Josef Strzygowski's ungedrucktes ms. aus dem jahre 1888 uber den Heiligen Berg Athos
Part of : Balkan studies : biannual publication of the Institute for Balkan Studies ; Vol.27, No.1, 1986, pages 105-127
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Pages:
105-127
Parallel Title:
Josef Strzygowski's unpublished manuscript of 1888 concerning Mount Athos
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Articles
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Abstract:
In 1888, at the age of 26, Joseph Strzygowsky, the subsequently famousart historian of the University of Vienna, visited Mount Athos for the firsttime, and stayed there for seven weeks. The present study is the first publicationof his detailed report about his research in the monasteries of Athos.The manuscript of this report still lies unpublished in the State Archives ofVienna (Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv. PA XII. Türkei, Karton 276, LiasseXXVII) among a great mass of other official documents mainly concerningRussian infiltration in the area of Mount Athos. Its author had been orderedby the Austrian government to give an on-the-spot account of the situationin this sensitive area with regard to the spread of the tenets of Pan-Slavism.Leaving aside the Strzygowski report’s probable impact on Austrianpolicy towards Mount Athos, it comprises a complete description of MountAthos with respect to its physical geography, flora, road network, anchorages,and future ports. The Vienna delegate’s main contribution lies in his accountof the internal history of the monasteries and the constitution of the monasticrepublic. He was especially concerned with the problem of nationalities andthe obvious infiltration of the Russian element, which was doing its utmostto replace the other nationalities and particularly the Greeks, who werenumerous. In the brief table at the end of the report, Strzygowski’s general conclusions about Athos a century ago are expressed in numerical terms.
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Josef Strzygowski
