"FOLKLORE DIPLOMACY" – ROLE OF FOLK MUSIC IN FOREIGN DIPLOMACY OF YUGOSLAVIA 1949-1971
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Author of the exhibition: Ivan Hofman
It has been mentioned several times in historiographic, Journalistic and other literature, that publishing of Informbiro Resolution 1948 marked a turning point in the history of Socialist Yugoslavia. The state that upon the end of the revolutionary war 1945, resolutely started developing socialism after one recognized - Soviet model , found itself at the edge of the war combat with their quite recent Soviet Union fellow soldiers and "national democracies". After wanderings at the beginning and trying to show groundlessness of accusations presented in the Resolution by increased repression, leadership of the Yugoslav party personified in Josip Broz Tito, decided that the rupture is final and that for imposed isolation the country was threatened with complete economy break down. Turning to severe ideological opponent – Liberal Capitalistic West headed by the USA was suggested as the only way out from very hard position. USA from their side were resolute to make good use of "Yugoslav schism" in order to break cracked socialistic monolith and in the course of 1950, two countries signed several agreements that helped Yugoslavia to step out from isolation , temporarily economically and politically connected to the West. This provided conditions for Yugoslavia to start independent ambitious foreign policy having in its fundaments authentic revolutionary experience of its people.
"General Ideological Struggle in the Field of Culture"
Aktivna Active foreign policy of any state requires use of considerable resources: sometimes it is capital that the state has, sometimes strength of its army. In a case of Yugoslavia which was burdened by inherited poverty, which hadn’t recovered from the ravages of war, it was culture. In March 1950, Yugoslavia represented itself by the exhibition of Medieval arts of its nations in Paris and prominent artists such as Petar Lubarda started intensively exhibiting his works at Biennale in Venice and at other prestigious manifestations. Works of two leading writers of the epoch – Iva Andrić and Miroslav Krleža had been translated to all-world languages and found their market abroad and comedy Dundo Maroje by Marin Držić and ballet Ohridska legenda by Stevan Hristić were played at the festival in Edinburgh and at all big stages.
Yugoslav elite academic arts despite undisputed quality, was behind creativity of big European nations and cultures. But that where the Yugoslav cultural space was prominent was authentic musical folklore of its nations. Musicology directed in Marxist way looked at the musical folk creativity cleaned of harmful influences of the class society and foreign cultures, being one of foundations of art music in socialism. That was the reason that in the course of 1948, State Ensemble of Folk Dances and Songs of People’s Republic of Serbia was founded that later on changed its name in Kolo and Folk Dances and Songs ensemble of People’s Republic of Croatia (Lado) and 1949 State Ensemble of Folk Dances and Songs of People’s Republic of Macedonia (Tanec). Three mentioned professional ensembles and several more prestigious amateur ones, started in 1950 guest performances abroad, and owing to them folk music became one of the most important instrument of Yugoslav foreign policy.
The aim of this on-line exhibition of documents of the Archive of Yugoslavia is to present foreign policy of FNRY/SFR Yugoslavia through guest performances of certain folklore ensembles abroad. Chronological frame (1949-1971) covers the period where cultural relation and exchange of Yugoslavia and foreign countries was under competence of several federal authorities. By the end of 1971, federal administration was reorganized for the purpose of decentralization (confederalization) of Yugoslav federation. Part of these measures was cancellation of the Federal Commission for Culture and Foreign Relations that for the most part of studied period managed works regarding organization of cultural cooperation and exchange between Yugoslavia and other countries. Upon the completed reorganization, all the works from its domain were handed over to the republic and regional authorities.
Literature:
Ivan Hofman, „'Folklore Diplomacy'—The Role Of Musical Folklore In Yugoslavia’s Foreign Policy 1949–1971“, Тhe Tunes Of Diplomatic Notes: Music And Diplomacy In Southeast Europe (18th–20th Century), Belgrade and Ljubljana, 2020, 203-228, https://dais.sanu.ac.rs/handle/123456789/10374
Teškoto oro being the Pioneer of Yugoslav Diplomacy
At the beginning folk ensembles went on tours only in the countries of the West Europe, sometime alone and sometimes in combined groups.
1) Report on work of the Department of Scientific and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries in 1950, detachment from Folklorni ansambli without date.
2) Report on appearance of the mixed folkl group in LLangollen (Wels), 1952
3) Members of the ensemble Lola during defile of the festival participants in Oberstdorf (FR Germany), 1961. The program of three state folk ensembles had both Yugoslav character and national – republic character depending on closer needs of the cultural politic of the republics founders of the ensembles.
4) Program of Kolo on tours 1950-1952
5) Program of Lada on tours 1950-1952 How did the meeting of the regular ensemble members with Western Europe look like? Had they been overcome with magic of the world at the other side of the iron curtain or they had realized only that, what confirmed that development of socialism was the only right way that they should follow?
6) Report on the tour of the ensemble of the Folk Dances of Peoples Republic of Montenegro Oro in France, Cetinje, October 15, 1954 Tours of the ensembles abroad were not the only form of “folk diplomacy” of the FNRY government: Yugoslavia itself was a host of international manifestations dedicated to the folk musical opus.
7) Report on the conference of International Folk Music Council in Opatija, December 22, 1951.
Report on work of the Department of Scientific and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries in 1950, detachment from Folklorni ansambli without date
(АЈ-317-89-127)
Pages: 2
Report on appearance of the mixed folkl group in LLangollen (Wels), 1952
(АЈ-559-122-259)
Pages: 2
Members of the ensemble Lola during defile of the festival participants in Oberstdorf (FR Germany), 1961.
(AJ-559-126-270)
Report on the tour of the ensemble of the Folk Dances of Peoples Republic of Montenegro Oro in France, Cetinje, October 15, 1954
(АЈ-559-122-260)
Pages: 5
Report on the conference of International Folk Music Council in Opatija, December 22, 1951.
(АЈ-317-89-128)
Pages: 7
Misunderstanding as a Result of the International Success
At the time when three professional ensembles were not sufficiently known at the international stage, when the western public only get to know about Yugoslav folk music, Lada, Tanec and Kolo worked together and went on mutual tours. It was followed by international recognition, won first places on international competitions, invitations of different managers to participate at new and more attractive tours; profit from the concerts became more important question when negotiating guest performances. Thee ensembles and their interrelations became more and more competitive and they fought for new attractive tours as they were fighting for the new markets. At the same time, tours of the amateur ensembles experienced as nuisance.
8) Relation of the Ensemble “Lado” with the other ensembles in Yugoslavia, Letter of the Director of the Ensemble Ivo Kirigin, March 14, 195
9) Letter of the director of Kolo Branko Bekić, motivated by the claim that Kolo is favored towards other ensembles, June 17, 1966
Relation of the Ensemble “Lado” with the other ensembles in Yugoslavia, Letter of the Director of the Ensemble Ivo Kirigin, March 14, 195
(AJ-559-126-267)
Pages: 7
Letter of the director of Kolo Branko Bekić, motivated by the claim that Kolo is favored towards other ensembles, June 17, 1966
(АЈ-559-125-266)
Pages: 3
Folk Diplomacy Towards USA
In the period between 1950 and 1952, the Government of FNR Yugoslavia and USA signed several agreements helping Yugoslavia to come out from isolation imposed on it by Informbiro Resolution. Hollywood movies overflew Yugoslav cinemas and jazz music became civic. On those first class means of American foreign policy, FNRY endeavored to answer with “folk diplomacy “. At the same time various Yugoslav companies had their own interest to help tour in USA since they had seen their chance to make good arrangements with American companies. Agency service of some Yugoslav companies was in some cases the source of various misunderstandings.
10) Statement of Olga Skovran , director of Kolo regarding dispute with the company Turist ekspres on a tour in America, Belgrade, January 14, 1957.
A matter of concern of the “folk diplomacy” was Yugoslav emigrants in USA. The government of FNRY tried to separate them from the influence of Ustasha and Ravna gora movement/Lotic emigration.
11) Leaflet Croatian Folk Music, organization United American Croats 1967
12) Final report on the Lada tour in the United States of America on November 18, 1967
Statement of Olga Skovran , director of Kolo regarding dispute with the company Turist ekspres on a tour in America, Belgrade, January 14, 1957.
(АЈ-559-125-266)
Pages: 6
Final report on the Lada tour in the United States of America on November 18, 1967
(АЈ-559-126-267)
Pages: 3
From Kremlin to the Imperial Palace in Peking
Smoothing out the relation between Yugoslavia and Soviet Union after Stalin’s death and meeting of Josip Broz Tito and Khrushchev in Belgrade in May and June 1955 reflected themselves in tours of the professional folk ensembles. As a result Kolo spent almost four and a half months on tour in two leading socialist countries Soviet Union and People’s Republic of China, visiting also on that occasion Burma.
13) Report of Olga Skovran about tour of Kolo in Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China and Burma, February 6, 1956.
Following footsteps of Kolo, ensemble of folk dances and songs of Academic Cultural Art Society Branko Krsmanović had a roll to present through the concerts how academic youth contributes to the improvement of their socialistic homeland.
14) Report on tour of the Ensemble of songs and dances Branko Krsmanovic in China on April 10, 1958.
Guest performances of Yugoslav folk ensembles in Soviet Union and in the countries of Warsaw Pact depended on changing relations between FNRY/SFR of Yugoslavia and Soviet Union. Upon conciliation initiated by Nikita Khrushchev 1955 and several years of good relations and cooperation, new chill in the relations was to come caused by Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia in August 1968. The indication that the relations had been thawing was tour of folk ensemble from Kosovo Šota in Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in July 1971.
15) Report on the tour of folk ensemble of Kosovo Šota in Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in July 6, 1971.
Report of Olga Skovran about tour of Kolo in Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China and Burma, February 6, 1956.
(АЈ-559-125-266)
Pages: 5
Report on tour of the Ensemble of songs and dances Branko Krsmanovic in China on April 10, 1958.
(АЈ-559-126-269)
Pages: 7
Report on the tour of folk ensemble of Kosovo Šota in Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in July 6, 1971.
(АЈ-559-125-265)
Pages: 5
From Port Said to Casablanca
Middle East was region of latent conflicts and interweaving of local interest and interest of the great powers ever since dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. After the Jewish emigrants to Palestine proclaimed the state of Israel 1948, this region became battle-field and series of wars between Jewish country and neighboring Arab countries, as well as long lasting civil wars. Yugoslavia was one of the first countries to recognize Israel and establish diplomatic relations but the Egypt was the Middle East country that Yugoslavia had closest cooperation, especially after the monarchy was abolished in 1952. Yugoslav universities since then had enrolled many Egyptian scholarship students, great companies organized practical work for numerous Egyptian engineers and qualified workers and Yugoslav experts of different profiles were engaged in the Egyptian economy, health system and education.
16) Report of Yugoslav Information Center in Cairo on tour of Lada in Egypt, February 10, 1958
Maghreb was one more region that was in focus of Yugoslav foreign policy from the middle of fifties. The Government of FNRY actively supported Tunisia and Morocco in the first year of their independence from France as well as armed conflict of Algerians against French occupation.
17) Report on the tour of OKUD Lola in Egypt , Belgrade, April 2, 1964
18) Report of Olga Skovran on the tour of Kolo in Morocco and Tunisia on March 10, 1959
Report of Yugoslav Information Center in Cairo on tour of Lada in Egypt, February 10, 1958
(АЈ-559-126-267)
Pages: 5
Report of Olga Skovran on the tour of Kolo in Morocco and Tunisia on March 10, 1959
(АЈ-559-125-266)
Pages: 3
Folk Diplomacy in Latin America
Chile, Argentina and Uruguay are three states of Latin America, where since the beginning of the 20th century significant colonies of Yugoslav emigrants predominantly Croats have lived. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia tended to win them over for the idea of mutual state and in the years that had preceded the Second World War, serious political conflict arose between representatives of state and their followers there at one side, and followers of Ustasha movement at the other side. FNR of Yugoslavia continued struggle with Ustasha emigration about their influence on emigrants, but by the time, economic interests of Yugoslav government and its endeavors to spread its political interest by the movement of nonaligned countries started to play more important role in the relations with the countries of South America.
19) Report on guest performance of lada, Uruguay, December 20, 1962
20) Report of the Embassy of FNRY on tour of Lada in Chile on January 8, 1963
Report of the Embassy of FNRY on tour of Lada in Chile on January 8, 1963
(АЈ-559-126-267)
Pages: 3
Pioneers of Business Delegations
Primary purpose of the tours of folk ensembles in the Asian and African countries in the second half of sixties was to accelerate business cooperation of SFRY with so called developing countries. That’s why the tours were financed not only by the state authorities of federation and republics, but also by the companies that had direct interest to make profitable business with governments of those countries.
21) Report of the leadership of the tour of Ensemble Lola in the countries of Asia, Belgrade, April 1967.
22) Report of the Embassy of SFRY in Senegal on tour of Tanec, February 20, 1968
23) Report of the Embassy of SFRY in Guinea on tour of Tanec, March 19, 1968
Report of the leadership of the tour of Ensemble Lola in the countries of Asia, Belgrade, April 1967.
(АЈ-559-126-270)
Pages: 22
Report of the Embassy of SFRY in Senegal on tour of Tanec, February 20, 1968
(АЈ-559-126-268)
Pages: 5
Report of the Embassy of SFRY in Guinea on tour of Tanec, March 19, 1968
(АЈ-559-126-268)
Pages: 3