Sveti Pavel (novel)
.jpg) First edition | |
| Language | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Subject | Rural life, Partisans, Post-war violence |
| Genre | Historical novel, social-critical novel, rural novel |
| Publisher | Založba Obzorja |
| Publication place |  Slovenia |
Sveti Pavel is a novel by Slovenian author Pavle Zidar.[1] It was first published in 1965.[2][3]
Plot
The novel, considered one of the most important works by the author, is a historical rural narrative based on real events. It describes the tense relationship between the new Communist authorities and the rural population in the Dolenjska region during the first years after the end of World War II. The new political system brings many changes, causing unrest, especially in the countryside, where the authorities regularly collect farmers' crops and livestock and use violence to achieve their goals. The main characters are two brothers, Žan and Frenk Debevc. Žan is an honest farmer and former partisan who, after the Communists take his horse, writes to Marshal Tito asking him to listen to his plight. His brother, Frenk, was a White Guardist during the war and is forced to hide, first in Žan's wine cellar and then in the bell tower of St. Paul's Church. As tensions between the authorities and the farmers grow, Frenk waits fearfully for the moment he will be discovered.[2]
Reception
The novel is considered the literary debut of one of the most important modern Slovenian writers. It is noted for its realistic portrayal of the post-war conflict in the Dolenjska region.[2]
See also
References
- ^ "Sveti Pavel | ISBNdb". isbndb.com. Retrieved 2025-04-21.
- ^ a b c "Sveti Pavel - Dobre knjige" (in Slovenian). Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ^ Zidar, Pavle (1965). Sveti Pavel: roman (in Slovenian). Založba Obzorja.