay. / They heard a voice: Come to me / you little ones, of sin free!. / Their souls celebrated, and their wings spread elated. - / Their father and mother.s eyes, now in tears see them in paradise.56 It appears that this lovely metaphors instigated a quite effective poetic inspiration of the kind we find in the following two examples. The first one is for a boy: I was a little angle while at home / now a greater angel I am under the Lord.s dome.57 The second one is for a girl: In the prime of your life / you left this world full of strife.// Now with the angels in paradise your voice you raise / to sing the Lord.s eternal praise.58 A recurrent verse is: Sleep gently, sleep gently, but the syntagm never has the effect of a cliché c) Epitaphs to youths These inscriptions are even more melancholic as those to little children since their parents cannot console themselves with the idea that their children became little angels, and also because emotionally they had become much more attached to them. There are no better words to illustrate this than those of an elderly woman from Soleava who was left behind alone: .They say the worst that can happen to you is to bury your own blood and flesh.,59 - your own child. But here, too, and viewed chronologically, substantial differences show as to where the emphasis of the message lies. An in na Koro.kem, Nova vas v Istri, Postojna, Sela pri Kamniku, Sveta Gora (Skalnica), Soleava, Stranje pri Kamniku, .entgotard pri Trojanah, Tremun, Tunjice, Zaplana, Zasavska Sveta Gora. 55 Jo.e Pavlie, Vklesani spomin, Dru.ina 39 (29. okt. 1995), no. 43, 16. 56 F. Pre.eren, Ovsenekovima deekoma, Pesnitve in pisma, Ljubljana 1962, 130. 57 A. Feinig, op. cit. , 7. 58 Krista Gabriel * 2. 6. 1960 . 15. 9. 1966, .t. Jakob v Ro.u. Zapisala M. Stanonik, 2. 4. 1978. 59 Field note, Soleava, July 22, 1995. Marija Stanonik scription from the 20th century.s first half suggests frustration because a youth was torn out of the village community and the family succession: Your father had placed his hopes on you and we, your friends, will all miss you, / Before, you were an eager member of the community and our society, / now enjoy the heavens of the world. / Your mourning father.60 In the mid-20th century the metaphor .in the prime of youth., that is also known from other lyrical verses is quite common: In the prime of youth / you left this world, / in heavenly paradise we shall meet in truth.61 In the late 1970s resignation is voiced by the deceased: Farewell to you and to my youth, / which I spent among you.62 The idea of life after death is either suppressed or it is not present any more. 84 e) Epitaphs to victims of accidents This group is divided into two subgroups of victims: mountain climbers and victims of traffic accidents. For instance: Here rests / a victim of the Kamnik mountains / RUDI PEEAR / * 22. 4. 1912 . 2. 9. 1930 // For you, RUDI, holy paradise, / to us may God give consolation. // Your friends.63 The following text is a excellent example of blending the metaphor of the .prime of youth. as we know it from the section on youths and that of mountains: This mound a young / flower hides, fallen in the mountains / in the prime of his tides.64 Far from the standard clichés is an inscription which compared with the others is frankly Gothic: In the Triglav mountain range / your steps faded for ever, / the mountains suffocated your last scream, / and to us who loved you as ever / from day to day your sweet face / turns into an eternal dream.65 The following two inscriptions have the effect of putting into words the drawings on the signs which mark the place of an accident. They are rather prosaic messages with some marginal emotion. The wheels of a car / have taken me away from you, / do not mourn for me, I shall be your son all through.66 Killed by a poplar so cruelly, my love for you is dead truly. / Irena.67 d) Epitaphs which allow for a joke To end this section here are two inscriptions which may produce a hearty smile or laughter. Here in this chilly little grave, rests Mici the Brave, / and from the darkness she calls: / Dear friends, pray for me until the Lord recalls! 68 Dear husband, rest in peace until we meet again.69 The first one causes merriment because of the charming rhyme 60 Sela nad Kamnikom, Francetu Resniku, *1903, . 1926. Died as a soldier in Skopje. 61 Leskovica, *1926-1950. 62 Dravlje, *1960-1979. 63 Jo.e Pavlie, Vklesani spomin, Dru.ina 39 (October 29, 1995), no. 43, 16. 64 Dravlje, *1964, +1982. 65 Breznica pri Vrbi na Gorenjskem, . 1968, . 1969. 66 Dravlje, *1942, . 1986. 67 Dravlje, Oeka Janez Zajc, *1938 - . 1965. 68 Sto.ice, the inscription was still there in the years after the Second World War. Recorded as remembered by Mirko Ramov., ISN, ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, 10. 10. 1988. 69 Sinja Zemljie, ISN, ZRC SAZU, and Ana Lavrie, France Stele Institute of Art History, ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, 28. 2. 1992. Epitaphs in Slovene Cemeteries (in Slovene: grobek (little grave) - Bobek). As if someone really wanted to make a pun with the diminutive surname. The location of the second inscription is not known (to me), and I cannot guarantee that it really exists, though it is quite likely genuine. At first sight there is nothing particular about the inscription, but on second thought we become aware of the formulation.s ambiguity. Laughter, even when mixed with tears, is always welcome. A first analysis of the collected material suggests further treatment on the level of several aspects: their spiritual messages, mental healing, as cultural documents and, further, a whole range of issues regarding form: period-determined styles, genre issues, stereotype issues and folklorisation. BESEDA O AVTORICI ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marija Stanonik, dr., docentka, vi.ja znan-Marija Stanonik, Ph.D., lecturer, senior stvena sodelavka na In.titutu za slovensko narodo-scientific fellow at the Institute for Slovene Ethnopisje pri ZRC Slovenske akademije znanosti in logy of the Slovene Academy of Sciences and Arts. umetnosti. Osrednji podroeji njenega delovanja sta The central fields of her scientific work are the teorija in zgodovina slovenske slovstvene folklore theory and history of Slovene literary folklore as in nekatere teme iz slovenske etnologije in literar-well as themes from Slovene ethnology and lite- ne zgodovine. Je urednica zbirke Glasovi, v okviru rary history. She is editor of the series Glasovi, in katere je doslej iz.lo eez 4000 slovenskih folklor-which to date over 4000 Slovene folklore stories nih pripovedi. Objavila je vee monografj in nekaj have been published. She has published several sto elankov. monographs and several hundred articles. 86