Figure 1.--Here we see Croatian-American children doing their First Communion at the Sacred Heart Church (May 22, 1932). I'm not sure where the church is located. Source: Croatian Ethnic Institute

Croatia is on of the European countries from which emmigrants have flowed through much of recent history. There was a major wave of immigration with the Turkish conquest (l6th century). About 0.5 million people emigrated from Croatia during the late 19th century up to the start of World War I. This seems a large number and we can not yet confirm this, especially as many of the immigrants came to America. American data suggests much smaller numbers. Even so, Croatia is not a large country and emmigration did represent an not inconsequential part of the population. A major reason reason for the emmigration was economic conditions and this in part affected annual fluctuations. Another factor was the desire to avoid military service. This was part of the reason that most of the emmigrants to America were men.

Croatia

Croatia is now an independent country. This has not been the case for most of the country's history. The country is located in the Balans. Croatia was at times within the Roman Empire. After the fall of Rome, Crotia was setlled by Slavs (7th century). The Croats became Roman Catholic (9th century). There was for a brief period an independent kingdom. For most of Croatia's subsequent history is associated with Hungary. There wa a personal union between Hungary also became the king of Croatia. There were exceptiins to the Hungarian connectuin such as during the Turkish (1526-1699) and the much briefer French (1809-13) invasions nd the Austrian annexation (1849-68). Even though Croatian had a Hungarian monarchy, there was a local aristocracy and diet (parliamet). The Hungarian monarchy is a misnomer. The last actual Hungarian king was killed defending the country from the Turks. The crown was inherited by the Hapsburgs so in fact it became an Austrian monarchy. After World War, Croatia was united with Serbia and other southern Serbs to form Yugoslavia. The uniin was unstable because of Croat resistance to Serb domination. The NAZIs established an Croat pupit state after invading Yugoslavia (1941). Tito reunited the country (1945) and although a Croat supressed nationalist agitation. Croatia suceeded from Yugoslavia (1991), resulting in one od several wars connected withbthe breakup of Yugoslavia..

Emmigration

Croatia is on of the European countries from which emmigrants have flowed through much of recent history. There was a major wave of immigration with the Turkish conquest (l6th century). About 0.5 million people emigrated from Croatia during the late 19th century up to the start of World War I. [Lakatos ] This seems a large number and we can not yet confirm this, especially as many of the immigrants came to America. American data suggests much smaller numbers. Even so, Croatia is not a large country and emmigration did represent an not inconsequential part of the population. One source maintains that emmigration had a major impact on Croatia's population.

Reasons

A major reason reason for the emmigration in the 19th and early 20th century was economic conditions and this in part affected annual fluctuations. Years of poor harvests in particular stimulated emmigration. One source reports a decline of traditional industries in the maritime provinces (wooden-ship building, fishing, and wine-making). Another factor was the desire to avoid military service. This was part of the reason that most of the emmigrants to America were men.

Characteristics

We have some basic informatiin about who the Croat emigrants were.

Social and economic background

Most of the Croatian emmigrants were peasants. One study suggests that about 86 percent were peasants. [Lakatos] Urban immigrants were mostly the less well to do, peopke like shop assistants and apprentices. Some craftsmen, but not very many emmigrated. One source estimates that about 1,000 (including sailors deserting) of over 20,000 emmigrants in 1908 were immigrants. Croatian peasants when reaching America, generally did not persue farming. Many reached Ameeica after the Frontier had ceased to esist.

Gender

Most Croats did not emmigrate as family units. Most Croatian emmigrats to America were men. There were many reasons for this. Evading military service was one factor. Many who emmigrated at least initially planned to return. Thus it was men who emmigrated, hoping to return with money to substantially improve their lives. In ither instance a family member was sent to establish himself and then later bring over other family members. The result was that a very high proportion of Croatian emmigrants were men. This was wspecially true in the early years but even diring the period of mass migration (late 19th and early 20th centuries), emmigrants were mostly men. After the turn of the century, the number of women began to increase. One source estimates that emmigration permits to women were only about 10 percent in 1901, but that had increased over 30 percent by 1912. I'm not fully sure why this was, but it seems likely that more Croatian men in America were bringing their families to join them in the years just before World War I.

Age

Most of the emmigrants were youths and young men. Permits during 1900-12 were issued to youths under 20 (26 percent) and adults (36 percent). Thus over 62 percent were realtively youthful. The next most important group were 30-39 years olds (24 percent). Only small number of tge older ae groups emmigrated. [Lakatos].

Education

Croatian emmigrants were for the most part poorly educated. This follows that most were peasants or unskilled urban workers. Data from permits issy=ued to emmigrants in the eaely 20th century syggest that about one-third were illiterate. American data suggests that 45 percent of the immigrants fro Croatia and Slovenia were illiterate.

Poor

Most of the emmigrants had little money. Few could even afford to pay the vost of the voyage. They had to borrow money from family, including family already in America. Often a family would combine assetts and choose the strongest young man to emmigrate. The hooe was that he could earn the money to bring the rest of the family over.

Return

There are no firm statistics but many Croat emmigrants returned. Some authots think about a third of the Croatian emmigrants returned, The principal factor here seems to have been the economic situation of the emmigrants. [Kraljich ]

Numbers

American emmigration data is not very helpful in assessing Slovenia emmigration because the country of origin is normally listed as Austria or Hungary. The Census data registering language suggests that in 1910 there were 64,000 foreign born (first generation) Croat speakers from Austria and 9,000 from Hungary. The Census also notes "foreign stock" (second generation) . Normally this number was much higher than the foreign-born category. For Croats it was not, 81,000 from Austria and 11,000 from Hungary. We are mot sure why the second generation number is relatively low. We suspect that this may be due to the fact that so few women emmigrated. This mean that many Slovak men married other nationalities. Often cultural matters like religion and language were more determined bythe mother than the father.

Settlement

We are not sure just where un America Croatians settled. We believe tht it was the Mid-West, but we do not yet have details.

Crime

A reader tells us, "Croation Gangsters in the disguise of nationalists fighting for independance terrorised the Croatan-American community (1977-87). They sent out letters asking for aid for the movement and some of those who refused to donate were targeted. There were shootings, book bombs, pipe bombs and other methods used to attack Croatian-Americans. This was in the days when Tito was still alive so it is as a thought a festering problem that erupted once Tito died. There was an FBI investigation."

Sources

Kraljich, F. Croatian migration to and from the United States, 1900-1914 (Palo Alto, California, 1978).

Lakatos, J. Narodna statistika (National statistics) (Zagreb 1914).

Created: 10:51 PM 2/2/2005
Last updated: 8:59 PM 12/30/2010