Albania & Kosovo: Political & Ethnic Boundaries 1867-1946

Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia: Historical Boundaries 1815–1945

ISBN: (13) 978-1-85207-965-9   First published: 1995
Extent: 1 volume, 700 pages, including 1 map box Editor: A.L.P. Burdett
Paper: Printed on acid free paper
Binding: Library bindings with gilt finish
See sample pages: not available
E-BOOK DIRECT LINK

RESUMÉ

The purpose of this document collection is to establish from the historical record the diplomatic and cartographic background to the Balkan zone of territorial and ethnic conflict. The primary focus of the work is on the internal, i.e. the shared boundaries of Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia rather than on their relationships with states on their outer periphery.
The Editor has sought, to provide documentary evidence at the main watersheds of history between the end of the Napoleonic era and the end of the Second World War. Since then, as Tito´s régime established itself, the international community has been able to gain few documentary traces of internal Yugoslav administration.
This publication offers, therefore, a survey of the great imperial shift of the Balkan territories in the 19th century, from the Ottoman to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and of the creation of the 20th century kingdom, subsequently the republic, of Yugoslavia. Text and maps support each other closely.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

The purpose of this document collection is to establish from the historical record the diplomatic and cartographic background to the Balkan zone of territorial and ethnic conflict. The primary focus of the work is on the internal, i.e. the shared boundaries of Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia rather than on their relationships with states on their outer periphery.
The editor has sought, as far as surviving archives permit, to provide documentary evidence at the main watersheds of history between the end of the Napoleonic era and the end of the Second World War. Since then, as Tito´s regime established itself, the international community has been able to gain few documentary traces of internal Yugoslav administration. This publication offers, therefore, a survey of the great imperial shift of the Balkan territories in the 19th century, from the Ottoman to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and of the creation of the 20th century kingdom, subsequently the republic, of Yugoslavia. Text and maps are intended to support each other closely and cross references are indicated where appropriate.
The publishers have reproduced the most significant of certain superb and detailed maps produced in Vienna and Berlin; as well as an outstanding hand-coloured sketch of the Montenegro boundary; maps from Zagreb and Belgrade; and maps based on British military intelligence during the Second World War.

DOCUMENTARY IMPORTANCE

Based on original research among primary documents and maps relating to the states of the former Yugoslavia, this publication provides background diplomatic and cartographic material on the long history of the Balkans conflict. It provides a survey of Balkan events from the Congress of Vienna (1815) to Tito´s relocation of communities (not then called ethnic cleansing) after the Second World War. The documents illustrate the diplomatic background with particular reference to historical moments of change, including the Congress of Berlin (1878) and the creation of the Yugoslav state (1929). The following direct quotes give an indication of the kind of problems the British government was giving consideration to:
"To nearly all Serbs and Serbs of Bosnia the union of Serbia and Bosnia was an article of faith." The British Foreign Office´s Research & Press Service, 1942.
and "The problem of Western Bosnia cannot be solved within Serbia because Western Bosnia has neither a national continuity nor a geographic and economic interdependence with Serbia."
A spokesman for Croatian independence, reported by British Ambassador to Yugoslavia, 1943.
A sequence of historical maps, most in colour, provides evidence of the development of boundaries for over a century, showing both political and religious divisions.

CONTENTS OUTLINE

Events covered include the following:
1853: Ethnographic survey of Serbia; territorial agreement with Turks; right-of-way strip in southern Bosnia.
1859-60: The Montenegro Boundary Commissions; resolution of certain frontier disputes; Montenegran incursions into Bosnia.
1863: Description of Serbian frontiers; Dalmatia-Herzegovina boundary questions.
1875: Bosnia-Serbia dispute over islands in Drina River.
1875-77: Frontier chaos in region resulting from Turco-Serbian War.
1876: Plan for placing Bosnia under Prince of Serbia.
1877-78: Serbian Boundary Commission: numerous boundaries re-drawn; San Stefano Treaty increases Serbian and Montenegran territories; Herzegovina annexed to Bosnia; Novi Bazar annexed to Kossovo.
1878-79: The Congress and Treaty of Berlin: Bosnia-Herzegovina passes under military occupation and administration of Austro-Hungarian Empire; full description of new Serbian territory.
1883: Muslim emigration from Bosnia.
1913: Balkan Treaty signed in London between Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Montenegro, Serbia.
1914: Entente powers support Serbia´s claims to Bosnia.
1918-19: The Yugoslav Movement´s report on proposed boundaries.
1922-23: Division of the new Serb-Croat-Slovene state into 33 regions; analysis of federal election results by regional ethnic divisions.
1929: Coup d´état; constitution suspended.
1931: New conditions: division of country into 9 regions (banovines); effect of Croatian autonomy on Bihac and Banja Luka.
1939: Serb-Croat territorial agreement.
1945: Movement of colonists out of Bosnia; land redistribution policy; some regions vote for inclusion in Serbia.

MAPS

01. Europe, according to the Vienna Congress Treaty, 9th June 1815. [From: E. Hertslet, The Map of Europe by Treaty, London, 1875-1891]
02. Carte Physique, Politique & Comparée de la Turquie d´Europe. Paris, 1827.
03. Serbia. Showing territory and certain parts of neighbouring countries in which the Serbian dialect is spoken. Belgrade, 1853.
04. Tracé de la ligne frontière du Monténégro en 1859. Hand drawn. Montenegro Boundary Commission, 1859.
05. Karte der Herzegowina. By Dr Otto Blau. Berlin, D. Reimer, 1861.
06. Carte ethnographique de la Turquie d´Europe et des états vassaux autonomes. Gotha, Justus Perthes, 1861.
07. Karte von Bosnien, der Herzegovina und des Paschaliks von Novi Bazar. Auf Anordnung des kaiser-königlichen Generalstabes nach den neuesten Quellen, und mit Ausnahme der Kraina an Ort und Stelle gesammelten topografischen Skizzen...mit Theilen der angrenzenden Provinzen ergänzt und lithografirt im Militär:Geografischen Institute. Wien, 1865.
08. Turkey in Europe. By J. Arrowsmith. London, Stanford, 1876.
09a. Map of Servia shewing the boundaries as proposed by the Treaty of San Stefano and as fixed by the Treaty of Berlin, 13th July 1878.
09b. A general map to illustrate the Berlin Congress Treaty, 13th July 1878. [From: E. Hertslet, The Map of Europe by Treaty, London, 1875-1891]
10. Map based on Kiepert´s map of Turkey, showing boundaries according to Treaties of Berlin and San Stefano. Southampton, Ordnance Survey, 1876. Overprinted, 1878. [Extract]
11. La Nouvelle Frontière S. et E. de la Serbie vers les Provinces Turques du Vilayet de Kossovo et la Bulgarie. Berlin, D. Riemer, 1881.

12. Ortskarte von Bosnien, Herzegovina nebst Serbien, Montenegro und Theilen der angrenzenden Länder, mit Angabe der vom Congress in Berlin bestimmten Grenzen. Wien, Artaria & Co., 1882, revised 1884.
13. Politische Eintheilung und Statistische Übersicht der Staaten von Südost-Europa. Wien, Artaria & Co., 1885. [Extract]
14. Uebersichtskarte der Vertheilung der Religionsbekenntnisse in ihrem gegenseitigen Dichtigkeitsverhältnisse in jedem Bezirke von Bosnien und der Hercegovina. Wien, c.1885.
15. Carte de l´extension ethnique de la nation Serbo-Croato-Slovène. Belgrade, 1915.
16. Jugoslovenska Zemlja. The Jugoslav territory. Issued for the Jugoslav Committee in London. London, 1915.
17. Map of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugo-Slavia) showing army and divisional areas. London, War Office, 1927.
18. Confessions dans le Royaume Serbo-Croato-Slovène d´après le récensement du 31 Janvier 1931. Belgrade, c.1931.
19. Mali Zemljovid Kraljevine Jugoslavije. Showing boundaries of the nine banovines. Wien, c.1931.
20. Map relating to draft Serb-Croat agreement. Hatched areas indicate eight contested districts. Zagreb, 1939.
21. Sketch map showing Croatian claims, 1939-1941. London, Foreign Office, 1942.
22. Bosnia-Hercegovina confessional distribution. London, Foreign Office, 1943.
23. Map of Bosnia showing districts with Serb or Croat majorities. London, Foreign Office, 1943.
24. The situation in Yugoslavia, showing partisan localities. London, War Office, 1944.