City of Split Heritage Journal, No. 35, 2009.
Professional paper
PUBLISHING ACTIVITIES OF JADRANSKA STRAŽA AS REFERRED TO IN THE LIBRARY HOLDINGS OF MARITIME MUSEUM IN SPLIT
Mirja Lovrić
; Hrvatski pomorski muzej u Splitu
Abstract
Maritime-propaganda organisation under the name of Jadranska straža was founded at the public assembly held on 19th February 1922 on the Prokurativa Square in Split. The organisation ceased to exist at the outbreak of the Italian occupation, that is, after the downfall of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1941. The organisation was founded with a single purpose: to oppose Italian territorial pretensions towards rather a large part of the eastern Adriatic.
The programme of the organisation and its related activities reflected patriotic sentiments of its founders and members: they strived for the liberation of the occupied part of the coast and its subsequent economic and cultural growth. Therefore, they put heroic efforts into raising public awareness about the strategic importance of the Adriatic sea and its coast.
Jadranska straža was open to everyone, the age and the level of education notwithstanding. Its attention was particularly directed towards the young. Numerous interesting activities were carried out by Jadranske straža. To name a few: in an attempt to develop the navy, the members acquired the very first training ship and named it
Jadran; they also initiated the idea of opening the first maritime museum in the country and founded Maritime library; they organised a variety of public events, such as maritime days, maritime-propaganda courses for adults and the young, Mediterranean cruises, etc.
Jadranska straža boasted versatile publishing activity. A large number of fliers, brochures, almanacs, guides, calendars and books were published by the organisation. The members knew
that this was the only way to inform the public about maritime issues, since they were aware of the impact that ideas in writing had on people throughout history. The most prominent editions were the books published as parts of the so-called Maritime Series, then a monograph Naš Jadran and the events manual Jadranski vijenac.
A journal that bore the same name as the organisation, Jadranska straža, is still, however, cosidered as its most significant publication. It was published on a monthly basis, during nineteen years of its existence and reached a press run of 20000 copies. Journal contributors not only wrote about the activities carried out by the organisation, but also discussed various issues, such as history, geography, culture, tourism and economy, with a special emphasis
on shipbuilding and fishing industry. A particular attention was regularly given to maritime literature.
Jadranska straža directed most of its attention to the young, and, in this light, published the following magazines for them: Pomladak Jadranske straže and Mladi stražar, a magazine that reached a press run of 8000 copies. In broader historical context, the aforementioned
materials represent a valuable historical resource. Jadranska straža, as an organisation with more than 180000 members, ceased to exist in 1941, after the downfall of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
66164
URI
Publication date:
26.11.2009.
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