Ptuj

If at the beginning of the 17th century Ptuj enjoyed the reputation of one of the richest small cities in this corner of Europe, the abolition of the lucrative cattle trade and frequent natural disasters in the next century and a half changed this situation greatly. The city became completely impoverished. In 1750, Janez Jurij Maister married into the house with today’s address Slomškova ulica 14 – Maister’s ancestry.

In 2009, the General Maister Society Ptuj unveiled a memorial plaque, which is somewhat misleading, on this house. The general’s father Franc Maister was in fact born in 1826 in the house with today’s address Ulica Viktorina Ptujskega 3, bought in 1804.

Although Rudolf Maister never lived in Ptuj, the people of Ptuj feel a close connection to him. After all, his struggle for the northern border – Styria after the end of WWI kept Ptuj within the borders of today’s Slovenian state. It is therefore not surprising that in November 2012 the aforementioned Society, in cooperation with the Municipality, had a life-sized statue installed in front of the family house – Public monuments. It was created by the sculptor Metka Zupanič, MFA.

razglednica Ptuj 1890–1892
Ptuj between 1890–1892; kept by the ZAP.
Spominska plošča rodbine Maister
Memorial plaque dedicated to the Maister family on the façade of the house at Slomškova ulica 14; photo: Damjan Lindental.
Hiša na Slomškovi ulici 14The house at Slomškova ulica 14, where the first direct Ptuj ancestor of General Maister lived; photo: Damjan Lindental.
Kip generala Rudolfa MaistraStatue of General Rudolf Maister by sculptor Metka Zupanič MFA; photo: Damjan Lindental.
Hiša z naslovom Ulica Viktorina Ptujskega 3The house at the address Ulica Viktorina Ptujskega 3, in which Franc Maister, the father of General Maister, was born in 1826; photo: Dejan Zadravec.
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