BOOK NOW FOR THE BRITISH-SLOVENE SOCIETY’S PREŠEREN EVENING

WITH GREGOR VOLK AND GORAN KRMAČ

–         Saturday 9th February 2019. Drinks from 6.30 pm, dinner at 7.20 pm.

–        Ambassadors Bloomsbury Hotel, 12 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0HX (undergrounds Euston, Euston Square, King’s Cross, Russell Square)

Singer Gregor Volk and tuba player Goran Krmač, two of Slovenia’s up-and-coming young entertainers, will perform for us after dinner.

We are keeping rates at the same as last year:

–         Members £45, non-members £60, students and under-18s  £29.

For that you will enjoy a drinks reception, a three-course dinner with wine, the concert and a tombola with all sorts of attractive prizes.

Proceeds of tombola will, as always, go to Barka, the Slovenian charity we support.

–         Reserve your places now using the Application Form below. Space is limited, so it’s first come, first serve.

You should assume that paid-for places have been reserved unless you hear to the contrary. No tickets will be issued.

If you wish to make up your own party, please nominate a host who will book the table in his/her name. Please advise if you have any dietary requirements.

We are grateful to the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in London for donating Slovenian wine for the occasion and to the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for granting the British-Slovene Society a subsidy.

2019 2 9 Preseren Evening application form

The British-Slovene Society once again filled the charming Wren church of St. Andrew-in-the-Wardrobe in London for the annual service of carols and readings in both languages. Organist Aljoša travelled from Leeds to play for us, and two sopranos and a contralto sang as a choir to support the congregation.

Afterwards the congregation stayed for more than an hour to talk and consume large quantities of fresh potica just flown in from Slovenia by five BSS members. The Slovenian Embassy generously contributed wine.  

After the service, we collected £410 for Barka, the charity we support in Slovenia.

Slovenian Ambassador Tadej Rupel (left) with BSS Trustee Marcus Ferrar.

Next year come again: it’s been pencilled in for Friday 6^th December.   

John Corsellis, who cared for Slovenes fleeing their country in 1945 and chronicled their Odyssey around the world, has died at the age of 95 in his home city of Cambridge.

As a young humanitarian aid worker, John helped look after several thousand Slovene refugees in Displaced Persons camps in Austria until they were able to emigrate to Argentina, the United States, Canada and Britain.

He developed a strong affection for the refugees, whom he helped run schools and other camp activities with the most meagre of means. While the Slovenes were bitter that the British Army sent back 13,000 Slovene Home Guards to be killed by the Communists, they warmly appreciated John for his support and friendship in their time of need.

Together with co-author Marcus Ferrar, John published a book entitled “Slovenia 1945: Memories of Death and Survival after World War II” in the U.K. in 2005. The Slovene edition published by Mladinska Knjiga became a best-seller in Slovenia.

John was a Quaker, and when asked by Slovene television interviewer how this affected his beliefs, he replied simply: “The Bible says ‘Thou shalt not kill’ and the Bible means ‘Thou shalt not kill’.”

A Quaker meeting will be held to give thanks for John’s life on Tuesday 4 December at 2.30 pm at the Friends Meeting House, 12 Jesus Lane, Cambridge CB5 8BA.

Here is a link to the interview John Corsellis and Marcus Ferrar gave to Sandi Čolnik of RTV Slovenia in 2006: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ryONG4poEo

We are looking forward to getting together again at our next Prešeren Evening.  It will take place on Saturday 9th February 2019 at the Ambassadors Bloomsbury Hotel (the same place as this year). Put the date in your diary!

PS: Don’t forget the British-Slovene Carol Service on 7th December at St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, Queen Victoria Street and St. Andrew’s Hill, City of London, EC4V 5DE. 

The BSS warmly invites you to our annual Carol Service on Friday 7th December 2018, at 6:30 pm.

This is our regular festive get together which is held in the beautiful church of St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, Queen Victoria Street and St. Andrew’s Hill, City of London, EC4V 5DE.

The church, which was built by Sir Christopher Wren is a wonderful historic building and well worth a visit in its own right. Please come and join in our carol singing in English and Slovene.

Catch up with friends after the service as there will be potica (offered by the Society) and Christmas drinks (courtesy of the Embassy).

There is no charge but a collection is taken to support the work of the Barka charity in Slovenia.

Nearest underground Blackfriars. St Paul’s and Mansion House nearby.

From October 2018 SSEES UCL will again run evening courses of Slovene language at all levels.
 
Beginners (Tuesdays)
Lower Intermediate (Mondays)
Upper Intermediate (Thursdays)
Advanced (Wednesdays)
Advanced Plus (Thursdays)
 
All courses are scheduled to run 6:30-8:30pm.
 
More information about the Slovene courses is HERE

If you are interested please enrol by 30 September HERE

For more information contact Maja Rančigaj Beneš, Slovene language teacher: m.rancigaj@ucl.ac.uk

These small interactive courses develop conversation skills without losing sight of the fundamentals of grammar. They are ideal for anyone interested in the rich culture and unique language of Slovenia. 

With great sadness, we have heard news that Dora Lavrenčič, widow of Karl Lavrenčič, passed away on 10^th July at the age of 94. Dora was a broadcaster with the BBC’s Slovene section.

Née Dora Žebot, she was the daughter of a prominent pre-war figure Franjo Žebot who, as acting Mayor of Maribor, refused to raise the Nazi flag on the town hall at the time of the 1941 invasion. He was subsequently the first Slovene to be transported to Dachau concentration camp, where he died.

Dora’s funeral arrangements are as follows:

Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Cobham, Surrey at 11am on Friday 20th July. There will be a reception immediately afterwards in the parish centre next to the church. 

The British-Slovene Society sends heartfelt condolences to Dora’s family, Alenka and John.