Slovene Emigrants – Creators: Promotors of Slovene Science and Culture in the New Environment

Destinies of Slovene individuals-intellectuals, coming from different social environments, were of different professions, of different ideological and/or political affiliations. Of those intellectuals who emigrated for good or only temporarily, some abandoned the country voluntarily, while some were – for different reasons – forced to emigrate.

The project explores the works of Slovene intellectuals, cultural workers, artists and state officials as to demonstrate the ways in which emigrants acted and worked in various cultures, environments and social conditions and thereby enriched the cultural (and scientific) diversity of a new milieu. Specific differences of the migrant milieus, which have a strong impact upon the creativity and work of each individual, were also examined.

A special chapter deals with the individuals' relations to the home country and the impact of the new environment upon their relations to the home country, as well as the influence of their creative work in the new country upon that of the colleagues remaining in their home country. Other themes were: 1) the work and the role of Slovene clergy among the Slovenes in the new country; 2) differences and similarities or common problems which they are confronted with at their work and other activities; on one hand, those who – through their work – maintain a connection with their native country, and others who – with their work – totally merged into their new environment.