14. My literary work

Working tirelessly in all fields especially in writing, Laszowski created all his life and published for 64 years. Emilij Laszowski’s personal fond in the Croatian State Archives is full of manuscript legacies (Diaries, autobiographical records, manuscripts, notes, scraps…), whereas his “literary” (publicist) body of work comprises 4,000 printed items – articles, notes, discussions, reviews and annexes, books and brochures. In fact, to this day it is not possible to establish their exact number and his bibliography is not yet complete. On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of Emilij Laszowski’s literary work, Velimir Deželić Sr. published a bibliography of his works.

14.1: Emilije Laszowski

O 25. godišnjici njegovoga književnoga rada (10. II. 1889. – 10. II. 1914.), Velimir Deželić Sr. / Zagreb, 1914

MGZ

14.2: Bibliografija književnoga rada Emilija Laszowskoga

(1889. – 1929.), edited by Velimir Deželić Sr. / Zagreb, 1930

MGZ

14.3: Jedan literarni jubilej

Stevo Petrović // Narodne novine, 1914

NSK

14.4: We, the Brethren of the Croatian Dragon, wholeheartedly congratulate our Grand Maister Emil Noble Laszowski on the 25th anniversary of his literary work

Zagreb, 1914

14.5: My literary work

Emilij Laszowski

HDA

According to the available lists, the first published work of the young Laszowski was an article with a historical theme, Brlog na Kupi i njegovi gospodari (Brlog on Kupa and its landlords), which was published in 1889 in three instalments in the Karlovac weekly newspaper Svjetlo. However, “off the record”, his first published work was a poem I love…, printed in 1885 in issues 23-24 of the Zadar newspaper Iskra, publication of which he either did not know about or did not care.

14.6: Brlog na Kupi i njegovi gospodari

Emilij Laszowsky // Svjetlo, 1889

The paper was published in issues dated February 10 and 24, and March 3, 10, 17 and 31, after which it was not finished.

NSK

The first work for which he received payment was a historical overview of the development of the town of Ribnik, published in 1892 in the Official Gazette. Laszowski dedicated it to J. Gáll and his wife, probably the person who commissioned the text, who being delighted with the piece rewarded him with 20 forints. In 1893, he published it as a brochure Ribnik: historička studija (Ribnik: a historical study).

14.7: Ribnik

Laszowski // Narodne novine, 1892

It was published in ten instalments, from the issue number 214, dated 20 September, to number 230, dated 8 October, 1892.

NSK

He wrote because he wanted to, but also because he needed to – to provide for himself and his family. With great energy and considerable private and professional interests, he wrote about everything, but mostly about the history of Zagreb, families of Zrinski and Frankopan, Croatian historical toponyms and heraldry. Growing up and being brought up in the historical town of Brlog next to Ozalj must have “propelled” Laszowski towards historical topics, and later on the giants of Croatian historiography – Radoslav Lopašić, Ivan Krstitelj Tkalčević and Tadija Smičiklas had a huge influence on his formation as a historian.

14.8: Work desk of Emilij Laszowski

Photographer unknown, circa 1920

In: ELS

14.1: Throughout our beloved homeland

The first decade of his publicist activity was largely marked by “local” works, i.e. texts about the toponyms of the Croatian history – forts, towns, castles, first about those near his hometown, and then throughout Croatia. He wrote about many places throughout his homeland, for example about Domagović, Bubnjarci, Lipovac, Desinac, Oštarija near Ogulin, Modruš, Brinje, Hreljin, Ilok, Bosiljevo, Cetin, Novigrad, Belaj, Ogulin, Zrin and Kraljevica, Tounj and other. In 1902, he crowned his enormous contribution to the revival of forgotten, and important, places and regions of Croatian history with publication of the first volume of Hrvatske povijesne građevine (Croatian Historical Buildings).

14.1.3: Brlog Vienac, 1896 HDA

14.1.1: Hrvatske povijesne građevine

Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1902

Laszowski planned to publish them in several volumes, but due to high printing costs and lack of funds, his work unfortunately stopped with publication of the first volume. In his paper he collaborated with J. Barlè, V. Deželić Sr. and M. Šenoa and published approximately thirty descriptions of towns, monasteries, churches and fortresses.

MGZ

14.1.2: Oko Kupe i Korane: mjestopisne i povjestne crtice Radoslav Lopašić, Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1895 For Laszowski, Radoslav Lopašić was kind of a role model and supporter in dealing with historical themes. At Lopašić’s request sent a few weeks before his death, Laszowski prepared his manuscript for print, furnished it with photographs and a historical map he made with Milan Šenoa, and added his own texts. HathiTrust Digital Library

14.1.4: Grad Brlog i njegova okolina

Emil Laszowski // Hrvatski planinar, 1899

HPS

14.1.5: Samobor

Emilij Laszowski // Vienac, 1899

MGZ

14.1.6: Povjestna crtica o Božjakovini

E. L. // Narodne novine, 1911

HDA

14.1.7: Rakovica

Topografska historijska crtica. E. Laszowski // Omladina, 1921

HDA

14.1.8: Bribir vinodolski

Laszowski // Omladina, 1922

HDA

14.1.9: Gorski kotar i Vinodol

Dio državine knezova Frankopana i Zrinskih: mjestopisne i povjesne crtice. Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1923

KGZ

14.1.10:
Grad Ozalj i njegova okolina
Mjestopisne i povijesne crtice. Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1929.

MGZ

14.1.11: Stara gradina u Plješivici

Laszowski // Novosti, 1936

HDA

14.1.12: Stari lički gradovi

Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1941

MGZ

14.2: Titus Livius of Turpolje

Due to being preoccupied with other topics and projects, in the first two decades of the 20th century Laszowski no longer published too many “local reports” in the newspapers and magazines. Yet again, probably two of his most significant works were created in that period. From 1904 to 1908, he independently collected and edited a four-volume collection of archival sources Historical monuments of the noble municipality of Turopolje formerly known as “Zagrebačko polje”, and two years later, from 1910 to 1924, based on these sources, he wrote and published the history of the municipality in three volumes, History of the noble municipality of Turpolje formerly known as Zagrebačko polje. Laszowski was invited to participate in that engagement by the Turopolje prefect Ljudevit Josipović, and the municipality generously financed the entire publication of the work, as well as Laszowski – who was interested in the history of Turopolje, but also in need of an additional source of income. The noble municipality of Turopolje was the only one in Croatia that could claim such works and Laszowski was nicknamed “the Titus Livius of Turopolje” by August Šenoa.

14.2.1: Prefect of Turopolje Ljudevit Josipović

In: Povijest plem. općine Turopolja nekoć Zagrebačko polje zvane: sv. 2

14.2.2: Front page of the 1st vol. Povijesnih spomenika plem. općine Turopolja

Four volumes, consisting of over 2000 pages contain 1267 documents. The second volume was issued in 1905, the third in 1906, and forth in 1908.

MGZ

14.2.3: Povijest plem. općine Turopolja nekoć Zagrebačko polje zvane

Emilij Laszowski, Janko Barlè, dr. Velimir Deželić i dr. Milan Šenoa / Zagreb, 1910

MGZ

14.2.4: Crkvena desetina u Turopolju

Odlomak iz povijesti Turopolja. E. Laszowski // Katolički list, 1911

HDA

14.2.5: Progon vještica u Turopolju

Kulturno-historijski prikaz. Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1914.

KGZ

14.3: The best reader of old documents

The reasons for Laszowski’s great contribution to the publication of archival sources are multiple – first of all, his determination, being present at the source, and his knowledge of the Latin language certainly did not incumber him. Velimir Deželić Sr. wrote as follows:

…to the “monster of a child”, from Brlog who speaks better Latin at the age of six than the old Latin scholars. I met that monster afterwards. It was my dear Emilij. That hell of a knowledge helped him tremendously and today he is one of the best readers of Latin documents and charters.

Alongside his work on Turopolje sources, from 1896 to 1914 Laszowski collaborated with Tadija Smičklas on the collection, editing and publication of a collection of documents Diplomatic Collection of the Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia. He independently collected and edited the collection of documents Habsburg Monuments of the Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, published in three volumes from 1914 to 1917.

14.3.1 – 2: Diplomatički zbornik, sv. 12. i 13.

T. Smičiklas / Zagreb, 1914, 1915

DiZbi.HAZU

14.3.3: Habsburški spomenici – predgovor 1. svesku

Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1914 – 1917

MGZ

In addition to Diplomatic Collection, Laszowski inherited another large periodical collection of sources, which were Historical Monuments of the free royal city of Zagreb, the capital of the Kingdom of Dalmatia-Croatia-Slavonia. After the death of Ivan Krstitelj Tkalčić, who by then had edited 11 volumes, according to his wishes, the city of Zagreb assigned this work to Laszowski who from 1929 to 1949 collected, organised and published Zagreb’s archival materials from the 16th and 17th centuries in seven volumes.

14.3.4: Ivan Krstitelj Tkalčić

Ivan Standl, Zagreb, circa 1880

MGZ

14.3.5: Front page of the 12th vol. Povijesnih spomenika slob. kralj. grada Zagreba

Zagreb, 1929

MGZ

14.4: Cultural and historical notes on Zagreb

Laszowski was a true historian of Zagreb. He fell in love with Zagreb’s past thanks to his role model and friend Ivan Krstitelj Tkalčić. Continuing his work, studying and writing about Zagreb, he remained in memory of wider social circles precisely because of this. In his writing about Zagreb, he covered a wide variety of Zagreb’s historical and cultural topics. His most significant piece of legacy in this field is titled Old and new Zagreb: historical and cultural-historical notes about Zagreb, published in 1925 by the “Brethren of the Croatian Dragon” Society. He was the writer, co-ordinator and editor, and out of 92 texts, he was the author of 60 of them. The work was published in bundles every 14 days, and a total of 10 bundles in 7 parts were published. Collection From the old and new Zagreb, published by the Museum of the City of Zagreb can be considered a sort of an homage to this work.

14.4.1: Front page of the bundles Stari i novi Zagreb

Edited by E. Laszowski / Zagreb, 1925

MGZ

14.4.2 – 5: A selection of Zagreb-themed articles published in the magazine Prosvjeta

Emilij Laszowski, 1896 – 1906

MGZ

14.4.2: Zastave grada Zagreba, 1896

14.4.3: Krčelićeva knjižica, 1898

14.4.4: Plan Zagreba, 1900

14.4.5: Slike iz starog Zagreba, 1906

14.4.6 – 9: A selection of texts published in the magazine Vjestnik Kr. hrvatsko-slavonsko-dalmatinskog zemaljskog arkiva

Emilij Laszowski, 1900 – 1915

MGZ

14.4.6: Procjena dobra medvedgradskih g. 1670., 1900

14.4.7: Šest listina za povjest grada Zagreba, 1904

14.4.8: Povijest zagrebačkih Isusovaca od g. 1608-1618., 1913

14.4.9: Zagrebačka kovnica novca g. 1525., 1915

14.4.10 –14: A selection of texts published in the magazine Narodna starina

Emilij Laszowski, 1922 – 1925

HRČAK

14.4.10: Paskvil zagrebačkim gospođama, 1922

14.4.11: Začeci Pravoslavne crkvene općine u Zagrebu, 1923

14.4.12: Prvi počeci građanske streljane u Zagrebu , 1923

14.4.13: Dverce“ u Zagrebu na Griču 1793., 1924

14.4.14: Crtice iz kazališne prošlosti grada Zagreba, 1925

14.4.15 – 26: A selection of texts published in the magazine Zagreb – revija Društva Zagrepčana

Emilij Laszowski, 1935 – 1942

MGZ

14.4.15: Sukobi hrvatske mladeži sa austrijskim časnicima u Zagrebu 1834.,1935

14.4.16: Mesnička vrata u starom Zagrebu, 1936

14.4.17: 24. lipnja i Ivanjski kresovi, 1936

14.4.18: Gradska vrata i kula “Dverce, 1936

14.4.19: Buntovnički spis „Fama volat“ u Zagrebu g. 1769., 1936

14.4.20: Turopoljski plemići Krupići u Zagrebu, 1937

14.4.21: Zagreb s arheološkog gledišta, 1938

14.4.22: Krađe u stolnoj crkvi zagrebačkoj u XVII stoljeću, 1938

14.4.23: O topografiji Kaptola 1642., 1940

14.4.24: Prilog poviesti regulacije Bakačeve i Vlaške ulice, 1941

14.4.25: Josip pl. Šufflay, profesor zagrebačke akademije, 1942

14.4.26: 700-godišnjica slob. i kr. glav. grada Zagreba, 1942

14.4.27: Kulturne crtice iz starog Zagreba

[m. p.] // Jutarnji list, 1923

HDA

14.4.28: Prilog k povijesti zagrebačkog kazališta

Obzor, 1923

HDA

14.4.29: Parnica protiv „vražjih ortaka“ u Zagrebu 1771. – 3.

E.24: L 99.L // Jutarnji list, 1923

HDA

14.4.30: Zagrebačka građanska četa 1789 – 1813.
Laszowski // Jutarnji list, 1923

HDA

14.4.31: Gradski računi g. 1560., Sabor u Zagrebu g. 1584.

Iz prošlosti grada Zagreba, E. L. // Novosti, 1928

HDA

14.4.32: Zlatna bula grada Zagreba

Translation of the Golden Bull// Hrvat, 1925

HDA

14.4.33: Nalaz u katakombama sv. Marka
Laszowski // Jutarnji list, 1937

HDA

14.4.34: Češko naselje kod Zagreba

Laszowski // Jutarnji list, 1939

HDA

14.4.35: 700-godišnjica Zlatne bule

Laszowski // Nedjeljne viesti, 1942

HDA

14.4.36: Podrietlo sela Gračani kod Zagreba

L. // Nova Hrvatska, 1943.

HDA

14.4.37: Gračani u srednjem vieku

Nova Hrvatska, 1943

HDA

14.4.38: Gračani u XVI. stoljeću

L. // Nova Hrvatska, 1943(?)

HDA

14.4.39: Po negdanjem potočiću Ilici dobila je svoje ime najživahnija zagrebačka ulica – Ilica

Emil Laszowski // Nova Hrvatska, 1943

HDA

14.4.40: Kako je stari Zagreb palio kriesove na Markovom trgu o Ivanjdanu

L. // Nova Hrvatska, 1943

HDA

14.4.41: Časne sestre Klarise doselile su se u Zagreb prije 300 godina

L. // Nova Hrvatska, 1943

HDA

14.4.42: Vitežka igra „prstenac“

Stari zagrebački običaji, Emil Laszowski // Nova Hrvatska

HDA

14.4.43: Dr. Matija Križaj zemaljski liječnik u Zagrebu i njegova porodica

Laszowski, // Liječnički vijestnik, 1943

HDA

14.4.44: Barbir cara Sigismunda bio je Zagrepčanin

L. // Nova Hrvatska, 1944

HDA

14.5: I had a town, a coat of arms and a title

A nobleman himself, he loved to study history and genealogy of the Croatian nobility, biographies of eminent and distinguished persons, and he was interested in heraldry and sphragistics and his work was plentiful in all these areas. He started a magazine Vitezović in 1903 with his own funds, of which he was an editor until 1905 when it was shut down due to lack of subscribers despite the fact that it was much needed only by a narrow professional circle.

14.5.2: Front page of the magazine Vitezović

Mjesečnik za genealogiju, biografiju, heraldiku i sfragistiku. Editor Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1903

HDA

14.5.1: Plemići Mikšići u Turnju

Laszowski // Svjetlo, 1894.

The first published genealogical article.

NSK

14.5.3: Na uvaženje!

Nakladnik i uredništvo. // Vitezović, 1904

The editorial board (Laszowski) is asking readers to spread the word about the worth of the magazine to their acquaintances, so that they too could subscribe and save the magazine.

HDA

14.5.4: Posljednji popis plemića Zagrebačke županije

E. Laszowski // Vitezović, 1904

HDA

14.5.5: Pavao Ritter Vitezović kao heraldik i genealog

E. Laszowski // Vitezović, 1905

HDA

14.5.6: Grbovi i pečati Zrinskih i Frankopana

Emilije pl. Laszowski // Posljednji Zrinski i Frankopani, 1907

NSK

14.5.7: Porodica Tomašića

Historijsko-genealogijski prikaz. E. Laszowski / Zagreb, 1910

MGZ

14.5.8: Prćija jedne Hrvatice godine 1644. e. l. // Narodne novine, 1910 HDA

14.5.9: Rodbinske sveze hrvatskih obitelji sa današnjom englezkom kraljicom

-w- // Narodne novine, 1910

HDA

14.5.10: Iz prošlosti Vrbovca rodnoga mjesta hrvatskoga bana Petra grofa Zrinskoga

O 300-godišnjici njegovoga rodjena : (1621. – 1921.). Emilij Laszowski / Zagreb, 1921

KGZ

14.5.11: Znameniti i zaslužni Hrvati

Editor E. Laszowski / Zagreb, 1925

Contains biographies of the most prominent people of Croatian past. Laszowski edited around 583 biographies.

METELWIN

14.5.12: Gräfin Aurora, Veronika von Zrin

Vervasst von Emil von Laszowski, Drachbruder von Brlog, Grossmeister der “Brüder vom Kroat. Drachen” / Zagreb, 1927

KGZ

14.5.13: Grof Ivan Zrinski, sin sigetskoga junaka

Laszowski / Zagreb, 1934

ZMO

14.5.14: Adam Grof Zrinski

(1662.-1691.) : biogravske studije : predavanja u Družbi 12.V.1937. E. Laszowski / Zagreb, 1937

KGZ

14.5.15: Kakav će biti grb Banovine Hrvatske

interview with Emilij Laszowski // Jutarnji list, 1939

HDA

14.5.16: Obitelj Gregorijanečkih

Emilij Laszowski // Hrvatsko kolo, 1942

MGZ

14.6: A wide array of interests

It would be impossible to classify everything that Laszowski was interested in and that he wrote about into just a few categories – largely due to his own curious nature and interests, and some of the work was commissioned. He also dealt with economic topics, primarily historical development of mining, having written two volumes of Mining in Croatia. He wrote about the history of sheep farming, Croatian ports, Armenian literature… He also published papers about archives and the archival profession, about his private life, but also about the Society. He also tried his hand at literary creation – most of which is scattered in manuscripts, but some have been published, such as the work The unfortunate woman. A story from life was printed in the calendar God and Croats. It is difficult to list everything. Aside from his magazine Vitezović, he also edited others – Education, Journal of the Royal State Archives in Zagreb, Croatian Dragon. It would be an exaggeration to say that everything he wrote was brilliant, but it is certain that he based all his work on authentic archival records and to that extent along with its astounding amount and extensiveness his work has a lasting value.