Serbs of Croatia
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Serbs living in Croatia: 201 631[1] | |
| Languages | |
| Serbian and Croatian | |
| Religion | |
| Serbian Orthodox[2] |
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Serbs of Croatia sometimes called the Frontiersmen (Krajishniks) are the largest single national minority in the Republic of Croatia. The majority of the Serbs trace their roots in territory of present day Croatia for over 400 years. The single largest immigration of Serbs to present day Croatia came as they were fleeing the persecution of invading Ottoman Army. They were successfully situated in the military Krajina region of Croatia. Serbs were invited by the the Austria Hungary to that area to become the first line fighters of Western Europe from the Ottoman expansion. In exchange for their military services, they received land and were not taxed. [3] There are approximately 201,631 Serbs in the country, according to the 2001 Croatian population census. The single largest exodus of Serbs from Croatia occurred during the Operation Storm,[4] when it has been order by leaders of Republic of Serbian Krajina [2].
Population
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.
- 1931 - 633000 Serbs out of 3430270 People in Croatia (18.45%)[5]
- 1948 - 543795 Serbs out of 3779858 People in Croatia (14.39%)[5]
- 1953 - 588756 Serbs out of 3936022 People in Croatia (14.96%)[5]
- 1961 - 624991 Serbs out of 4159696 People in Croatia (15.02%)[5]
- 1971 - 626789 Serbs out of 4426221 People in Croatia (14.16%)[5]
- 1981 - 531502 Serbs out of 4601469 People in Croatia (11.55%)[5]
- 1991 - 581663 Serbs out of 4784265 People in Croatia (12.16%)[5]
- 2001 - 201631 Serbs out of 4437460 People in Croatia ( 4.54%)[5]
Some Census years after ww2 had Serbs recorded themselves as Yugoslavs.
Changes during the 1990's
| 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.[5] At that time Serbs represented 12.2% on the Croatian population.[5] After the war, the Serbian population reduced radically to 4.5%.[5] Today the majority of the population continues to live in exile in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro, where, as of 2005[update], there were still 200,000 refugees.[6]
History
The History of the Serbs of Croatia spans a thousand-year period from first Serbian settlers in Croatia and toponyms dating as early as the 9th century [citation needed] and the Serbian southern Dalmatian civilization [citation needed]; across Serbian migrations to Croatia in the heat of Ottoman conquests and the long warring history of the Military Frontier in the 15th [citation needed], 16th and 17th centuries; both World Wars up to the most recent Yugoslav Wars.
15th to 19th Century history
See the history of Krajina which was created in the 15th century. The area of the Military Frontier was reunited with the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia in the year 1881 after Bosnia and Herzegovina had been occupied by Austro-Hungary.[7]
World War II
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 [4]. Catholic monks and priests, including Archbishop Sarić of Sarajevo (nicknamed the "Hangman of Serbs"),[8] 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[9] and 500,000[10] of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia were killed by the Ustaše during the war.
Yugoslav wars
After the war
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]
Tensions in modern Croatia
Tension between Serbs and Croatians were violently high in 1990s.[citation needed] The violence has reduced since 2000 and has remained low to this day, however, significant problems remain.[14] 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.[5] 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.[14] For example, lengthy and in some cases unfair proceedings,[14] particularly in lower level courts, remain a major problem for Serbian returnees pursuing their rights in court.[14] 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.[14] The property laws allegedly favor Bosnian Croatians refugees who took residence in houses that were left unoccupied and unguarded by Serbs after Operation Storm.[14] 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[14] 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.[15]
Religion
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.[16] . Smaller part, Serbs that live in Žumberak are Greek-Catholics and belong to Eparchy of Križevci.
Prominent individuals
Many famed ethnic Serbs were born in what is today's Croatia, including:
- Nikola Tesla, a scientist who is often described as the most important scientist and inventor of the modern age.
- Geophysicist Milutin Milanković who confounded the Theory of Ice Age and is considered in the top 15 greatest scientists of the world.[17]
- Mathematician Jovan Karamata created two theories now named after him, Tauberian theorem, Karamata's inequality and has added to the Weierstrass theorem, Schmidt theorem, and Littlewood's theorem, among others.[18]
- Serbian Prince Bjeloš (1110-1198) of the Vukanović dynasty, Ban of Croatia between 1142 and 1163[19]
- Momčilo R. Đujić World War II Military leader
- Dr Božidar Petranović founded the first Serbian literal and scientific paper in Dalmatia (Zadar) in the 19th century, the Serbian-Dalmatian Magazine (Srpsko-dalmatinski magazin).
- Svetozar Pribićević was the main Serbian representative from Austro-Hungary, a politician in the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs.
- Jovo Stanisavljević Čaruga was a famous outlaw in Slavonia during the Kingdom of Yugoslavia who started his own "revolution" by stealing from the rich and giving to the poor in the likelihood of Robin Hood.
- Josif Pančić botanist who descivered the Serbian Spruce
- Writer Dejan Medaković was a writer and historian who has received the Herder Prize among many other awards.
- Ivan Desnica was from a noble family and leader of the Military Frontier)
- Simo Matavulj
- Sava Mrkalj attempted to simplify the Serbian language.
- Jovan Rašković was the initiator of a movement for Serbian autonomy within Croatia.
- Mihailo Merćep was a famous bicyclist and flight pioneer.
- Jovo Stanisavljević Čaruga (1897-1925), outlaw Slavonianhaiduk[20]
- Vladimir Matijević (1854-1929), economist and humanitarian[21]
- Dejan Medaković (1922-2008) historian, writer and academic of noble descent[22]
- Miloš Milošević (born 1972) swimmer[23]
- Lukijan Mušicki (1777-1837), notable Baroque writer and Eastern Orthodox Bishop[24]
- Zaharije Stefanović Orfelin (1726-1785), one of the most prominent Baroque poets, historian and writer[25]
- Patrijarh Pavle (born 1914) (born Gojko Stojčević), Serbian Patriarch [26]
- Božidar Petranović (1809-1874), Dalmatian Serb activist[27]
- Svetozar Pribićević (1875-1936), Political leader[28]
- Josif (Ilija) Rajačić (1785-1861), Karlovac Metropolitan, Serbian Patriarch, political activist and founder of the Serbian Vojvodina[29]
- Josif Runjanin (1821-1878), composer of the melody of the Croatian national anthem.[30]
- Jasna (Branković) Šekarić (born 1965), Sharpshooter and Olympic champion[31]
- Rade Šerbedžija (born 1946), famous actor[32]
- Pavle Solarić (1779-1821), writer and Slavist[33]
- Predrag Stojaković (born 1977), Serbian basketball player[34]
- Jelena (Nemanjić) Šubić, prominent Croatian Banness, wife of Ban Mladen III Šubić, sister of Serbian Emperor Dušan and 14th century founder of earliest Serbian cultural monuments[35]
- Jelena Dokic, tennis player, ranked 4th in 2002.
- Footballer Dado Pršo [36]
References
- ^ census 2001
- ^ Orthodox Religion
- ^ FACTBOX - Brief history of Croatia's rebel Serb Krajina region | World | Reuters
- ^ a b FACTBOX - Brief history of Croatia's rebel Serb Krajina region | World | Reuters
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Population of Croatia 1931-2001
- ^ "Croatia: Operation "Storm" - still no justice ten years on". Amnesty International. 2005-08-04. Retrieved 2008-09-29.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Edition 1986 Reference: EB, Edition 1986, Macropedia, Vol. 29, page 1061 Entry: Yugoslavia, Croatia, History
- ^ Manfred and Anne Lehmann Foundation
- ^ Jasenovac
- ^ http://www1.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%205930.pdf
- ^ a b Croatia
- ^ http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/oluja/950804/I040895141858.html
- ^ http://www.un.org/icty/babic/trialc/judgement/index.htm Sentencing judgement for Milan Babić
- ^ a b c d e f g "Croatia: European Court of Human Rights to consider important case for refugee returns" (Press release). Amnesty International. 2005-09-14. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
{{cite press release}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) Cite error: The named reference "Amnesty" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ NEGATIVNA PRESUDA EVROPSKOG SUDA U SLUČAJU KRISTINE BLEČIĆ IZ ZADRA
- ^ http://stmichael-soc.org/background.htm
- ^ http://www.milutinmilankovic.com/biografija.html
- ^ http://www.sanu.ac.yu/Clanstvo/IstClan.aspx?arg=240,
- ^ 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
- ^ http://www.banjalukaonline.com/vijest_p_16503.html
- ^ http://www.nacional.hr/en/articles/view/42719/18/
- ^ http://www.gerila.com/knjige/autori/m/medakovic_dejan.htm
- ^ http://www.skdprosvjeta.com/news.php?id=135
- ^ http://www.eparhija-gornjokarlovacka.hr/Episkop-Musicki-L.htm
- ^ http://www.antikvarne-knjige.com/biografije/orfelin/zaharija_orfelin_biografija.html
- ^ http://www.serbianorthodoxchurch.com/pages/s/pavle/biography-en.html
- ^ http://www.eparhija-dalmatinska.hr/Publikacije-Krka13-L.htm
- ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/475726/Svetozar-Pribicevic
- ^ http://www.ohiou.edu/~Chastain/rz/rajacic.htm
- ^ Josip Runjanin
- ^ http://jasnasekaric.com/home.html
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0784884/
- ^ http://www.rastko.org.rs/knjizevnost/umetnicka/poezija/psolaric_gozba_c.html
- ^ http://jockbio.com/Bios/Stojakovic/Stojakovic_bio.html
- ^ http://www.rastko.org.rs/istorija/loza_nemanjica/fajfric-svloza_5.html
- ^ [1]
Other sources
- Development of Astronomy among Serbs II, Publications of the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade,, Belgrade: M. S. Dimitrijević, 2002.
- Vladimir Ćorović. Illustrated History of Serbs, Books 1 - 6. Belgrade: Politika and Narodna Knjiga, 2005
- Nicholas J. Miller. Between Nation and State: Serbian Politics in Croatia before the First World War, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1997.
- OSCE Report on Croatian treatment of Serbs [6]
Other Notes
- ^ In an interview on Fokus (30 September 2005), Croat academic Petar Simunovic explained that the name of Srb originates from an old Croatian verb serbati, srebati meaning "to sip", from which the noun "srb" has been derived. Thus "srb" denotes the spring of river Una, where the village lies. Compare this with the villages of Srbani (near Pula), and Srbinjak, both in Istria, which clearly have nothing to do with the Serbian name. The Istarski razvod from 13th century mentions the name of srbar, meaning a water spring.
See also
- Croatia
- Croatian War of Independence
- List of Serbs
- Republic of Serbian Krajina
- Serbs
- Serbs of Croatia Timeline
- Independent State of Croatia
External links
- The Serbs in the Former SR of Croatia
- Prosvjeta - Serb Cultural Society
- Reference to etymology of the name Srb
- Reference to Istarski Razvod - related to etymology of Srb
- Tradition chest adornment worn in Kninska Krajina
- Croatian census 2001 - see under "Crostat Database: "Censuses"
