The master thesis deals with the case of Idrija as a home front during First World War. The town was historically important because of the second largest mercury mine in the world, which played a significant role in the years between 1914 and 1918 as well. The tensions that were felt in the mining town even before the outbreak of the war are showcased with the espionage story and the case of prosecution of students charged with disloyalty. With the beginning of the war and the introduction of the extraordinary measures in the Habsburg Monarchy, the townspeople came into direct contact with the wartime reality: the recruitment of soldiers took place, the first refugees appeared, the working conditions for the miners worsened and a strict censorship regime was established. Special emphasis is given to the politically motivated prosecutions that took place at the municipality and at the secondary school. With the emergence of hunger towards the end of the war, worker strikes, and military interventions appeared as well.
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