Undergraduate thesis examines the question of Slovene national identity with a focus on its relation to the Yugoslav idea and Yugoslavism between 1918 in 1923. The text explores the development of the Yugoslav idea among Slovenes and seeks to point out the influence leading political figures who presented their ideas on the Yugoslav issue. It also attempts to illuminate events that have significantly contributed to idea’s strengthening and asserting. Growing German nationalist pressure on the Slovene population in the multinational Austrian empire resulted in increased interest of Slovene political parties in other south Slavs as efficient political allies, especially the Croats. By the time of the First World War the Yugoslav idea has already spread through all Slovene political parties and their political agendas have influenced further development of the Yugoslav question immensely. However it differed in each political party. They also had different views on the unification of all southern Slavs, whether it was under the sceptre of the Habsburg monarchy or as completely independent country. Different views caused the fact that the unresolved Yugoslav issue accompanied the Slovenes into the newly created State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs as well as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which led to disagreements when it came to defining its government. Some people envisioned the country in federalist form, which would allow conditions for the independent development of Slovenian national individuality. Slovenes saluted the new country and enthusiastically began to celebrate its new national holidays. The Slovenes felt that in this new country there was no place for reminders of their Austrian past any longer, which reflected in the removal of images pf important political figures.
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