T · H · E Ohio Slavic & OHIO SfA1E East European UNIVERSITY Newsletter Volume 23, .No. 5 May-June 1995 Columbus, Ohio The Overcoat, The Pole and The Students Polish Director Premiers Pantomime with Sinclai,r College Troupe NikolaiGogol's tale ofth e absurd, present for the premier was Polish com- Polish pantomime has been the most in­ "The Overcoat," has been brought to the poserAndrzej Anweiler, who was commis- tense experience of my life and Rajmund stage in the first ever dramatic pantomime sioned to prepare original music for the Klechot is a master of his art" said Hill. produced by an American troupe with the production. The two artists were honored "I found muscles I did not know I had." help of one of Poland's leading pantomime atthe performance by theKrzysztof Jedize- Known as the "master of dramatic pan­ artists. Rajmund Klechot, fonner member jewski, Consul of the Republic of Poland, tomime," Klechot was trained in Poland. of the Pantomime Theater of Wroclaw and who also attended the play's opening. He left Poland in 1980 before the im- founder of the Warsaw Mimes' Scene, Klechotis renowned forhis ability position of martial law. Him mime-artistry directed students of the Sinclair College to coax stunningonnanc perf es from young technique has been hailed as "absolutely Drama Department in the premier of "The actors, and the audience was not disap- flawless" and his is further pmised as an Overcoat" on May 18 in Dayton. Also pointed on this occasion. Critics and fine artist whose "heart speaks to the hearts of arts faculty from institutions around the his audience." He has toured extensively, state praised the director and his company performing in nearly all the world's major Inside OSEEN for their performance. The leading role of theaters. AkakiyAkakiyevicb was playedby Wesley The Sinclair production of "The a theater major at Sinclair College. a milestone in American Bosnian Muslims Unwilling Warriors Hill, Overcoat" marks Hill showed dramatic range in the history as the first production of a Sarajevo Professor's Perspective of great theater performance. and dramaticpantomime performed by Americ- Bosnians and Conflict 2 Christophel' Corwin Independent Slovenia Sharise Parviz alsoturned in excellent ans in the United States. Klechot was performances, and members of the enthusiasticabout achievement,both for OSU Professor on Balkan State 2 all the the cast performed with and fes American andPolish art lamented From the Director skill pro - He the sionalism. state of Polish art today. and its recycling Farewell from Allan Wildman 3 Klechot, however, was work- of past glories. "We cannot live in "Next Wave" Is Here not the ing no . The students and faculty said. hoped OSU Hosts New Yiddish and with vices past," he He that Poles would of Sinclair Department have won return to their creativity. Ashkenazic Studies Conference 4 Theater rich tradition of numerous awards and accolades for their Joining Klechot for produ Russian Sampler Redra the ction work. troupe present at the opening was the com­ Introduction to Russian Offered 4 With their director. the will and tak.e to New York on June poser Anweiler. Trained in both Europe O.S.U. Russian Club Revitalized "TheOvercoat" and They perform at the and including at the War­ Seeks Broader Membership 4 12 13. will first America. studies Slavic Faculty Honored Polish Consulate and then at the Bruno saw Conservatory and the Royal Academy Quigley. Joseph Receive Awards 4 Walter Auditorium of the Lincoln Center of Music in London, Anweiler has per- Ohio Slavic Calendar 5 Library for the Performing Arts. The fonned as a concert pianist in the most is also to perfOIDl prestigious concert Mo.n:onen! 5 troupe scheduled aboan:l halls. luxury Queen Elizabeth - "The Overcoatcontinues its run at Grad Tidings 5 the liner II this summer. who at SinclairCollegeinDayton withperforman- New Course Oft'erings 6 Klechot, teaches Yale Universi , the Sinclair ces onMay 18-21 and25-28, at Publications Received 6 ty declared that troop 1995 8:30 is favorite acurs p.m. perfoonances Study and Research his group of young after and 3:00 All will be - ---- ---6-those of Yale. ________ Building_�-- _J_ j)ppm11mmes ____ held at Blair Hall Theater, One of the world's leading Sinc Communi College Dayton, Opportunities for Support 7 pan- lair ty in Institutes for Teachers 8 tomime artists.Klechot conducted a seven- Ohio. Tickets are $4-10. Forreservatio ns Meetings 8 week workshop at Sinclair in conjunction call (513) 226-2808. with the production. "Leaming the art of 2 OSEEN May-June 1995 with a sketch of Bosnian history and Bos­ the third inthe series Contemporary issues nian identity. He noted the belief, widely in the Balkans jointly sponsored by the OSEEN held among Bosnians, that the anrent Center for Slavic and East European Stud population, especially Muslim Bosnians, ies and the Resowce Center for Medieval ISSN 1048-6615 are descended from the heretics of the Slavic Studies. Bogomil, who inhabited the region in the Rogel, who is theauthor o f several Matthew R Schwonek., Editor Middle Ages. The TlD'kish invasion of the books and articles on the history of Slove­ 15th century imparted a unique identity. nia including a forthcoming historical The Turkish experience, for example, gave holds a Ph.D. Allan Wildman, Director dictionary, in history from Bosnian Islam its uniquecharacter, making Columbia University. Shejoined the Ohio OhioSlavic and EuropeanEast Newslet­ it a faith thatis severe for the believer but State Department of Historyin 1964. She ter (OSEEN) is published bi-monthly, flexiblefor the non-believer. Healso noted retired in 1990. September through JlDle, by the Center that Islam in Bosnia is today becoming Rogel began with a discussion of for Slavic and East European Studies of more and more secular as many of the the origins of Slovenia and the Slovene The Ohio State Univezsity. It is pro­ more stringent religious practices are now state. She emphasized the antiquity of vided free of c:lw:ge to subscribers. breaking down. Hadziselimovicpointed to Slovenia's state tradition. Slovenia was to all are wel­ Submissions departments the medieval fleur-de-lis, the symbol of Cbristiani7.ed by the Franks starting ap­ come. Direct subscription requests and independentBosnia, as an exemplar of both proximately in the year 750. For much of submissions to: the origins and secular nature of Bosnia. the Middle Ages it existed as an indepen­ While a flexible approach to soci­ dent principality with an elected ruler, OSEEN ety and culture is a key element of the whose conventa pledged to Center for Slavic and pacta him populalion. East European Studies Bosnian temperament, another important defend the In the High Middle 303 Oxley Hall element of the Bosnian identity, according Ages, independence gave way to AusUian 1712 Neil Ave. to Hadziselimovic, is its complexity. For overlordship. The roots of Slovene The Ohio Swe Univezsity centwies the Bosnians have endeavored to national consciousness lie in the Print­ Columbus, OH 43210-1219 come to some accommodation with their Capital revolution of the 16th century, and neighbors, the Serbs and Croats. This has during the ProtesWlt Reformation the fust Phone (614) 292-8770 resulted in a complex society. Even the Slovene-language books were printed, FAX (614) 292-4273 search for a name for the Bosnians was though in Gennany. Today October 30 or proved difficult. The decision to declare Reformation Day is a national holiday in independence required much soul sear­ Slovenia. Bosnian Muslims ching. Referring to its diverse ethnic, Despite an old state tradition, in confessional and linguistic composition, the 19th century and into the 20th the Unwilling Warriors Hadziselimovic called Bosnia a mosaic. Slovene national movementwas dominated However, therein lies Bosnia's problem. by a consciousness ofSlovenia' s small si7.e " o can a a fear a Slovene state would not Bosnian Muslims are 1D1willing Y u smash mosaic with hammer, and that be but with a cmmot smash a viable. Slovene political warriors in the conflict in the farmer Yugo­ mosaic you programs theref­ hammer," he said. ore advocared federation. However,it was slavia,said Omer Hadziselimovic, professor the acconting toRogel,who of English at the University of Sarajevo. Bosnianshave no choicetoday but GreatPowers, to of themselves as a Bos­ dictatedS1ovenia's fate in the20th ce ntury. Hadziselimovic spoke at The Ohio State think nation. Hadziselimovic said, the 1919 much Slovenia was joined to University on March 2, 1995 in the Con­ nians, "acquired In of habit living toge " warring new Yugoslav state, while a portioo temporary Issues in the Balkans Lecture fatal of ther. The the Series sponsored by the Center for Slavic armies are seeking to remedy this. "In was awarded to Italy. The postwar years, defending religion or their country, though, are characterized by the steady and East European Studies, the Resomce their are simply defending growth of sentiment in of indepen­ Center for Medieval Slavic Studies and [Bosnians] their favor lives," said. Middle East Studies Center. he dence. The thaw of the years 1968-1972 for devel­ Hadziselimovic is an eloquent was anessential precondition the opment of sentiment, while the disin­ witness to thefighting in Sarajevo. He left such tegration of the 1980s rise ofmili­ thebesieged city for the UnitedStates after Independent Slovenia and the Serb the impetus theworst of the fighting, inFebruary 1994. tant nationalism provided for separation. ·The sepamtion Slovenia Hadziselimovic, who received a Master of Past and Present of Yugosl8via place AIU degree in American Studies from from took in 1989-1991 O and was accomplished legally and with a berlin College and has many friends in Independent Slovenia, past and ··· ---' minimmn of vinleru;e, _After a rrutjcrit) thewe�01;1.bim0De-,SS11ailt'"Vnriee--1!s1t1bldieslf!!f " �eo�mrmm1ttuntnn:n-· ty1r:,-1S�· _,,p,...