On Friday, December 5, 2025, starting at 7:00 p.m., the documentary film “100 Years of Slovenians in Slatina” by Dušan Tomažič, which follows the story of the immigration of Slovenian families to this area, premiered in the Congress Hall of Slatina Spa.
After the fascists came to power in Italy after World War I, which also annexed Slovenia by the Treaty of Rapallo, the political and economic situation deteriorated sharply, and the pressure from the authorities on the Slovenian population to give up their national name and language grew...
In search of a better life, a group of Slovenians found a new home in places along the Vrbas River, such as Slatina, Malo Blaško, Šušnjari and Trn. One of the initiators of this immigration was Professor Anton Štrekelj. He decided to invite his other compatriots, first of all, one of his students, Alojz Adamič. Little by little, a small community was formed in Slatina, and by World War II it numbered about 60 Slovenian families.
They brought with them a large number of new types of fruit, treatment of fruit trees, and they changed the entire region in the long term, changing the way of cultivating the land since their arrival. They soon founded the Cultural Association "Istra" with a music and drama section.
Before the screening of the documentary, a conversation with the author Dušan Tomažič and the president of the "Triglav" Association Mladen Lunić was led by a member of the Association Ana Marjanović, during which a brief introduction was given about the idea for the film and the filming itself. The premiere was attended by a large number of descendants of Slovenians who came to this area, as well as their neighbors and friends, and members of the Association, while a large number of visitors took an active part in the discussion after the premiere, expressing their views on the film, sharing personal experiences, and generally giving positive reviews.
Visitors also had the opportunity to see a photo exhibition from ten years ago, prepared by Vera Papež Adamič, which presents the history of the migration of families to the area of the City of Laktaši.
The realization of this documentary film was financially supported by the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians Abroad, the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the City of Laktaši. The film was recognized as a valuable indicator that will be useful for future generations of Slovenians in the area of Slatina, Banja Luka and beyond.
Ana Marjanović
