Space, place and identity in the areas of mass population replacement through the prism of folklore and toponyms

Geographical names are silent witnesses to historical change, reflecting community relations and the influence of power politics on space and identity. This study examines changes in folklore and toponyms in selected multicultural regions of Slovenia (Kočevska/Gottschee, Apače/Abstall, Goričko, Sorica/Zarz, and Baška grapa/Deutsch Ruth), where population shifts occurred during and after WWII. These regions share a historical prevalence of the German language or dialects. The expulsion of the German-speaking population and subsequent demographic changes after WWII caused considerable disruption to these regions, resulting in the loss of intangible heritage, including customs, narrative traditions, toponyms and dialect knowledge.

Folk songs and narratives recorded before WWII remained untranslated into Slovene for decades and were not systematically researched by Slovene scholars until recently. This erasure highlights methodological nationalism that marginalized research on Slovenian Germans, whose history became politically sensitive due to their collaboration with the Hitler regime in the interwar period. Although historical research exists on Slovenian Germans, disciplines like ethnology, anthropology, folklore, linguistics, and geography have largely neglected them. The politically motivated erasure of their past is also evident in the systematic renaming of toponyms. Most German toponyms, especially settlement names, were replaced by Slovenian equivalents after WWI and WWII. Some names remained in local use but were largely forgotten. Knowledge of natural feature names such as caves, valleys, and hills was often lost and survived only in narrative and song traditions. This loss poses a challenge for researchers and the local population, as historical knowledge was not effectively passed on to post-war immigrants. This has led to a diminished sense of regional identity and connection to the past, especially in Kočevska.

Since the late 20th century, efforts to revive the lost heritage have emerged through cultural initiatives, including folk performances and the documentation of historical toponyms. Some regions have carried out systematic inventory projects, and information boards with historical place names have been erected in some places. Despite these efforts, the descendants of displaced communities often find it difficult to reconnect with the places of their ancestors, as the landscape has changed and altered toponyms. The loss of traditional place names also poses challenges for researchers and professionals working with geographic data.

This study addresses important research gaps: 

1. The lack of interdisciplinary research on the relations between space/place, cultural heritage (folklore, toponyms) and identity in the areas affected by mass population transfers.
2. Insufficient documentation and analysis of intangible heritage, which has
   been largely lost due to socio-political changes and erasure in the post-war period.
3. Difficulties in linking folklore and toponyms with contemporary
   contexts.
4. The impact of methodological nationalism that has marginalized these regions in scholarly discourse.

By filling these gaps, the study improves the understanding of how intangible heritage — such as geographical names and folklore — shapes identities in different historical and political contexts and vice versa. By analyzing the ways in which communities in historically contested territories perceive both their own heritage and that of others, the study also offers insights into strategies for coping with a troubled past that are particularly relevant in today's world of wars and migration crises.