A Rare Find: a 19th Century Song about Cholera in Slovenia and Its Interpretation

Mojca Ramšak

doi:10.23858/FAH34.2021.006

Published: 2021-12-13

Vol. 34 (2021)

A Rare Find: a 19th Century Song about Cholera in Slovenia and Its Interpretation

Mojca Ramšak

Fasciculi Archaeologiae Historicae

Section: Articles

https://doi.org/10.23858/FAH34.2021.006

Abstract

The accidental discovery of an 1847 manuscript in the Local History and Special Collections Department at Maribor University Library in Slovenia (shelfmark: Kreps, 1847; UKM Ms 563), which contains, among other things, a song about cholera, was the basis for its contextual interpretation and comparison with related recorded songs. This new discovery is important because the song refers to the first wave of cholera on Slovene territory in 1836, whereas other songs describing the disease were written later. The text of the song resembles a collection of frightening news about the disease circulating among the people. The questions of whether the information in the song is real or fictional, genuine or exaggerated are discussed in light of the memory of cholera outbreaks found in other songs of the same genre and historical data.

Keywords:

cholera, Slovenia, 19th century, manuscript, folk literature, song, Modern Period

Download files

PDF

Citation rules

Ramšak, M. (2021). A Rare Find: a 19th Century Song about Cholera in Slovenia and Its Interpretation. Fasciculi Archaeologiae Historicae, 34, 83–91. https://doi.org/10.23858/FAH34.2021.006

Cited by / Share

Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Ali M., Nelson A. R., Lopez A. L., Sack D. A. 2015. Updated Global Burden of Cholera in Endemic Countries. “PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases” 9(6): e0003832. DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0003832.
Google Scholar

Bratož U. 2017. Bledolična vsiljivka z Vzhoda: kolera v severozahodni Istri (1830–1890). Koper.
Google Scholar

Dolenc M. 1988. Bibliografija rokopisnih ljudsko-medicinskih bukev in zapisov s slovenskega etničnega območja. “Slovenski etnograf” 31 (1983-1987), 31-74.
Google Scholar

Glazer J. 1949. Review: Anton Aškerc: ZBRANO DELO. Prva knjiga: BALADE IN ROMANCE. URŠKE IN EPSKE POEZIJE. Uredila in z opombami opremila Marja Boršnik. Ljubljana 1946. Izdala Državna založba Slovenije. Natisnila Tiskarna Veit in drug, družba z o. z. na Viru pri Domžalah. 400 str. “Slavistična revija: časopis za jezikoslovje in literarne vede” 2(1-2), 155-160.
Google Scholar

Grafenauer I. 1957. Zveza slovenskih ljudskih pripovedk z retijskimi. “Slovenski etnograf” 10, 97-112.
Google Scholar

Jurčič J. 1969. Zbrana dela 9. Ljubljana.
Google Scholar

Keber K. 2006. Epidemije kolere in njihov vpliv na razvoj javnega zdravstvenega sistema na Kranjskem v 19. stoletju. Doktorska disertacija / Cholera epidemics and their impact on the development of the public health system in Carniola in the 19th century. Doctoral Dissertation. Ljubljana: Univerza v Ljubljani, Filozofska fakulteta.
Google Scholar

Keber K. 2007. Čas kolere. Epidemije kolere na Kranjskem v 19. stoletju / Cholera time. Cholera epidemics in Carniola in the 19th century. Theasaurus memoriae. Dissertationes 6. Ljubljana.
Google Scholar

Klobčar M. 2020. Poslušajte štimo mojo: Potujoči pevci v Sloveniji / Listen to my voice: Traveling singers in Slovenia. Ljubljana.
Google Scholar

Kumer Z. 1960. Pesem o koleri. “Slovenska glasbena revija” 5(1-2) (1959-1960), 2-5.
Google Scholar

Krebs G. 1941. Die geographische Verbreitung der Cholera im ehemaligen Oesterreich-Ungarn in den Jahren 1831-1916. Veröffentlichungen aus dem Gebiete des Volksgesundheitsdienstes 55(6). Berlin.
Google Scholar

Lavrič A. 2012. Cerkev sv. Krištofa za Bežigradom / Church of St. Kristof behind Bežigrad. In: Pot po baročni Ljubljani, virtualna razstava sakralnih spomenikov, April 2012. http://barok.zrc-sazu.si/spomeniki/kristof. Available online 14.04.2021.
Google Scholar

Vrbnjak M. 1985. Gospodarska in socialna podoba Ruš in okolice med 1812 in 1843 / Economic and social image of Ruše and its surroundings between 1812 and 1843. In: Ruška kronika. Maribor, 316-391.
Google Scholar

Zupanič Slavec Z. 2017. Infekcijske bolezni – oblikovalke svetovne zgodovine. “ISIS. Glasilo Zdravniške zbornice Slovenije” 26(8-9 /August-September), 69-73.
Google Scholar

Železnik U. 2010. Družbeno-zgodovinski vidiki epidemičnih bolezni: istrska izkušnja s kolero. Doktorska disertacija / Socio-historical aspects of epidemic diseases: The Istrian experience with cholera. Doctoral dissertation. Koper: Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za humanistične študije.
Google Scholar

Mojca Ramšak

mojca.ramsak@guest.arnes.si
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1934-5466

Affiliation:

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology; Faculty of Medicine, Institute for the History of Medicine, Slovenia