Robert Skenderović of the Croatian Institute of History gave a lecture on Ivan Antunović, the first activity of this kind at the CHF following the recent earthquake in Zagreb and the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic scare.
Robert Skenderović PhD of the Croatian Institute of History gave a lecture on Ivan Antunović and 150 years since the Croatian national revival movement in the Bačka region. The event was hosted by the Croatian Heritage Foundation at its main auditorium on the 30th of June. It was the first activity of this kind at the CHF following the recent earthquake in Zagreb and the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic scare.
Skenderović offered an overview of the circumstances of Croatians in the Danube basin area from the 1830s to the end of the nineteenth century. He underlined in particular the issue of the hostile attitude of the Hungarian authorities of the time towards aspirations among the local population to openly declare themselves as ethnic Croatians. To get around these unfavourable circumstances they opted to use the regional Bunjevac and Šokac appellations, but continued to direct all their cultural and educational activity towards reinforcing ties with Croatia proper. It was in these very difficult circumstances that Ivan Antunović conducted his bishopric. His work on the national revival and enlightenment activities in general among the Danube basin Croatians thus deserves our particular attention.
Attendance at the lecture was limited on account of the strict healthcare measures imposed. The lecture has been posted to the Internet via the Facebook portal and has thus been made available to a much broader audience. The lecture on Ivan Antunović was organised by the Croatian Heritage Foundation and the Kršćanski kulturni centar (“Christian Culture Centre”) association.
Text and photography: Marin Knezović