History of SASA

The Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts has been actively in existence since 12 November 1938, when our first academicians met at their first session. Yet, the Academy has its roots in the distant past. More than three-hundred years ago, precisely in 1693, the predecessor of the present-day Academy, the Academia Operosorum was founded in Ljubljana; it was founded in the same century as the Académie française, the Royal Society in London, the Leopoldina i. e. Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher in Schweinfurt. At the time the society in Ljubljana was formed by some of the most distinguished Carniolan religious and secular intellectuals, noblemen and townsmen. Twenty-three members, the majority were jurists in addition to theologians and medical physicians. Initially, they worked behind closed doors and only later their activity became public. Almost by coincidence Janez Krstnik Prešeren became their first president, a doctor of theology and provost of the Ljubljana episcopate and an occasional versifier, originally from Lesce in Upper Carniola, from the land of France Prešeren. But it was no coincidence that the Academy of the Operosi gave the impulse that paved the way for baroque art in Carniola and other Slovenian lands. Ljubljana became the focus of Slovene Baroque and baroque art, although it was the invention of the Italian spirit, it soon established itself, as an expression of our creative will. The Latin society of operosi came into being also thanks to the preceding development of historical, topographic and legal sciences in Carniola. In 1701, the Operosi launched the initiative for the foundation of the first public library, today’s theological seminary. Also at their initiative, at the end of that year, the Academia philharmonicorum Labacensium presented itself to the public. It was the first association of musicians and music lovers in our lands, comprising noblemen and representatives of the highest strata of bourgeoisie.

The Academia operosorum discontinued its activities approximately in 1725 and more than half a century had to pass before the society of the industrious men i. e. Operosi, was renewed, albeit under completely different historical circumstances. The initiative came from the enlightened Blaž Kumerdej, a legally, theologically and philosophically educated rationalist, who devoted himself to Slovenian philology, orthography and grammar and to the translation of the Holy Scriptures. The Academy, renewed in 1779, was oriented towards enlightenment, with an emphasis on critical rationalism, but as far as the content of its activity is concerned it was already Slovene, even though the debating language was German and partly Latin. Also the following national revivalists, among others, were active in its ranks: Marko Pohlin, Jurij Japelj and Anton Tomaž Linhart. Among the scientific subjects they gave precedence to the local Slovene history and language, the foundations of the latter had already been laid down by Trubar, Dalmatin and Krelj in the 16th century. However, the Operosi also devoted their attention to other languages, poetry, rhetoric, philosophy, medicine and law. We assume that the brief existence of the Academy was not so much a consequence of diverse scientific and conceptual divergences or national differences among its members, but rather that the Academy was probably dissolved by the authorities. Due to this reason Linhart and many other members had to pursue their scientific and artistic endeavours for a number of decades outside the Academy, some of them did so in the Zois’ circle of national revivalists.

After the short life of the second Academy of the Operosi, from the end of the 18th century a longer period of time elapsed, during which Slovenians did not have their own highest institution of science and arts, but the thought of it was never completely silenced. Indeed, it was heard often in different ways; as a rule, it was heard during the turning points in our history, in the time of Napoleon’s Illyria, in 1848 and later; most frequently in conjunction with the demand for a Slovene university. Serious endeavours for an academy may be noted in the second half of the 19th century, with the founding of Slovenska matica (Slovenian Literary Society) and of other professional societies, mainly humanistic ones. But it is a fact that we did not have an academy up to the eve of the World War II. During all this time the academy lived as an idea, which was implemented only in the first Yugoslavia. The merit for its foundation is to be attributed mainly to our scientists and artists headed by Fran Ramovš. They persevered despite the many obstacles and finally succeeded in this endeavour. In 1919, after we founded the University in Ljubljana, the Scientific Society for Humanities with the assistance of other institutions, first and foremost the Slovenska matica, the National Gallery and the Society of Jurists, began with preparations for the founding of the academy, which were successfully brought to a close in 1938. They were not hindered only by the centralistic policy of the Yugoslav state, but also by the passive attitude of the academies of sciences in Zagreb and Belgrade vis-à-vis our endeavours. Prior to the founding assembly meeting of the Academy in 1938 the first eighteen ordinary members were nominated. On the 4th of January the following year, by Royal Appointment, its first president was designated, namely Rajko Nahtigal, expert of Slavic languages and linguist, who held this position until 1942.

It was a fortunate circumstance that the Academy continued with its activities during World War II, otherwise the continuity of the young institution would have been disrupted at the very beginning. Under the presidency of Milan Vidmar (1942 to 1945), an expert in electrical engineering, it was primarily promoting its publishing activity. In line with the national feelings of the time, in a dignified manner, it refrained from any solemn events and did not elect any new members.

Naturally, the post-war social and political upheavals did not leave the Academy untouched; indeed, they had a profound impact on its membership and its internal structure. Immediately after the war four of its members had to leave this institution, amongst them three were founding members, two were expelled by the revolutionary authorities, one by the Academy, while the fourth was forced to submit his resignation. On the other hand, under the presidency of France Kidrič (1945 to 1950) a literary historian, and for a short period under the linguist Fran Ramovš (1950 to 1952) the institution was characterized by structural expansion and the enlargement of our ranks. In 1948 it was renamed from the Academy to the Slovenian Academy, the first change of name occurred already during the war. From the original four sections the Academy was further enlarged in five and later six sections, new institutes and similar bodies were also founded. The Academy composed of institutes was initially modeled after the Soviet academy, but it also reflected our own requirements. Yet, quite soon this organizational set-up of the Academy, particularly from 1955 to 1958, began to change, when the big technical institutes separated and became independent – first the Institute of Physics »Jožef Stefan«, followed by the Institute of Chemistry »Boris Kidrič« and the Institute of Electric Power Industry and finally the Institute of Turbine Engines. The Academy retained the institutes involved in humanities, social sciences and partly natural sciences. Another characteristic of the post-war period was the high degree of dependence of the Academy on the state and its official Marxist ideology. On the basis of the laws passed in 1948 and 1949, the autonomy of the Academy was not just limited - the Slovene assembly abolished it. The law that was passed only in 1980 was more liberal, although the state at the time did not renounce to influence the composition of our membership. Of course, practice had evolved and it began transcending the law, so that at the end of the eighties it was already more effective than the law. The third and most significant characteristic of the post-war period was the successful research activity carried out in the Academy’s institutes. This also applies to the period under the presidency of Josip Vidmar (1952 to 1976) Slovenia’s leading literary critic.

We were witnesses of great progress, not to say of flourishing of almost all scientific disciplines. It is indisputable that some of the most significant and serious research for two fundamental publications concerning our national identity i.e. The Dictionary of the Slovene Literary Language and the Slovene Biographical Lexicon was carried out during the post World War II period. The Academy, under the direction of its leadership headed by Janez Milčinski (1976 to 1992 ), an expert of forensic medicine, was aware just how important is the research covering national identity in all its manifestations – cultural, social, political and economic. During his tenure, in 1980, the Academy defined a long-term, or rather a permanent, research programme »Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Slovenian Nation«. Already during the following year the institutes of humanities, social sciences and natural sciences became independent and jointly formed the Scientific Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The fundamental role of the Center is to do research of our past and present identity, jointly with the Academy. Our library that is the third biggest in Slovenia significantly aids these research activities.

From the time it was founded to the present day the Academy lived through diverse forms of rule and political systems, it went through different stages of development, but in its life the most positive and radical turning point was in 1991, when Slovenia became a free and independent state. Therefore, the first leadership of the Academy in the new state, presided by the literary historian France Bernik (1992 to 2002), was faced with the task of making the Slovenian Academy comparable to other European academies of sciences and arts. Today the Academy operates within a democratic political system and under conditions of a free scientific and cultural policy. It is respected by the state and enjoys a reputation among the public. The 1994 law ensures its autonomy and independent professional activity. In this spirit, in 1996, the Academy rehabilitated three of the four members expulsed after the war and restituted their honorary rights. But, the new law primarily enables the Academy to dedicate itself fully to its principal mission: to promote and stimulate science and art. The professional plurality and diversity of worldviews among its members is brought together precisely by their belonging to the world of science and art. This belonging reflects the awareness that unites different artistic and scientific interests, individual aspirations, the institution and involved individuals.

In recent times, despite the relatively limited material conditions it succeeded in preserving the publishing activity at the past levels or even to exceed them. In the course of the past few years the Academy did succeed in asserting its position through the organization of symposia. In just a few years it organized more resounding national and international scientific meetings, colloquia and round tables than in past decades, covering practically all areas of sciences, from humanities and social sciences to natural sciences, technical sciences and biomedicine.

In the new state the Academy became more open for international cooperation, in fact many of its obligations arise from this. Today it has agreements of cooperation with almost thirty academies in Europe. It is also a member of some important international scientific bodies: the Association of All European Academies (ALLEA), the International Union of Academies, the European Science Foundation, the Inter-Academy Panel on International Issues and the Network of Mediterranean Academies.

The dynamic conference activity and international cooperation remain the areas that are being further developed by the Academy’s new leadership headed by the biophysicist Boštjan Žekš (2002- ). In this sense the EU membership of our state confirms the correctness of the fundamental orientation of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Indeed, this orientation is strengthening both components of Slovene creativity – on the one hand, it is strengthening national identity in its different manifestations, and on the other hand, it is reinforcing the European character of the spirit pervading our research and scientific endeavours.

Academician Prof. Dr. France Bernik, Honorary Member of SASA