Slovene Emigrants and Europe in the 19th and 20th Centuries

The aim of this project covers Slovenian emigration to Western European territories and their activities, organization and integration in immigration communities, as well as the preservation of national identity, maintenance of contact within their homeland, re-socialization, acculturation and assimilation processes in a new environment. Western European countries have attracted Slovenes for centuries, most of whom emigrated in the 19th and 20th centuries. Aside from the prevailing economic reasons for emigrations, others persisted, such as political reasons. Emigration was permanent or temporary (such as the case for seasonal workers in agriculture in France and Germany between the Two World Wars). The main destinations for emigrants were primarily to the German parts of Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland, and to a minor extent, to other European countries such as Scandinavian countries (in particular Sweden from 1960s onward).

In terms of methodology, primarily sociological and historical approaches were used in this research. The main stress of the research is on ascertaining the number of emigrants, their profession or vocation, forms of emigration, social problems (such as the influence of economic crises and their consequences), social and educational life, contacts with their homeland and its relation towards Slovenes abroad. This project also explores the inclusion of Slovenes into their immigrant communities, as well as their contribution to the development of those communities.