Prince Carnival
A European Tradition of Princes Carnival
Honourable title Prince Carnival is granted to an individual who works and lives in the spirit of preserving the rich traditions of Shrovetide customs in Ptuj, works in the social and cultural fields, actively participates as a Kurent or other carnival character in the festival and contributes to the visibility of the festival reagionally, nationally and abroad.
At the opening ceremony, each year held on the first Saturday of the festival, the Prince Carnival recieves the town key from the mayor of Ptuj and upon that becomes the authority of the town and the carnival in the festive period. He is the protocol master at all main carnival events. Since 2003 the Prince Carnival represents a historical figure with his insignia, clothing and guards, made and dressed in accordance to his place of origin. The historical background of each prince is selected and argued by historian Marija Masten Hernja.
Branko Brumen
Honorary Chair of the Council of Princes Carnival
The head of princes and honorary president of Council of Princes Carnival FECC Ptuj, Slovenia. He is also the vice-president of the Federation of European Carnival Cities (FECC).
Knight Hinko Sodinski, noble Gall
Prince Carnival XVIII – Hinko Šoštarič
The knight lived at the ancient Sodinski grad, which was on Kujzjek. His castle, or fortress with judicial rights, gave the name of the place – Sodinci.
Gašper I
Prince Carnival I – Jože Gašperšič – Gašper
The first Prince Carnival of Kurentovanje Ptuj who started the whole story of Princes in Ptuj. His official name was in fact his nickname – Gašper.
Matevž Zoki II
Prince Carnival II – Zvonko Križaj
The name Matevž comes from the prince’s grandfather named Matevž, while Zoki was his nickname. He is the organiser of the the Kurent’s Jump.
Don Zlatko III
Prince Carnival III – Zlatko Gajšek
As Prince, he preserved his name to which he added his nickname Don; he was the third prince, but is also the third son of the family.
Noble Moscon Rajh
Prince Carnival IV – Ivo Rajh
He was the first prince with a historical background assuming the characteristics of a true historical person – Simon Moscon, the last owner of the village of Lancova Vas and Lančja house in the second half of the 17th century.
Cajnko Friderik V
Prince Carnival V – Branko Cajnko
The prince represented an important historical person – Friedrich II Lord of Ptuj, a member of the powerful family of Lords of Ptuj, the first noble family having taken the name of Ptuj in the Middle Ages.
Noble Holoneški VI
Prince Carnival VI – Marjan Cajnko
The prince represents a nobleman from the Middle Ages, owner of a mansion called “Purgstal” in Rogoznica in the suburbs of Ptuj.
Klinc Hauptmann of Spuhlja
Prince Carnival VII – Marko Klinc
Hauptman Spuhljanski, that is from Spuhlja, commanded a firing troop headquartered in a mansion in Spuhlja.
Slavko plemeniti Kacherl
Prince Carnival VIII – Slavko Kolar
The historical person behind the eighth prince is Žiga Ivan Kacherl, a provincial master and owner of the mansion known as “Kacherl Mansion”, situated somewhere between the villages of Rabelčja Vas and Grajena.
Majer of Cirkovce
Prince Carnival IX – Miran Urih
The ninth Prince Carnival “revived” the steward of estates in Cirkovci which belonged to the women’s Dominican monastery in Studenice. He is accompanied by his guard and a band called Pepi Krulet which has since become the official band of all Princes.
Noble Vegan of Thurn and Valsassina
Prince Carnival X – Stanko Vegan
Janez Maximillian, count of Thurn and Valsassina, built the Turnišče mansion and owned the entire estate from Drava Field to Haloze hills. Every year the Prince organises the March with torches from “his” mansion to Primus hotel in Ptuj.
Knight Senčar, Noble Bernhard of Ptuj
Prince Carnival XI – Milan Senčar
Bernhard Lord of Ptuj, marshal of Styria, and a well-known patron of the arts and supporter, founder of the Basilica of the Mantled Virgin Mary at Ptujska Gora.
Nobel Baron Jakob Breuner of Markovci
Prince Carnival XII – Janez Golc
Jakob Breuner was a confidential councillor to emperor and king. In 1606 he became a senior imperial court marshal, a president of court chamber and owner of estates near Ptuj of which was also the village of Markovci. He died in 1634.
Noble Jurij Oprossnitzer
Prince Carnival XIII – Vlado Hvalec
Jurij Oprossnitzer served the archduke of Inner Austria between 1570 and 1573 as a captain and governor of Ptuj.
Vitez Dornavski
Prince Carnival XIV – Miroslav Slodnjak
The first Prince Carnival appointed for two years, he represents historical character of knights of Dornava mansion.
Bertold of Treun
Prince Carnival XV – Rajko Jurgec
Named after the famous past lords of Treun, specifically after Berthold of Treun, Court Marshal, which can be found in written records from 1236 to the 1294, took over the title at St. Martin’s in 2014 and is currently serving his two years’ honour.
Noble Janez Maksimilijan Gregorič
XVI. prince carnival – Aleš Goričan
The noble Janez Maksimilijan Gregorič was the manager of Szekely’s estate in the 17th century and an owner of some smaller castles in the Pesnica Valley and Slovenske Gorice. The Prince has a depiction of the character of the kurent in the insignia.
Baron Jakob Zekel Videmski
Prince Carnival XVII – Darko Cafuta
Jakob baron Zekel (1530 – 1583) was the third child of Luka Zekel and mother Katarina pl. Meinburg. Jacob was born in 1530 and in 1560 became the owner of the Haloze estate with the seat of St. Vid, nowadays a library Ivan Potrč. In 1560 he married Baroness Zofija Herberstein.
Part of the Federation of Europan Carnival Cities
Within the scope of FECC (Federation of European Carnival Cities) grouping more than 550 cities and carnival committees organised in 46 national boards mostly from Western Europe, the institution of Prince Carnival represents an important part of carnival tradition and protocol. Ptuj and Slovenia have been FECC members since 1991. During several years, Henry van der Kroon, FECC President, was trying to persuade Branko Brumen, who initiated FECC Slovenia and was its founding president, to install Prince Carnival, a traditional figure of European carnival cities, also in Ptuj and Slovenia. The first strategic change of the concept of Kurentovanje in 1994 provided only for the 11-day long carnival festivities and a carnival hall following the example of European cities, but not the installation of Prince Carnival, for it was decided that Kurentovanje should first build a solid base on the exceptional carnival-ethnographic-cultural heritage consisting of nine autochthonous masks of which the most well-known is Kurent.
In 1998, as a result of the newly adopted concept, “Meeting of traditional carnival figures and masks of Slovenia” was held during the opening ceremony of Kurentovanje. The inauguration of Prince Carnival was introduced to Ptuj only in 1999 for the carnival year 2000 in order to mark the 40th organised carnival event in Ptuj and the turn of millennium which thus entered the history of carnival in Ptuj.
The idea for Prince Carnival was conceived on the already existing institution of Prince Carnival in cities and countries members of the FECC, and further developed with local carnival tradition and spirit. Prince Carnival is an honourable function and European cities normally choose their princes among rich and respected citizens who live for carnivals and are at the same time willing to invest themselves and their fortune in carnival festivities. But in Ptuj the concept was different and thus this honourable title is bestowed upon members of cultural-ethnographic associations for their meritorious services and active participation in Kurentovanje in Ptuj and presentations of carnival traditions abroad, as well as for their commitment to the preservation and protection of at least one of the traditional carnival figures.
At the beginning, Prince Carnival was appointed by the director and organising committee of Kurentovanje. Since 2008, when Council of Princes was established, a public tender has been published and Prince Carnival has been chosen with the agreement of the mayor and head of Kurentovanje. Prince Carnival is inaugurated on 11th November at 11:11, for St. Martin’s Day is considered as “autumn carnival” and also known as “small carnival” which heralds the winter carnival. Prince Carnival holds office until next St. Martin’s Day.
The first Prince Carnival was appointed in 1999 for the carnival year 2000. On St. Martin’s Day in 1999, Jože Gašperšič from Ptuj Ski Club, became Prince Carnival I, and had the privilege to start spreading the reputation of Kurents in Slovenia and abroad. In 2013, Prince Carnival was appointed for two consecutive years.
Until now, 15 Carnival Princes have been inaugurated.
