КУЛТУРА / CULTURE, 14/ 2016 929ШТОСМАЈЕР,Ј.Ј. JOSIP JURAJ STROSSMAYER: A STATESMAN OF CULTURE Tihomir Živić Antonija Vranješ Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia Abstract: The paper deals with an interpretative upgrade to these determinants describe his cultural character equally the existent scientific realizations about the personage and cognitively, for there are just a few dignitaries of the opus of Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer while providing for Croatian 19th century who have really incorporated them a contemporary, computer-assisted research and critical in their influential personae, having revitalized the Latin insight in the correspondent materials from the Anglo- American and Macedonian sources and/or Croatian funds Renaissance notion of a “universal man” (homo in the English language, less known heretofore. The paper’s universalis), i.e., its Ancient Greek precursor (πολυμαθής), intention would be to publicize a text on an in the best way possible. Exactly following a pathway of interdisciplinary viewpoint on Bishop Strossmayer’s the great minister, by virtue of this article we would like to undisputable theological, Maecenas-like, political, and continue a discussion of the different about the same. We educative role in Croatia, Macedonia, and beyond in the would like to initiate a meaningful dialog about th light of the 19 -century Croatian cultural renaissance, Strossmayer and his legacy in the international academia whose one of the promoters he was in the Habsburg Monarchy. from various perspectives, e.g., theology, literature, and history, as well as from a viewpoint of economy, Keywords: Strossmayer, Strossmayerana, Anglo- librarianship, law and other disciplines, as his imperis- American, Croatian, and Macedonian sources hable opus indubitably provides for such an approach. Therefore, we deem the proposed academic discourse I. INTRODUCTION necessary, internationally relevant, and purposeful, for it AND THEORETICAL PROPOSITIONS might fill a part of an evident gap in the subject segment of interdisciplinary cogitations on Bishop Josip Juraj Josip Juraj Strossmayer—a Habsburg castellan Strossmayer and his heritage and correspondence (i.e., of confessor, a beloved Đakovo-Bosnian and Syrmian the cultural, literary, and historicopolitical ones) by its prelate, a promoter of human rights, an advocate of ecclesiastic unity and a benefactor; a Viceroy Josip thematic and an innovative, interesting, and competitive Jelačić’s confidante, a reverential politician and educator; methodology. What is more, a part of this an excellent orator, man of letters, and historian… All Strossmayer’s patrimony is still untranslated in 136 JOSIP JURAJ STROSSMAYER: A STATESMAN OF CULTURE Croatian and other languages, especially the one in the introduced in the official public usage in his English language. motherland at that time. With such an orientation, this article might entirely To realize this article, we have particularly analyzed fit into the developmental strategy of cultural studies Bishop Strossmayer’s correspondence with the then as an institutionalized higher educational component. British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone It might also promote the publication of new (especially in the 1876‒1892 period), as well as the international research results in the form of peer- Bishop’s friendship with Lord John Emerich Edward reviewed books while simultaneously contributing to Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton, a renown British Catholic the completion of picture of Bishop Strossmayer, an author, politician, and historian. As a sequel, the aim of honorary Osijek descendant, whose name was our research was to illuminate the new cognitions about bestowed on the Osijek University. Strossmayer’s role in the Croatian cultural renaissance, The article takes into consideration a fact that a his attitude to the South Slav issue and Pan-Slavism, as bicentennial subsequent to Bishop Strossmayer’s well as a neohistorical analysis of the scope of his address demise the very mentioning of his name arouses at the First Vatican Council form an Anglo-American, sincere admiration and gratitude of the informed Croatian, and Macedonian point of view and critical Croatian and European audience and increasingly that interpretation. of the global one as well due to his memorable In a scientific-research sense, this article has taken a achievements throughout 90 years of his active life. holistic, interdisciplinary approach to a truly abundant, Nonetheless, there are some less informed circles distinct Strossmayer’s activity, which has still not been wherein Strossmayer’s adamant attitudes, and completely presented to the Croatian, Macedonian, and especially his “Pan-Slavism,” still raise serious doubts. the overall European public because its fragments are Thus, within the European Union as a community still enshrined in the world archives and libraries. This wherewith most of the European states are affiliated has resulted in the following premises: again (as it was the case with the former Habsburg a) economically and theologically, we have Empire), we presently consider that the conducted a select textological analysis of the still reinterpretations of his support to the equality are obscure details about Strossmayer as a celebrated especially worth researching. Thanks to the levity of Roman Catholic bishop, under whose rational his own friendships, he established multinational administration the Diocese generated an annual revenue correlations with the Czechs (František Palacký, up to 300,000 forints on some 300 km2 of its arable lands, František Ladislav Rieger), Slovaks (Ján Kollár), and forests, and pastures; many others. He made these brilliant moves to b) historically and politically, we have continued to reinforce a general Slavic influence, intercede for a explore Strossmayer’s inspiration and leadership of the federal national organization, empathize with the People’s Party, his governorship and manifested unification of the kingdoms of Dalmatia and Croatia, patriotism (especially with regard to the annexation of and guarantee that Croatian, his mother tongue, be the Međimurje region and Rijeka to the Croatian 137 КУЛТУРА / CULTURE, 14/ 2016 national matrix), but we have also repeatedly Cetinje printing office, Matrix Slovenica as well as to retrospected his condemnation of the Croatian- Matrix Serbica, and to the activity of the Miladinov Hungarian Settlement, which caused his resignation brothers. Thus, this paper would like to also inspire from the parliamentary life; the new scientific research in the paraphernalia of c) from a standpoint of the history of arts, the seven Strossmayer’s official visits to Serbia in his article testifies to Strossmayer’s inomissible role in the capacity as a papal envoy (1852‒1866), as well as in establishment of the former Yugoslavian Academy of his successes concerning the establishment of Sciences and Arts (presently, the Croatian Academy of relations between the Holy See and Montenegro Sciences and Arts), University of Zagreb, and the Old (1866). Masters’ Gallery; d) chronologically, it also provides for the II. CROATO-MACEDONIAN publicist contributions to the research of Franjo Rački “VERBAL HOUSES” and Ferdo Šišić’s legacies (based upon a contemporary perusal of the known and less known Anglo-American, Even though Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer has Croatian, and Macedonian sources). never visited Macedonia, his pacifism and Pan-Slavism An innovative step beyond usual methodology is position him as Maecenas who supported the most reflected in a fact that the article offers a cultural, significant folkloristic endeavor of the entire 19th- linguistic-literary, and political-historiographic century Macedonian literature [1]. A collection by the (re)interpretation of sources, being unconfined to the Struga-based brothers Dimitar Hristov Miladinov traductological hypotheses of select texts’ (Димитар Христов Миладинов, 1810‒1862) and representation to the Croatian and Macedonian Konstantin Hristov Miladinov (Константин Христов scientific audience only. It also tries to contribute to Миладинов, 1830‒1862), titled Бѫлгарски народни the explication of Strossmayer’s attitude to the пҍсни (Bulgarian Folk Songs) and popularly known as “solution to the South Slav issue” and/or papal Зборникот на Миладиновци, was finalized in Đakovo infallibility (which is frequently misattributed). and printed in Zagreb by Ante Jakić in June 1861. Finally, the paper used the Internet sources and/or Therein, these national revivalists, who openly those available in the archives of the Croatian declared their Bulgarian ethnicity, have immortalized Academy of Sciences and Arts, Library of the Faculty of 584 Macedonian folk songs, in addition to the Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb, and the consuetudes, fables, nursery rhymes and an National University Library in Zagreb, as well as the onomasticon. [2] private Croatian and American collections. Our Nonetheless, the opus ideationally dates back to intention was to offer a new applicative insight in February 25, 1846, when Dimitar Miladinov scholarly Strossmayer’s inclination to a South Slav unity (which communicated this collectorial intention of his in a remains controversial to some), corroborated by the letter to Viktor Ivanovich Grigorovich (Виктор facts like his assistance to the establishment of the Иванович Григорович, 1815‒1876), a prominent 138 JOSIP JURAJ STROSSMAYER: A STATESMAN OF CULTURE Russian Slavicist, and it still arouses controversies.