SLOVENIA
From as early as the ninth century, Slovenia has fallen
under foreign rulers, including partial control by Bavarian dukes and the Republic
of Venice. With the exception of Napoleon's 4-year tutelage of parts of Slovenia
and Croatia, Slovenia was part of the Hapsburg empire from the 14th century
until 1918.
In 1867, when the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy was created, Slovenia remained
under Austrian authority. So, Austrian stamps were used in Slovenian territory
from 1850 (when first Austrian stamp was issued) till 1919. Click
here for example.
After World War 1 Slovenia united with Croatia and
Bosnia to form the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (on October 29th, 1918).
But after only a month, this state was forced to merge with Serbia and Montenegro
into Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (on December 1st) ruled by a Serbian
monarch. The country was later (in 1929) renamed to Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
The birth of Yugoslavia was a terrible tragedy for Slovenes – in accord
with the decision of the London Pact a good third of their territory fell to
Italy, large territory was given to republic of Austria, and some Slovenes remained
in Hungary, while some Hungarians joined Yugoslavia.
Till 1921 special stamps were printed for use in Slovenia. Those stamps were also valid in Croatia and Bosnia (along with their own stamps). Click here to see some stamps. In 1921 regular Yugoslav issues replaced provisional sets and were valid till the capitulation of the kingdom in 1941 (PIC).
During World war 2 Slovenia was occupied by Axis and
was divided into 3 parts. Click
here to see the map od division. NW part ('Prekmurje') was occupied by Hungary
and annexed to Hungarian kingdom. Stryria and Upper Carniola were occupied by
German forces and incorporated into Third Reich. Regular Hungarian and German
stamps were used in this territories.
Italy captured Slovenian territory south of river Sava and formed Ljubljana
Province (Provincia di Lubiana). First overprinted Yugoslav stamps were used
in the province and later Italian stamps without any overprints. Click
here for example.
After the capitulation of Italy, German troops took over Ljubljana Province.
First, overprinted Italian stamps were used but later (in 1945) special set
for the province was issued (PIC).
The resistance against the occupiers was organized
by the Communist party, triggering the civil war between the partisans and the
Slovenian anti-communist camps which joined forces with the Nazis. So Slovenes
fought two wars simultaneously, internal and external.
After the war, Slovenia became part of the Yugoslavia again, and provisional
sets for all three territories were issued (in June 1945). That were overprinted
Hungarian, German and Ljubljana Province stamps (PIC).
Provisional issues were valid for less than two months, until replaced by regular
Yugoslav issues (example).
The greatest benefit of the Second World War for Slovenes was undoubtedly the union of a large part of their coastal countrymen, sadly not all - a part of them still remained in Italy.
During the communist era, Slovenia became Yugoslavia's most prosperous republic. Defying the politicians in Serbia, Slovenia underwent a flowering of democracy and an opening of its society in cultural, civic, and economic realms to a degree almost unprecedented in the communist world.
Yugoslavia's decline began as early as the middle of
the seventies. However, it did not fall asunder because of a bad economy, but
rather because it was no longer needed by its nations. A Yugoslavian nationality
never existed, and there was never a Yugoslavian language, nor a Yugoslavian
culture.
In September 1989, the General Assembly of the Yugoslav Republic of Slovenia
adopted an amendment to its constitution asserting Slovenia's right to secede
from Yugoslavia. On December 23, 1990, 88% of Slovenia's population voted for
independence in a referendum, and on June 25, 1990, the Republic of Slovenia
declared its independence. A nearly bloodless 10-day war with Yugoslavia followed;
Yugoslav forces withdrew after Slovenia demonstrated stiff resistance to Belgrade.
On June that same year first Slovenian stamp was issued.
Click
here to see it. Also, check
some other Slovenian stamps.
RELATED LINKS:
- Julian March (Venezia Giulia)
- Istra (Istria) and the Slovene coast
- Free Territory of Trieste (Trst)
- Austro-Hungarian military post