IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0369 KAR
Held at: School of Slavonic and East European Studies
Title: Karadzic Collection
Date(s): 1832
Level of description: Collection (Fonds)
Extent: 1 envelope
Name of creator(s): Karadzic | Vuk Stefanovic | 1787-164 | Serbian language reformer
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic (1787-1864), Serbian language reformer, was born in Trsic, Serbia, then under Turkish rule. In 1813 after a brief period of independence, Serbia was reconquered by the Ottoman Empire and Karadzic was one of many refugees to flee to Vienna. It was here that he met Jernej Kopitar who became an influence on his thinking. Kopitar was a Slovene working as the Austrian Imperial consor of Slavonic subjects. Karadzic's goal became to make the Serb language spoken by peasants under Turkish rule the literary norm in place of the classical style. He also wanted to establish a uniform orthography with a revised and simplified alphabet. In 1815 Prince Milos Obrenovic succeeded in overthowing Turkish rule. From 1829 to 1832 Karadzic served the newly independent state in various ways.
In 1832 Karadzic returned to Vienna after his newly published alphabet was banned by Obrenovic as a result of opposition from the Orthodox Church. Karadzic protested at Obrenovic's policy in his published letter "Letter to Milos Obrenovic". A copy of the original letter (now probably in the National Library of Slovenia) is part of this collection, For much of the period 1832-1859, Karadzic was barred from Serbia (from 1842 to 1859 the Obrenovic family were also in exile). He continued his battle against the old Serb alphabet and for the use of popular language. Karadzic also wrote works on Serbian history and the life and customs of Serbian peasants and published collections of folk songs. He died having largely succeeded in his linguistic aims.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Copies of Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic's letter to Prince Milos Obrenovic and of his accompanying letter to Jernej Kopitar, 1932
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: Serbian
System of arrangement:
One file
Conditions governing access:
Unrestricted access. Researchers wishing to consult the archives or seeking further information should contact UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) Library, 16 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BW.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Librarian.
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
Online catalogue available on the UCL Archives website.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Not known
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/libraries-and-study-spaces/ucl-school-slavonic-and-east-european-studies-library
Related material:
Publication note:
Wilson, D, The life and times of Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic 1787-1864: literary, literature and national independence in Serbia (London, 1970)
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Revised by Alan Kucia as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project
Date(s) of descriptions: Revised Dec 2002