Zvane Črnja

Zvane (Ivan) Črnja (8 October 1920 – 26 February 1991) was a prominent Croatian poet, prose writer, essayist, culturologist, screenwriter, playwright and filmologist, journalist, publicist, polemicist and publisher. He's considered one of the most important names that Istria gave to Croatia in the 20th century. His aliases include: Osip Suri, Barba Zvane, and Filus.

Biography Born in the village of Črnjeni, he attended and finished Italian primary school in Žminj. Fleeing fascism, in 1931 he crossed the then Yugoslav-Italian border on the Rječina with his family. He continued his education in Sušak, first at the secondary civic academy and then at the trade academy.

The Zvane Črnja Award, an award for the best book of essays published in Croatia, is named in his honor since 2007.