The Freising Manuscripts - a Crucial Part of Shared Slavic Heritage

The Freising manuscripts, also known as the Freising folia, are a collection of Latin and Old Slovenian religious texts dating back to the late 9th or early 10th century AD. These manuscripts are significant for their historical, linguistic, and cultural value, especially within the context of Slavic studies. Housed today in the Bavarian State Library in Munich, they offer a rare glimpse into the early medieval period of Central Europe and provide crucial evidence of the early use of the Slovenian language.

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The Freising Manuscripts Were Discovered By Chance

These medieval manuscripts are considered to be the oldest known documents in any Slavic language written in the Latin alphabet. This fact alone places them in a unique position within the sphere of European history. Their discovery provides invaluable insights into the linguistic and cultural developments of the early Slavs, particularly the Carantanians, the ancestors of modern Slovenians.

The manuscripts consist of three main texts: two confessions and a sermon. These texts are bound within a larger codex that primarily contains Latin liturgical material. The Slovenian parts, written in the Latin script, represent some of the earliest known uses of Slovenian in written form, and they demonstrate the coexistence and interaction between Latin and Slavic cultures during this period. As such, they provided a great basis for parallel comparison of early and modern Slovene language.

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The beginning of the second Freising manuscript. (Public Domain)

First and Second Texts

The first and second texts are confessions, likely intended for use during the sacrament of penance. These texts are relatively short but are packed with linguistic significance. They reflect a high degree of Latin influence, which is expected given the clerical context in which they were written. However, they also exhibit unique Slavic linguistic features that highlight the distinctiveness of the Old Slovenian language of the time.

The confessions serve as critical evidence of the early Christianization of the Slovenian people, showing that religious instruction and practices were being adapted to the local language, facilitating the spread of Christianity among the Slavic-speaking population.

All of this is indicative of the great influence that their Frankish neighbors had on them at the time.

The script is a Carolingian minuscule. Contents: a short general confession, a common prayer, another version of a general confession. Original kept in Staatsbibliothek München. (National and University Library of Slovenia)

The Complex Third Text

The third text, a sermon, is longer and more complex. It is a moral exhortation, warning the faithful about the dangers of sin and the importance of righteous living. The sermon’s content and style suggest that it was likely used by clergy to instruct and inspire the congregation, making it an essential tool for the Christianization process.

The sermon is particularly valuable for linguists because it contains a richer vocabulary and more varied syntax than the confessions, providing deeper insights into the structure and usage of Old Slovenian. Additionally, the sermon reflects the blend of Christian doctrine with local cultural elements, offering a window into the way religious teachings were tailored to resonate with a Slavic audience which for long adhered to its old pagan ways.

A Window Into the Earliest Slavic States

The Freising manuscripts are not just a linguistic treasure; they are also a testament to the historical and cultural context of their creation. They were likely produced in the region around Freising, Bavaria, which was an important ecclesiastical center during the early medieval period.

The manuscripts' connection to Freising underscores the significance of this area as a hub of cultural and religious exchange between the Latin and Slavic worlds, which were wholly different in many aspects.

This region was part of the Eastern Frankish Empire, a political entity that played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity and Latin literacy among the Early Slavs. The manuscripts, therefore, also highlight the role of monastic and ecclesiastical institutions in the preservation and transmission of knowledge across different cultures.

Their preservation is itself a remarkable story. The manuscripts survived centuries of political upheaval, wars, and changes in governance, ultimately finding a secure home in the Bavarian State Library. Their endurance through time speaks to the meticulous care with which they were preserved by generations of scholars and monks who recognized their importance. Today, they are accessible to researchers and the public, thanks to modern preservation techniques and digitization efforts, which ensure that these invaluable texts can continue to inform and inspire future generations.

However, the linguistic significance of the Freising manuscripts cannot be overstated. For Slovenian scholars, they represent a foundational element of their national heritage, providing concrete evidence of the early development of their language and written culture. For Slavic linguists more broadly, the manuscripts offer critical data for understanding the early stages of Slavic languages, how they developed, and their interaction with Latin. The manuscripts' orthography, phonology, and morphology provide essential clues about the phonetic and grammatical features of Old Slovenian, contributing to the broader field of historical linguistics.

Top image: The script known as Freising manuscripts.                Source: National and University Library of Slovenia

By Aleksa Vučković