Croats of Vojvodina
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Croats are the fourth largest ethnic group in the Vojvodina province of Serbia. According to the 2002 census, there are 56,546 ethnic Croats in Vojvodina, constituting 2.78% in the population of the province.
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[edit] Population
Most of the Croats in Vojvodina (about 2/3) are either of Bunjevci or of Šokci origin. [1] Croats of Bunjevci origin constituting the largest part of population in several villages in the Subotica municipality: Bikovo, Gornji Tavankut, Donji Tavankut, Đurđin, Mala Bosna, and Stari Žednik. Croats of Šokci origin constituting the largest part of population in three villages: Sonta (in the municipality of Apatin), Bački Breg and Bački Monoštor (both in the municipality of Sombor). [2] There are also some Croats in Vojvodina (about 1/3) that are neither of Šokac neither of Bunjevac origin. Croats living in the villages of Hrtkovci and Nikinci (both in the municipality of Ruma) originating from the Catholic Albanians who settled in Syrmia in 1737. [3]
[edit] History
During 17th century from Dalmatia and western Herzegovina Roman Catholic Bunjevci have come to live in Vojvodina where from 8th century has been living Šokci. Between 1689 when Habsburg empire has made conquest of parts of Vojvodina and end of 19th century small number of Croats from Croatia has come to live in this region. Before the 20th century, most of the Bunjevac and Šokac populations living in Vojvodina did not had Croat national consciousness. These two populations rather called themselves Bunjevci and Šokci and called their languages Bunjevac and Šokac. According to the 1851 data, the population of the Voivodship of Serbia and Tamiš Banat, the historical province that was predecessor of present-day Vojvodina, included, among other ethnic groups, 62,936 Bunjevci and Šokci and 2,860 Croats. [4]
The 1910 Austro-Hungarian census also show large differences in numbers of those who considered themselves Bunjevci and Šokci, and those who considered themselves Croats. According to the census, in the city of Subotica there were only 39 citizens who declared Croatian as their native language, while 33,390 citizens were listed as speakers of "other languages" (most of them declared Bunjevac as their native language). [1] In the city of Sombor, 83 citizens declared Croatian language, while 6,289 citizens were listed as speakers of "other languages" (mostly Bunjevac). [2] In the municipality of Apatin, 44 citizens declared Croatian and 7,191 declared "other languages" (mostly Bunjevac, Šokac and Gypsy). [3]
In the 20th century, living in same state with the Croats, most of Šokci and one part of Bunjevci adopted Croatian national consciousness and today consider themselves Croats.
During the Yugoslav Wars the ultra-nationalist president of the Serbian Radical Party ,Vojislav Seselj organized and participated in the expultion of Croats of Vojvodina.[5]
[edit] Politics
The Croats of Vojvodina are politically represented by the Democratic League of Croats in Vojvodina. Croatian President Stjepan Mesić has urged the Serbian Government to make Croats a recognized minority with a seat in Parliament, as part of the new Serbian Constitution.
[edit] References
- ^ Lazo M. Kostić, Srpska Vojvodina i njene manjine, Novi Sad, 1999.
- ^ Popis stanovništva, domaćinstva i stanova u 2002, Stanovništvo - nacionalna ili etnička pripadnost, podaci po naseljima, knjiga 1, Republički zavod za statistiku, Beograd, Februar 2003.
- ^ Borislav Jankulov, Pregled kolonizacije Vojvodine u XVIII i XIX veku, Novi Sad - Pančevo, 2003.
- ^ Dr Dušan J. Popović, Srbi u Vojvodini, knjiga 3, Novi Sad, 1990.
- ^ Vojislav Seselj indictment
[edit] See also
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