THE PROTESTANT LITERATURE BY BURGENLAND CROATIANS

The text deals with the appearance of the protestant literature by Burgenland Croatians, during the second half of 16th and in the beginning of 17th century. The protestant literary tradition by Burgenland Croatians dates from the one collection of sermons, called Postilla, written by German theologian and predicant Johannes Brenz from Wittenberg, which was translated from Latin into Croatian by famous protestant writers and publishers Anton Dalmatin and Stipan Konzul Istrijan. Postilla was published on 1568. in Regensburg. The book was edited in two parts and consists of dominical evangelic sermons during whole liturgical year, with German and Croatian prefaces. The second important protestant work was edition of selected Croatian graduals Duševne pesne, by Grgur Pythiraeus Mekinić who was evangelical pastor in Sv. Križ (Deutschkreutz, Keresztur) by Sopron. That song-book also had double part, the first appeared in 1609. and the second in 1611. at place wich was mentioned. Mekinić, who was considered like the "father of Burgenland Croatians literature" and the first "real" writer by Burgenland Croatians, collected in Duševne pesne his Croatian translations and adaptations of church songs, psalms and hymns from various German (almost Lutheran), Hungarian and Latin texts