Lokavec, Ajdovščina

Lokavec (pronounced [lɔˈkaːʋəts]) is a settlement on the northern edge of the Vipava Valley northwest of Ajdovščina in the Littoral region of Slovenia.[2] It lies below the slopes of Mount Čaven, below the Slano Blato Landslide. It includes the hamlets of Bitovi, Brith (or Britih[3]), Čohi, Gorenje, Kuši, Lahovše, Loretovše, Mizinška Vas (Slovene: Mizinška vas), Paljki (or Palki[3]), and Slokarji.[4]

Lokavec
Lokavec
Location in Slovenia
Coordinates: 45°54′7.56″N 13°52′40.87″E
Country Slovenia
Traditional regionLittoral
Statistical regionGorizia
MunicipalityAjdovščina
Area
 • Total13.74 km2 (5.31 sq mi)
Elevation
173 m (568 ft)
Population
 (2002)
 • Total1,002
 • Density73/km2 (190/sq mi)
[1]

Name

Lokavec was first attested in written sources in 1086 as Locunz and Locarizz. The name is derived from the adjective *lǫkavъ 'twisted, winding' or from the common noun *lǫkava 'curve, twist', perhaps originally a hydronym.[5]

History

The discovery of Celtic grave sites in Lovavec shows that it was already settled in prehistoric times. The Celtic settlement there had a defensive structure built on Gradišče Hill.[4]

During the Second World War, German forces arrested all of the men in the settlement capable of bearing arms and sent them to perform forced labor.[4]

Mass grave

Lokavec is the site of a mass grave from the period immediately after the Second World War. The Lokavec Mass Grave (Slovene: Grobišče Lokavec) is located in a field 600 meters (2,000 ft) west of the settlement. It contains the remains of five to seven Slovenian civilians murdered around 20 June 1945.[6][7][8]

Postwar

Lokavec annexed the formerly independent settlement of Dolnji Lokavec in 1952.[9]

Churches

There are three churches in the village: the parish church, belonging to the Koper Diocese and dedicated to Saint Lawrence, a second church dedicated to Saint Urban,[10] and a church dedicated to St. Mary of the Assumption.

Notable people

Notable people that were born or lived in Lokavec include:

  • Miha Blažko (1810–1897), master mason[4]
  • Edmund Čibej (1861–1954), journalist and mineralogist[4]
  • Venceslav Čopič (1893–1980), education specialist[4]
  • Michael Cussa (ca. 1657–1699), sculptor[4]
  • Teodor Posteli (1909–1993), cardiologist[4]
  • Anton Slokar (1898–1982), politician[4]

References
  1. Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
  2. Ajdovščina municipal site Archived 2011-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Spezialortsrepertorium der österreichischen Länder. Bearbeitet auf Grund der Ergebnisse der Volkszählung vom 31. Dezember 1910, vol. 7: Österreichisch-Illyrisches Küstenland. Vienna: K. k. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei. 1918. p. 13.
  4. Savnik, Roman (1968). Krajevni leksikon Slovenije, vol. 1. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije. p. 24.
  5. Snoj, Marko (2009). Etimološki slovar slovenskih zemljepisnih imen. Ljubljana: Modrijan. p. 244.
  6. Lokavec Mass Grave on Geopedia (in Slovene)
  7. Ministrstvo za delo, druţino in socialne zadeve. 2007. Poročilo Ministrstva za delo, druţino in socialne zadeve o izvajanju predlogov komisije vlade republike slovenije za reševanje vprašanj prikritih grobišč v letu 2007. Ljubljana.
  8. Ferenc, Mitja, & Ksenija Kovačec-Naglič. 2005. Prikrito in očem zakrito: prikrita grobišča 60 let po koncu druge svetovne vojne. Ljubljana: Muzej novejše zgodovine, p. 124.
  9. Spremembe naselij 1948–95. 1996. Database. Ljubljana: Geografski inštitut ZRC SAZU, DZS.
  10. Koper Diocese list of churches Archived 2009-03-06 at the Wayback Machine
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