The magic allure of Christmas is an atmosphere of expectation and warmth. Faith was important in the life of the Gottscheers The Gottscheers have always been deeply devout Catholics. This…
Postcard of Planina (Stockendorf), sent on 4 March 1918 from Planina to Vinica. Archive of Dr. Božidar Flajšman. Kočevski b(r)log / Gottscheerblog …
My observations from the field In 1985, I moved to Kočevje and almost immediately began my research and restoration work in the area. To date, I have visited and explored…
A Journey to America We left Austria in 1956 for America, when I was 4 years old. My parents lived in Gottschee until 1938 when my father opened a clothing…
The growing number of archaeological finds provide evidence of the first traces of human settlement in Kočevska (Gottschee) region. These include the barrow with the dead person’s ash at Gorenje…
The Assumption of Mary Parish Church in Stara Cerkev by Kočevje. Photo: Anja Moric.…
Reminiscing, I realised where my interest and devotion to Gottschee language – Gottscheerisch – and the history of the Gottscheer people come from. It in fact accompanies me from when…
Do you know who Gottscheers are? Do you know how to say “Good day” in Gottscheer dialect? Do you know how to make pobolitsen? Do you know where Gottscheers used…
The winter holiday season is already in full swing. Throughout cities, a myriad festive lights have been lit, and we are busy wrapping gifts for our loved ones and baking…
In 1592, the scholar Hieronymus Megiser first wrote about the especially decorated Christmas bread that is in various places across Slovenia called poprtnik, namiznjak, žúpnik, župnek, poprtnják, bôžič, božíčnik, mížnik,…
He was a versatile and very sophisticated artist who drew inspiration from his home environment, in particular the lives and hardships of domestic folk. He acknowledged the importance of art…
Traditional attire in the Kočevska region from the 17th century The first description of Gottscheers’ clothing practices can be found in Valvasor’s “The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola” from 1689.…
Seconds after my colleague waved to me to come closer, I catch a glimpse of the chamois. A majestic animal that isn’t afraid of taking chances and instantly disappeared from…
A frail child becomes a hero Small and frail, barefoot and wearing patched-up clothes. He led the sheep or oxen to pasture on steep slopes that loom over the Kolpa…
“The authority on beekeeping in the Carniola region in the 19th century”, “the author of one of the fundamental works on Slovenian beekeeping”, “teacher of beekeeping”, “preserver and benefactor”, “one…
