Antun Kalac

Antun Kalac (27 December 1849 – 13 May 1919) was a Croatian poet, writer, playwright, literary translator, and revivalist of Croatian nationalism among the Istrian people. He was also a Catholic priest.

Early life Kalac was born in the village of Žbrlini in the region of Pazin, where he attended elementary school, followed by lower grammar school with the Franciscans. He attended high school in Trieste before studying at a seminary in Gorizia and Trieste.

Kalac was well known for his position as a defender and protector of the Croatian national spirit during the Italianization of Istria. Because he was a high-ranking priest within the Catholic Church, he did not hold the most prominent positions in civic associations, but his contribution to these circles was still significant.

Kalac also contributed to the development of Croatian poetic expression in Istria during the 19th and 20th centuries. He published about a hundred songs in Naša sloga, often under the pseudonym Nadan Zorin. He also published prose and wrote plays. His songs reflected his commitment to Croatia; one song in particular, "Predobri Bože", was once considered the anthem of Istrian Croats. He translated literary works from various languages into Croatian, including Schiller's "Song of the Bell" and Virgil's Eclogues.

He was also the editor of a memorial book published on the 100th anniversary (1912) of the birth of the Croatian revivalist Bishop Juraj Dobrila.

Kalac died on 13 May 1919 in Pazin.