Simon Jenko facts for kids
Simon Jenko (born October 27, 1835 – died October 18, 1869) was a famous Slovene poet and writer. He wrote many beautiful poems and short stories.
Early Life and Education
Simon Jenko was born in a small village called Podreča in Slovenia. At that time, Slovenia was part of the Austrian Empire. His parents were poor farmers.
Later, he moved with his family to Praše. This village became a big inspiration for many of his poems and stories. Local church leaders helped him go to school. He studied in cities like Novo Mesto, Klagenfurt, and Ljubljana.
Even though they wanted him to become a priest, Simon Jenko chose a different path. He went to the University of Vienna. There, he studied law, ancient languages (like Latin and Greek), and history.
Jenko's Literary Work
Simon Jenko was part of an important group of Slovene writers. This group included Fran Levstik, Josip Jurčič, Josip Stritar, Simon Gregorčič, and Fran Erjavec. They believed in new ideas for their country. They also brought a new style of writing called literary realism to Slovenian literature. This style focused on showing life as it really was.
Jenko mostly wrote poems that were about feelings and love for his country. His poems showed the influence of a style called romanticism. He also wrote short stories that were very realistic.
Family and Legacy
Simon Jenko was a cousin of the composer Davorin Jenko. Together, they created a famous song called Naprej zastava slave. For many years, this song was like an unofficial national anthem for Slovenia. It was very important until the 1980s.
Simon Jenko passed away in Kranj.
Today, his memory lives on through the Jenko Award. This award is given every year for the best collection of poems written in Slovene. The Slovene Writers' Association gives out this award to honor his contributions to poetry.
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