In 1904 (but with the date 1905), to mark the 400th anniversary of the birth of the father of the Slovene book, Anton Aškerc published his historical epic poem Primož Trubar. At the turn of the century, Aškerc was considered »the most important living Slovene poet«, with praise for his poetry resounding in the contemporary press. Before he wrote the poem, Aškerc had been studying the history of Slovene Protestantism and the role and importance of Primož Trubar for more than two decades. However, his epic, in which he presents Primož Trubar as a freethinker and Slovene nationalist, was not a mere presentation of historical facts: Aškerc used it to elaborate his point of view on issues topical in the early 20th century. On account of this, Primož Trubar made a much
stronger impression and sparked an animated debate on the true interpretation of the past as a way of legitimising current political options and as a signpost to the future.
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