Jesenice

"Jesenice, Slovenia" redirects here. For the village in Brežice, Slovenia, see Jesenice, Brežice.

Jesenice
Town
Nickname(s):  Town of steel and daffodils
Country	Slovenia
Statistical region	Upper Carniola
Municipality	Jesenice
Settled	1538
Incorporated	1929
Government
• Mayor	Tom Mencinger (SD)
Area
• Total	8.5 km2 (3.3 sq mi)
Elevation	585 m (1,919 ft)
Population  (2013)
• Total	13,255
• Rank	11th, Slovenia
• Density	1,552/km2 (4,020/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	4270
Area code	04 (+386 4 from abroad)
Google Maps	Jesenice, Slovenia
Website	www.jesenice.si

Jesenice (pronounced [jɛsɛˈniːtsɛ] ; German: Assling) is a town and the seat of the Municipality of Jesenice in Slovenia, on the Slovenian side of the Karawanks, bordering Austria to the north. Jesenice is known as the home of Slovenia's mining and iron making industries, its largest steel company Acroni, and the hockey club it sponsors, Acroni Jesenice. Historically, Jesenice's ironworks and metallurgy industries were the driving force of the town's development.

History

Name

Jesenice was attested in written sources in 1337 as villa de Jesenicza (and as Assnigkh and Asnigkh in 1381, and as Jasnickh and Aisnstnick in 1493–1501). The name is derived from *Jesen(ьn)icě, a locative singular form of Jesenik (< *Esenьnikъ). The suffix -ě became -i in the local dialect and was reinterpreted as a nominative masculine plural, the accusative of which (in -e) was subsequently reinterpreted as today's feminine nominative plural. The name is derived from the common noun *jesenik 'ash woods' (< jesen 'ash tree'), thus originally meaning 'in the ash woods' and referring to the local vegetation. The modern German name of the town is Aßling.

Middle Ages

Jesenice was first mentioned as Assling in a 1004 deed of donation issued by King Henry II of Germany, in which nearby Bled (Veldes at that time) was also mentioned. There were no settlements there at that time, however, and the name Assling only marked an area on the banks of Jesenica Creek. Later, a settlement slowly started to grow around the area now known as Murova, where the St. Leonard's Church is today. With the March of Carniola it passed to the Austrian House of Habsburg upon the 1278 Battle on the Marchfeld.

There are few sources for the early history of Jesenice; most of them focus on ironworks. The oldest is a set of mining rights issued to the Carinthian counts of Ortenburg, dating to 1381. According to the document, the first settlements in the area were founded on the southern slopes of the Karawanks (not in the Sava Valley) due to need for wood, flowing water for mills, and iron ore. With the development of new techniques of extraction of iron from ore, the need for water energy grew, and the small streams on the slopes of the Karawanks were no longer sufficient. The ore-extracting industry was thus relocated to the valley in 1538, when Bernardo Bucellini from Bergamo gained permission from the Habsburg King Ferdinand I to move the ironworks to a larger water source, the Sava, creating a settlement that was to become Jesenice. The ironworks continued to mine ore from the slopes of the Karawanks.

Members of the House of Ortenburg were the most prominent landowners in the area from the 11th century onwards. They were at their apex in the 13th century in terms of land, encompassing almost all of the Sava Valley from its source to its confluence with the Sora River. The House of Ortenburg promoted colonisation of the Upper Sava Valley, especially in ore-rich areas. Throughout the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, the small settlements of Plavž, Sava, Murova, and Slovenski Javornik were founded. On 20 March 1929, by decree of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia, all of these settlements were amalgamated into the town of Jesenice.

Industrial growth from 19th century to early 20th century

The aforementioned settlements evolved independently of each other and until the arrival of the railway at the end of the 19th century; they were only connected by a gravel road. In addition to mining and ironworking, the local people made a living from agriculture and stockbreeding.

Different iron foundries belonged to different owners (the Zois, Ruard and Bucelleni families) and did not interact. All developed and evolved very quickly. This situation continued until the arrival of capitalist liberalism in the 19th century. Compared to other foundries around the world at the time, the Jesenice ironworks were very out of date. The need for their modernisation was apparent, but this would require vast amounts of capital, which neither the Zoises, the Ruards, nor the Bucellenis had available. Help was offered by a family of bankers from Ljubljana, the Luckmann family. They agreed to modernize the iron foundries, but demanded the foundation of a new shareholder company. The company, named the Carniolan Industrial Company (Slovene: Kranjska Industrijska Družba, KID) was founded on September 18, 1869 by the Luckmann family. The Zois family was the first to join the company, with the Ruards following three years later. The company soon expanded its activities to the Tržič ironworks and to Topusko, Croatia. This was the first time that all the Upper Carniolan ironworks were joined under a single administration, with central management in Ljubljana and business administration in Jesenice. The greatest achievement of KID was the discovery of a process for obtaining ferromanganese in a smelting furnace. This innovation brought KID a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Vienna in 1873 and worldwide fame. The Jesenice ironworks achieved a status as a pioneering centre of technical invention in the history of ironworking.

Inside the Acroni steel plant.

KID was also the basis for a new ironworks facility, which still provides employment today. The new facility started expanding quickly, from medieval-style iron foundries to up-to-date modern ironworks facilities in just a few years. The town of Jesenice grew almost exponentially, with a great influx of people attracted to the newly created jobs.

Life at the beginning of 20th century

The political, cultural, and social life in Jesenice at the beginning of the 20th century was affected by the founding of the competing gymnastics associations, the progressive nationalist Sokol (Template:Lang-en) in 1904 and the Catholic Orel (Template:Lang-en) in 1906. The associations were aligned with competing political and social movements, and were in constant competition, providing the dynamics for political, cultural, and social activities.

Other groups established at that time were a choir, a reading club, a brass band, and the Workers' Catholic Association. Three political parties—the Catholic Slovene People's Party ("Clerical"), progressive nationalist ("Liberal"), and social democratic—also became active in Jesenice, all three establishing their own cultural and gymnastics associations. Germans had a great influence in Jesenice at that time; Orel and Sokol were founded as a counterweight to German influence, both being nationally-oriented.

In 1904, the rolling mills were relocated from Jesenice to Javornik (at the eastern end of today's Jesenice). Stockholders wanted to cover the expenses of relocation by lowering workers wages, which led to the first strike in Jesenice, involving around 400 workers. The strike lasted for six weeks, with strikers only partially achieving their goal.

In 1870, the first railway tracks were laid through Jesenice, and construction of railway station followed soon after. This made Jesenice much better connected with the world and allowed for greater exports. In 1905, construction of the Karawanks-Bohinj railway was started. This was a very complicated project because it required drilling two tunnels: one to Austria through the Karawanks and the other through Mount Kobla in Bohinj for better access to Italy. The tunnels were completed and the railway line was opened to traffic in a special ceremony attended by Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.

World wars

During World War I, the ironworks were mainly converted to the manufacture of military products. The front lines being some distance to the south, the war did not reach Jesenice, which only suffered one bombing attack by Italian aircraft, with no casualties. With the end of World War I came major political changes; on December 1, 1918, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was formed, opening up new markets. Due to its border position, Jesenice became an important traffic junction. A grammar school was established in 1914. The first boys' and girls' school was established in 1920 and renamed in 1935, offering higher education. There was no high school in Jesenice before the end of World War II (it was established in 1945). For its own staffing needs, KID established an apprenticeship school in 1938. Between the wars, Jesenice was also the center of various kinds of craft and small trade. A tradesman's union was formed in 1920. Development of the ironworks continued; by 1937, 4,567 workers were affiliated to a greater or lesser extent with KID.

Italy occupied Jesenice on April 11, 1941, with the Germans taking over eight days later. This resulted in the immediate arrest of some of the workers' leaders, educated and culture-affiliated individuals, and all Romani people. Forced mobilization and recruitment followed soon after. The Germans were aware of the strategic and industrial importance of Jesenice, so they soon began with a programme of assimilation, introducing lessons only in German to schools, Germanizing public signs, etc. These measures lead to the formation of the Partisan movement in Jesenice; the most significant being the Cankar Brigade.

As had been the case during World War I, the steel industry was again diverted to German military needs. Because most of the population was sympathetic to the resistance, sabotage was a problem, and the German management started importing French workers, which were followed by Italian workers after Italian capitulation in 1943.

Jesenice train station.

On March 1, 1945, shortly before the end of the war, Jesenice suffered the worst bombing in its history, by Allied forces, which came in two waves. There were many casualties and a great deal of damage in the centre of the town, including the total destruction of the train station.

Second half of the 20th century, and religion

After World War II there followed a new economic golden age. Soon after the war, two further smelting furnaces were put into operation. The Jesenice ironworks became one of the main steel manufacturers tasked with the rebuilding the newly founded Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and started employing more people than ever before. Many new industrial buildings were built, increasing production manyfold. With this age of prosperity, Jesenice began to develop into its present shape. As the population increased, massive building of apartment blocks, houses and residential sections took place. Cultural, sports, school, medical, and traffic infrastructure was built. Jesenice became the center of black metallurgy in Slovenia. Introduction of electrical steel processing marked the era of manufacturing steel of higher quality and in greater quantities. At its peak in the 1970s, the ironworks employed more than 8,000 people.

After the collapse of Yugoslavia, economic policies changed and the Jesenice ironworks could not compete with the much more developed metallurgy in the West. Another problem was the loss of access to raw material resources, now located in the newly independent republics of the former SFRY. This led to massive layoffs and emigration of people in search of new jobs. The ironworks currently employs around 1350 workers, but has undergone massive modernisation. It is currently at the level of other steel-making companies throughout the world. In the years since the declaration of Slovenian independence in 1991, however, Jesenice has become much less dependent on its metallurgic industry, and is currently developing other areas of its economy.

The largest religious community in Jesenice are Catholics, though due to the need for labor for the steel industry in the past, there is a large portion of other ex-Yugoslav immigrants, including many Muslims who migrated from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Just before Slovenia's independence in 1991, there were several attempts in Jesenice to establish religious, often non-traditional, communities attempting to make inroads to Yugoslavia, with several house churches of various affiliations. A significant portion of Jesenice's populace today describe themselves as atheists.

Geography and climate

Jesenice lies in the Upper Carniola region, in the Upper Sava Valley. It is surrounded by the Karawanks to the north and Mežakla plateau to the south. Across the Karawanks lies the Austrian town of Villach. The hamlet of Planina pod Golico, 5 km north of Jesenice, is popular with tourists, especially in May when the wild poet's narcissus are blooming. The resort town of Kranjska Gora is 25 km northwest of Jesenice, and the picturesque tourist destination of Bled lies 10 km to the southeast. Other neighbor settlements include Hrušica, Slovenski Javornik, and Koroška Bela.

Jesenice's climate is transitional between temperate and continental, with influences of alpine.

Infrastructure

Jesenice is undergoing a massive urban reconstruction with the help of European Union funding resources. Current projects include rebuilding some old parts of Jesenice, a second high school, and improvements to existing sport facilities.

A new town-center with new city hall was built in the former industrial part of town, where almost all of the 1950s steelmill buildings have been demolished. Two shopping centers have also been constructed, one in the new town-center, and a larger one in Plavž.

Regional R-201/R-452 road near the town-center.

Transportation

Jesenice has good road connections. The shortest route from Austria leads through the Karawanks Tunnel. Regional road R-201/R-452 leads from Italy via Kranjska Gora to Jesenice. The A2 motorway leads from Ljubljana via Jesenice to Austria, and further on to Germany.

Jesenice is an important railway junction, linking the town with neighboring Austria and other European cities. There are daily trains to Nova Gorica and further on to Italy, while international trains from Zagreb stop in Jesenice before continuing their way to Germany and Switzerland.

Bus and coach traffic is also well developed in Jesenice, with numerous stops and connections to other Slovenian places. Tickets can be purchased in travel agency Alpetour, or directly on the bus or coach driver. Jesenice is only 48 kilometers away from Ljubljana Airport.

Education

Jesenice has one college, two secondary schools, two primary schools, as well as music schools.

• Jesenice College of Nursing (Slovene: Visoka šola za zdravstveno nego Jesenice), a nursing college established in 2006 by the municipality. The first such program in Slovenia, it is accredited by the state Council for Higher Education in line with European directives and the Bologna declaration.
• Jesenice Secondary School (Slovene: Srednja Šola Jesenice), locally known by its former name of Ironworks Education Centre (Slovene: Železarski Izobraževalni Center, ŽIC), which offers 4-year vocational courses in technical and medicinal subjects. It was founded by the Carniolan Industrial Company on 19 November 1938.
• Jesenice High School (Slovene: Gimnazija Jesenice), a preparatory school with a 60-year tradition, founded in 1945.
• Tone Cufar Primary School (Slovene: Osnovna šola Toneta Čufarja Jesenice), named after the local writer Tone Čufar.
• Prezihov Voranc Primary School (Slovene: Osnovna šola Prežihovega Voranca Jesenice), named after the writer and communist activist Prežihov Voranc.

Tourism

A2 motorway, with Jesenice on the right.

Places to visit in Jesenice include:

• The Upper Sava Museum, comprising:
  • The Ruard Manor in the Old Sava neighborhood - ironworks collection
  • The Kos Manor in the Murova neighborhood: a gallery and local history exhibits, focusing on the workers' movement and World War II
  • The Kasarna in Old Sava: an ethnographic collection
• One of the towering smokestacks of the old steel mill has been preserved as a landmark; the illuminated red star that formerly decorated its side has been replaced by advertising billboards.
• There is Tone Cufar Theatre and Cinema, ice hockey rink in Podmežakla Hall, as well as a few pubs and bars.
• There are numerous scenic places in the nearby countryside: one can hike or cycle up to Planina pod Golico or Pristava, where swathes of white daffodils bloom in springtime. Planina pod Golico is a good starting point for hikes further up into the mountains, to Golica, Rožca, or Španov vrh. The highest mountain in the Municipality of Jesenice is Vajnež, at 2,104 meters.

• 
  Train station, with old town-center in the back
• 
  Ruard Manor
• 
  Kos Manor
• 
  View of Jesenice from the east
• 
  View of Jesenice from Stol

Notable people

Notable people that were born or lived in Jesenice include:

• Miha Baloh, (born 1928), actor
• Helena Blagne Zaman, (born 1963), singer
• Tone Čufar (1905–1942), writer
• Anja Klinar (born 1988), swimmer
• Anže Kopitar (born 1987), ice hockey player
• Tomo Križnar (born 1954), peace activist, writer
• Thomas Luckmann (born 1927), sociologist
• Miha Mazzini (born 1961), writer, screenwriter, film director
• Janez Modic (1846–1899), beekeeper
• Teodora Poštič (born 1984), figure skater
• Jure Robič (1965–2010), ultra marathon cyclist
• Rudi Šeligo (1935–2004), writer and politician
• Rok Urbanc (born 1985), ski jumper
• Gregor Urbas (born 1982), figure skater

External links

• Official tourist guide to Jesenice
• Region guide to Jesenice
• Travel guide to Jesenice