Slovenians in Austria
Slovenians are an indigenous national community in the Republic of Austria. They are defined as a national minority in the Austrian State Treaty and as a national community in the relevant Austrian legislation. Slovenians in Austria traditionally live in two federal states, Carinthia and Styria. Estimates of the number of members of the community or speakers of the Slovenian language range from 20,000 to around 50,000 people. The Slovenian minority in Austrian Carinthia (and Austrian Styria) is one of six national communities (Volksgruppen) in Austria.
In Carinthia, they live in the valleys of Zilja, Rož, and Podjuna, the lower Labodska Valley, on the Gurah, between the Drava and Celje, and further north to Djekš and Kostanj. In Styria, they are mainly settled in the Radgona area and in a few other areas along the Slovenian-Austrian border (such as Sobota, Arnež, Ivnik, Lučane, and others). Estimates of the number of members of the community vary; however, census data show that far fewer people identify as Slovenian, which is a result of borderline and multiple identities and avoidance of exposure due to past pressures.
Legal protection of minorities
The Slovenes of Carinthia and Styria became part of the Republic of Austria after the end of World War I and the collapse of Austria-Hungary. Despite assimilation pressures and extensive loss of their national body, they have remained a cohesive and active national community. Their vitality varies in different areas of settlement.
After World War II, the border between the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Austria remained unchanged. In 1955, the State Treaty on the Re-establishment of an Independent and Democratic Austria, also known as the Austrian State Treaty (ADP), was signed, which, among other things, guarantees minority rights for members of the Carinthian and Styrian Slovenes and the Gradisca Croats in Article 7. The ADP remains the basis for the protection of the Slovenian minority in Austria to this day. Even after more than six decades, none of the provisions of Article 7 of the ADP have been fully implemented.
After the signing of the ADP, the Carinthian Slovenes suffered their first blow in 1958, when Austria abolished the regulation on compulsory bilingual education in elementary schools in southern Carinthia. Since then, it has been necessary to apply separately for bilingual education. Nevertheless, the Regulation is still very important to Carinthian Slovenes today, as they refer to it as an area where minority rights should apply.
In 1976, Austria adopted the Nationalities Act, and in 2011, a constitutional law that redefined bilingual signage and the issue of the official language. In the meantime, the Constitutional Court adopted a series of decisions in which it ruled that Austria was violating minority rights. Efforts to fulfill Austria’s legal obligations have been a significant challenge for members of the Slovenian national community in Carinthia for decades.
Preserving the Slovenian language and identity
In southern Carinthia, in the area where bilingual education is in force, there are still numerous bilingual elementary schools and kindergartens (see list). Education in Slovenian can then be continued at the Federal Real Gymnasium, or bilingual education at the Bilingual Commercial Academy or the Higher School for Economic Professions in Št. Peter. Slovenian as a second foreign language is also offered by several other secondary schools.
The media and publishing houses play an important role in preserving the Slovenian language and identity by regularly publishing and broadcasting content in Slovenian. The newspapers Novice and Nedelja are published weekly, the ORF radio station broadcasts a daily Slovenian program, and Radio Agora broadcasts for several hours on the same frequency. The national television station broadcasts the weekly program Dober dan, Koroška (Good Day, Carinthia). Numerous associations also publish their own newsletters.
Spiritual care in the Slovenian language in bilingual parishes is also very important. The Diocese of Krško has traditionally been favorable to Carinthian Slovenes, and Masses and other religious activities in many parishes are bilingual.
Joining associations
The Slovenes in Carinthia succeeded in this also because of their highly diversified and well-organized structure. There are over 100 Slovenian associations and societies operating regularly in Carinthia, working in the fields of culture, sport, youth, economics, agriculture, and others. Cultural associations are linked in two umbrella cultural organizations, the Christian Cultural Association (KKZ) and the Slovenian Educational Association (SPZ), while sports associations are linked in the Slovenian Sports Association (SŠZ). Three representative umbrella organizations operate in Carinthia for the purpose of political representation of the national community: the National Council of Carinthian Slovenes (NSKS), the Union of Slovenian Organizations (ZSO), and the Community of Carinthian Slovenes (SKS). The NSKS leadership is elected in direct democratic elections, while the ZSO and SKS are elected indirectly through a delegate system among their members or affiliated organizations.
Representation in politics
Some Carinthian Slovenes who advocate independent political action have joined forces within the Enotna lista (EL), the only independent political party of Carinthian Slovenes. Another part of the national community is affiliated with (mainly left-wing) pan-Austrian parties.
In recent decades, Carinthian Slovenes have succeeded in electing numerous representatives at the municipal level, mayors and municipal councilors, and on several occasions also provincial and federal deputies. However, any election is uncertain because Slovenes in Austria do not have guaranteed political representation as members of a minority. All efforts to secure guaranteed representation have so far been unsuccessful.
Styrian Slovenes
Less well known than the Carinthian Slovenes are the Styrian Slovenes. They also live in the territory of southern Styria and have minority rights guaranteed in Article 7 of the Austrian State Treaty. However, as they are a much smaller and more assimilated ethnic community, the implementation of their rights is much more difficult and slower. The umbrella organization of Styrian Slovenes is the Cultural Association Article 7 for Austrian Styria, which also manages Pavlovo hišo in Potrna.
In addition to their native territory, Slovenians also live in other parts of Austria today, mostly in the cities of Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, and elsewhere. These are emigrants from the border area as well as from the territory of today’s Republic of Slovenia. They strive to preserve their Slovenian identity through occasional gatherings, organizing Slovenian language classes, and other connections.
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