Samo Tomášik

Samo Tomášik (pseudonyms Kozodolský, Tomášek) (February 8, 1813, Jelšavská Teplica, now Gemerské Teplice - September 10, 1887, Chyžné) was a Slovak romantic poet and prosaist.

He was best known for writing the 1834 poem, Hej, Slováci, which was in use since 1944 - under the title of Hej, Sloveni ("Hey, Slavs") - as the national anthem of Yugoslavia later of Serbia and Montenegro until 2006.

His education began in Jelšava and Gemer. He studied at secondary school in Rožňava and later he continued with studies on lyceum in Kežmarok, Kraków and Wieliczka. Upon completing his studies he worked for two years as an educator in Bánréve, but when his father got sick he returned home and after his death became a Lutheran pastor in Chyžné. When he left to Germany to finish his education, he was supplied by Samo Chalupka. In years 1856 - 1860 he became education supervisor and on his behalf was established the first Slovak high school in Revúca.

He belongs to the period between Kollár and Štúr generation. His first works were Latin poetry, but he was also interested in folklore. Besides Latin he wrote in Slovak and Czech. In his work can be often found challenge to fight for freedom or justice, endeavor to prove the importance of the Slovak nation in the history of the Kingdom of Hungary. He also attended to satyric, marital and folklore poetry. He places his writings on the region of Muráň and Gemer. His works are distinguished by musicality and folk language and many of them have become traditional.

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