Page 148 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2023. Glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo ▪︎ Music societies in the long 19th century: Between amateur and professional culture. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 6
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glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo
of societies. The idea emerged as early as in the first years of the occupa-
tion and was initiated exclusively by settlers and officers of the regime. The
first societies were of an international character, and consisted of settlers
from all parts of the Empire, who strove to enrich their social life and de-
sign their spare time. Thus, the first Sarajevo international societies includ-
ed the “Vatrogasno dobrotvorno društvo (Firemen’s charitable society)”
(1880), “Činovnički kasino (Officers’ Casino)” (1883), “Gospojinsko društvo
(Ladies’ Society)” (1885), as well as “Männergesangverein” (1887), which was
extremely important for the musical life. 8
International societies were also the only way of associating that was
approved by the administration, due to the concern that public gathering
would lead to the national revival in the circles of Bosnian and Herzegovin-
ian society. Sensing what consequences the uncontrolled association could
have for the system as early in September of 1878, the supreme military
commander Filipović issued a public order that no association was allowed
to be formed without his permission.9 Since there had been no relevant and
ordered law on association for a long time, it completely depended on the
will and discretion of the authorities, who imposed a series of measures and
prerequisities which had to be fulfilled before obtaining the official authri-
zation.10 There was also the inavoidable censorship, which prevented public
appearances which were not in line with the prescribed rules. In this way
the regime managed to exert the full control over the operation of societies.
This and similar attitudes resulted in few formed societies in the first
decade of Austro-Hungarian presence, and the societies were established
only by officers and public servants. In line with their political visions,
8 Paćuka, “Muzički život u Sarajevu u periodu Austro-Ugarske uprave (1878–1918),”
271.
9 Todor Kruševac, Sarajevo pod austro-ugarskom upravom 1878–1918 (Sarajevo: Svjet-
lost, 1960), 411.
10 Accurate instructions and legal measures were made public only in 1910, by means
of the Law on Constitutional Regulations for Bosnia and Herzegovina. A separate
chapter of this law dealt with societies. It was entitled Law on Societies for Bosnia and
Herzegovina and it clearly listed provisions pursuant to which a society could get a
permit for its operation. Pursuant to the enacted law, any intention of forming a so-
ciety had to be justified in writing and submitted to the Provincial government, and
if a society should get a permit it was bound to adhere to a large number of rules and
regulations. One of them provided that the authorities had the right to send their
representatives to all the significant social events (assemblies, meetings, parties, per-
formances and others), who were allowed to control and review all the social docu-
ments if necessary. Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Zakon o ustavnim ured-
bama za Bosnu i Hercegovinu,” 1910, p. 51.
146
of societies. The idea emerged as early as in the first years of the occupa-
tion and was initiated exclusively by settlers and officers of the regime. The
first societies were of an international character, and consisted of settlers
from all parts of the Empire, who strove to enrich their social life and de-
sign their spare time. Thus, the first Sarajevo international societies includ-
ed the “Vatrogasno dobrotvorno društvo (Firemen’s charitable society)”
(1880), “Činovnički kasino (Officers’ Casino)” (1883), “Gospojinsko društvo
(Ladies’ Society)” (1885), as well as “Männergesangverein” (1887), which was
extremely important for the musical life. 8
International societies were also the only way of associating that was
approved by the administration, due to the concern that public gathering
would lead to the national revival in the circles of Bosnian and Herzegovin-
ian society. Sensing what consequences the uncontrolled association could
have for the system as early in September of 1878, the supreme military
commander Filipović issued a public order that no association was allowed
to be formed without his permission.9 Since there had been no relevant and
ordered law on association for a long time, it completely depended on the
will and discretion of the authorities, who imposed a series of measures and
prerequisities which had to be fulfilled before obtaining the official authri-
zation.10 There was also the inavoidable censorship, which prevented public
appearances which were not in line with the prescribed rules. In this way
the regime managed to exert the full control over the operation of societies.
This and similar attitudes resulted in few formed societies in the first
decade of Austro-Hungarian presence, and the societies were established
only by officers and public servants. In line with their political visions,
8 Paćuka, “Muzički život u Sarajevu u periodu Austro-Ugarske uprave (1878–1918),”
271.
9 Todor Kruševac, Sarajevo pod austro-ugarskom upravom 1878–1918 (Sarajevo: Svjet-
lost, 1960), 411.
10 Accurate instructions and legal measures were made public only in 1910, by means
of the Law on Constitutional Regulations for Bosnia and Herzegovina. A separate
chapter of this law dealt with societies. It was entitled Law on Societies for Bosnia and
Herzegovina and it clearly listed provisions pursuant to which a society could get a
permit for its operation. Pursuant to the enacted law, any intention of forming a so-
ciety had to be justified in writing and submitted to the Provincial government, and
if a society should get a permit it was bound to adhere to a large number of rules and
regulations. One of them provided that the authorities had the right to send their
representatives to all the significant social events (assemblies, meetings, parties, per-
formances and others), who were allowed to control and review all the social docu-
ments if necessary. Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Zakon o ustavnim ured-
bama za Bosnu i Hercegovinu,” 1910, p. 51.
146
