Review article
Priest Vilim Švelec and educating Croatian peasantry in economy in 19th century
Mira Kolar-Dimitrijević
orcid.org/0000-0002-6050-5700
; Redovni prof. u mirovini, Draškovićeva 23, HR-10000 Zagreb
Abstract
Vilim (Vilhelm) Švelec was born in Križevci on 26 October, 1826, and died in Martinska Ves on 14 November, 1871. Because he wanted a reform of the Catholic Church, the heads of the Church assigned to him a parish in Martinska Ves near Sisak where he was isolated in his activities. That oriented him towards solving problems that were causing trouble to the peasantry in Martinska Ves. He instructed the peasantry in advanced hus-bandry and in“uenced elementary school students in the same manner, building, as a consequence, a basis from which Stjepan Radić, who attended elementary school there, drew inspiration. This paper tries to explore the great role of the Catholic priesthood during the time of the development of the husbandry and until the time when this role got lost to teachers.
Vilim Švelec was not the first priest who instructed his parishioners in husbandry, especially agriculture, but was, however, the first citizen of Križevci who, before the foundation of the college of agriculture in Križevci, spread the ideas of a rational and advanced husbandry. Having undertaken a task that in the area of Martinska Ves was carried out by large estates until 1848, he most certainly left an imprint with his activities in the area where Antun and Stjepan Radić were born, who also attended elementary school there. Although he was not an educated expert on husbandry, he extracted from books and Gopodarski list everything that he could use in his parish. By doing so, he joined the priests who instructed the people in advanced husbandry.
Keywords
Vilim Švelec; priest; Križevci; Martinska Ves; husbandry
Hrčak ID:
67954
URI
Publication date:
1.2.2011.
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