Historical Association of Slovenia

The Historical Association of Slovenia (Slovene: Zveza zgodovinskih društev Slovenije, abbreviated ZZDS; also rendered in English as HAS) is the central umbrella organisation for historians and historical societies in Slovenia. It was established in 1980 through the reorganisation of the Historical Society for Slovenia, which had itself been founded in 1946 as the successor to the Museum Society for Slovenia, established in 1919. The association brings together regional and thematic historical societies across the country and functions as the principal professional body representing Slovene historiography. The association is best known to a wider public as a publisher. Its flagship periodical, Zgodovinski časopis (Historical Review), is the leading Slovene scholarly journal for history, while Kronika – časopis za slovensko krajevno zgodovino (Chronicle – Journal for Slovene Local History) serves the field of local and regional history. A further publication, Šolska kronika (School Chronicle), addresses the history of schooling. Through these journals the association shapes scholarly communication in Slovene historical studies. The organisation also acts as a coordinating and representative body: it links member societies, organises professional activities, and administers recognition within the field, including the Klio Prize (nagrada Klio). Its leadership is drawn from the Slovene academic community; the current president is Žiga Zwitter. Prominent historians have been associated with its work, among them the medievalist Darja Mihelič, who served as president of ZZDS from 1988 to 1992 and later, as an honorary member, chaired the Klio Prize Commission for two terms until 2024. The association operates in Slovenia and communicates primarily in Slovene, with an English-language identity as the Historical Association of Slovenia. It maintains an official website at zzds.si, where news, obituaries of distinguished members, and organisational information are published. As a non-commercial scholarly federation, it is not a listed company; it functions as a professional association and publisher rather than a business enterprise.

The Historical Association of Slovenia traces its institutional lineage to the Museum Society for Slovenia (Muzejsko društvo za Slovenijo), founded in 1919. That body was succeeded in 1946 by the Historical Society for Slovenia (Zgodovinsko društvo za Slovenijo), which became the principal association of Slovene historians in the post-war period. In 1980 the organisation was restructured into the Historical Association of Slovenia (Zveza zgodovinskih društev Slovenije, ZZDS), a federation of historical societies rather than a single society, reflecting the growth and regional diversification of the profession. From its formation the association served as the central coordinating body for historians and historical societies in Slovenia. It has been closely tied to the publication of the country's leading historical journals. Zgodovinski časopis (Historical Review) is the association's flagship scholarly periodical, and Kronika – časopis za slovensko krajevno zgodovino (Chronicle – Journal for Slovene Local History) addresses local and regional history; Šolska kronika (School Chronicle) covers the history of education. These journals have made the association a central node in Slovene historical scholarship. Leadership of ZZDS has been drawn from the Slovene academic community. The medievalist Darja Mihelič, a researcher at the Institute of History at the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (later the Milko Kos Historical Institute ZRC SAZU), served as president of ZZDS from 1988 to 1992. She had earlier been president of the Ljubljana Historical Society (1982–1986), a member society of ZZDS, and was a founding member of the Historical Society for South Primorska, also a member. As an honorary member of ZZDS she was elected in 2020 to the commission for the Klio Prize, which she chaired for two terms until 2024. The association's current president is Žiga Zwitter. Beyond publishing, the association functions as a professional federation: it links regional historical societies, represents the discipline, organises scholarly activity, and administers recognition such as the Klio Prize. It maintains an official website at zzds.si, where news and organisational information are published. The association operates in Slovenia and communicates primarily in Slovene, while also using the English name Historical Association of Slovenia.

• 2020

  Darja Mihelič elected to the Klio Prize Commission, which she chairs for two terms until 2024.

• 1988

  Darja Mihelič becomes president of ZZDS, serving until 1992.

• 1980

  Reorganisation into the Historical Association of Slovenia (ZZDS).

• 1946

  Historical Society for Slovenia founded as successor to the Museum Society.

• 1919

  Museum Society for Slovenia founded, the earliest institutional predecessor.

Central professional umbrella organisation and scholarly publisher for Slovene historiography.

• Zgodovinski časopis (Historical Review)

• Kronika – časopis za slovensko krajevno zgodovino

• Šolska kronika (School Chronicle)

1. 1Zveza zgodovinskih društev Slovenije – official websitezzds.si
2. 2Zveza zgodovinskih društev Slovenije – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Zveza zgodovinskih društev Slovenije – Slovene Wikipediasl.wikipedia.org