THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CELJE CITY COUNCIL BETWEEN THE YEARS 1919 AND 1921

Po koncu prve svetovne vojne je oblast v Celju prišla v slovenske roke. Po naročilu Narodne vlade je odšel v Celje tajnik dr. Friderik Lukan, da bi prevzel okrajno glavarstvo in kot vladni komisar tudi gerentsko upravo mestne občine. Prevzem se je vršil 6. novembra 1918 na magistratu ob navzočnosti komisije Narodnega sveta. Razmerje med obema nacionalnima skupinama (Nemci, Slovenci) se je v prvih povojnih letih povsem spremenilo. Slovenci so se čez noč spremenili iz hlapcev v gospodarje. Začela se je slovenizacija celjskega mesta. Do konca leta 1919 je Celje zapustila vrsta uglednih nemških meščanov. Večina profesorjev, uradnikov, sodnikov je namreč kar čez noč ostala brez služb in se bila prisiljena vrniti v Avstrijo. Tudi v samem gerentskem svetu ni bil zastopan niti en Nemec. V časniku Nova doba so se dan za dnem pojavljali članki, ki so zahtevali čiščenje vsega, kar je bilo nemškega. V samem Celju in okolici so morali imeti obrtniki in trgovci po slovenskem prevzemu oblasti slovenske napise, kajti uradni jezik je postal slovenski. Da je bilo čiščenje Celja več kot uspešno, pa je pokazal popis prebivalstva leta 1921. V mestu so namreč našteli samo 859 oseb z nemškim maternim jezikom, kar je predstavljalo le 11,1 % celjskega prebivalstva. Gerentje so vodili Celje do prvih občinskih volitev v Kraljevini SHS, ki so bile 26. aprila 1921. Volilna pravica je bila splošna, enaka in tajna s proporcem. Ženske še niso imele volilne pravice. V Celju so bile za občinske volitve vložene štiri kandidatne liste, zmagovalka pa je bila Jugoslovanska demokratska stranka. To leto pa je bilo za Celje posebno tudi zato, ker je dobilo prvega slovenskega župana dr. Jura Hrašovca. V prvih povojnih letih se je mesto srečevalo tudi s pomanjkanjem hrane, osnovnih življenjskih potrebščin ter s stanovanjskimi problemi, kot številna druga slovenska in seveda tudi evropska mesta. Po prevratu pa so slovenska postala številna društva in šole.Government of Celje came in Slovene hands after the end of the first World War. Secretary dr. Friderik Lukan went to Celje by order of national government for taking over district board and as a government commissioner he also took over gerent administration of municipality. A takeover occurred in city hall at presence of National Council committee on November 6, 1918. Relationship between both national groups (Germans, Slovenes) changed completely in first post-war years. Slovenes turned from farmhands into masters over night. Slovenization of Celje town started. A type of distinguished German citizens left Celje until the end of the year 1919. The majority of professors, officials and judges was left without jobs over night and was forced to return to Austria. In gerent world was not supported even one German. Articles were appearing in newspaper New Age, which demanded cleaning of all that was German. Tradesmen and merchants in Celje and its surrounding area had to have Slovene inscriptions because official language became Slovene. In 1921 a census indicated that the cleaning of Celje was more than successful. They namely listed only 859 people with German mother tongue in town, which was presenting only 11,1% of Celje population. The Gerents were leading Celje to the first municipal elections in Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes that occurred in April 26, 1921. Right to vote was general, equal and secret with proportion. Women did not have the right to vote yet. Four candidate lists were inserted in Celje behind a municipal elections and winner was Yugoslavian Democratic Party. That year was special also because Celje got the first Slovene mayor dr. Juro Hrašovec. Celje was like many other Slovene and also European towns confronting with hunger within first post-war years, basic life necessities, and with housing problems. Many associations and schools became Slovene after an overturn