Encounters, Portraits, Deeds

by Lyenko Urbanchich

Forthright and forceful - a Liberal fixture - Lyenko Urbanchich with his recent book launch revealed that he is not only a political animal with 30-odd years of service to his party, but also a writer. "Encounters, Portraits, Deeds", his fourth book, was launched before an audience of 130 on 18th February at the Burwood (Sydney) RSL Club by Mr. Alfred Breznik, Honorary Consul for Slovenia in Australia.

Hon. Jim Cameron, former Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, addressed the audience on the literary aspects of the book and the author's life, and his suggestion of a standing ovation for Urbanchich brought an immediate and unanimous response.

Spurred by the applause, in reply the author reminded the audience that humour is by no means the sole preserve of his Anglo-Saxon co-citizens, by paraphrasing a story from Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

At a town meeting a series of speakers slavishly praised the Great Stalin, and each speech drew long applause. After the concluding speech the applause was even more lengthy. The audience were all tired, bordering on exhaustion, and were visibly relieved when at last the Chairman stopped applauding so they could follow suit.

In the early hours of the morning the NKVD knocked on the Chairman’s door and began interrogating him about his loyalty, which had been brought into question by his action in ceasing to applaud.

"But comrades," pleaded the hapless aparatchik, "somebody has to be the first to stop." "That may be so," came the reply, "but you must learn that you are never, never the first to stop applauding."

The Burwood RSL rooms erupted in laughter.

Rubbing shoulders in the queue for purchasing the autographed book were Mr. Dusan Lajovic, Honorary Consul for Slovenia in New Zealand, long-serving Mayors Maria Heggie from Fairfield and Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick from North Sydney, NSW Parliamentarian Bruce McCarthy M.L.A., former Tasmanian MHR, Dr. Robert J. Solomon, Lia Looveer BEM representing the Joint Baltic Committee, representatives of the Estonian, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovak, Ukrainian and Vietnamese communities, several senior Liberal Party office bearers, and many Young Liberals, exhibiting the happy combination of youth and anti-bolshevism.

Michael Darby from Queenslanders for Constitutional Monarchy paid tribute to the Honorary Consuls’ who around the world represent the recently liberated nations of Eastern Europe, and recited Lyenko Urbanchich’s sensitive yet provocative 1974 poem, "Reconciliation", which appears in the "Encounters, Portraits, Deeds".

In his role as Master of Ceremonies, Liberal Party State Executive member David Clarke ensured, as always, an evening free of platitudes and dull moments.

"Encounters, Portraits, Deeds" is not fiction but a selection of 33 short true items of prose written in the first person. Its contents span the period from the author’s birth in the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in the year 1922 through the Italian-German occupation, prisons, revolution and civil war in Slovenia culminating in the defeat and slaughter of the nationalist forces; then the author’s exile and his turbulent engagement on the Australian political scene.

This book is worth reading and is worth collecting. It also makes a very suitable gift for any individual with an interest in liberty or in the history of Eastern Europe. So if you wish, enclose with your payment a greeting card addressed to the recipient for direct despatch with the book.

Old Chinese saying: "It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."

ENCOUNTERS

PORTRAITS

DEEDS

by Lyenko Urbanchich

For delivery in Australia, A$25.

For delivery anywhere else in the world, including postage, US$25.

Please send your order with your cheque or other negotiable instrument to:

Lyenko Urbanchich

PO Box 70, Waverley, NSW, 2024, Australia

Tel and fax: +61 2 9389 9517

. Slovenia's SKD political party

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