Serbs of Croatia

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Nikola TeslaRade SerbedzijaJovan Karamata
Total population
Serbs living in Croatia: 201,631[1]
Regions with significant populations
 Australia
 Croatia
 Canada
 European Union
 Serbia
Languages

Shtokavian dialect of Serbian
Religion

Serbian Orthodox[2]
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Serbs of Croatia, sometimes called the Frontiersmen (Krajishniks, Grenzer), or Krajina Serbs, are the largest single national minority in the Republic of Croatia. A large number of ethnic Serbs migrated to the north and west in 1538 when Kaiser Ferdinand I, ruler of the Habsburg Monarchy offered sanctuary and permanent settlement to displaced Serbs (Rasca) fleeing from the Turks, placing them under Austrian military administration. The newly established military region was called Militärgrenze or Vojna Krajina. In exchange for military services, Serbs received land and were not taxed.[3] Although Serbs were a part of many different changing states and empires, a large number continued to live in the territory of present day Croatia. The most recent figures approximate the Serb population to be 201,631.

During the Yugoslav Wars, Croatian Serbs rebelled against the Croatian government, and created an unrecognized state called Serbian Krajina in hopes of achieving independence, international recognition, and complete self-governance from the government of Croatia. A massive exodus of Serbs from Croatia occurred in 1995, during the Operation Storm, when the rebellion was crushed.[4] As response to a Croatian lawsuit accusing Serbia of genocide in Croatia and BiH, Serbia has filed its own countersuit against Croatia alleging that Operation Storm and other Croatian military operations during the 1990s were acts of ethnic cleansing amounting to a genocide of local Serbs.[5]

Contents

Religion

Croat Catholic priests forced conversion on ethnic Orthodox Serbs

The Serbs of Croatia are Serbian Orthodox. There are many Orthodox monasteries across Croatia, built since the 12th century. Most notable are the Krka Monastery, Krupa Monastery, Dragović Monastery, Lepavina Monastery and Gomirje Monastery. Many Orthodox churches were demolished during World War II, the recent Yugoslav war, while some were rebuilt by the Croatian government with money partially donated by the Serbian diaspora.[6]

History

Historically dry stone walls were used for managing and protecting sheep livestock which had been a major food staple of Serbs in the region.

Rascians (mainland Serbs) in 1530s during the Austrian Military Border (Militärgrenze), created as an Austrian military administered region which was established along the Austro-Ottoman border, by Ferdinand I.

Sometime in 1530, Serb Uskoks under Vladislav Stefović sought lands in Mutnica (Kranjska) to defend the frontiers by attacking Ottoman Turks. The 50 families lived in Metkike to Crnomlja, Kostelo to Lasa, Krasa into Kapela. King Ferdinand granted the Serbs the lands of Žumberak and gave them assistance in organizing their counts and dukes of the many clans. They were exempted of tax pay in return of military service in the Austrian army, they were permitted to raid and pillage Turkish settlements across the border. Nikola Jurisic settled 600 families in 1535. In 1538, the Kranjska dukes of Vuk Popovic, Resan Lismanovic and Djuro Radivojcevic went to the Adriatic coast to settle families there. The three Serb military officers of Koprivnica, Križevci and Ivanic formed the Varaždin general command. The Uskoks led uprisings in 1542 to 1546 after the death of their cattle after a grasshopper invasion. Ivan Lenkovic found the Uskok families in misery and resettled a remaining 180 families in the region, buying out the privately owned Mehovo and stabilizing the region. The Žumberak Serbs had initially freedom of faith but were later converted into Greek Catholicism under pressure from Rome, and later into Roman Catholicism during the World War II.

On 12 September 1683, a relieving force under Polish King Jan III Sobieski surprised and defeated the Turkish army at the Battle of Kahlenberg, thereby ending the second Siege of Vienna. Prince Eugene of Savoy's impressive victory at the Battle of Zenta, 11 September 1697, marked the turning point in the Austrian struggle against the Turks. Following the Treaty of Karlowitz, 26 January 1699, Karlovac, Varaždin, and Banat general commands of the Military Border were created. During the reign of Emperor Leopold I. The Slavonian border was established by Luigi Ferdinando Conte de Marsigli in 1702, from lands along the Sava, Theis, and Maros rivers, which were largely incorporated into Hungary in 1747.

The Military Border was dissolved in 1881 into self-administered region of Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia which later became State of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs. In 1918 the territory joined the Kingdom of Serbia to form Kingdom of Yugoslavia until 1945. Afterward, this state became Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and finally Croatia.

Modern history

World War II

Serbs are expelled by Ustashe
Main articles: Yugoslav Front of World War II and Independent State of Croatia

During World War II, the Axis powers occupied Yugoslavia, partially partitioning it and on territory of today Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia creating the Independent State of Croatia, with the Ustaše movement installed at its head [2]. Catholic monks and priests, including Archbishop Sarić of Sarajevo (nicknamed the "Hangman of Serbs"),[7] supported forcible conversions and were largely silent about the killings.[citation needed] In addition, the regime organized extermination camps, the most notorious of which was the Jasenovac concentration camp, where Serbs, Jews, Gypsies, and anti-fascist Croats were massacred in large numbers. Between 330,000[8] and 500,000[9] of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia were killed by the Ustaše during the war. One example was the Glina massacre.

Yugoslav wars and Operation Storm

Flag used to represent Serbs during the Republic of Serbian Krajina.
Main articles: Yugoslav wars, Croatian War of Independence, and Serbs of Croatia Timeline

A significant exodus of Serbs from Croatia occurred during Operation Storm, during the Yugoslav Wars.[4] Serbia has filed a lawsuit against Croatia alleging that Operation Storm and other Croatian military operations during 1990's were acts of ethnic cleansing amounting to a genocide of Serbs of Croatia.[10]

After the war

See also: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

The war ended with a military success of the Croatian government in 1995 and subsequent peaceful reintegration of the remaining renegade territory in eastern Slavonia in 1998.[citation needed] The exodus of the Krajina Serbs in 1995 was prompted by the advance of the Croatian troops, but was mostly self-organized rather than forced.[4][11] All Serbs were officially called upon to stay in Croatia shortly before the operation,[12]. Many Croat refugees moved to homes abandoned by Serbs during Operation Storm, ostensibly because their homes were destroyed by the Serbs.[11] At the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague, Milan Babić was indicted, pleaded guilty and was convicted for "persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds, a crime against humanity".[citation needed] Babić stated during his trial that "during the events, and in particular at the beginning of his political career, he was strongly influenced and misled by Serbian propaganda".[13]

Changes during the 1990s

Map of demographic distribution of main religious confessions in Croatia, Dalmatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro in 1901:
     Catholic      Muslim      Orthodox      Protestant      Mixed Catholic and Orthodox      Mixed Catholic and Protestant

Most of the Serbs from Bilogora and northwestern Slavonia fled those areas as they fell under Croatian military control.[citation needed] In the later stages of the war, under order of Republic of Serbian Krajina government most of the Serbs of western Slavonia, Banija, Kordun, eastern Lika and northern Dalmatian Zagora fled those areas also came under Croatian military control [3] The largest decrease in the number of Serbs in Croatia occurred during the Croatian War of Independence which was part of Yugoslav wars.[citation needed] Prewar census of 1991 was the last Serbian consensus held in Croatia. Around 580,000 citizens declared themselves as Serbs.[14] At that time Serbs represented 12.2% on the Croatian population.[14] After the war, the Serbian population reduced radically to 4.5%.[14] Today the majority of the population continues to live in exile in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro, where, as of 2005, there were still 200,000 refugees.[15]

Tensions in modern Croatia
Damaged Orthodox church

Tension between Serbs and Croatians were violently high in 1990s. The violence has reduced since 2000 and has remained low to this day, however, significant problems remain.[16] The participation of the largest Serbian party SDSS in the Croatian Government of Ivo Sanader has eased tensions to an extent, but the refugee situation is still politically sensitive.[citation needed] The main issue is high-level official and social discrimination against the Serbs.[4] At the height levels of the government, new laws are continuously being introduced in order to combat this discrimination, thus, demonstrating an effort on the part of government.[16] For example, lengthy and in some cases unfair proceedings,[16] particularly in lower level courts, remain a major problem for Serbian returnees pursuing their rights in court.[16] In addition, Serbs continue to be discriminated against in access to employment and in realizing other economic and social rights.[citation needed] Also some cases of violence and harassment against Croatian Serbs continue to be reported.[16] The property laws allegedly favor Bosnian Croatians refugees who took residence in houses that were left unoccupied and unguarded by Serbs after Operation Storm.[16] Amnesty International's 2005 report considers one of the greatest obstacles to the return of thousands of Croatian Serbs has been the failure of the Croatian authorities to provide adequate housing solutions to Croatian Serbs who were stripped of their occupancy rights, including where possible by reinstating occupancy rights to those who had been affected by their discriminatory termination[16] The European Court of Human Rights decided against Croatian Serb Kristina Blečić, stripped her of occupancy rights after leaving his house in 1991 in Zadar.[17]

Population

Geographical location of Serb diaspora

Generally, during the course of history the population of Serbs in Croatia has steadily gone down. This trend can chiefly be attributed to the casualties of war, as well as mass migrations that were induced by it. The loss of the heavily Serb populated Eastern Srijem region, the incorporation of Istria and Dalmatia, and the non-inclusion of Croat dominated regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the People's Republic of Croatia (as had been done in the Banovina of Croatia), are examples of territorial changes that either increased or reduced the relative percentage of the Serb population of Croatia.

Politics

The Serbs of Croatia have 3 seats in the Sabor. The major Serbian parties in Croatia have been the Independent Democratic Serbian Party (SDSS) and the Serb People's Party (SNS). The SDSS currently holds all 3 Serbian seats in the Sabor, and Slobodan Uzelac is currently a Vice Prime Minister. Other parties include the Party of Danube Serbs, the Democratic Party of Serbs and the New Serbian Party [5].

Prominent individuals

Nikola Tesla. Tesla was of Serbian ethnicity, and was born in the territory of the Croatian Military Frontier (Austro-Hungary).
Rade Šerbedžija.
Josif (Josip) Runjanin.
Jovan Karamata, 20th century Serbian mathematician.

Many famed ethnic Serbs were born in what is today's Croatia, including:

2001 Census

Croatia2001 Serbs.png

See also

References

  1. ^ census 2001
  2. ^ Orthodox Religion
  3. ^ FACTBOX - Brief history of Croatia's rebel Serb Krajina region | World | Reuters
  4. ^ a b c FACTBOX - Brief history of Croatia's rebel Serb Krajina region | World | Reuters
  5. ^ http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/12/31/836754_serbia-to-sue-croatia-for-genocide
  6. ^ http://stmichael-soc.org/background.htm
  7. ^ Manfred and Anne Lehmann Foundation
  8. ^ Jasenovac
  9. ^ http://www1.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%205930.pdf
  10. ^ http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/12/31/836754_serbia-to-sue-croatia-for-genocide
  11. ^ a b Croatia
  12. ^ http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/oluja/950804/I040895141858.html[dead link]
  13. ^ http://www.un.org/icty/babic/trialc/judgement/index.htm Sentencing judgement for Milan Babić
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Population of Croatia 1931-2001
  15. ^ "Croatia: Operation "Storm" - still no justice ten years on". Amnesty International. 2005-08-04. http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR64/002/2005/en/dom-EUR640022005en.html. Retrieved 2008-09-29. 
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Amnesty International (2005-09-14). "Croatia: European Court of Human Rights to consider important case for refugee returns". Press release. http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGEUR640032005. Retrieved 2008-09-16. 
  17. ^ NEGATIVNA PRESUDA EVROPSKOG SUDA U SLUČAJU KRISTINE BLEČIĆ IZ ZADRA
  18. ^ http://www.milutinmilankovic.com/biografija.html
  19. ^ http://www.sanu.ac.rs/Clanstvo/IstClan.aspx?arg=240,
  20. ^ http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:VfKA_WG_LVwJ:www.rastko.org.rs/cms/files/books/46c3633ba55db.pdf+%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BA%D0%BE+%D0%B1%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B0+%D0%91%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%83%D1%88&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a
  21. ^ http://www.banjalukaonline.com/vijest_p_16503.html
  22. ^ http://www.nacional.hr/en/articles/view/42719/18/
  23. ^ http://www.gerila.com/knjige/autori/m/medakovic_dejan.htm
  24. ^ http://www.skdprosvjeta.com/news.php?id=135
  25. ^ http://www.eparhija-gornjokarlovacka.hr/Episkop-Musicki-L.htm
  26. ^ http://www.antikvarne-knjige.com/biografije/orfelin/zaharija_orfelin_biografija.html
  27. ^ http://www.serbianorthodoxchurch.com/pages/s/pavle/biography-en.html
  28. ^ http://www.eparhija-dalmatinska.hr/Publikacije-Krka13-L.htm
  29. ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/475726/Svetozar-Pribicevic
  30. ^ http://www.ohiou.edu/~Chastain/rz/rajacic.htm
  31. ^ Josip Runjanin
  32. ^ http://jasnasekaric.com/home.html
  33. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0784884/
  34. ^ http://www.rastko.org.rs/knjizevnost/umetnicka/poezija/psolaric_gozba_c.html
  35. ^ http://jockbio.com/Bios/Stojakovic/Stojakovic_bio.html
  36. ^ http://www.rastko.org.rs/istorija/loza_nemanjica/fajfric-svloza_5.html
  37. ^ [1]
  38. ^ http://www.arhiva.glas-javnosti.rs/arhiva/2005/04/29/srpski/K05042801.shtml Prota Sava Nakićenović, O hercegnovskim Vojnovićima, Dubrovnik 1910, http://www.srpsko-nasledje.co.rs/sr-c/1998/02/article-13.html Dragomir Acović, Heraldika i Srbi, Beograd 2008, p. 335, http://www.rastko.org.yu/rastko-ukr/istorija/2003-ns/dmartinovic.pdf, http://www.scindeks-clanci.nb.rs/data/pdf/0350-0861/2005/0350-08610553121C.pdf
  39. ^ History of family Preradović from Gornja Krajina (Grubišno Polje etc) and their relation to the russian branch (general Nikolay Depreradovich etc), may be seen in the book published in Zagreb, Croatia in 1903, Znameniti Srbi XIX veka, year 2, 2, editor Andra Gavrilović, Zagreb 1903, p. 13. Also, book published in Belgrade in 1888, Milan Đ. Milićević, Pomenik znamenitih ljudi u srpskog naroda novijeg doba, p. 572. For the list of Preradovićs (Serbs) murderd in Jasenovac concentration camp of Independent State of Croatia (NDH) during World War II, including Preradovićs from Grubišno Polje, where father of Petar Preradović was born see (offical in Croatia) Jasenovac Memorial site list of victims, where one could see a few Jovan Preradović, as was the name of Petar Preradović`s father (http://www.jusp-jasenovac.hr Spomen Područje Jasenovac), or names of 100 Preradovićs on the list of victims on the list of victims of Jasenovac Research Institue, New York, (https://cp13.heritagewebdesign.com/~lituchy/victim_search.php?field=&searchtype=contains)

Other sources

http://www.snaga.rs/Ilustrovana_istorija_srba/tekst/engleski/01/01-uvod.html
Other Notes

External links

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