Podpečnik J. ALL YOU NEED IS A RED SHIRT AND CAP; AND YOU ARE SOKOL Vol. 6 Issue 3: 61 - 85 ALL YOU NEED IS A RED SHIRT AND CAP, AND YOU ARE SOKOL! Jože Podpečnik National Museum of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia Original article Abstract The public appearances of Sokol companies in uniform at first awakened and later strengthened Slovenian national consciousness and united the Slovenians in Carniola and later across all Slovenian ethnic territory. The provincial government in Ljubljana and its German majority were largely opposed to the Slovenian gymnastics clubs. They blamed the Sokol clubs for encouraging ethnic intolerance with their excursions in uniform. In principle, practicing gymnastics was the first objective of the Slovenian gymnasts, followed in second place by various forms of social ‘entertainment,’ where they could demonstrate dignity, good manners, and moderation. Unform consisted of »surka« (jacket), red shirt, black shoes and »čikoš« (hat). The Southern Sokol Club chose for its headwear a low, round, wide-brimmed hat, to which a tricolor ‘national’ cockade and a Sokol feather were attached. The Sokol uniform with its red shirt became the symbol of a self-confident and nationally conscious Slovenian, a fighter for national emancipation, and a supporter of Slavic solidarity. Keywords: Sokol, Uniforms, Dress, Cap, National Colours. INTRODUCTION Along with the awakening of conscious Slovenian bourgeoisie.2 Although Slovenian national consciousness in the they became an element of the Sokol mid-nineteenth century, dressing styles uniform worn by the members of the became a category of national affiliation Southern Sokol Club, founded in October beyond the previously firmly established 1863, the role of the symbols of the Sokol classbased differences in dress in Slovenia. gymnastics movement went to the red shirt. Janez Trdina reports that in 1848 nationally The uniformed Southern Sokols conscious students and some Ljubljana immediately assumed the leadership of the residents started to wear a surka1 in Slovenian national movement, and by imitation of the Croatian Illyrians, appearing in public in uniform its members demonstrating their Slovenian national appealed to national consciousness. The affiliation and South Slavic solidarity, and Sokol uniform with its red shirt became the the bolder ones added a red cap. In the symbol of a self-confident and nationally reading societies period after 1861, these conscious Slovenian, a fighter for national jackets were often adopted by the nationally emancipation, and a supporter of Slavic solidarity. The popularity of the Sokol red Science of Gymnastics Journal 61 Science of Gymnastics Journal Podpečnik J. ALL YOU NEED IS A RED SHIRT AND CAP; AND YOU ARE SOKOL Vol. 6 Issue 3: 61 - 85 shirt was concurrent with the role of the parent club. In particular, the uniforms of Sokol clubs in the Slovenian national the Upper Carniola Sokols and the Southern movement and of course changed in the Sokols of Trieste differed from those of the course of the movement’s development. Ljubljana Sokols in the color of the shirt To date, research on the Slovenian and details of the headwear. The lack of a national and Sokol movements has not standard uniform in the Slovenian Sokol dedicated any major attention to the clubs would certainly have caused many development of the Sokol uniform, and problems in the long run and weakened even less to its symbolism or the reactions their position in the struggle for the rights of sympathizers or opponents. The first to of the Sokol association and national rights. attempt a more detailed description of the The leadership of the Ljubljana Sokol Club development of the Sokol uniform was therefore acted resolutely when the first Drago Stepišnik,3 who compiled a basic non-standard elements appeared, whether survey of its development. A short but related to the uniform, the gymnastics correct description of the development of system, or Slovenian gymnastics the Sokol uniform in Slovenia up to the terminology. Second World War was written and The Ljubljana Gymnastics Club illustrated by Sergej Vrišer.4 In the archive tackled the issue of the club uniform as sources, the clothes of the members of the early as the preparations for its foundation. Sokol clubs are mostly called kroji At the preparatory meeting in early August (uniforms), and the same was true of 1862, the initiators appointed a temporary Slovenian newspapers of the time. Here and five-member board, in which the there, the names of the individual parts of a Slovenians had the majority. The board’s Sokol uniform were mentioned, when they efforts to heal the rift between the were the subject of discussions in the clubs Slovenian majority and German minority or among the public. The archive of the were in vain. Moreover, the disagreements Ljubljana Sokol Club also reflects the caused the German minority to found their attitudes of its leadership and members to own gymnastics club, the Laibacher the Sokol uniform, and the discussions were Turnverein, the same year. The Slovenian quite heated in the early period. Gymnastics Club thus had a competitor at This article addresses only the both the club and national levels even development of the men’s Sokol uniform in before it was founded. This rift, which was Slovenia before the First World War; the also reflected in the choice of the club development of women’s and youths’ Sokol uniform, had an important impact on the uniforms was specific and deserves special operation of the two town and national attention due to special historical and social gymnastics associations. The German conditions. I intentionally use the seemingly Gymnastics Club adopted a standard club questionable term ‘Slovenian’ Sokol uniform,5 whereas the Southern Sokols costume, especially considering the imitated the Prague Sokol Club. The assumption that the Slovenian Sokols archive material contains no evidence of imitated the uniform of the Czech Sokols. contact between the Slovenian and Czech For the first thirty years, the Slovenian Sokols before the formal foundation of the Sokol uniform had some specific Slovenian characteristics, in particular the headwear. In spite of the uniformity of the Sokol movement in principle, the uniform of the Ljubljana Sokol Club differed from that of the Prague Sokols, as did the uniforms of some Sokol filials from the uniform of their Science of Gymnastics Journal 62 Science of Gymnastics Journal Podpečnik J. ALL YOU NEED IS A RED SHIRT AND CAP; AND YOU ARE SOKOL Vol. 6 Issue 3: 61 - 85 Slovenian club, but a telegram with mid March. Because the board had received greetings that the Slovenians sent from their no answer from Prague by 13 March, it founding meeting, as well as the name and decided to have at least a temporary uniform they chose for the club confirm the uniform made in our own way.9 Spring was assumption that the Southern Sokol Club close and with it the first season of outdoor imitated the Prague Sokols in its initial events and public performances, and the phase of operation. members were still without uniforms. The first club rules of the Southern Pressed for time, the board members again Sokol Club contained no provisions decided to adopt the Czech Sokol uniform, regarding the Sokol uniform. It is indirectly including the red shirt worn by the mentioned in the first section of the supporters of Giuseppe Garibaldi in the gymnastics system, in which Article 5 states struggle for a united Italy. Underneath the that the gymnasts have to take off their red shirt the Sokols were to wear a white ‘body clothes’ before training.6 The shirt or vest and over it the thenpopular members of the Southern Sokol Club grey-brown surka with five interlacing laces discussed the Sokol uniform at the founding and hooks instead of buttons with meeting, which took place on 1 October buttonholes. The members were to wear 1863 at the Ljubljana Reading Society. ordinary trousers with a short strap, also They unanimously agreed not to imitate the made of grey-brown Russian cloth. uniform of the German gymnasts. They Regarding the headwear, to which a adopted a decision in principle to copy the cockade with a monogram and a falcon’s Czech Sokol uniform but without its hat. feather were to be attached, the board again Unlike the Czech Sokols, they would not failed to reach an agreement. Of the ten wear boots, but shoes. The Southern Sokol board members, four voted for the čikoš, Club chose for its headwear a low, round, four for a modern hat, and two for a wide-brimmed hat called a čikoš,7 to which ‘Slavic’ hat.10 a tricolor ‘national’ cockade and a Sokol Two days later, an extraordinary feather were attached. The club’s archive general meeting was held in the club’s contains no document indicating why the gymnasium with a single item on the general meeting did not adopt the footwear agenda: the Sokol uniform. Following a and headwear of the Czech model and why motion by President Costa, the board’s it chose a hat that was quite similar to the proposals were adopted by a slight majority. German uniform. The Ljubljana Sokols With the exception of the headwear, the were greatly encouraged when they Czech Sokol uniform was adopted. Instead received a surprise package containing 60 of the proposed hat, the majority voted for a badges of the Prague Sokol Club in late semi-round, gray čikoš. The writer of the 1863. The club’s president Etbin Henrik minutes of the general meeting disagreed Costa ceremoniously distributed them with the majority opinion and denounced among the members at the New Year’s the decision adopted. He considered the party at the Ljubljana Reading Society.8 proposed hat to be childish, ‘unnational’ A group of dissatisfied Sokols again and impracticable, and, in short, unworthy brought up the issue of the Sokol uniform in of a Slovenian gymnast.