Slovenian Cultural Event for Prešeren Day St. Vitus Church Social Hall 6019 Lausche Ave. Cleveland February 11, 2025
A special cultural event was held on February 11, 2025 at St. Vitus Church in Cleveland as part of "Preseren Day." The day was named for 19th-century Slovene poet France Prešeren who is considered the greatest Slovene classical poet and the inspiration for later Slovenian literature. In 1945, the anniversary of his death, called Prešeren Day, was declared as the Slovene cultural holiday. In 1989, his Zdravljica was declared the national anthem of Slovenia. The Consul General of the Republic of Slovenia, Suzana Cešarek, hosted an evening to celebrate Slovenian culture.
In this first video, Consul General Suzana Cešarek welcomed the crowd and spoke about France Prešeren and gave a preview of the presentations on the four Slovenian writers who had a special impact on American Slovenians. She said what they had in common was that they all wrote about a longing for their homeland.
Consul General Suzana Cešarek
She then introduced local artist Christie Mihelich who unveiled a new painting of Lake Bled in Slovenia.
Christie Mihelich with her new painting
Watch the video.
Next, Mojca Slak, the principal of St. Vitus Slovenian School spoke about the life and writings of the late Ivan Zorman.
Mojca Slak under a photo of Ivan Zorman
Ivan Zorman was born in Slovenia in Šmarje at age ten the family returned permanently to Cleveland, Ohio in the USA. Ivan Zorman published five books of poetry. A bust of Ivan Zorman was installed in the Slovenian Cultural Garden in Cleveland in 1959 for his contributions to literature and the arts.
Mojca Slak then presented Karel Mauser who was a World War II Slovenian refugee forced to leave Slovenia due to the imposition of Communism in Slovenia. He was a poet, author, and playwright and is ranked among the best writers of Slovene postwar prose. He continued the Slovenian tradition of the local story with stories from village life with typically emotionally colored narratives and morally defined literary characters. His short stories provided the wide contrast of an immigrant in a different country with a different culture and language and the adjustments to be made to a make a new life in a new country. His short story "John Kovach," provided a glimpse in realistic terms of how a human being can be considered as just another "clog" in a confining job, employed in mostly manual labor tasks.
Mojca Slak and photo of Karel Mauser
Watch the video.
Next, Dr. Luka Zibelnik presented an overview of Rose Mary Prosen, who published poems as well as being an instructor of English at a local community college. Her experiences centered primarily on that of being the daughter of immigrant parents and the challenges they faced. It was noted how the experiences of such a young person were markedly so different than that of a young person growing up in an English only speaking household: no Dick or Jane, just many Josephs or Mary's. As she grew older, she began to greatly appreciate her cultural background and the added dimensions it provided to the broader American society.
Dr. Luka Zibelnik and photo of Rose Mary Prosen
Watch the video
Then Joseph Valencic made a presentation on Marie Prisland, founder of the Slovenian Ladies Society later renamed to Slovenian Women Union and now Slovenian Union of America.
Joseph Valencic and photo of Marie Prisland
He spoke of her challenges as a young immigrant person leaving her homeland and permanently settling in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Marie was the first woman national board officer of American Slovenian Catholic Union ( now KSKJLife), and establishing a national women's fraternal society to endear and encourage Slovenian traditions and culture while at the same time developing a great love of her citizenship and freedoms as an American citizen. She established the magazine "Zarja (The Dawn)," as the principal means of communication for members of SUA throughout the USA in numerous cities. Zarja today is published as a quarterly publication providing interesting articles of local branches as well as the many dimensions of Slovenian traditions and culture.
Watch the video.
After the formal presentations Consul General Cesarek asked for stories from the audience and these were shared.
Stanley Kuhar sent a more extensive writeup of the evening and we publish that here with his permission. Thank you Stanley.
On February 11, 2025, in new St. Vitus social hall, a nearly full hall heard about four Slovenian authors and poets who had an impact on American Slovenian communities in the USA. The evening was part of "Preseren Day," marking a dedication to Slovenian literature and the arts around the date of the passing of Slovenia's most recognized and respected poet, France Preseren.
The evening was hosted and sponsored by Consul General, Ms. Suzana Cešarek, Consul General Republic of Slovenia, Cleveland (Ohio). Additional sponsors were St. Vitus Endowment Trust, St. Anne Lodge #4 AMLA, and Slovenian Women Union Scholarship Foundation. Prior to the start of the presentation by four representatives in the American Slovenian community in northeast Ohio, Consul General Suzana ?ešarek and Christie Mihelich, local artist, unveiled a recently painted portrait created by Christie depicting Lake Bled and the surrounding area, in Slovenia. Christie has also painted a portrait of a landscape in Slovenia with a "kozovc." This portrait has already been installed. The newly painted portrait will be framed and installed by Bonfoey Co. under the direction of Olga Merela, manager, at Bonfoey's.
The evening's presenters were Mojca Slak, principal, St. Vitus Saturday Slovenian School, Dr. Luka Zibelnik, instructor at Cleveland State University, and Joseph Valencic, president, Slovenian Union of America (a fraternal benefit society in the USA).
Mojca began the program with a review of the life and writings of the late Ivan Zorman. Ivan Zorman was born in Slovenia in Šmarje with the family initially settling in the USA. They then moved back to Slovenia. Around the age of ten years old, the family returned permanently to the USA, eventually settling in Cleveland, Ohio. Ivan Zorman had five books published, primarily dealing with poetry. He had a background in romance languages (e.g., French, Italian) as well as history, music composition, and music theory. He graduated with a degree from Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) in literature, languages, and history. His primary calling was as the choir director and organist at (then, now closed) St Lawrence Parish as well as director of a number of local Slovenian choral groups. His poetry reflected the love of language and the arts, reflecting the reality that while most of the then Slovenian immigrants toiled in "blue collar" industries (e.g., American Wire, Cleveland Twist Drill, Richman Brothers tailing, coat making, etc.) Slovenians had a love of singing, including folklore songs as well as operettas, and engaging in playing a number of musical instruments (accordion, piano, organ, violins, cellos, etc). He shared his thoughts and ideas to keep the younger American Slovenians engaged in their unique culture and heritage and to be proud of the history. A bust of Ivan Zorman was installed in the Slovenian Cultural Garden for his contributions to literature and the arts.
Mojca then presented Karel Mauser (1918-1977) was a World War II Slovenian refugee forced to leave Slovenia due to the imposition of Communism in Slovenia (1945-1990). Karel wrote or had published 20 books, numerous essays, plays, and a book of poetry prior to his untimely death in 1977. His books provided descriptive characters that he met and came into contact with primarily in Slovenia, in many rural settings. His trilogy, Ljudje Pod Bicem (People Under A Whip), provided a description of life in Slovenia just prior to World War II, during a simultaneous civil war inside Slovenia at the same time, and life just after the civil war and WWII in Slovenia. The majority of his books, essays, plays, and poetry are in Slovenian but a few of his short stories were translated into English. His short stories provided the wide contrast of an immigrant in a different country with a different culture and language and the adjustments to be made to a make a new life in a new country. His short story "John Kovach," provided a glimpse in realistic terms of how a human being can be considered as just another "clog" in a confining job, employed in mostly manual labor tasks. His weekly article in the then "Ameriska Domovina/American Home, a once published daily Slovenian/English newspaper, under the heading of "Koticko Stric" provided window for first- and second-generation American Slovenians to write in Slovenian to his attention and then provide a response to their concerns. Karel loved expressing the Slovenian culture and language through the arts to many young people. It was noted that Karel Mauser should have a bust installed in Slovenian Cultural Garden or possibly in a proposed flower bed garden and "zanmenje (religious wayside shrine)" on site at the new social hall.
Dr. Luka Zibelnik presented an overview of Rose Mary Prosen, who published poems as well as being an instructor of English at a local community college. Her experiences centered primarily around that of being the daughter of immigrant parents and the challenges they faced. It was noted how the experiences of such a young person were markedly so different than that of a young person growing up in an English only speaking household: no Dick or Jane, just many Josephs or Mary's. As she grew older, she began to greatly appreciate her cultural background and the added dimensions it provided to the broader American society.
Joseph Valencic made the presentation on Marie Prisland, founder of, originally "Slovenian Ladies Society, renamed Slovenian Women Union and now Slovenian Union of America", and her challenges as a young immigrant person leaving her homeland and permanently settling in the Sheboygan, WI. Area. Marie was the first woman national board officer of American Slovenian Catholic Union (KSKJ, now KSKJLife), and establishing a "national women's" fraternal society to endear and encourage Slovenian traditions and culture while at the same time developing a great love of her citizenship and freedoms as an American citizen. She established the magazine "Zarja (The Dawn)," as the principal means of communication for members of SUA throughout the USA in numerous cities. Zarjatoday is published as a quarterly publication providing interesting articles of local "branches" as well as the many dimensions of Slovenian traditions and culture. It is also interesting to note that the many branches of SUA maintained a close relationship with the many American Slovenian Catholic parishes across the USA. SUA was the primary mover for a "Chapel Shrine" as one of the last so called "Shrines" in Basilica of The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (in Washington DC), entitled there as "Marija Pomagaj z Brezje (Mary Help of Christians), the patroness of Slovenians worldwide.
Joseph Valencic, Mojca Slak, Consul General Suzana Cešarek and Dr. Luka Zibelnik
The evening concluded with general questions or reflections of those in attendance. Delicious pastry was provided courtesy of Tavcar Catering along with coffee and light refreshments. We thank Reverend John C. Retar, pastor, for the generous use of the new social hall.
Note: This event was recorded live and a video via either a link or on Yahoo will be shortly available for those who could not be present. Thank you, John V Srsen. We also than Dan Hanson, ClevelandPeople.com, who was present and taped this night of literature. Thank you, Dan! We also thank the many individuals and entities who promoted this general public event: Marc Bona, Slovenian Hour (Edi Mejac), St. Vitus and St. Mary Parishes, websites of SUS and St. Vitus, News Herald.
By Stanley Kuhar
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