This thesis examines the purpose, intent, and circumstances surrounding the construction of mountain huts in the Slovenian mountains during three separate periods, that is, from the beginning of the twentieth century to the end of the First World War, the interwar period, and in the years following the Second World War. The first period deals with the Slovene–German national struggle. During this time, both sides built mountain huts as instruments for achieving national dominance in the Slovenian mountains. The second period, the interwar era, is further divided geographically into the Italian and Slovenian sides of the Rapallo border. On the Italian side, mountain huts, together with military infrastructure, served to demonstrate Italian presence in the newly annexed territory. On the Slovenian side of the Rapallo border, the Slovene Mountains Society was compelled to focus on the economic side of mountaineering due to the high costs of post-war reconstruction and hut maintenance. Consequently, mountain huts were increasingly built to serve as mountain hotels or taverns, intended to generate profit.
The period following the Second World War was profoundly shaped by the change of political regime, which invested heavily in mountaineering due to its own interests. As a result, the number of mountain huts and shelters increased rapidly. Attitudes toward mountaineering and mountain huts also changed: mountain facilities now became the property of the people and were intended primarily to provide recreational opportunities for the working class.
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