Zdravljica
| Zdravljica | |
|---|---|
| by France Prešeren | |
Original manuscript of the poem, written in the Bohorič alphabet | |
| First published in | Kmetijske in rokodelske novice |
| Country | Carniola, Kingdom of Illyria, Austrian Empire (present-day Slovenia) |
| Language | Slovene |
| Genre(s) | carmen figuratum |
| Publication date | 26 April 1848 |
| Media type | Print (periodical) |
"Zdravljica" (Slovene pronunciation: [zdɾau̯ˈljiːtsa]; English: "A Toast") is a carmen figuratum poem by the 19th-century Romantic Slovene poet France Prešeren, inspired by the ideals of Liberté, égalité, fraternité. It was written in 1844 and published with some changes in 1848. Four years after it was written, Slovenes living within Habsburg Empire interpreted the poem in spirit of the 1848 March Revolution as political promotion of the idea of a united Slovenia. In it, the poet also declares his belief in a free-thinking Slovene and Slavic political awareness. In 1989, it was adopted as the regional anthem of Slovenia, becoming the national anthem upon independence in 1991.