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History of Vojvodina
Vojvodina has a long and rich history. The following article does not aim to be exhaustive. It aims to give some clues about the main events that happened in the region, in order to better understand the present.
The arrival of Slavic people
Between the VIth and VIIth centuries, some Slavic tribes started to settle in Vojvodina, among them were Serbs. The region was later attached to the Bulgarian empire at the IXth century.
Under the kingdom of Hungary
At the end of the IXth century, Hungarians moved to the Pannonian plain from Central Asia. Vojvodina was then progressively conquered by the kingdom of Hungary: Bačka (Xth century), Banat (XIth century) and Srem (XIIth century).
After their defeat at Kosovo-Polje (1389), a lot of Serbs took refuge in the north of the Danube, particularly in Vojvodina. According to Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary, from 1483, Serbs were majority in the province. They played a crucial part in the defense of Hungary against the Ottoman Empire.
Turkish occupation and Habsburg conquest
After the battle of Mohacs (1526) and the conquest of Banat (1552), the Ottoman Empire took the control of the territory of present-day Vojvodina. Most of the Hungarians and Croatians of the region had to flee northern and were replaced mostly by Serbs and Muslims.
At the end of the XVIIth century, Habsburg Empire encouraged the settlement of Backa by Bunjevacs. 5000 of them arrived from Dalmatia in 1687. They received some lands on the strict condition that they had to make a pledge on fighting against the Ottoman Empire.
The peace of Karlowitz (1699), and then the peace of Szatmár (1711) ended decades of wars and sanctioned the Habsburg domination on Vojvodina. The province was devastated and depopulated.
Habsburg and then Austro-Hungarian Empire
After the
conquest of Vojvodina, the Habsburg Empire got in settlers coming from its
empire in order to repopulate and exploite the region : Germans, Slavics,
Roumanians, etc… The present ethnic mosaïc of Vojvodina results from that period.
The 13th mai 1848, Vojvodina autonomy was proclaimed mostly by Serbs in Sremski Karlovci. An autonomous region was eventually created in 1849, yet it was entrust to an Austrian governor seating in Temesvar (Timisoara today). 1867, Vojvodina was attached to Hungary, constituent part of the new born Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The 13th mai 1848, Vojvodina autonomy was proclaimed mostly by Serbs in Sremski Karlovci. An autonomous region was eventually created in 1849, yet it was entrust to an Austrian governor seating in Temesvar (Timisoara today). 1867, Vojvodina was attached to Hungary, constituent part of the new born Austro-Hungarian Empire.
That
incorporation was a prelude of an important process of magyarisation - an attempt to assimilate the minorities into the mainstream Hungarian culture - particularly in the field of education. This led to the 1913 law stipulating
that children attending school should speak and write Hungarian properly after only four years of studies (at the age of 11 or 12).
The first Yugoslavia
Along with Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire took the offensive of the First World War. As a consequence of their defeat, the Empire was broken up according to the Treaty of Trianon (1920) imposed by the victorious Allied. Hungary became independant, but lost almost 75% of its territory and a third of its population to the neighboring countries. Then, Vojvodina became a part of the new Yugoslavian state.
The 1921 census showed that 3 ethnic groups were forming an absolute majority: Serbs/Croats (503 000), Hungarians (380 000) and Germans (330 000). Some important minorities were also present: Rumanians (74 000), Slovaks (26 000) and Ruthens (11 000).
A process of serbisation of the education followed the process of magyarisation of the previous time. Thus, Serbo-Croatian became the official language of the education system. However, the cultural lives of the various nationalities were quite rich and lively, although under the control of the State.
The Second World War
1941, Germany occupied Srem and Banat, whereas Backa was attached to Hungary, its ally.
At the end of the war, the biggest part of the jewish community had been exterminated, or had fleed.
Other consequence, during the post-war years, most of the Vojvodinian Germans were evicted or interned, almost leading to the extinction of this important component of the population.
Vojvodina under the Tito regime
1946, Vojvodina was reincorporated to Yugoslavia, which became communist, federal and leaded by Marshal Tito. Yugoslavia was made up of 6 republics and two provinces included into the Republic of Serbia (Kosovo and Vojvodina).
1974, Vojvodina got a large autonomous status within Yugoslavia. Indeed, its prerogatives were nearly as important as the ones of the republics. Vojvodinian minorities’ political and cultural rights were particularly respected back then: media, education, official languages, participation in the public institutions, services, etc.
Vojvodina under the Milosevic regime
Slobodan Milosevic was elected President of Serbia in May 1989. In September of the following year, Vojvodina lost its autonomous status. One of the main consequences was the abolition of the numerous minority rights.
Even though important fightings happened at the edge of the province (like in Vukovar), Vojvodina was not directly affected by the wars of the 90's. However, it was confronted to a massive influx of Serbian refugees coming from war zones of Bosnia and Croatia. In the meantime, around 50 000 Hungarian and 30 000 Croatian have emigrated. A main consequence of the years of war was then a modification in the demographic balance of the province in favour of the Serbian majority.
Democratisation and partial comeback to autonomy
In 2002, the « Law on the specific competences of the autonomous province» (Zakon o utvrđivanju određenih nadležnosti autonomne pokrajine) returned to Vojvodina few competences it had lost in 1990, especially in the field of education. In 2009, a new autonomous status was adopted by the Serbian parliament. It extends the province’s prerogatives, for example by giving it its own government and allowing it to have regional cooperations inside Serbia’s foreign policy.
The first Yugoslavia
Along with Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire took the offensive of the First World War. As a consequence of their defeat, the Empire was broken up according to the Treaty of Trianon (1920) imposed by the victorious Allied. Hungary became independant, but lost almost 75% of its territory and a third of its population to the neighboring countries. Then, Vojvodina became a part of the new Yugoslavian state.
The 1921 census showed that 3 ethnic groups were forming an absolute majority: Serbs/Croats (503 000), Hungarians (380 000) and Germans (330 000). Some important minorities were also present: Rumanians (74 000), Slovaks (26 000) and Ruthens (11 000).
A process of serbisation of the education followed the process of magyarisation of the previous time. Thus, Serbo-Croatian became the official language of the education system. However, the cultural lives of the various nationalities were quite rich and lively, although under the control of the State.
The Second World War
1941, Germany occupied Srem and Banat, whereas Backa was attached to Hungary, its ally.
At the end of the war, the biggest part of the jewish community had been exterminated, or had fleed.
Other consequence, during the post-war years, most of the Vojvodinian Germans were evicted or interned, almost leading to the extinction of this important component of the population.
Vojvodina under the Tito regime
1946, Vojvodina was reincorporated to Yugoslavia, which became communist, federal and leaded by Marshal Tito. Yugoslavia was made up of 6 republics and two provinces included into the Republic of Serbia (Kosovo and Vojvodina).
1974, Vojvodina got a large autonomous status within Yugoslavia. Indeed, its prerogatives were nearly as important as the ones of the republics. Vojvodinian minorities’ political and cultural rights were particularly respected back then: media, education, official languages, participation in the public institutions, services, etc.
Vojvodina under the Milosevic regime
Slobodan Milosevic was elected President of Serbia in May 1989. In September of the following year, Vojvodina lost its autonomous status. One of the main consequences was the abolition of the numerous minority rights.
Even though important fightings happened at the edge of the province (like in Vukovar), Vojvodina was not directly affected by the wars of the 90's. However, it was confronted to a massive influx of Serbian refugees coming from war zones of Bosnia and Croatia. In the meantime, around 50 000 Hungarian and 30 000 Croatian have emigrated. A main consequence of the years of war was then a modification in the demographic balance of the province in favour of the Serbian majority.
Democratisation and partial comeback to autonomy
In 2002, the « Law on the specific competences of the autonomous province» (Zakon o utvrđivanju određenih nadležnosti autonomne pokrajine) returned to Vojvodina few competences it had lost in 1990, especially in the field of education. In 2009, a new autonomous status was adopted by the Serbian parliament. It extends the province’s prerogatives, for example by giving it its own government and allowing it to have regional cooperations inside Serbia’s foreign policy.