Slavonia’s Donauschwaben

By

Rosina T. Schmidt

Slavonia is the agriculturally lush area between the Rivers of Drava and Sava, and bordering in the West by the River Ilova and on the East by the Danube. It has excellent soil and climate in which almost everything grows but the citrus fruit and bananas.

Slavonia was part of the Triple Kingdom of Croatia: Croatia-Dalmatia-Slavonia during the reign of the first Croatian king, Tomislav (910-928), who was crowned by the Pope in 924. Later, when the dynasty lacked a male hair, Hungary forcibly annexed Croatia to the Hungarian crown after the defeat of the king Petar Svacic at the Battle of Karlovac.

After the Turks won the Battle of Mohacs in 1526, the Kingdom passed into the hands of the Habsburg Archduke Ferdinand, the brother-in-law of the fallen king Louis, who had no male heir and so both Hungary and Croatia became part of the Austrian domains.

Europe ca 1740

Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1826

Even prior to the Turk’s 140 years of occupation Slavonia had a large Germanic population, primarily consisting of merchants, artisans and military officers with their families.

After the Turks were expelled by the German and Polish troops in 1688 there was hardly any population left. The southern part of the formal Kingdom of Slavonia became Habsburg’s Military Border, populated by mostly German and Serb soldier/farmers. The northern part, also known then as civil Slavonia, was thinly settled by the invitation of the Habsburg’s Emperor by the Croats and Serbs who managed to flee from Bosnia. Bosnia, just south of the River Sava, was still to be occupied by the Turks for another one hundred years.

Both Croats and Serbs were mainly herders in the thickly forested land and only raised enough crops for their own needs. Their motto “if you work harder you have only to pay more taxes to the Emperor” influenced their way of life until the present day.

Slavonia ca. 1995, Microsoft Map Point

The very first ethnic German settlement was German Miholjac, established in 1744, followed by Kutjevo in 1771 and Djakovo 30 year later, which was established by the settlers directly from the Black Forrest.

The large percentage of the German officers in the Military border contributed to a high percentage of Burgers in the cities, who built their cities in the Germanic style by their own architects, builders and artisans.

Due to a huge supply of oak forest in Slavonia, besides the logging industry, the potash industry was one of the first industries to be established. The enterprising settlers were all German-Bohemians. Glass making was the next undertaking, due to rich quartz deposits and an abundance of firewood. The German-Bohemians established glass-making colonies as well.

So far most of the settlers were artisans, bureaucrats and soldiers.

In the 1860’s the Military border was abolished. Slavonia, including Croatia east of it, changed hands from Austria to Hungary. Both shared the parliament in Budapest.

Austro-Hungary in 1910

#16 Greater Hungary, with all other areas under Austrian jurisdiction

The first agricultural settlers came from the Batschka, as they could buy land in Slavonia much more cheaply and only had to cross the Danube River to be back in the Batschka. Later many Syrmien Danube Swabians spread all over Eastern Slavonia and in no time established farms identical to their farms in Batschka and Syrmien.

However, once again, they had to clear-cut the forest and start from scratch all over just as their ancestors did one hundred years earlier when arriving there from the Germanic lands of the Holy Roman Empire.

Another group of settlers to Slavonia came from the Swabian Turkey, the counties Baranya, Tolna and Somogy. Swabian Turkey is just north of Slavonia and the River Drava is the border between them. Here too by the second and the third generation they transformed the wilderness they found into the fruit basket of the region.

The largest influx of Danube Swabians was around 1880, which came from all three regions, Batschka, Syrmien and the Swabian Turkey. Some settlers arrived from the Banat. There was still plenty of farming land available and it was affordable too. The same types of villages were established as in the former areas, the same language and customs too. All as a private initiative. However, in Slavonia there were not many fully Danube Swabian villages or cities, but mostly mixed villages with villagers from different ethnic backgrounds: Croats, Donauschwaben, Check, Slovak, Serbs, Hungarians, Jews and even some Gypsies.

Only 15% of the population lived in the cities and the rest worked in the agriculture, raising mainly wheat and corn for their own use as well for the market. They harvested hemp, sugar beets, sunflowers and flax for industry. These were delivered directly to the nearby factories.

 Except for Horses, all other farm animals, cows, pigs, sheep, as well as the geese were kept by the shepherds on the community hotter. Vineyards and plum orchards were in abundance in hillier regions and the plum brandy RAKIJA is well known even today to most of us.

As per Danube Swabian tradition each farmer had also a trade skill on the side, to fill in his winter hours. He was a weaver, tailor, clog maker, bee keeper or carpenter. The life in Slavonia was abundantly rich and rewarding to our Donauschwaben.

Map adapted by Rosina T. Schmidt, 2002

After the Peace of Trianon in 1918, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was divided in 8 different parts, no new settlers were coming from the Swabian Turkey, as that was now in Hungarian hands. It was also the time of the beginning of birth control, learned from the Croatians (!) and the ever-increasing need of new land lessened.

While our thrifty and hardworking Danube Swabians worked their land, built larger houses, increased their stock and generally prospered admirably, their Croatian and Serb neighbours, who still practiced their former herder life styles, had their own songs to described their Schwaben neighbour: “Švabo ore I sije, Šokac sedi I pije.” (The Schwob is plowing and seeding, while Šokac* relaxes by eating and drinking.)

In the Census of 1931 Slavonia is supposed to have had a Danube Swabian population of 160 000. Most likely much more, as in many places the Danube Swabian numbers were artificially put down, due to the increasing of the Croatian national feelings.

However, those same Croatians did forget that it was the Germans who freed that area from the Turks that it was their Emperor who invited them to settle there after 1690.

It is interesting to note, that the ethnic German population of Croatia, Slavonia and Bosnia in 1942 was only 3% of the total population, yet they collectively raised 46% of States needs on wheat and corn.

As we all know the good life for Danube Swabians ended in Slavonia during WWII. Most of those who did not manage to flee ahead of the Red Army in 1944 ended in Stalin’s Slave labour camps or in Tito’s Starvation Camps. The former had it better than the later.

In the Census of 1948 there were only 16,000 Danube Swabians in all of Yugoslavia, which would bring it to about 4,000 in Slavonia. Most of those finally could leave after Stalin’s death in 1953, when the Iron Curtain boarders were slightly opened.

*Šokac = Slavonia Slav

 

Donauschwaben Population in the Slavonia Census of 1931 as per "Geografsko-Istoriski index" (official 1966) Contributed by Josef Mayer Agram County total 6485   Krizevci County 116 Agram 6287   Krizevci County 33 Gracani 10   Lonjica 10 Ladac 16   Raven 14 Sesvete 13   Sveti Ivan Zabno 34 Stenjevac 32   Vojakovac 10 Vrapce 127   Zamoborci 15           Bjelovar County 690   Kutina County 333 Bjelovar 152   Gornja Jelenska 14 Brezocac 28   Gracenica 10 Cadjavac 20   Ilova 35 Galovac 20   Kutina 121 Gross-Pisanitz 375   Ludine 11 Ivanska 33   Popovaca 15 Kapela 25   Respusnica 34 Predavac 18   Srpsko Seliste 83 Trojstvo 19   Zbjegovaca 10           Brod County 2041   Ludbreg County 18 Andrijevci 71   Ludbreg 18 Bicko Selo 13       Brodski Varos 129   Nasice County 3537 Garcin 122   Bankovci 127 Gross Kopanitz 263   Boksic 74 Podvijensko Bukovlje 12   Budinci 45 Sapci 24   Cacinci 635 Slavonski Brod 1167   Deutsch-Bresnitz 532 Selna 12   Dolci 30 Staro Topolje 104   Donja Moticina 34 Svilaj 19   Donja Pistana 18 Trnjani 87   Donje Predrijevo 112 Vrba 18   Fericanci 135       Gazije 14 Cabar County 391   Harkanovci 12 Draga 251   Klokocevci 98 Prezid 140   Koska 141       Kutovi 14 Cakovec County 220   Martin 10 Cakovec 204   Orahovica 73 Mursko Seliste 16   Podgorac 171       Pribisevci 19 Daruvar County 2668   Razbojiste 24 Bastajski Brdljani 87   Saptinovci 19 Bastei (Veliki Bastaji) 351   Seoma 13 Blagorodavac 485   Stara Josava 14 Cjepidlake 61   Susine 199 Daruvar 172   Velimirovaz 950 Daruvarski Brestovac 20   Zdenci 24 Daruvarski Uljanik 407       Dezanovac 34   Nova Gradiska County 290 Donji Daruvar 25   Cernik 25 Gornji Daruvar 34   Davor 10 Koncanica 17   Medari 14 Korenicani 13   Nova Gradiska 97 Krestelovac 68   Nova Kapela 31 Miljanovac 235   Okucani 31 Miokovicevo 211   Stara Gradiska 20 Puklica 290   Staro Petrovo Selo 51 Sirac 44   Stivica 11 Trojeglava 24       Uljanik 79   Novi Marof County 36 Vrijeska 11   Ljubescica 22       Varazdinske Toplice 14 Djakovo County 12351       Beketinici 29   Novska County 99 Bracevci 78   Banova Jaruga 22 Budrovci 93   Lipovljani 18 Cajkovci 134   Novska 31 Djakovacka Breznica 10   Piljenice 28 Djakovacki Hrkanovci 22       Djakovo 1597   Ogulin County 22 Djurdjanci 159   Ogulin 22 Drenje 465       Drenjski Slatnik 576   Pakrac County 1592 Forkusevci 509   Antunovac 538 Gasinci 672   Badljevina 19 Gorjani 677   Dobrovac 244 Gorjanski Ivanovci 58   Filipovac 94 Krndija 1345   Gaj 24 Kesinci 563   Gornji Sredjani 20 Koritna 61   Kapetanovo Polje 246 Lapovci 155   Kukunjevac 16 Levanjski Varos 35   Lipik 67 Majar 69   Pakrac 125 Mrzovic 575   Pakracka Poljana 25 Nabrdje 44   Plostine 20 Piskorevci 167   Prokoparka 27 Potnjani 13   Strizicevac 20 Preslatnici 42   Toranj 107 Pridvorje 260       Punitovci 31   Petrinja County 63 Djakovcka Satnica 460   Petrinja 47 Djakovcki Selci 411   Sunja 16 Semeljci 562       Siroko Polje 150   Podravska Slatina County 1752 Strizivojna 30   Bakic 14 Tomasanci 643   Ceralije 13 Trnava 71   Dobrovic 10 Djakovo Cont.     Donje Bazje 163 Viskovci 487   Gornja Bukovica 50 Vrbica 291   Humvaros 65 Vrpolje 123   Kapinci 202 Vucevci 479   Macute 18 Vuka 205   Medinci 204       Mikleus 33 Djurdjevac County 34   Noskovci` 19 Djurdjevac County 21   Nova Bukovica 111 Pitomaca 13   Novaki 147       Podravska Slatina 180 Donji Miholjac County 550   Radosavci 197 Cadjavica 23   Slatinski Drenovac 24 Crnac 35   Sopje 111 Crnkovci 28   Vaska 122 Donji Miholjac 86   Vocinski Hum 13 Golinci 85   Vojlovicki Brezovljani 11 Kucanci 21       Kunisinci 11   Pregrada County 40 Marijanci 25   Hum na Sutli 40 Podravska Moslavina 102       Podravski Podgajci 22   Prelog County 40 Radikovci 17   Donja Dubrava 18 Rakitovica 34   Kotoriba 10 Viljevo 61   Prelog 12           Dugo Selo County 21   Samobor County 62 Dugo Selo County 21   Norsic Selo 11       Samobor 51 Esseg (Osijek) County 16451       Aljmas 140   Sisak County 233 Bijelo Brdo 36   Galdovo 16 Cepin 393   Pokupski Brest 33 Dalj 285   Sisak 184 Dopsin 12       Erdut 83   Slavonska Pozega County 2674 Ernestinovo 836   Alinovci 23 Osijek 9731   Bektez 11 Hrastin 57   Bertelovci 10 Jovanovac 792   Caglin 103 Koprina 36   Ciglenik 185 Krawitz 450   Darkovac 265 Laslovo 62   Eminovci 13 Orlovnjak 126   Gabarje 26 Retfala 1490   Jaksic 87 Sarvas (Hirschfeld) 1157   Jurkovac 48 Tenje 709   Kaptol 85 Tenjski Antunovac 32   Kula 85 Vladislavci 22   Kutjevo 111       Mihaljevci 120       Pleternica 60 Garesnica County 1945   Poljanska 32 Berek 24   Porec (Josefsdorf) 420 Bresljanica 285   Sapna 13 Disnik 38   Slavonska Pozega 233 Eichendorf (Hrastovac) 740   Tominovci 117 Garesnica 40   Vetovo 66 Kaniska Iva 31   Vilic Selo 18 Ladislav 95   Zarilac 28 Mlinska 294       Palesnik 278   Valpovo County 1914 Pasijan 73   Belisce 154 Trnovicki Popovac 47   Bistrinci 41       Gat 91 Glina County 14   Josipovac (Ober Josefsdorf) 539 Glina 14   Ladimirevci 193       Petrijevci 193 Gospic County 13   Sag 12 Gospic 13   Tiborjanci 10       Valpovo 313 Grubisno Polje County 288   Veliskovci 325 Gornja Kovacica 93       Grubisno Polje 88   Velika Gorica County 20 Ivanovo Selo 15   Velika Gorica 20 Mali Grdjevac 16       Topolovnica 10   Virovitica County 5276 Veliki Grdjevac 66   Bacevac 85       Brezik (Georgsdorf) 180 Ivanec County 44   Budanica 100 Klenovnik 11   Cabuna 231 Lepoglava 14   Gaciste 166 Marusevec 19   Gradina 13       Kapan (Antonsdorf) 300 Jastrebarsko County 12   Klisa 31 Jastrebarsko 12   Lozan 11       Lukac 121 Karlovac County 390   Naudovac 51 Draganici 15   Nova Krivaja (1921: 136) 16 Duga Resa 82   Oresac 184 Karlovac 293   Pcelic 13       Rezovac 30 Koprivnica County 42   Rusani 16 Kostanjica Hrvatska 42   Spisic-Bukovica 718       Suhopolje (Theresowatz) 233 Krapina County 28   Suhopoljska Borava 152 Krapina 28   Turanovac 66       Virovitica 2559                 Vrbovsko County 13       Vrbovsko 13                 Zlatar County 20       Mace 20

Bibliography:

Erwin Boehm “Das Deutschtum und seine kulturgeographische Leistung” Verlag von S. Hirzel in Leipzig, 1942