The Problem of “affi liation” of Žumberk and Marindol people in decades before and after the dissolution of Vojna krajina in 1881

Abstract

On the relatively small territory of Obkolpje (the territory on the both side of Slovenian-Croatian river Kolpa-Kupa), three administrational and political entities: Carniola (Bela krajina), millitary frontier called Vojna krajina (Žumberk in Marindol) and civilian Croatia, had coexisted for centuries. Such administrative arrangement determined the structure of inhabitants substantially. State and administrative border between Austrian provinces as a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation (until 1806), German confederation (until 1866) and Austrian part of the Austria-Hungary (1867–1918) and, on the other side, Croatia as a part of Hungarian kingdom, was markedly different from present-day slovenian-croatian state border. Žumberk and Marindol were juridically on Carniola territory, but under millitary administration of Vojna krajina, which was under direct control of Vienna. After provisionally annexation of Žumberk and Marindol to Croatia in 1881, when the millitary frontier was abolished, Carniola came into a conflict with Croatia regarding the question of affiliation of these territories. Carniola demanded Žumberk and Marindol on the bases of historical law. The dispute was not solved until the end of habsburg monarchy in 1918. The essay makes an attempt to present, on the basis of historical sources, what sort of opinion about their “affiliation” had the people of Žumberk and Marindol themselves. The accessible historical sources are problematic, because they are more or less indirect and very ideological. It seems that the locals of Žumberk in Marindol shifted in their “affiliation”, which is proven by various petitions for annexation of Žumberk and Marindol to Carniola or Croatia. The essay also describes life conditions in Žumberk and Marindol, and the importance of this factor for locals’ “affiliation” to Carniola or Croatia.