In Jakulini a memorial plaque was dedicated to Matija Vertovec.

Jakulini are a tiny hamlet near Šmarje. There are only six houses there, but a lot of effort was needed to find the one in which Matija Vertovec (1784 – 1851) – one of the most important writers of technical texts in the 19th century – was born. It has been written in the old books that Matija Vertovec was born in Jakulinih no. 4. Today (under a different address) this house is the home of Krapež family. The new owners were also the initiators of the campaign to honor their famous countryman with the memorial plaque. Further details were handled by the members of Matija Vertovec society and thus on a sunny Sunday on October 26th a new milestone was unveiled on the paths of Vertovec – the memorial plaque on the birth-house of Matija Vertovec. The plaque was designed by Boris Blažko, a co-worker of the museum Goriško and a grape vine has been incorporated in the text in a very peculiar fashion, to give tribute to the work of Vertovec at first glance already. At the festivity a surprisingly large crowd has gathered and was welcomed by the president of the Šmarje community Simon Makovec Kržišnik. Then the mayor of Ajdovščina municipal Marjan Poljšak, who is also a member of the Matija Vertovec society spoke to the assembled crowd. He stressed the value of vivid activities in Šmarje as well as the broader meaning of the works of the noted man. More about Vertovec was explaind by Stanislav Bačar, the president of the society. Although Vertovec himself wrote he was soon to be forgotten, it hasn’t happened. On the contrary, more and more people are becoming aware of him and his work is gaining more and more recognition. Bačar especially stressed the meaning of keeping the memory alive and its value for maintaining the memory as a part of national avareness of the whole nation. The plaque was uncovered by the initiator of the process, the house owner Zdravko Krapež and by Boris Vertovec from Šmarje, who started an action of dedicating a statue to Matija Vertovec. The festivity continued in Vertovec’s wine cellar where the housewives of Planina already set up an excellent culinary feast. The Matija Vertovec society also used this occasion to clear up the paths of Vertovec, for the annual hike is nearing. This year the hike will start in Uhanje and take us to Tevče, Vrtovče, Šmarje, to the birth house of Vertovec in Jakulini and the hight of festivities will be at 12:30 on Planina, an hour after a mass in the church of St. Kancijan. Then we’ll head pass the church of St. Marjeta and through Dolenje return to the start of our tour under the mighty oak tree just outside the village of Ustje. The hike will take place on Sunday, November 16th. You’re more then welcome!

 

Sanda Hain