ZMT: Miner's Apartment at Njiva
Stove (šporhet)
In the middle of the 19th century, the stove was the most important kitchen element – it took over the function of the fire pit and the furnace. Its extraordinary functionality included heating the apartment, preparing food, heating water (water tank), drying and storing firewood, occasionally even raising chickens (in the firewood storage compartment), drying fruit and so on. Housewives paid a lot of care to it, as it needed to be kept clean and in good condition – the shiny edge around the iron plate needed to stay shiny, which more or less became a measure for a good housewife.Material and dimensions: brick, iron, copper; height – 73 cm (raised part – 173 cm), width – 69 cm, depth – 137 cm Produced: between 1896 and 1899
Coal box (kolmkišta)
The way of heating the apartment meant that no kitchen would be without a dedicated coal box (called “kolmkišta” in the local dialect). Each stove had one standing beside it, and it also served as an additional bench. Occasionally, the coal box also had some other function – when it was thoroughly cleaned, it would store cooked potatoes, which substituted bread at times of food shortages. And it also served as a toy for young kids, who would play that it is a coal mine itself. Like life, like play.Material and dimensions: wood (pine); height – 45 cm, width – 41 cm, length – 62 cm Produced: in early 20th century
Table (metrga – from German “Mehltruhe” – “box for storing flour”)
At the beginning of the 20th century, the table was definitely one of the most frequently used pieces of furniture – the family used it for meals three times in a day, it served as a storage location for flour or for making bread dough to be then baked in the bread-baking furnaces, as a desk for preparing food, as an ironing board at least once per week, and sometimes, though not often, as a study desk. In the kitchen, its usual place was between the door and the window, with a bench at one side and at least two taborets at the other. There was not enough room for an 8-, 10- or 12-member family to dine together, so eating in stages was something entirely normal. First the children, then the parents, grandparents and single men (called “purši” in the local dialect).Material and dimensions: wood (pine); height – 79 cm, width – 66 cm, length – 98 cm Produced: in early 20th century
Two taborets (štokerla)
Taborets started to replace benches which were widely used throughout the 19th century. It was intended for sitting, but it also served as a base at washing (in the portable basin – “l’vuor”) and at making dough (in the bread-making bowl).Material and dimensions: wood (pine); height – 48 cm, width – 39 cm, length – 39 cm Produced: in early 20th century
Cupboard (kredenca)
Cupboards replaced low closets with shelves (“st’laže”). Both were used to store kitchenware and foodstuffs. They are the first example of equipment (after WW1), where the basic functionality was exceeded. Cupboards also stored decorative items (postcards, higher-quality glass items and ceramics, porcelain etc.). Lower part of a cupboard was intended for storing foodstuffs and was closed, while the upper part was partially glazed. The drawers in-between stored tableware, napkins etc. The finest cupboards, which showed the social status of the owner, ran “from one corner to the other” – they were custom made to fit the entire length of a wall.Material and dimensions: wood (pine), glass; height – 108 cm, depth – 52 cm, width – 105 cm Produced: in early 20th century
Kitchenware and tableware
The necessary kitchenware consisted of two large pots (5 l), one smaller one (3 l) for soup and several one-litre ones, several bowls and a skillet (or a small skillet, called “ponučka”). Kitchenware was usually stored in the cupboard, on a shelf above the stove, or it hanged on nails there. Mostly iron enamelled kitchenware was used, which was extremely durable. Near a stove, there was a hanging rail for a lid holder, polished ladles and smaller bowls.Period: early 20th century
Cutlery
Cutlery (iron and aluminium) came in small quantities – until the end of WW2, all members of miner families ate from the same bowl that did not allow any hesitation. Plates were only used for soup, and forks and knives were not widely used before after WW2, as mostly only spoons were used before that. Each household could mostly do with only two large knives.Period: early 20th century
Bucket stand (vaserbank)
Bucket stands were necessary equipment until a water supply system was installed in colony houses in the 1960s.Material and dimensions: wood (pine); height – 50 cm, width – 27 cm, length – 60 cm Produced: in the 1930s
Holder for taking off boots (zajc)
This item was present in every kitchen and clearly shows, what kind of footwear people used – footwear remover, called “rabbit” (zajc). Heavy leather boots and high shoes served working gear as well as everyday footwear. These accessories had simple designs and could be produced at home. Its two horns, between which the heel of the boot is inserted, actually look like rabbit ears.Material and dimensions: wood (pine); height – 10 cm, width – 10 cm, length – 40 cm Produced: in early 20th century
Christian cross (križ)
The cross was part of the inventory – a symbol of intimate experiencing of faith. Where it was present, it was placed above the cupboard in the kitchen.Material and dimensions: wood; height – 64 cm, width – 35 cm, figurine height – 45 cm Period: early 20th century
Wall curtain (vandšoner)
Kitchen walls were decorated and protected with wall curtains (vand šoner – from German “Wand schön”), created in the stitched outline technique. Usually the also included motivational quotes that emphasized the quality of the housewife and the importance of having a home.Material and dimensions: linen, made in the backstitch (“štilštih”) technique; width – 63 cm, length – 100 cm Produced: in 1920s
Soap and towel holder
Together with the bucket, the location of the soap and towel holder defined the part of the kitchen that was used as a bathroom. Miners needed to wash themselves, as working in the mine made them very dirty. The miner’s bathroom at the mine facilities was built in 1906, but not all the employees could use it. Once a week, these were also available to family members of the employees, who still washed themselves daily in one of the corners of their home kitchen due to prejudice and being used to it.Material and dimensions: enamelled sheet metal; height – 50 cm, width (at the bottom) – 10 cm, length – 35 cm Produced: in early 20th century
Bird cage (fugluž)
Kitchens often also included a bird cage (fugluž – from German “Vogel Haus”), made from small wooden panels and sticks. Catching and caring for birds was exclusively a man’s task. They were catching goldfinches, robins, finches, nightingales, jays, and they also sold them. Bird hunting was illegal, which made it that more interesting. Breeding of birds started to fade out of practice before WW2.Material and dimensions: wood/metal; height – 34 cm, width – 22 cm, length – 30 cm Produced: in the 1930s
Bed (pojstla)
new Tag
Nightstand (nahkastel)
Cradle (zibka)
Smallest children were sleeping in baskets or cradles made from wood and with carved motifs.Material and dimensions: wood (cherry tree); height – 34 cm, width – 46 cm (mattress height – 30 cm), length – 104 cm Produced: in 1885
Closet (kosten)
Closets (kostni) became an integral part of bedroom equipment for the majority of population in early 20th century. Their purpose was to store finer outer clothing (dresses, coats, fine skirts etc.). What did not fit into the closet, was hanged on a hanging rail (aufhenger).Material and dimensions: wood (pine); height – 195 cm, width – 50 cm, length – 112 cm Produced: in early 20th century
Hanging rail (aufhenger)
What did not fit into the closet, was hanged on a hanging rail (aufhenger), which also had a decorative function. Bad economic and social status forced many miners from the region to find work abroad. When the mines abroad started to close, these miners would return home with useful smaller decorative pieces of furniture.Material and dimensions: wood (pear tree); height – 15 cm, width – 12 cm, length – 65 cm Produced: in 1920s
Closet with drawers (šublatkosten)
Closet with drawers is a representative piece of furniture, where families stored clothes, bed linen, lingerie, shirts and smaller wardrobe pieces. Upper drawer were used to store documents (this gave it its importance), while the top cover was usually covered with hand-embroidered cloth and intended for decorations, pictures, vases etc.Material and dimensions: wood (walnut tree); height – 93 cm, width – 63 cm, length – 93 cm Produced: in late 19th, early 20th century
Miner’s uniform
Miners’ solemn uniforms stem from the practical occupational garb from the mid-18th century. Their shape differed from country to country and through time, while the characteristic miners’ marking remained the same everywhere. The uniform consists of black pants and a black jacket, a black cape and white gloves. The jacket has 28 brass buttons which supposedly symbolize the age at which St. Barbara, the patron of miners, died. It was, and still is, a great honour for a miner to wear the uniform. The miners dress in them for happy and sad occasions.Material and dimensions: tweed (wool carded textile in crepe embroidery), velvet, linen, silk
Suitcase (rajzekufer)
In the bedroom, the family also stored a suitcase (kufer or rajzekufer) – a larger wooden or linen suitcase, which least of all served for travels (German – “Reise”).Material and dimensions: wood; height – 24 cm, width – 33 cm, length – 55 cm Period: late 19th, early 20th century
Suitcase (rajzekufer)
In the bedroom, the family also stored a suitcase (kufer or rajzekufer) – a larger wooden or linen suitcase, which least of all served for travels (German – “Reise”).Material and dimensions: wood; height – 24 cm, width – 33 cm, length – 55 cm Period: late 19th, early 20th century
Sewing machine (singerca)
Sewing machine (singerca) was a very important piece of furniture that enabled the family to “look good” and helped their budget. Some ladies learned to sew at so called “better families”, where they worked as maids until getting married. Some even went to the economics school or was an expert seamstress, but the social status of a married woman and mother prevented her from opening her own business. The role of nurturer and bred-winner in the family was reserved for men. All women who could sew also did that for others and thus sometimes even earned more than their husbands, although this was considered to be a “grey area” in economy. Such skills were especially important during the Great Economic Crisis between 1931 and 1934.Material and dimensions: wood, metal; height – 75 cm, width – 42 cm, length – 74 cm Period: late 19th, early 20th century
Picture (Barbara)
The picture of St. Barbara, the patron of miners, always held a special spot – on the wall as well as in the cultural inventory of the inhabitants. The other decorations in the room most often included a wedding photo, which always had its place above the couple’s bed, and a picture (or two) with a religious motif.Dimensions : height – 48 cm, width – 38 cm Produced: in 1934
Veranda or portico
Verandas or porticoes appeared with raising the standard of living and new social conditions. Modern and communally entirely equipped blocks of flats, built in late 1950s and early 1960s (with bathrooms, flush toilets, pre-installed basic kitchen equipment, parquet and anterooms). Although their dimensions were small, building verandas enabled colony inhabitants to enlarge their living quarters. 2,5 m2 constituted a 10-percent increase in useful floor area, which was a welcome improvement due to buying new appliances. Verandas did not have a single purpose – they would serve as an anteroom, a kitchen or a combination of both. Verandas made a huge impact to the image of the colony houses at the yard side. They housed washing machines, refrigerators, storage closets for cleaning agents and brooms, used cupboards etc. The luckiest were those, who could make verandas into bathrooms. Some also used storage units to do that.Period: 1960s
Sink
Sinks and plumbing from common fountains (štirna) to kitchens were done by the colony inhabitants themselves in the 1960s. Replacing dry toilets with English toilets and construction of flow-through septic tanks was also done in the same period.Material and dimensions:: enamelled sheet metal; width – 45 cm, length – 70 cm Produced: in the 1960s
Stove (šporhet or tobi)
The emergence of new household appliances caused that the built-in stove suddenly took too much room in a kitchen that was slowly becoming too small. But since it was undoubtedly practical and miners were still entitled to heating compensation in kind (free coal), it was replaced by a smaller self-standing stove, called “tobi”. A widely used alternative was also a narrower slow-burning stove with a cooking plate called “kiperbuš” (German “Kȕppersbusch”, a cast-iron stove using firewood).Material and dimensions:: iron, cast-iron (heating-cooking plate with two rings); height – 88 cm, width – 57 cm, length – 90 cm Produced: in the 1960s
Electric stove (koher)
During summers, cooking in the colonies was done on small portable electric stoves with one or two cooking platesMaterial and dimensions:: enamelled iron; height – 8 cm, width – 23 cm, length – 50 cmProduced: in the first half of 1960s
Food container (kangla)
Employment of women caused there to be less time to prepare meals. One way of addressing this issue was by means of public food venues, while the households started using dishes for transporting food – food container (kangla). Grandmothers were significantly better at preparing meals for busy families every day and putting them into food containers. Food containers consisted of three one-litre dishes, placed on atop another, and a lid. The three dishes were connected through their handles by a metallic holder, which at the same time locked the top lid in place.Material and dimensions:: enamelled sheet metal; height – 37 cm, diameter – 16 cm Produced: in the 1960s
Table
The old tables were replaced by ordinary tables – due to employment of both adults on one side and reasonable prices on the market on the other, bread was no longer baked at home. Bread-baking ovens started to lose their primary function, but were still used at and around holidays.Material and dimensions:: kitchen, wood/chipboard; height – 80 cm, width – 70 cm, length – 103 cm Produced: in the 1960s
Kitchen cupboards
Wall cupboards that replaced old-style cupboards changed the appearance of kitchens. They had two parts, both of which were closed by double doors. Another row of cupboards was located at the floor, right by the wall. They were covered with a single top cover, beneath which there were two drawers. Kitchens designs were derived from the so called Frankfurt kitchen design. In 1926, the city of Frankfurt asked Margarete Schutte - Lihotzky, an architect from Vienna, to design a project for kitchens in the newly built small apartments for the masses of workers moving into the city. This type of an extremely functional kitchen was later further developed in the US and Scandinavia, and so it is more widely known as a Scandinavian- or Swedish kitchen today.Wall cupboard Material and dimensions:: kitchen, wood/Formica; height – 72 cm, upper width – 40 cm, lower width – 31 cm, length – 122 cm Floor cupboard (stalaža) Material and dimensions: kitchen, wood/Formica; height – 85 cm, width – 40 cm, length – 95 cmProduced: in the 1960s
Washing machine
Wall cupboards may have altered the look of the kitchen, but it was the new appliances that brought significant changes in functionality. Washing machine (the first one was created by Miele in 1900, and in 1956 the appliance was already completely automated) became the symbol of a higher standard and employment of women. A real “helping hand”, which was not accepted everywhere and at once. For a long time, the older generations still believed that hand-washed laundry is much nicer.Material and dimensions:: enamelled sheet metal; height – 88 cm, width – 45 cm, length – 70 cm Produced: in the 1950s
Refrigerator
Vacuum cleaner (zauger)
Another welcome innovation in the households was also the vacuum cleaner. First vacuum cleaners entered Slovenia at the end of the 1920s (Hoover, Miele), but of course that did not include mining colonies, where birch brooms, brushes and rags remained in use. Here, vacuum cleaners started entering the lives of the inhabitants with the general raise in living standard in the 1960s, and it was only then that the battle with fleas, bedbugs lice, etc. started turning in the favour of the people.Material and dimensions:: iron; height – 20 cm, length – 5 cm Produced: in the 1960s
Television
Television was a means of pure fun and relaxation, but at the same time it caused people to become more closed off and socialize less as well as the decline of the cinema. Dimensions: height – 51 cm, width – 41 cm, length – 48 cm Produced: in 1956
Radio with a record player
Radio with a record player unit became a big hit in the 1960s. Popular music (the golden age of Slovenian song, Serbian and Croatian music) replaced folk music, and music from gramophone records replaced singing in the kitchen. Mere: v – 38 cm, š – 31 cm, d – 57 cm Izdelano: leta 1959
Couch
The first addition to traditionally equipped bedrooms, which were less affected by the development of apartment equipment then kitchens, was a bed without sides (divan), which was already beginning to be replaced by more practical extendable couches in the 1960s. To some, aesthetic and fashion aspects were even more important than functionality, so that double beds were replaced by a couch or two. The room thus gained double functionality – during the day it was a relatively representative area, a living room (which was self-evident in newly erected blocks of flats), equipped with armchairs and a small table in the spirit of new fashion standards, as well as a bedroom during the night.
Closet
The closet was located in the bedroom. It consisted of two drawers and a hanging rail for clothes. Material and dimensions:: wood (ash, oak); height – 190 cm, width – 52 cm, length – 114 cm Produced: in the 1930s
Doll
In those times, a lot of bedrooms included a sitting doll – a symbol for something nice; kitsch in the real sense of the word, but a huge fashion hit in the 1960s. Although it looked like a toy, the doll was no more than a purely decorative item, never intended for play. This idyllic figure of gentleness indicated open borders toward the West, where people went for “shopping trips”, bringing back home items that were not available in Yugoslavia. One such article were also nylon curtains – so transparent and thin that they were on the top of the lists of luxury-hungry consumers. The same was true for nylon shirts, which didn’t need to be ironed.Material and dimensions:: hard plastic; v – 72 cm Produced: in the first half of 1960s
Wall decorations
Wall decorations were changing with the times – religious motifs from before WW2 and reproductions in simple¸ poster technique were being replaced by idyllic landscape paintings in oil or tempera, cheaply produced by amateur painters or sketchers. Wedding photographs still remained, but were no longer a central motif above the couple’s bed. The crucifix in the religious corner was replaced by a painting or statue of Marshal Tito. New religion: socialism/communism replaced the idol. A real flood of these images came after Tito’s death in the beginning of the 1980s.Period: 1960s
Wall decorations
Wall decorations were changing with the times – religious motifs from before WW2 and reproductions in simple¸ poster technique were being replaced by idyllic landscape paintings in oil or tempera, cheaply produced by amateur painters or sketchers. Wedding photographs still remained, but were no longer a central motif above the couple’s bed. The crucifix in the religious corner was replaced by a painting or statue of Marshal Tito. New religion: socialism/communism replaced the idol. A real flood of these images came after Tito’s death in the beginning of the 1980s.Period: 1960s
Baby carriage
Produced: in the first half of 1960s An improved social status was further reflected in childcare. High carriages with suspension replaced mother’s arms when moving around. Material and dimensions:: metal, artificial leather (fake leather), rubber; height – 90 cm, width – 42 cm, length – 120 cm
Bicycle
1960s also saw the appearance of bicycles and motorcycles, which were mostly imported from Germany and Italy. Directly, these two means of transport, which were adopted for general use in the 1960s, have no real connection to the residential culture itself, but they did decorate numerous entrances into colony kitchens. Even cars became widely available. Popular Fiat cars (Fiat Zastava 750 - called “fičko”) were not yet parked in the colonies, but rather in front of the new blocks of flats.Material and dimensions:: iron, chromium, rubber; height – 100 cm, length – 198 cm Produced: in 1956
