Слободан Јовановић и Српски културни клуб (1937–1941)

Abstract

Рад који је пред читаоцима представља покушај да се осветли улога Слободана Јовановића у формирању и раду Српског културног клуба, организације на чијем је челу од оснивања био и на чији је целокупни рад пресудно утицао. Смисао постојања те организације и свога ангажовања у њој Сл. Јовановић је видео у „тражењу мере“ између стварности живота на југословенском простору, стања у коме се налазило српско друштво и југословенска држава и потребе за појачаном приватном иницијативом чији би циљ био национално, економско и културно подизање и интегрисање српског народа. У првим годинама постојања СКК се бавио превасходно питањима која су се тицала културе, али је после формирања Бановине Хрватске целокупни ангажман задобио политичке садржаје.

The motive for the emergence of the Serbian Cultural Club lay in the prevailing sentiment amongst the Serbs that the Serbian national question was resolved through the creation of Yugoslavia. Slobodan Jovanović and his intellectual circle believed that this sentiment halted further national development among the Serbs and constituted “national demobilization”. The SKK aimed at halting this proces primarily within the realms of culture and education and at protecting the existential interests of the Serbian nation. National energies were to be harnessed towards the fulfillment of economic and cultural ideals. The Serbian Cultural Club initally championed the spirit of tolerance, intellectual exchange, creative dialogue amongst different opinions, and cooperation. Serbian culture was to be developed within the realm of yugoslavism. Amongst its founders were democrats and radicals, republicans and monarchists, federalists and centralists. The organization gathered writers and artists of various convictions and genres. Until the autumn of 1939 the SKK was primarily engaged with the so called “cultural issues” seen through the “national lenses”. However, the Serbian-Croat dispute, as the fundamental issue of interwar Yugoslavia, drew all of Club’s attention. Slobodan Jovanović was primarily engaged with the legal aspects of state reorganization, as well as the nature of Yugoslav nationalism, and the nature of Serbian- Croatian relations. Owing to his remarkable education, he approached these issues as a legal expert, historian, but also as a witness and a patriot. He expressed deep concerns about the future of the state and Serbian nation within it. His texts, lectures and correspondence testify to the importance Jovanović placed on the above mentioned questions.