Joze Javorsek was a Slovenian playwright, poet, and essayist who is widely considered as one of the country’s greatest writers. Because of his critical attitude toward his contemporaries, he was regarded as a controversial as well as prominent author throughout his lifetime. He was born and reared in Slovenia and went on to study comparative literature before deciding to pursue a writing career. After serving in World War II, he returned to his homeland only to be imprisoned for several years, and after regaining his freedom, he spent the remainder of his life working as a dramatist and essayist. His early plays, which were concentrated on existential issues but were full of irony, fun, and aesthetic use of language, aided in the modernization of Slovene theater in the 1950s. He was one of the first painters in Slovenia and Yugoslavia to include surrealist themes into their work. However, it was his articles and memoirs that received the greatest attention and sparked the most controversy. His tumultuous connection with society, as well as his frequent and vehement attacks against contemporary literary circles, both Slovene and French, earned him the moniker “The Lonely Rider.”
Childhood and Adolescence
On October 20, 1920, in the small Lower Carniolan town of Velike Lae, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, Slovenia, Joe Javorek was born as Joe Brejc.
He studied comparative literature at the University of Ljubljana after graduating from high school in 1940. He also became associated with Slovenian Christian Socialist organizations and met Edvard Kocbek, a notable novelist who urged him to pursue a career in literature.
During World War II, he became involved in underground activities in the Italian-occupied Province of Ljubljana, where he joined the partisan struggle. He also chose the moniker Joe Javorek at this period.
He worked as the personal assistant of the Minister for Slovenia in the Yugoslav administration after the war. He resumed his studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and worked as an assistant at the Yugoslav embassy in Paris for a short time.
Career of Jože Javoršek
‘Partizanska lirika’ (Partisan Lyrics), a collection of wartime poems, was released in 1947.
He returned to Slovenia in 1948 and was imprisoned by Communist authorities the following year, receiving a 12-year term. He was, however, released in 1952. Following his release, he focused on writing plays, essays, and prose.
As a dramatist, he is most known for his works ‘Kriminalna zgodba’ (Criminal Story, 1955), ‘Poveevalno steklo’ (Amplifying Glass, 1956), and ‘Veselje do ivljenja’ (Veselje to Ivljenja) (Joy of Life, 1958).
He worked as an assistant at the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts from 1961 to 1967. He then went on to work as the secretary in the president’s office of the Academy, where he stayed until 1982.
In the essay ‘Shakespeare and Politics,’ published for a compilation titled ‘Shakespeare among the Slovenes,’ he explained his own place in society in 1965. He also released an article titled ‘Vodnik po Ljubljani’ in the same year (A Guide to Ljubljana).
In 1969, he wrote ‘Kako je mogoe?’, one of the first essayistic works to receive critical acclaim. (How Is It Possible?)—in which he examined his desperation following his son’s suicide.
He published a poetry book called ‘Usoda poezije’ in 1972. (The Fate of Poetry). He also wrote books such as “Hvalnica zemlji” (An Ode to the Earth, 1971) and “Nevarna razmerja” (Dangerous Liaisons, 1978).
He investigated his memory and gave severely critical assessments of his contemporaries in subsequent works such as ‘La Memoire Dangereuse’ (The Dangerous Memory, 1987) and ‘Spomini na Slovence’ (Memories About the Slovenes, 1989), both published soon before his death.
He also contributed to the monograph ‘Histoire et littérature slovènes’ shortly before his death in 1990. (Slovenian History and Literature). He was a fan of Fran Levstik, a 19th-century Slovene author, and he assisted with the reprinting of Levstik’s writings.
He was also a translator, having translated works by Molière, Jean Anouilh, Edmond Rostand, and Albert Camus into Slovene.
Major Projects of Jože Javoršek
Joze Javorek was one of the founding members of Stage ’57, an alternative theater founded in 1957 by Slovene artists of the younger generation. The theatre had a crucial part in developing their generation’s resistance to the Communist regime’s harsh traditional laws.
‘La Memoire Dangereuse,’ published in 1980, is regarded as one of his most well-crafted works. It brought him significant acclaim outside of Yugoslavia, and it was later translated into German and Serbo-Croatian.
Achievements & Awards
He was awarded the renowned ‘Preeren Award’ in 1976.
He received the prestigious ‘upanieva Award’ in 1987.
For his novel ‘La Mémoire Dangereuse,’ he received the European Prize for Literature from the Writers Union of the French Language in 1988.
Personal History and Legacy
Joze Javorek married Nevenka initially, but she died while he was in prison. Svit, their only son, committed suicide when he was 23 years old.
He later married Marija, a translator, and the pair had two children, George and Jan Jona, together.
He died in Ljubljana on September 2, 1990, and was buried in his hometown of Velike Lae.
Joze Javorsek Net Worth
Joze is one of the wealthiest essayists and one of the most well-known essayists. Joze Javorsek’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.