Original scientific paper
POLITICAL PROCESS AGAINST PARISH PRIEST IVAN ŠIRMER, CANDIDATE OF THE PARTY OF THE RIGHT DURING THE ELECTIONS OF THE CROATIAN PARLIAMENT IN 1884
Jasna TURKALJ
Abstract
From the 1880’s, since the Party of the Right became the leading political option of Croatia, the clergy slowly gained important role in the members structure of the party. Though parish priest and chaplain were strictly controlled, during the elections of 1884 eleven clergymen were party’s candidates among 42 party’s nominees in 53 electoral districts. These elections were the first Croat elections after Khuen Hèdervàry was appointed to the function of Croatian ban (viceroy). Since Hèdervàry was trying to abolish all the Hungarian opposition in Croatia, the party and its members became Khuen’s chief rival. In this context one should view the first case of the criminal charges because of political speech against Ivan Širmer, parish priest in Bučje, who was also Party’s candidate in the electoral district of Brod. From the indictment it is clear that Hèdervàry’s regime was ready to liquidate all the Party candidates, including members of the clergy. When Širmer in 1885 was sentenced to prison and loss of this parish duties members of the Party became frightened, since it was clear that this case was political though it was criminally pursued. Only after the sentence was attenuated the fear diminished since it became clear that authorities had to recognise Party’s right to act.
Keywords
The Party of the Right; clergy; elections of 1884; parish priest Ivan Širmer; electoral speech
Hrčak ID:
9550
URI
Publication date:
7.6.2006.
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