Gottschee County
Encyclopedia
Gottschee County refers to the former German speaking region in the Duchy of Carniola
(German: ), a crownland of the Habsburg Empire, located in modern day Slovenia
. The traditional German dialect of the region is called Gottscheerish
or Granish.
The German-speaking population, the Gottscheers, first colonized the area around 1330 and the area remained a German language island within the Slovene Lands
until World War II, when the area came under Italian control in accordance with a secret pact between the Third Reich and Italy. In 1941, about 97 percent of the German population were resettled from the region after signing an agreement on relocation. That marked the end of Gottschee as a German language island. After the war, the area was partially resettled by Slovenians from various places, creating a mixed dialect area
. Only a few hundred Gottscheers remained. Today their dialect is faced with extinction.
initially remained neutral, but after a coup in 1941 adopted a staunch anti-Axis position. This led to a German and Italian invasion and occupation of the Kingdom. The Gottscheer were in the Italian occupation zone after Yugoslavia's surrender, which Hitler could not abide. Nazi racial policy dictated that these Germans had to be brought back into the Reich. The Nazis established a branch of the Resettlement Administration at Maribor
for this purpose.
While some of the Gottscheer community leaders had embraced National Socialism and agitated for "assistance" and "repatriation
" to the Reich before the German invasion in 1941, most Gottscheer had no interest in reuniting with Greater Germany
or joining the Nazis. They had been integrated into society with their Slovene neighbours, often intermarrying among Slovenes and becoming bilingual while maintaining their Germanic language and customs since their arrival in the region in the late 14th century. However, propaganda
and Nazi ideology
prevailed, and the VoMi began planning the Gottschee "resettlement" (forced expulsion) from Kočevje
which was in the Italian occupation zone to the "Ranner Dreieck" or Brežice
Triangle, the region now known as the Lower Sava Valley, located between the confluences of the Krka
, Sotla
, and Sava rivers.
To achieve that goal, accommodation had to be made for the Gottschee "settlers" and some 46,000 Slovenians in the "Rann Triangle" region were forcibly deported to Eastern Germany for potential Germanization or forced labour
beginning in November 1941. Shortly before that time, a largely transparent propaganda effort was aimed toward both the Gottscheer and the Slovenes, promising the latter equivalent farmland in Germany for the land relinquished in Lower Styria
. The Gottscheer were given Reich passports and transportation to the Lower Sava Valley just after the forced departure of the Slovenes. Most Gottschee left their homes because of coercion and threats since the VoMi had a deadline of December 31, 1941 for the mass movement of both groups. Though many Gottscheer did receive farmland and households, these were of lesser quality as their own, and many were in disarray from the hasty forced expulsion of the Slovenians.
From the time of their arrival to the end of the war, Gottschee farmers were harassed and killed by Josip Broz Tito
's Partisans
. The attempt to resettle the Gottscheer was a costly failure for the Nazi regime, since extra manpower was required to protect the farmers from the partisans.
The deported Slovenes were taken to several camps in Saxony
, where they were forced to work on German farms or in factories run by German industries from 1941-1945. The forced labourers were not always kept in formal concentration camps, but often just vacant buildings where they slept until the next day's labour took them outside these quarters. Toward the end of the war, these camps were liberated by American and Red Army troops, and repatriated refugees later returned to Yugoslavia
.
The fate of the resettled Gottschee was not much better, and in some cases much worse. At the end of the war the Nazi regime in the region evaporated as soldiers and administrators fled. All Gottschee were killed by partisans. Large group of these refugees who had crossed the border into Austria
were forcibly returned to Yugoslavia
by British occupation troops and later executed by Yugoslav partisans as traitors. Both the Slovenians in the Lower Sava Valley and the Gottschee of Kočevje suffered greatly as a result of Yugoslav communism and left ideological policies.
Duchy of Carniola
The Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
(German: ), a crownland of the Habsburg Empire, located in modern day Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. The traditional German dialect of the region is called Gottscheerish
Gottscheerish
Gottscheerish, also called Granish is a German dialect which was the main language of communication in Gottschee County in Slovenia before 1941. Today there are only a few speakers left in Slovenia and around the world.- Language history :Gottscheerish belongs to Southern Bavarian within the...
or Granish.
The German-speaking population, the Gottscheers, first colonized the area around 1330 and the area remained a German language island within the Slovene Lands
Slovene Lands
Slovene Lands or Slovenian Lands is the historical denomination for the whole of the Slovene-inhabited territories in Central Europe. It more or less corresponds to modern Slovenia and the adjacent territories in Italy, Austria and Hungary in which autochthonous Slovene minorities live.-...
until World War II, when the area came under Italian control in accordance with a secret pact between the Third Reich and Italy. In 1941, about 97 percent of the German population were resettled from the region after signing an agreement on relocation. That marked the end of Gottschee as a German language island. After the war, the area was partially resettled by Slovenians from various places, creating a mixed dialect area
Mixed Kočevje subdialects
Mixed Kočevje subdialects is a catch-all category for the Slovene dialects of heterogeneous origin now spoken in the Kočevje region. The native Kočevje German population was resettled during the Second World War and the area was subsequently resettled by Slovenian speakers from various areas and...
. Only a few hundred Gottscheers remained. Today their dialect is faced with extinction.
The resettlement of the Germans from Gottschee
After the outbreak of World War II in 1939, YugoslaviaKingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
initially remained neutral, but after a coup in 1941 adopted a staunch anti-Axis position. This led to a German and Italian invasion and occupation of the Kingdom. The Gottscheer were in the Italian occupation zone after Yugoslavia's surrender, which Hitler could not abide. Nazi racial policy dictated that these Germans had to be brought back into the Reich. The Nazis established a branch of the Resettlement Administration at Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
for this purpose.
While some of the Gottscheer community leaders had embraced National Socialism and agitated for "assistance" and "repatriation
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
" to the Reich before the German invasion in 1941, most Gottscheer had no interest in reuniting with Greater Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
or joining the Nazis. They had been integrated into society with their Slovene neighbours, often intermarrying among Slovenes and becoming bilingual while maintaining their Germanic language and customs since their arrival in the region in the late 14th century. However, propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
and Nazi ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
prevailed, and the VoMi began planning the Gottschee "resettlement" (forced expulsion) from Kočevje
Kocevje
Kočevje is a city and a municipality in southern Slovenia. In terms of area it is the largest municipality in Slovenia. It is located between the rivers Krka and Kolpa and is part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola. It is now included in the Jugovzhodna Slovenija statistical region...
which was in the Italian occupation zone to the "Ranner Dreieck" or Brežice
Brežice
Brežice is a city and municipality in eastern Slovenia in the Lower Sava Valley, near the Croatian border. The area was traditionally divided between Lower Styria and Lower Carniola...
Triangle, the region now known as the Lower Sava Valley, located between the confluences of the Krka
Krka (Slovenia)
The Krka is a river in the historic Lower Carniola region of Slovenia, a right tributary of the Sava.It sources at Gradiček near the village of Krka, about southwest of Ivančna Gorica and around southeast of Ljubljana, before flowing southeast...
, Sotla
Sotla
The Sutla or Sotla is a river flowing through Slovenia and Croatia, mostly forming their border. It is a tributary to the Sava, itself a tributary to the Danube.It is and it has a watershed area of ....
, and Sava rivers.
To achieve that goal, accommodation had to be made for the Gottschee "settlers" and some 46,000 Slovenians in the "Rann Triangle" region were forcibly deported to Eastern Germany for potential Germanization or forced labour
Unfree labour
Unfree labour includes all forms of slavery as well as all other related institutions .-Payment for unfree labour:If payment occurs, it may be in one or more of the following forms:...
beginning in November 1941. Shortly before that time, a largely transparent propaganda effort was aimed toward both the Gottscheer and the Slovenes, promising the latter equivalent farmland in Germany for the land relinquished in Lower Styria
Lower Styria
Lower Styria or Slovenian Styria is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of Lower Styria in its historical boundaries amounts to around 705,000 inhabitants, or 34.5% of the population of Slovenia...
. The Gottscheer were given Reich passports and transportation to the Lower Sava Valley just after the forced departure of the Slovenes. Most Gottschee left their homes because of coercion and threats since the VoMi had a deadline of December 31, 1941 for the mass movement of both groups. Though many Gottscheer did receive farmland and households, these were of lesser quality as their own, and many were in disarray from the hasty forced expulsion of the Slovenians.
From the time of their arrival to the end of the war, Gottschee farmers were harassed and killed by Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
's Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
. The attempt to resettle the Gottscheer was a costly failure for the Nazi regime, since extra manpower was required to protect the farmers from the partisans.
The deported Slovenes were taken to several camps in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, where they were forced to work on German farms or in factories run by German industries from 1941-1945. The forced labourers were not always kept in formal concentration camps, but often just vacant buildings where they slept until the next day's labour took them outside these quarters. Toward the end of the war, these camps were liberated by American and Red Army troops, and repatriated refugees later returned to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
The fate of the resettled Gottschee was not much better, and in some cases much worse. At the end of the war the Nazi regime in the region evaporated as soldiers and administrators fled. All Gottschee were killed by partisans. Large group of these refugees who had crossed the border into Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
were forcibly returned to Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
by British occupation troops and later executed by Yugoslav partisans as traitors. Both the Slovenians in the Lower Sava Valley and the Gottschee of Kočevje suffered greatly as a result of Yugoslav communism and left ideological policies.
Further reading
- Thomas F. Bencin. Gottschee: A History of a German Community in Slovenia from the Fourteenth to the Twentieth Century. Master's Thesis 1995. Lousville, CO.: Gottscheer Research and Genealogy Assn. 2003.
- Joseph Erker. Jubiläums-Festbuch der Gottscheer 600-Jahrfeier: aus Anlaß des 600-jährigen Bestandes des Gottscheer Landes. Gottschee : Pavlicek, 1930.
- Mitja FerencMitja FerencMitja Ferenc is a Slovenian historian.Mitja Ferenc was born in Ljubljana as the son of the renowned historian and partisan veteran Tone Ferenc...
. Kočevska: izgubljena kulturna dediščina kočevskih Nemcev; = Gottschee: Das verlorene Kulturerbe der Gottscheer Deutschen. Ljubljana: Zavod Republike Slovenije za varstvo naravne in kulturne dediščine, 1993. - Herber Otterstädt. Gottschee, verlorene Heimat deutscher Waldbauern, 1962.
- Erich Petschauer. Das Jahrhundertbuch der Gottscheer, 1980.
- Karl Schemitisch. Das war This was Gottschee, 1976. Translated into English by Edith Herold.
External links
- www.gottschee.at Website der Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Gottscheer Landsmannschaften
- www.gottschee.de Umfangreiche Website über das Thema KoĿevje / Gottschee - viele Hintergrundinformationen über die tragische Umsiedlung der Gottscheer und die Absiedlung / Deportation der Slowenen aus ihrer angestammten Heimat in der Untersteiermark.
- www.gottschee.com Website with audio folklore samples from Gottscheers in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. - Gottscheer Heritage and Genealogy Association (GHGA) website " founded in 1992 to preserve the culture, history, and genealogical records of Gottscheers and Gottschee (1330-1941)"