5ooth anniversary of the birth of Primoz Trubar

Primož Trubar was born in 1508 (most probably in June) in Raščica, near Velike Lašče, and was educated in Rijeka, Trieste, Vienna and Salzburg. He then served as a priest in a number of places, while his views were strongly influenced by Pietro Bonomo, the humanist Bishop of Trieste, his original patron. He then became more involved in evangelical Protestantism, and was forced into exile in 1547. He wrote his first book (a catechism and abecedarium) in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, served as a pastor in Kempten, and returned to Ljubljana in 1560, but was expelled again; he died on 28 June 1586 in Derendingen (now in Tübingen), as a respected theologian.

 

He was a leader of the Slovenian protestant movement in the 16^th century, but was also a great cultural reformer, and a major figure in Slovenia’s cultural history. He produced the first printed books in Slovene, writing 24 alone, and around 50 in collaboration with fellow-thinkers and colleagues, including the first translation of the bible. He helped to formulate and establish a literary Slovene, which remained in use for the next two hundred years. He made an estimate of the number of Slovenes in each land, and was the first to name them as such, he promoted Slovene education and libraries, and he compiled a Slovene liturgy, all of which helped to bring Slovenes into the family of modern European nations.

 

 

 

In this Year of Trubar pronounced to mark the 500^th anniversary of his birth, Slovenia has issued a commemorative coin, featuring a bust of Primož Trubar created by sculptor Mirsad Begić.

 

 

 

Original design: Miljenko and Maja Licul, Ljubljana

Production and minting: Royal Dutch Mint, the Netherlands

 

Minted: 1 million coins

Date of issue: May 2008

 

Official Journal of the EU, No. 2008/C 125/06, dated 22.5.2008