NAJVEČJI LJUBLJANSKI STADION
Leta 1922 je v Ljubljani potekal prvi zlet jugoslovanskega sokolstva, večtedenska prireditev, za katero so za Bežigradom zgradili velik in moderen stadion. Na njem se je v glavnih dneh zleta nagnetlo tudi po 50.000 nastopajočih in obiskovalcev.
Zleti so bili večdnevne prireditve ob pomembnih obletnicah sokolske organizacije, ki so vključevale mednarodne telovadne tekme, slavnostne sprevode skozi mesto, veselice itd. Na njih se je zbralo vse sokolstvo, vključno s številčnim obiskom sokolov iz drugih slovanskih društev. Jugoslovanski zlet leta 1922 je močno presegel vse dotedanje, bil je prava olimpijada jugoslovanskega sokolstva in velik ne le za slovenske in jugoslovanske razmere, temveč tudi za evropske.
Največji zalogaj za organizatorje je bila finančna konstrukcija, ki so jo postavili na dvomilijonskem kreditu pri ljubljanskih bankah, polmilijonski vladni pomoči in samoprispevku članov in podpornikov, med katerimi so bili tudi sokoli iz ZDA. Tudi preko luže so namreč slovenski izseljenci ustanavljali sokolstva društva in v njih gojili spomin na nekdanjo domovino.
Druga težava je bila preskrba, nastanitev in prehrana za ogromno število udeležencev in gostov. Zgovoren je namreč podatek, da je samo med 11. in 16. avgustom na ljubljansko železniško postajo prišlo in z nje odšlo skupaj 397 vlakov s kar 520.000 potniki, pri čemer naj ne bi bilo nobenih zastojev. Ljubljana je imela v tistem času približno 55.000 prebivalcev.
Gostje so prihajali iz številnih držav, najštevilnejši sokoli so bili češki, nastopili pa so tudi tekmovalci iz Belgije, Francije, Velike Britanije, Luksemburga, Romunije, Rusije, celo Alžirije, ki so jih spremljale delegacije državnih vlad, na čelu z jugoslovansko in kraljevo družino Karađorđević.
Za tako prireditev je bilo potrebno najti primeren prostor. Ljubljanska sokolska društva so sicer imela nekaj sokolnic oziroma telovadnic, ki pa so bile vse po vrsti zaprtega tipa in absolutno premajhne. Premajhna sta bila tudi sokolsko telovadišče v Tivoliju ter stadion Ilirije, ki je stal poleg pivovarne Union. Edina možnost je ostala gradnja novega stadiona, pri čemer so izbirali med lokacijami v Spodnji Šiški, na Kodeljevem in za Bežigradom. Zmagala je zadnja opcija in tako je na 300×250 metrov velikem prostoru med današnjima Linhartovo in Topniško cesto ter Zupančičevo jamo v začetku leta 1922 začel rasti nov stadion. Telovadišče je obsegalo 152×105 metrov, kar je bilo dovolj za proste vaje več kot 4.500 telovadcev. Okoli njega je bil manjši pas namenjen orodni telovadbi, za njim pa so stala stojišča in tribune.
Zemeljska dela so vodili vojaški inštruktorji, izvedli pa so jih vojaški zaporniki. Vse je minilo zgolj z eno težjo delovno nesrečo, pa še ta je bila brez trajnih posledic. Naslednji so bili na vrsti tesarji. Pod vodstvom Ivana Zakotnika je 250 strokovnih delavcev noč in dan gradilo leseno konstrukcijo, za kar so porabili skupaj 3.000 m3 ali 150 železniških vagonov razžaganega lesa ter 5 ton vijakov, žebljev in spon. Brez hujših delovnih nesreč so postavili štiri tribune. Glavna, zahodna ali kraljeva tribuna je merila 168×15 metrov in je imela 1.920 stojišč, 4.432 sedežev, 66 lož za 400 častnih gostov in pred tribuno še dvignjen prostor z 8.400 stojišči. Nasproti nje je stala približno enako velika članska tribuna s 7.412 stojišči in 7.620 stojišči pred njo.
Severna in južna tribuna sta bili enaki, dimenzij 72×10 metrov, s po 1.644 stojišči in 4.110 sedeži. Skupaj je bilo tako prostora za skoraj 42.000 gledalcev, številka, ki je še za današnje evropske stadione več kot spodobna, za takratno Ljubljano pa nepredstavljiva.
Za glavno tribuno je potekala 25 metrov široka slavnostna cesta z dvema glavnima monumentalnima vhodoma, ki sta bila povezana z blagajnami, pisarnami, okrepčevalnico, stranišči in poštnim ter policijskim uradom. V tem poštnem uradu je bilo oddanih 1.550 pisem, 28.000 razglednic, 1.240 brzojavk in opravljenih 150 plačanih telefonskih pogovorov. Za ostalimi tribunami so prostor namenili zbiranju telovadcev in v ta namen postavili z današnjega vidika precej skromno število garderob, stranišč in umivalnikov. Telovadke so tako imele na voljo le eno stranišče na 100 članic, eno štirimetrsko umivalno korito na 400 članic in eno vodovodno pipo na 40 članic.
Prireditev je na stadionu potekala od 23. julija do 15. avgusta in je bila razdeljena na dva predzletna dneva, mednarodno telovadno tekmo in glavne zletne dneve. Predzletna dneva, ki sta bili nekakšni generalki, sta bila namenjena sokolskemu naraščaju, predstavitvi dijaštva in jugoslovanske vojske. Mednarodne tekme se je udeležilo pet nacionalnih telovadnih zvez, tekmovali pa so v prostih vajah na parterju, vajah na orodju, lahkoaltletskih disciplinah in plavanju (na Ljubljanici). Kraljevina SHS, ki so jo dejansko predstavljali Slovenci, je zasedla drugo mesto. Odlične rezultate so slovenski predstavniki dosegli tudi v posamičnih tekmah. V mednarodni telovadni zvezi, ki je nastala leta 1881, je bilo takrat včlanjenih 14 nacionalnih telovadnih zvez. Slovenska sokolska zveza se je vanjo vključila že pred prvo svetovno vojno, po njej pa je nastopila združena v jugoslovansko vrsto.
Glavni zletni dnevi so potekali od 13. do 15. avgusta, vrhunec pa je bil zadnji dan, ki se je začel z množičnim in veličastnim sprevodom po Ljubljani. Udeležilo se ga je 4.000 čeških sokolov in vojakov s praporščaki in fanfaristi na čelu, 10.000 jugoslovanskih sokolov, ruski sokoli in 221 sokolskih konjenikov. Mimohod je trajal kar 45 minut in ga je spremljalo navdušeno občinstvo. Skupaj je na ljubljanske ulice prišlo 100.000 ljudi, kar je več, kot je imela takratna Ljubljana sploh prebivalcev. Množično obiskana je bila tudi zadnja prireditev na stadionu, ko se je zbralo okoli 50.000 gledalcev in nastopajočih.
Največji ljubljanski stadion so kmalu po prireditvi razstavili in odstranili, za njim pa žal ni ostalo nobene sledi.
Sokol je telesnokulturna organizacija, ki se je v drugi polovici 19. stoletja razvila med slovanskimi narodi kot posledica prebujanja nacionalne zavesti med evropskimi narodi. Oče sokolstva je Čeh Miroslav Tyrš, njegova domovina pa matica, kjer je leta 1862 nastalo prvo sokolsko društvo. Že leto pozneje je ločeno, a pod vplivom »severnih bratov« nastal v Ljubljani Južni Sokol, ki je združil takratne narodne sile v boj za narodne pravice in razvoj slovenskega naroda.
Slovenski Sokol je v svoji bogati zgodovini nanizal številne uspehe, dolgoletne sanje pa dočakal z ustanovitvijo prve jugoslovanske države. Takrat je postal del jugoslovanskega sokolstva, ki je ob koncu leta 1921 štelo 361 društev z 38.000 člani, od tega v Sloveniji 135 društev z 17.300 člani. Nasploh je bilo sokolstvo v Sloveniji dolgo na višji tehnični in organizacijski ravni, v Ljubljani pa je bil do leta 1929 tudi sedež Jugoslovanske sokolske zveze. Zato ni naključje, da so ravno v Ljubljani priredili prvi zlet jugoslovanskega sokolstva.
Vir: dr. Aleš Šafarič, zgodovinanadlani.si
THE BIGGEST LJUBLJANA STADIUM
In 1922, the first “zlet” (gathering) of Yugoslav Sokol movement took place in Ljubljana, a multiple-week event for which a large and modern stadium was built in today’s Bežigrad area. During the main days of the rally, 50,000 performers and visitors flocked to it.
The zlets were multiple-day events on the important anniversaries of the Sokol movement, which included international gymnastics competitions, ceremonial processions through the city, festivities, etc. All the members of Sokol gathered there, including numerous visits from other Slavic societies. The Yugoslav rally in 1922 far surpassed all previous ones, it was a real “Olympics” of Yugoslav Sokol movement and great not only for Slovenian and Yugoslavian standards, but also for European.
The biggest bite for the organizers was the financial construction, which they set up on a loan from Ljubljana banks, government aid and the self-contribution of members and supporters, including sokols from the USA. Even across the pond, Slovenian emigrants established Sokol societies and nurtured the memory of their former homeland in them.
Another problem was the supply, accommodation and food for a huge number of participants and guests. There were a total of 397 trains with as many as 520.000 passengers, arrived and departed at the Ljubljana railway station between 11th and 16th of August alone! At that time, Ljubljana had about 55,000 inhabitants.
The guests came from many countries, the most numerous sokols were Czechs, and there were also competitors from Belgium, France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Romania, Russia, even Algeria, accompanied by delegations of state governments, led by the Yugoslav royal family Karadjordjević.
It was necessary to find a suitable place for such an event. The Ljubljana sokol clubs had a few halls or gyms, but they were all enclosed and absolutely too small. The sokol gymnasium in Tivoli and the Ilirija stadium, which stood next to the Union brewery, were also too small. The only option left was to build a new stadium, choosing between locations in Spodnja Šiška, Kodeljevo and Bežigrad. The last option won, and so in the beginning of 1922 a new stadium began to grow on the 300 × 250 meter space between today's Linhartova, Topniška, Vilharjeva and Železna streets. The gym covered 152 × 105 meters, which was enough for free exercises of more than 4,500 gymnasts. Around it was a small belt for tool gymnastics, and behind them stood stands and grandstands.
The earthworks were led by military instructors and carried out by military prisoners. Everything passed with only one serious work accident, and even that was without lasting consequences. Next in line were the carpenters. Under the leadership of Ivan Zakotnik, 250 professionals built a wooden structure day and night, using a total of 3,000 m3 or 150 railway wagons of sawn wood and 5 tons of screws, nails and clamps. Four grandstands were set up without serious work accidents. The main, western or royal tribune measured 168 × 15 meters and had 1,920 stands, 4,432 seats, 66 lodges for 400 guests of honor and a raised space with 8,400 stands in front of the tribune. Opposite it, there stood a grandstand of approximately the same size, with 7,412 stands and 7,620 stands in front of the tribune.
The north and south grandstands were the same, measuring 72 × 10 meters, with 1,644 stands and 4,110 seats each. In total, there was room for almost 42,000 spectators, a number that is decent even for today's European stadiums, but unimaginable for Ljubljana in that time.
Behind the main grandstand was a 25-meter-wide ceremonial road with two main monumental entrances, which were connected to the cash registers, offices, cafeteria, toilets, and the post and police offices. 1,550 letters, 28,000 postcards, 1,240 telegrams and 150 paid telephone calls were delivered at this post office. Behind the other grandstands, space was set aside for the gathering of gymnasts, and for this purpose a rather modest number of changing rooms, toilets and washbasins were set up. Gymnasts thus had only one toilet per 100 persons, one four-meter sink per 400 persons and one water tap per 40 persons.
The event took place at the stadium from July 23 to August 15 and was divided into two pre-gathering days, an international gymnastics match and the main rally days. The pre-gathering days, which were a kind of generals, were dedicated to the sokol youth, the presentation of the student body and the Yugoslav army. Five national gymnastics federations took part in the international competition, competing in freestyle exercises on the ground floor, exercises in gear, athletics and swimming (in Ljubljanica river). The Kingdom of SHS, which was actually represented by Slovenians, took second place. Slovenian representatives also achieved excellent results in individual matches. The International Gymnastics Federation, founded in 1881, had 14 national gymnastics federations at the time. The Slovenian Falconry Association joined it before the First World War.
The main gathering days took place from 13 to 15 August, culminating in the last day, which began with a magnificent mass procession through Ljubljana. It was attended by 4,000 Czech sokols and soldiers led by ensigns and fanfare, 10,000 Yugoslav sokols, Russian sokols and 221 Sokol cavalry. The parade lasted as long as 45 minutes and was accompanied by an enthusiastic audience. A total of 100,000 people took to the streets of Ljubljana, which is more than the population of Ljubljana at the time. The last event at the stadium was also crowded, with around 50,000 spectators and performers.
The largest stadium in Ljubljana was dismantled and removed soon after the event, but unfortunately there are no traces left behind.
Sokol (Falcon) is a physical culture organization that developed among the Slavic nations in the second half of the 19th century as a result of the awakening of national consciousness among European nations. The father of Sokol movement is the Czech Miroslav Tyrš, and his homeland is where the first Sokol society was founded in 1862. A year later, under the influence of the "northern brothers", Južni Sokol (Southern Falcon) was formed separately in Ljubljana, unifying forces in the fight for national rights and the development of the Slovenian nation.
In its rich history, the Slovenian Sokol has achieved many successes, and its long-term dreams came true with the founding of the first Yugoslav state. At that time it became part of the Yugoslav Sokol association, which at the end of 1921 had 361 societies with 38,000 members, of which 135 societies in Slovenia had 17,300 members. In general, sokols in Slovenia have long been at a higher technical and organizational level, and until 1929 Ljubljana was also the seat of the Yugoslav Sokol association. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the first gathering of Yugoslav sokols was held in Ljubljana.