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 Coat of arms of the Czechs in Croatia | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 9,641 (2011)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Bjelovar-Bilogora | 506 |
 Požega-Slavonia | 80 |
| Languages | |
| Czech,Croatian | |
| Religion | |
| Roman Catholicism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Slovaks | |
Czechs are one of the recognised minorities ofCroatia. According to the census of 2011 there were 9,641 Czechs in Croatia, comprising 0.22% of total population.[1]
Most Croatian Czechs live in WesternSlavonia especially around the cities ofDaruvar andGrubišno Polje. They comprise 5.25% of population ofBjelovar-Bilogora County and 0.83% ofPožega-Slavonia County.[1] They comprise a relative majority inKončanica municipality and in villages like Veliki Zdenci, Mali Zdenci, Golubinjak etc. They can be also found in almost all major towns in Croatia.
| Municipality | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Končanica | 46.67% |
| Dežanovac | 23.48% |
| Daruvar | 18.90% |
| Grubišno Polje | 18.02% |
| Sirač | 10.21% |
| Hercegovac | 9.60% |
| Veliki Grđevac | 4.76% |
| Lipik | 3.52% |
| Pakrac | 3.03% |
| Kaptol | 2.49% |
| Lipovljani | 2.43% |
| Kutina | 1.53% |
| Garešnica | 1.34% |
| Dubrava | 1.13% |
| Kutjevo | 1.12% |
| Đulovac | 1.05% |
As of 2009[update], Czech is officially used in one municipality and five other settlements in Croatia, according to theEuropean Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.[2]
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After theTreaty of Karlowitz in 1699, Slavonia changed hands from theOttomans toHabsburgs, and theMuslim population fled. This left large swathes of land vacant, and the Habsburgs started to colonize new lands with people from all parts of their Empire. The first Czechs arrived in Slavonia around the 1750s, and were settled in Western Slavonia throughout the 19th century. In Croatia, they could buy from ten or more acres of arable land for price of 1-acre (4,000 m2) they sold in theCzech lands. Czechs also settled other parts of Croatia such asGorski kotar, and bigger cities where they were praised as skilled workers and clerks, but were assimilated in two or three generations. One of these urban Czechs wasAugust Šenoa, a Croatian writer. Czechs soon found the need to culturally organise themselves, and in 1874 the firstČeská Beseda (Czech word) was founded in Zagreb. This was an organization promoting Czech culture and the use of Czech in Croatia, and organised the first theater play inCzech in the same year. In time České Besedy (Czech plural of Česká Beseda) were founded all across Croatia, and opened Czech libraries and Sport societies of theCzech Sokol movement. In 1911 the first Czech newspaper started printing in Zagreb.
TheKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, established after theFirst World War, was very amicable to the Czech minority. This has been attributed to the cordial relations withCzechoslovakia during the interwar period, and jointSlavic roots. The first Czech school was open in 1922 in Daruvar, and first kindergarten in 1926 also in Daruvar. Czechs organized themselves politically and formed a Czech party which was active only in the first years of Kingdom. From 1922 the newspaperJugoslávští Čechoslováci (Yugoslav Czechoslovaks) was printed in Duruvar. Czechs, just like Slovaks generally did not collaborate with the occupying powers during the World War II. Some of them left to Czechoslovakia after the war, but a number of them subsequently returned, as the communists seized power inCzechoslovakia.[3]
In Socialist, postWorld War IIYugoslavia Czechs enjoyed even greater rights, and more schools were opened. After the break-up of Yugoslavia, Czech areas were found near war operations and many Czechs participated in Croatian army[citation needed].
Czechs are officially recognized as an autochthonous national minority, and as such, they, together with theSlovaks of Croatia, elect a special representative to theCroatian Parliament.[4]
In the elections of2000,2003, and2007, the Czech and Slovak representative wasZdenka Čunhil from theCroatian Peasant Party.
The Czechs are organised in 24 Česka Beseda's all across Croatia that form the Czech Union of Croatia, an organization that promotes Czech language and culture in Croatia.Folk dance, poetry, singing and Czech courses are the main activities of Beseda's. Some Beseda's even have theater groups, and the Czech Union prints their weekly magazine calledJednota (Unity). They organize festivals oftheater groups, festivals of Czech children song,Naše Jaro-festival of schoolchildren cultural activities,Vanočka- festival of younger folkdance groups and biennal manifestationDožinky in Daruvar celebrating end ofharvest works. There are dozens of Czech primary schools and kindergartens andHigh School in Daruvar has one Czech department.
There are also two industrial brands associated with Croatian Czechs; Zdenka cheese, produced in a factory in Veliki Zdenci dominantly Czech village and Staročeško (Old-Czech)beer produced by abrewery in Daruvar.
They are also referred to by their non-Czech neighbours asPemci.[5]
