HISTORICAL DETAILS
THE SLOVENIAN ARCHIVES IDEA
By  Martha Magajna

An idea to establish Slovenian archives in Sydney was first presented to the Slovenian National Council by Mr. Florjan Auser, Member of the Council for Slovenes Abroad in the Government of RS and Director of Slovenian Media House in March 1996, but no action was taken at the time.

Document from 1996

In late 2002, the idea was resurrected, when Dr. Breda Čebulj- Sajko, a member of the ZRC SAZU, Institute for Slovenian Immigration Studies - Ljubljana, arrived in Sydney to assess the condition and quantity of archival material contributed by Slovenian migrants from NSW. 

MARIJA GROSMAN,
dolgoletna tajnica HASA NSW, piše:

Poglejmo, kako se je pravzaprav začelo.
Prvi sestanek, kot je zapisano v zapisniku, je sklical g. Alfred Brežnik, generalni konzul Republike Slovenije za NSW in Viktorijo, in je potekal 20. novembra 2002 v prostorih Slovenskega Misiona v Merylandsu.

Namen sestanka je bil, da se ustanovi pripravljalni odbor, ki bi naj pripravil razstavo o slovenskem šolstvu. V Melbournu so se namreč pripravljali na 25. letnico šolstva v Viktoriji. Bilo bi prav, da se organizira nekaj sličnega tudi v Sydneyu, kjer so slovenske šole delovale že skoraj 50 let.

Prisotni na tem sestanku so bili: Anita Lever, dr. Melita Jazbec, Nick Vickers, Lojze Košorok, Martha Magajna, pater Filip Rupnik, Častni generalni konzul RS v NSW in Victoriji, Alfred Brežnik, pater Valerijan Jenko, Uroš Ergaver, Mihelca Šuštersič, Anica Stare, Olga Lah, Jože Lah, Kristina Šuber, Valter Šuber, Peter Krope, Mira Smrdel, Tania Smrdel in gostji iz Slovenije dr. Breda Čebulj-Sajko in Kristina Toplak.

The first meeting 20 nov.2002

After the initial meeting with the group of volunteers, who already started working on an exhibition of 50 years of schools and media work in NSW, and with the support of the Honorary Consul General of Republic of Slovenia, Alfred Brežnik, an invitation went out to all slovenian organisations and interested individuals to attend a meeting at Slovenian Mission Merrylands on 6.December 2002 to discuss the possibility of starting slovenian archives. A great attendance by the leaders of Slovenian organisations from Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong and other interested individuals  indicated the majority of Slovenians supported the idea for an archive to be formally established.

Meeting on 6 December 2002 
Standing: Florjan Auser, Peter Krope, Martha Magajna, Ivan Rudolf, Uroš Ergarver, Emil Grosman, Michelle Šušteršič, Olga Lah, dr. Breda Čebulj-Sajko, Margaret Hatežič, Jože Lah, Mira Smrdel. 
Front: Maria Grosman, Veronika Ferfolja, Tania Smrdel

THE OFFICIAL BEGINNING OF HASA-NSW

The Historical Archives for Slovenian Australians for NSW or HASA-NSW was officially established at the Foundation Meeting, held at Triglav Panthers Club, on 9 February 2003. Like at the first meeting the representatives of all Slovenian organisations and also many individual members, well known for their hard work and support of Slovenian Community were present. HASA-NSW was registered as a nonprofitable organization, to operate exclusively for the safeguarding of historical records of the Slovenian community in NSW.

Meeting in Klub Triglav

9. februarja 2003 je bil sklican ustanovni občni zbor, kjer so bila sprejeta pravila za ustanovitev Historičnega Arhiva za Slovenske Avstralce v NSW (kratko HASA-NSW). Prisotni na tem sestanku, ki se je vršil v prostorih Triglav Panthers kluba v St. Johns Parku, so bili: Olga Lah, Jože Lah, Martha Magajna, Peter Krope, Maria in Emil Grosman (Newcastle), Mihela Šušteršič, Ivan Kobal, Alfred Brežnik, Tania Smrdel, Eleanora White, Ivan Rudolf (Wollongong), Mira Smrdel, Uroš Ergaver, Florjan Auser in Veronika Ferfolja (Minutes taken by T.Smrdel). Izvoljen je bil naslednji odbor: Olga Lah, predsednica, Maria Grosman in Tania Smrdel, podpredsednici, Uros Ergaver, blagajnik.

Priprave za uradno otvoritev HASA so potekale v polnem teku. Iz majhne razstave o slovenskih šolah  je nastala razširjena razstava z  naslovom: ”Sadovi slovenske dediščine - The Fruits of Our Slovenian Heritage“, ki je prikazala delovanje večine slovenske skupnosti v zadnjih 50 letih. Iz ideje o prvotnem katalogu razstave se je razvila ideja, da se zbrano gradivo za razstavo predstavi tudi v obliki knjige, kjer se naj opiše razvoj in delo slovenske skupnosti v tem času. Tega velikega dela se je lotila Olga Lah, medtem, ko so drugi sodelavci zbirali gradivo in pripravljali razstavo.

Martha Magajna and Michelle Šušteršič, working on the exhibition panels

The Slovenian Mission at Merrylands provided two rooms for the archives in the basement of the Slovenian Mission.The rooms used to serve as the meeting place for the younger generation of Slovenian Community and they were very basic- walls covered with graffiti, basic electricity with two light bulbs and no power points- a tremedous amount of work was needed –walls painted, new carpets, electrical and internet instalations with sufficient powerpoints, office furniture, computers, scaners, printers etc.
The Slovenian Foreign Affairs Ministry  (The office for Slovenians Abroad); The Scientific Research Centre for the Sciences and Arts in Slovenia provided most of the funds for the renovation, furniture and electronics.To help with the expenses of the new offices, all slovenian organizations in NSW and also some generous individuals contributed to the starting fund and also nominated one or two capable members of their organizations to form the archives’ working team.

Michelle and p. Darko at work

An Executive committee was selected, with the rest of representatives from all slovenian organisations serving as supporting committee members.The first president was Olga Lah, director, while the rest of the committee was divided in two working groups.For more than a year a team of dedicated volunteers renovated and furnished the rooms .A second team was collecting historical material for an extensive exhibition of the various Slovenian activities in NSW, for the official opening.

OTVORITEV ARHIVA V SYDNEYU,
HASA OPENING OF THE HISTORICAL ARCHIVES
FOR SLOVENIAN AUSTRALIANS IN NSW
30 April 2004

HASA-NSW was opened on 30 April 2004 in the Hall of Slovenian Mission Merrylands by Hon Consul General of Republic of Slovenia, Alfred Brežnik, the patron of HASA NSW archives and a great supporter of everything slovenian, together with dr Breda Čebulj-Sajko, who presented HASA NSW with a great engraved nameplate, a gift from our co-founder ZRC SAZU.

Obiskovalci na otvoritvi arhiva

Arhiv sta odprla Breda Čebulj Sajko in častni generalni konzul RS Alfred Brežnik

30. aprila je bila svečana otvoritev arhiva, razstave in hkrati tudi predstavitev knjige »Sadovi slovenske dediščine – The Fruits of our Slovenian Heritage« v dvorani Slovenskega Misiona Merrylands. Otvoritve se je udeležila predstavnica soustanovitelja ZRC SAZU, dr. Breda Čebulj-Sajko, ki je sama veliko pripomogla, da se je HASA ustanovila.

Official opening of HASA-NSW 30 April 2004
HASA-NSW has offices at St Raphael Slovenian Mission Merrylands

Address: By Olga Lah, Director of HASA NSW:

Olga Lah, predsednica arhiva je vodila prireditev

Good evening to all our guests and welcome to the official opening of the Historical Archives for Slovenian Australians in NSW known in short as HASA.

Our guests tonight are truly representative of our Slovenian community and we are honoured that you are here to celebrate with us. I would particularly like to welcome: Mr. Bojan Bertoncelj, Charge D'Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia and Mrs. Bertoncelj,Mr. Alfred Brežnik, Honorary Consul General for the Republic of Slovenia for NSW. and Mrs. Brežnik.Dr. Breda Cebulj Sajko, well known to many of us and tonight representing the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Ljubljana.
And of course, our beloved Father Valerijan JenkoThe Historical Archives for Slovenian Australians in NSW, was established a little more than a year ago, on the 9th of February 2003. Its establishment was encouraged by the work of Dr. Breda Cebulj Sajko, who is here with us tonight. In this short time, much has been achieved. We hope you will agree with us by the end of the night.

This night is a night of celebration. We are celebrating many things. 
Tonight is an acknowledgement of the hard work of many people, who helped to set up these facilities. Those that contributed financially, For example: The Slovenian Foreign Affairs Ministry (The office for Slovenians Abroad); The Scientific Research Centre for the Sciences and Arts in Slovenia, who are our co-founders; The Slovenian Ministry of Culture; The Slovenian Embassy, Canberra; The generous financial support of the Slovenian Association Sydney and Club Triglav - Panthers; and benefactors such as Alfred Brežnik, Dušan Lajovic, Ciril Jamšek and the Royal Guardian Mortgage Corporation.
The facilities are also a testament to those that contributed their time and skills in its setting up. For example:
Mark Slatinšek, Emil Kukovec, Uroš Ergaver, Mark Gašperšic, Jože Lah, Karl Lukežic, Mirko Lukežic, Igor Poch, Ivan Koželj, Martha Magajna, Maria and Emil Grosman, Tania Smrdel and Mihela Šušteršic.
Of course, many thanks must be expressed to Pater Valerijan Jenko and Pater Filip Rupnik, for their strong moral support and the rooms they have provided for us.? Tonight is also a celebration of the achievements of the Slovenian community for the last 50 years.
The exhibition “The Fruits of Our Slovenian Heritage” was a part of the opening. The credit for this extensive exhibition must go to the research and compilation of Mihela Šušteršic and Martha Magajna, who have been setting up exhibitions for the community for many years. They were assisted by Maria Grosman, Tania Smrdel, Jessica Kukovec and Clara Brcar. This team has tried to present small snapshots of the life of our community for the last 50 years and all activities of slovenian community.
Link to old page

The exhibition "The Fruits of Our Slovenian Heritage"

THE BOOK "THE FRUITS OF OUR SLOVENIAN HERITAGE" (SADOVI SLOVENSKE DEDIŠČINE)

The book was compiled and edited by archives director Olga Lah, after the thoroughly research of the documents, photos, newspapers and other historical data and with the great help of the volunteers who gathered the historical materials for the exhibition of the same name, presenting and preserving for the future generations the stories about the life, work and social activities of slovenian organisations, cultural and sports groups and also the individual members of our community, who specially deserve the honorable mention in the history of Australian Slovenians, due to their special effort to preserve slovenian culture and heritage. 
Knjiga »Sadovi slovenske dediščine« predstavlja pregled zgodovine slovenske skupnosti v NSW-u zadnjih petdesetih let in njen prispevek k splošni avstralski multikulturni skupnosti in načinu življenja v Avstraliji. Knjiga je nekak začetek opisovanja slovenske zgodovine v Avstraliji in vsebuje izredno veliko zgodovinskih podatkov in slik, v kolikor so nam bili le ti v tem času na razpolago in dosegljivi.
Prepričani smo, da je v posesti naših izseljencev še veliko neodkritega in neobjavljenega materiala, kar bi naj vzbudilo željo drugih rojakov, da bi vzeli pero v roke in delo nadaljevali. 

The book “The Fruits of Our Slovenian Heritage“

 

HASA NSW ACHIEVEMENTS

To work in the special kind of work place like archives needs a special knowledge. The three archivists, Marija, Martha and Michelle needed a lot of tuition from Igor Poch and Olga Lah in the use of computers.      

Igor Poch putting in new programs

HASA NSW director Olga Lah was the first, who enrolled in the archivist clasess in the university, while Marija Grosman and Michelle Sustersic attended the Archivist seminar in Slovenia, organised by The office for Slovenians Abroad. With the help and advice of ZRC SAZU (Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts ) the forms and questionairs were introduced, life stories , documents, photoes and other memorabilia got collected by Martha Magajna and brought to HASA NSW archives, where Marija Grosman and Michelle Sustersic categorised and described the material and filed it all in the proper order in the files, folders and boxes in the special air conditioned part of archives.

Mihelca Šušteršič in archive

 

The first five years of HASA-NSW were very fruitful. A great amount of historical material was collected from both individuals and organisations.  In  year  2005, the second year of HASA NSW regular work brought some changes in the organisation. Tania Smrdel, Executive Producer of Slovenian program SBS Radio Sydney became a president, with Maria Grosman as secretary and Michelle Sustersic the treasurer. Due to the health problems Olga Lah has withdrawn from the program and pater Darko Znidarsic joined the committee as a vicepresident. 

In the next year, 2006 it was obvious, that the younger members of the committee cannot give more then a mimimal time to the organisation and due to the overload of work Tania Smrdel passed her president's duties to p. Darko Znidarsic with Maria Grosman as secretary, Martha Magajna, vicepresident and Mihelca Šušterič, treasurer, Tanja Smrdel, assistant secretary, and Zora Johnson, assistant treasurer.

With  a  help of  HASA NSW team Florjan  Auser was  elected  as a representative to the Council for Slovenians Abroad (Svet Vlade Republike Slovenije za Slovence po svetu)  and he  also joined us as a  technical  advisor .
 As  a  director of Slovenia  House he  was  collecting  the historical   material in  Slovenian  Community  for many years  before  HASA  started  and he  was  a great  help to HASA  NSW  archivists with  special projects, like posters, booklets, programs, exhibitions  and  with the maintenance  of the electronic  equipment .ike  pamflets, posters,  booklets,  and  he  was  a
By the year 2007 a new Executive Committee was formed, consisting of : Martha Magajna, (Triglav Club ) president. P. Darko Znidarsic, vice president, Marija Grosman (Tivoli Newcastle) secretary and Michelle Sustersic (Slovenian Mission Merrylands) treasurer. This set of executives continnued as leaders of HASA NSW good many years.s
 
To  gain a  wider  acceptance and  understanding in  Slovenian  Community HASA NSW  decided to organise a special  event, triggered  by  chance  by  a mention of  an  aeroplane   full of  slovenian girls, arrived  50 years   ago  from  Aversa, Italia. We  said:”What  if  we organise  a  meeting, a  Golden  Reunion  of those  girls ?’’  And the  next step  was:  Why  just those  girls, let’s organise  a Reunion of  all, who  arrived  in  Australia  50 years  ago, in the year 1957?
And the  rest  was  history  !!!!!!

And the  rest  was  history!