Društveno-političke prilike u Varaždinu 60-ih i 70-ih godina XIX. st.
Social and Political Circumstances in Varaždin in the 1860’s and 1870’s

On the Occasion of the 140th Anniversary of the Opening of the City Theater in Varaždin

Summary/Abstract: The 1860s and 1870s were a period of major political changes in European politics, which also had their impact on Croatian politics. In the brief period of time, these two decades saw the end of Bach’s absolutism, the renewal of political life, the Austro- Hungarian and Croatian-Hungarian Compromise, the appearance of political parties: the People’s Party, the Autonomous People’s Party, the Unionist Party, and the Party of Rights – these parties also began to fight one another in the Croatian Parliament. That period in Croatian politics was also marked by some individuals whose lives were partly linked to Varaždin and the Varaždin County, for example Croatian governors Levin Rauch and Koloman Bedeković. The Croatian Parliament was convened seven times during that period – in 1861, 1865, 1868, 1871, 1872, 1875, and 1878. The members of Parliament from Varaždin included the Unionists Mijo Koščec, Koloman Bedeković, Ladislav Kukuljević, August Lukinec, Maksim Maller, Vladoje Perko; the People’s Party members Vjekoslav Zadravec, Dragutin Pust, Ivan Nep. Jagić, Dragutin Antolek-Orešek, and Ivan Nep. Petrović; and also Antun Melinčević from the Autonomous People’s Party. The elections for the Varaždin City Council took place in 1873, and out of 24 councillors, 20 came from the People’s Party. Another election took place in 1880, following the collective resignation of the former City Council. In the new Council the members of the People’s Party formed the majority again. In that period, the mayors of Varaždin were Antun Melinčević (1861 -1875), Dragutin Pust (1876 – 1878), and Ivan Nepomuk Petrović (1879 – 1881). Within those two decades, Varaždin acquired the impressive building of the City Theater (1873), the new High School building (1870), the first Firefighter Association in Croatia (1864), and the Croatian Singing Association “Vila” was started in 1876. Between 1867 and 1877 appeared the first weekly magazine “Pučki prijatelj”, started by Bartol Francelj. Another publication was the first issue of the Croatian satirical magazine “Podravski jež”, started by Dragutin Antolek-Orešek. Varaždin intellectuals, led by the High School professor Josip Križan gave a series of lectures for the citizens, during which the 200th anniversary of the deaths of Petar Zrinski and Fran Krsto Frankopan was commemorated for the first time in 1871. According to the 1880 census, the population of Varaždin was 11, 445.

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