Mate Zekan Stjepan Gunjača (1909.—1981.) — uz stotu obljetnicu rođenja

Stjepan Gunjača (1909 – 1981) – on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of his Birthday

stjepan gunjača, historian and archaeologist, was * * * born in Sinj on October 30, 1909 and died in Split on By taking over the Museum’s management from Pavao December 6, 1981. He attended the elementary school Pausch in 1933, Gunjača devoted himself to organize (1915 – 1920) and a private secondary school (1928) in the buildings in the fortress in order to create Sinj and continued his education by enrolling into the suitable conditions for the Museum’s material and Faculty of Philosophy in , where he received continued to transfer the stone and metal monuments a degree in anthropogeography (geography and his- from the decrepit and dilapidated museum building tory). in the old town even before. 23 Already as a graduate, he was appointed a contract- As a staff member of the Museum, he envisioned ed official on July 24, 1933 and acted as a temporary a more contemporary presentation of the moveable curator of the Antiquity Museum of the Croatian Sava monumental heritage for which purpose he acquired and Littoral banat in Knin (which later on became the new showcases for the exhibition of metal artefacts, National Museum of Croatian Antiquity and today’s while the stone monuments were being placed on Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments). wand bracket racks. In order to protect the material From June 17, 1936 to July 30, 1939 he was the acting in the archive and the inventory of the library, he pro- curator of the aforementioned Museum, followed by cured new cabinets – showcases for the library. his officially appointment as the curator on July 31, As a young Museum member, who wished to get 1939. During this entire period, he was also carrying familiar with its inventory as soon as possible, he went out the tasks of the head of this institution. about the demanding task of systemizing the Muse- After voluntarily leaving the Museum’s board in um’s collections during which he successfully separat- Knin, as well as after differences with the government ed the medieval artefacts from the filigree objects that at that time, he was dismissed from government em- belong to the prehistoric or Illyric – Roman affiliation. ployment on October 1, 1943. He particularly carefully analysed and connected From May 1, 1945 till July 31, 1947, he was the head individual stone fragments into common units that of the Archaeological Museum in Zadar. By the formal allowed the reconstruction of representative architec- decision from May 14, 1947, he was appointed director tural complexes of church furnishings (whereby the of the Museum of Croatian Antiquity (from 1955 the Preromanic ciborium from Biskupia – Crkvina stands Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments), out), but also the gaining of valuable results for the whose tasks he carried out until July 9, 1958, when he reinterpretation or negation of until then ingrained became the director of the newly – established Insti- perceptions (about the name of Duke Zdeslav) in ar- tute for National Archaeology HAZU, which com- chaeology and historical science. prised also the work of the Museum. He retained this With his arrival in Knin, Stjepan Gunjača came in function until his retirement on July 1, 1977. close contact with Brother Lujo Marun, who was in On December 4, 1937, Stjepan Gunjača received a disgrace and expelled from the Franciscan Order by doctor’s degree at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb the church authorities and dismissed from the board with his dissertation Topographic questions regard- and send away from the Museum and the Croatian ing the ancient Cetina county. He was elected a cor- Antiquity Society by the secular government. respondence – member of the Croatian Academy of Brother Lujo was going maybe through the most Science and Art on June 29, 1951 and became its per- difficult moments in his life. He did not find any sym- manent member in 1962. pathy even among his former colleagues, who were employed in the Museum due to his personal inter- vening and to whom he – by thanking them for the Starohrvatska prosvjeta III. serija - svezak 36/2009.

acclamation election as the Society’s president – be- school in Knin. Due to the war events at the end of nevolently handed over the management after his res- 1943, the Museum’s material, which was abandoned ignation. and left unsupervised by experts or any external in- The young and recently appointed manager ap- fluence, ended mostly up by being thrown into the proached Marun in a tactful manner, with respect and courtyard of the high school. appreciation, gaining slowly his trust to such an extent Under such circumstances, Gunjača did not return that Marun appointed him the executor of his will. to Knin, but decided to stand up against the occupy- Alongside this experienced senior, who had a natural ing and criminal powers and to direct his knowledge and well refined sense for detecting and discovering ar- and capabilities against those who threatened to de- chaeological monuments as well as an extensive knowl- stroy the Croatian heritage by joining the antifascist edge on topographic data, Gunjača found exactly that, movement. what he himself was keen of. With the help of Marun, After the end of World War II, as the director of Gunjača built the bases for his later greatest scientific the Archaeological Museum in an almost cataclysmic virtue, which has elevated him to an archaeologist – Zadar, which has been destroyed by aircraft bombs, topographer with no equal. Where Marun stopped, Gunjača quickly scrutinized and organized the dis- Gunjača built up, studiously and perseveringly. Perse- covered material of the Museum, selected artefacts 24 verance was actually a common characteristic of both. for exhibition, conceived a suitable museum exhibi- How much Marun respected Gunjača can be seen in the tion and arranged the archaeological collection of fact that he engaged him immediately after his arrival this Museum, which has been placed in the church Sv. in the research of the archaeological sites that Marun Donat at that time. What followed was the opening of financed with his own money (among which are the the Museum to the public after six months. Besides most significant ones like Tepljuh – Biočić, Kapitul, taking care of archaeological objects, he literally col- Koljani Gornji, Nin). As a pledge to this trust, Stjepan lected various cultural goods from ruins out of which Gunjača, after Marun’s death, seeked the confirmation the rich book inventory must be emphasized. Gunjača and advancement of Marun’s assumptions and doubts used this remarkable inventory as a base to establish by conducting revision interventions (Biskupija – five the National Library. churches, Zvonimirovo zborovanje, Koljane – Crkvina) After ensuring the required work conditions for or systematic archaeological excavations (Pridraga – the Archaeological Museum in Zadar, Gunjača re- Sv. Martin and Mijovilovac, Cetina – Sv. Spas, Bribir) turned to his first love, the early Croatian monuments. which lead to envious scientific results. Already during his time in Zadar, he encouraged and When the Knin fortress was classified as a mili- organized support from expert institutions regarding tary – strategic building in the second half of 1941, the the establishment of a central Museum of Croatian Museum was ordered to completely move out of it Antiquity. However, Gunjača believed no longer that until July 9, 1942. The insecurity reached its peak after Knin should be its centre. Also in this case, he was in the Zagreb treaty was signed and Knin became part of agreement with Marun’s seeking to construct an inde- the Italian military operation zone. At that time, the pendent museum of Croatian monuments in a larger Italians and the militant Serbian Chetnik units had coastal city, by which means this for the Croatian informer’s relations, and latter ones raged in Knin and people extremely important heritage would gain in Krajina. The endangerment and threat to destroy the meaning. most precious Croatian national treasure was there- The Klis fortress was chosen as the first location fore very certain. Due to this situation, Gunjača decid- of the new museum, and the monuments, which were ed to transport and shelter the mediaeval collection, sheltered in Sinj, were being transported there. How- the library and archive into his hometown Sinj, where ever, numerous problems regarding the operation and he placed them in private homes, while he bricked up work conditions in this location influenced on the de- the box with the most precious artefacts into the wall cision to withdraw this idea and Gunjača, fighting to of his father’s house. ensure a respectable exhibition space for the Croatian The prehistoric and Roman collection (stone archaeological monuments, got into conflicts with monuments, ware, glass), copper and silver coins of many opponents. In order to overcome such resist- Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Hungarian proven- ance, he was forced to invest great effort, wisdom and ience, as well as part of the library inventory and ar- time. chive material was placed into the cellar of the high Under those circumstances, while numerous pro- Mate Zekan Stjepan Gunjača (1909.—1981.) — uz stotu obljetnicu rođenja

posals for the future location of the museum were taking care of for over forty years, were with dignity considered and rejected, the museum’s inventory was exposed to the public. being moved from Klis into the Kaštelet and Meštrović And just in those moments of ecstasy and en- Gallery and after that into the barracks of the former thusiasm, Gunjača asked for his retirement. His life’s factory of concrete slabs on the western coast of Split. opus was obviously completed for him. He set up and During this period Gunjača, who was firm in his ensured an optimum future for the museum and his believe that this material had inestimable value for the successors. Croatian people and its history, decided to place the There are many archaeological sites that S. museum into the care of the Croatian Academy, which Gunjača has personally explored. He approached ar- had received the property of the Croatian Antiquity chaeological research after seriously preparing and Society as a legacy. As the property of the Bihač So- studying the diplomatic and archive material. To an ciety from Split ended up in the same manner under amazing amount of topographic data in his mind, the auspices of the Academy, Gunjača firstly initiated he was seeking confirmation on site, ignoring unfa- an initiative and thereupon united both monumen- vourable weather conditions and inaccessibility of the tal inventories by which means the basic collection of locations. Therefore it is not surprising, that he was the Museum of Croatian Antiquity was enriched and known in the most remote little villages in the cen- turned into a new museum – the Museum of Croatian tral Dalmatian back – county. The academic Gunjača 25 Archaeological Monuments. could not even picture the influence he would have by Being driven by the belief of the specialty and ex- his field – research approach, creating a “school” which ceptional appreciation of the Croatian archaeological his colleagues and co – workers, among which I belong treasure and by holding an uncompromising point of to as well, still nurture. view, as Marun taught him, when sometimes being His spirit of an explorer could especially be felt challenged, Gunjača sought an organizational form in early spring when the “earth started to smell” as which would allow elevating the Croatian heritage to he tended to say, irresistibly calling him to tenderly a higher scientific and expert level. This idea became reveal and discover the monumental heritage dur- a reality in 1958 when the Academy established the In- ing his entire forty – five years of work. Hundreds of stitute for National Archaeology in Split in which the monuments from these explorations enriched the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments was inventory of the Museum of Croatian Archaeologi- an integral unit. cal Monuments. From the initial cooperation during This very important scientific institution was es- explorations with Mihovil Abramić and Lujo Marun, tablished in order to systematically monitor, coordi- Gunjača developed into an independent researcher, nate, organize and record the scientific – research re- who explored over 50 sites during his lifetime. As he lated activities in the field of mediaeval archaeology was not an archaeologist by vocation, he did not hesi- in , in particular in the original area of the tate to hire and hand over the explorations to quali- early mediaeval Croatian state. Its aim was to study fied experts whenever possible. Due to this fact, his and synthesise the knowledge about the life and work camps were particularly popular and even today they of our ancestors in this area in order to proof the his- are mentioned with wistfulness. This especially refers torical – political identity and the scope of civilisation to the site on Bribir, the archaeological find spot with of the Croatian people from its arrival throughout the which Gunjača wanted to show the world an urban early mediaeval Croatian state as well as during the centre populated by Croatians from their time of ar- . rival, where they have built a representative town over By establishing this Institute, Gunjača has secured the centuries in which they sought shelter under the it an envious status, which was necessary to him in or- noble family Šubić and many powerful European rul- der to engage into the crucial battle for the permanent ers abode. and dignified location of the Croatian archaeological Gunjača published the results of his numerous monuments. However, even with such an inventory, explorations in almost 150 bibliographic units. From which value and manifoldness was unquestionable as his first published work in 1933 until his last days of well as the tutor’s reputation, two more decades had to life, his presence in the archaeological and scientific pass for the realisation of his visions – the construc- field was very alive. With deep respect for his pred- tion and opening of the magnificent museum build- ecessors, Gunjača opposed from the beginning of his ing where the early Croatian monuments, he was career against the until then ingrained perceptions, Starohrvatska prosvjeta III. serija - svezak 36/2009.

polemicising with arguments on numerous theories country, and ensuring it a proper treatment in the fu- and thesis on authority. Vehement and keen, following ture European Union. his principles in the battle for historic truth until the Archaeological findings, as first – class historical end and with a caustic pen on incorrectness, untruth sources, and their scientific valorisation, were the and inconsistency, Gunjača was not always at pleas- ones that initially saved from the political ure to his colleagues. Hot tempered, he reached for pretensions of its neighbours, and latter on signifi- the pen only in cases when something required cor- cantly contributed to the international recognition of rection, supplementation, verification or discussion. the sovereign Croatian state. Hence, almost all of his works are saturated with an After Gunjača’s parting from the Museum and the analytical – critical introduction that is a firm base to archaeological – historical scientific field, the Institute make a case for his own thesis. In particular, his major for National Archaeology was closed, which has been piece of work in four volumes “Corrections and sup- one of the rare scientific institutes, if not the only plementations to the earlier Croatian history” needs one, that has been dissolved at the end of the 1970s. to be emphasized, because it is a compelling contri- It is therefore quiet surprising how relevant factors in bution to our historical science, but also a source for Croatian culture and science, even during the inflation the development of theses of the new generation of of various scientific – research centres, which often were 26 historians. Besides the aforementioned, Gunjača also established “ad personam”, have not yet recognized that renewed and edited the first 10 issues of the III. series the foundation of an institution such as the Institute for Starohrvatska prosvjeta in which he, alongside with National Archaeology is highly important for the state. many other experts and scientists, published also the The reason, purpose and aim and hence the justifica- results of his own research work. tion of its existence are not questionable as visible from Stjepan Gunjača, archaeologist and historian, left the aforementioned facts. Optimum conditions could us almost 28 years ago, bequeathing an indelible trace be achieved in this scientific institution that is special- in the mentioned scientific disciplines, creating a new, ized in this kind of work with the reopening, i.e. ins- critical approach to the valorisation of monumental tauration, of the Institute for National Archaeology in heritage, whether it has an archaeological or diplo- order to deal with the already collected archaeological matic character. Today, almost three decades after his inventory and to conduct systematic scientific research death, the absence of such an authoritative person can of the monumental heritage that is still archived in ru- be felt, a person who would strongly protect and take ins and under the ground in the original territory of care of the national Croatian archaeological treasure, mediaeval Croatia as well as in the wider area. which distinctiveness regarding the European medi- May this anniversary be also the incentive for the aeval civilisation has been recognized by many scien- reconstruction of the scientific unit as it has been tists in the world a long time ago. conceived by its founder. Among other supporting It must be pointed out that this heritage is not historical branches, the Croatian national archaeol- treated as a Croatian specification in Croatia, it has not ogy would in this way be enabled to further develop been extracted from the conglomerate of former civi- and to keep its honourable place that it has acquired. lisations (from the Palaeolithic to the Ottomans and For its affirmation, along with credits for saving this later), and as such, has not been protected by a special national treasure by exposing his life to risk and dan- law (lex spacialis) or a sub – Act, although everybody gers, outstanding contributions were brought into is aware that it has an original Croatian uniqueness. also in this case by the elaborated leading spirit of The Croatian early mediaeval monumental heritage the Croatian culture and science of the 20th century – should therefore be highlighted as a Croatian cultural Stjepan Gunjača. brand, primarily giving it such a status in its home