According to the census data 1880-2011

Dr. Melita Švob, CENDO

Jewish population in Croatia

• Jewish population in Croatia is remnant from big community (25000 members in 1941). According to data from 10 Jewish communities, which exist in Croatia after the Holocaust, they have today about 2500 members. But official census data in Croatia recognized only about 500 Jews, who declared in census as „Jew by nationality”. Jews who declared in census as „Jew by religion „ are not officially recognized by government and other institutions.

• Therefore, the number of officially recognized Jews in Croatia is about five time lower then their real number in Jewish community. This have great repercussion on the status of community, governmental support to Jewish minority groups and their activities.

• Census research are important also for other countries in post communistic Europe, where „religion” long time has not been recognized.

Jewish religious population in Croatia according census data

Project „Jewish (religious) population in Croatia” is continuation of our previous research on Jewish population in Croatia. In proposed project we will focus on census data in which Jews has been registered with two possibilities - by nationality and by religion.

•We collect and review available census data, publications and data about Jewish population in Croatia, demography, communal organization, suffering in Holocaust and migration after war. We search for numbers of Jews in communities, in list of victims and survivors, list of emigrated and immigrated persons and results of surveys

•We visited Central Statistical office and other institutions and asked for edited and non edited census data about Jewish religious population. •Special attention was given to the census data after World War II, because during the communistic time question about religion was not asked or was not further elaborated. •We investigated data in 12 censuses: in years 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1948, 1953, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011. We found data about religion in censuses from years 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1921, 1931, 1953, 1991, 2001 and 2011.

Number of Jews in Croatia according nationality and religion in censuses 1880 - 2011

Year Total populationIn Croatia

Jews

By nationality By religion

1880. 2 506 228 - 13 634

1890. 2 854 558 - 17 515

1900. 3 161 456 - 20 131

1910. 3 460 584 - 21 831

1921. 3 443 375 - 19 777

1931. 3 785 455 - 20 567

1948. 3 779 858 - -

1953. 3 936 022 413 1 011

1961. 4 159 696 406 -

1971. 4 426 221 2 845 -

1981. 4 601 469 316 -

1991. 4 784 265 600 633

2001. 4 437 460 576 495

2011. 4 284 889 509 536

Izvor:Knjige popisa stanovništva

Number of Jews in the censuses 1880 - 1931 (before WW. II), when they can declare (only) religion

13634

17515

2013121831

1977720567

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

1880. 1890. 1900. 1910. 1921. 1931.Godine popisa

Broj Židova

Censuses from years 1880,1890,1900 and 1910

Status of Jews before I. World War

  In year 1860 Jews have permission to own property and land which they cultivated On February 1906 new Law on the regulation of “ Israelite communities” Affiliation to a Jewish community was obligatory and only one Jewish commune was

allowed to exist in one settlement. Jews are recorded only according to religion on the territory of Croatia and Slavonia, In this censuses Jews has been registered as “Israely” Jews in Dalmatia are not included. .Number of Jews increased because this was period of Jewish settlement in Croatia Jewish population grow in towns Jews came mainly from central Europe (Burgenland) after “tolerant law” issued by

the emperor Joseph II on end of the 18th century Some refugee Jews from East Europe (Poland, Russia, and Romania) come to

Croatia

Number of Jews in Croatia, (census 1900) by counties. They are mostly concentrated in

northern part of the country, Zagreb and in the east part Slavonia,Osijek

The share of Jews in total number of national minorities in 1900 census

by counties

The share of Jews in total number of national minorities in 1910 census by counties

Number of Jews in 1910 census, by counties

When we compared censuses in 1900 and 1910 years , we can see increase almost all national minorities in Croatia.

Number of Jews increased for 7,8%, or 1700.

Censuses between two World Wars, in years 1921 and 1931

Jews has been recorded, in that censuses, only according “religion”, there was no question about “nationality”

• There was new territorial and political division in new country SHS (Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes), later Yugoslavia. Jews can be recorded in censuses only on the level of districts, communes and towns

New rules and new Law on „Jewish religious communities” was proclaimed in 1929 In Croatia in 1931 census (last census before WW II) 21 505 Jews were registered, but in

the eve of the War (1940) there were 25 000 Jews (including refugees).

Number of Jews in Croatia according to 1921 and 1931 censuses (according religion)

Year of census 1921. 1931. diference 1931 / 1921

No of Jews 19 777 20 567 790

Number of Jews in CroatiaAccording to 1921 census

Number of Jews in CroatiaIn 1931 census

When we compared censuses in years 1921 and 1931, we found great differences in the distribution of Jewish population which concentrated in towns, probably because of better possibilities for children education and economical prosperity

On the periphery of country population of Jews diminished; we have in 1931 census less Jews in 49 counties and in some counties Jews even disappeared.

Jews in Croatia during Holocaust, in World War II

Destiny of Jews in Croatia was similar as destiny of all European Jews in the countries occupied by Germany or under their influence. On April 10, 1941 a new Nazi state under name NDH was established and covered the territory of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Racial Law was immediately implemented and concentration camps were opened in Croatia or Jews were deported to other Nazi camps (Auschwitz). About 80% of the Croatian Jews were killed in the Holocaust. In camps ended refugees from other countries, Jews from Bosnia and Herzegovina and most of the Croatian Jews In year 1940 there were about 25 000 Jews in Croatia and only about 5 500 of them survived .According some research it was estimated that 6 600 to 7 700 NDH Jews lost their lives in German and other concentration camp and about 13 000 Jews in camps on the territory of NDH. The Jewish Community in Zagreb were closed on the first day of NDH. Later was reopen on another location and with another task (to supply camps). All “leadership“ were imprisoned and mostly killed.

Not only were about 80% of Croatian Jews killed in the Holocaust, but also all Jewish communities has been destroyed and the Jewish way of life almost disappeared

We found „Central record of Jewish Badges” in year 1941, made by Nazi register for Jews in Zagreb with 8 598 names.

Jews in Zagreb 1941 according Nazi register age structure and number of killed

Commemoration in camp Jasenovac in Croatia in which most Jews has been killed

Cemetery in Đakovo (camp)with over 500 women and children graves

Jews participated in NOB (7% of Jewish population)

2 897 Jewish partisan NOB warrior (720 killed) and 1595 in NOP antifascist movement In Croatia 1737 Jews participated in NOB (325 killed)

Censuses After Second War II (1948,1953,1961)

 We analyzed censuses in 1948,1953,1961,1971,1981,1991,2001 and last census in 2011.In these censuses Jews can be registered according to Jewish nationality and in some according religion.

In the first census in year 1948 ,after World War II, 6,538 Jews are registered as “others” nationalities, while at that time Jewish communities numbered 11,934 members.  Census of the year 1953 offered the possibility to declare by nationality and by religion. For Jews results was not given according to settlement places. At that time in Yugoslavia were 2,307 Jews according nationality and 2,563 according religion.

In census 1953 in Croatia there were 1,011 Jews according to religion (Moses faith) and 413 according to Jewish nationality. Jews of “Moses faith” declare their nationality: 61, 2% as Croat, 4,3% as “Yugoslav” and 27,5” as “other non-Slavic” nationality. Jews declare also as Serbian, Slovenian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Italian, Czech and Slovak, German and Slavic nationality.

In census of the year 1961 we can find data for 406 Jews according to nationality (not religion). Data are only on the level of all country Croatia (not settlement).

Number of Jews in the censuses after WW.II

  1953. 1961. 1981. 1991. 2001. 2011.

According religion 1011 - - 633 495 536

According nationality 413 406 316 600 576 509

Jews by religion (Moses faith) in 1953 census in Croatia who declared their „nationality”

Nationality Number (%)

Hrvati (Croats)Srbi (Serb)SlovenciMakedonciJugoslaveniMađari (Hungary)Talijani (Italy)Česi-SlovaciNijemci (German)Ostali Slaveni Neslaveni (Non-Slavic)Ukupno (Total)

619 18

1 1 44 23 4 10 4 8 2791 011

61,221,780,100,104,352,270,400,990,400,8027,59100,0

• In Census in year 1953, in Yugoslavia has been registered 2,307 Jews according nationality and 2,565 Jews according religion (Moses faith).

• 1,364 persons in Croatia (53,1%) who declared as Jews according religion, declared their nationality as „non-Slavic”. They are probably Jews.

• Possibility for double declaration existed in Census 1991 when in Croatia has been 600 Jews according nationality and 633 according religion.

• In Census in 2001 year has been registered 576 Jews according nationality and 495 according religion.

Aliya to Israel

• When we research censuses after WW II , we must take in consideration big emigration to Israel, Aliya, between 1948 and 1952 , when 7,739 members of Jewish Communities from Yugoslavia, migrate to Israel.

• The departures in Israel were permanent migration from the outset.

• Jews who migrate were forced to renounce their citizenship and all ownership in Croatia.

• Jews took all their children in Israel (also those born in the post-war „baby boom”) and part of elderly family members remained in Croatia.

• This additionally altered the demographic structure of Jews in Croatia.

• We compared the age structure of survivors 1945 (Zagreb) with the age structure of Jews who made Aliya in 1948 (ship „Radnik”) also with those who remained in Zagreb.

Censuses in year 1971,1981 and 1991

In census in the year 1971 only nationality has been registered in settlements. Data about Jews, who were registered in 717 places and in unusual number (2,845) cannot be taken as a real. Jews are registered in the places where they have never lived before. Mistakes are also founded in reports in other census results. 

In the census of the year 1981 data has been recorded according to nationality, in settlements. Only 316 Jews lived in 37 settlements.

In censuses of the year 1991, 2001 and 2011 Jews has been registered according to nationality and according religion. In the year 1991 Jews are registered on the level of settlements. Jews lived in 53 places mostly in the town (41) and only in 10 villages.

In 1991 census, 633 Jews were registered according to nationality and 600 according to religion..

Number of Jews (religion)by counties

in census 1991

Number of Jews in Croatia (religion) by counties according census 2001

Number of Jews in Croatia (by nationality)in counties from census 2001

Censuses in 2001 and 2011

In censuses in the years 2001 and 2011 Jews were not registered in settlements but only in towns, counties and districts.

In this censuses data about nationality and religion has not been taken in places with less than 100 inhabitants and for nationality with less than 10 members.

This regulation has special consequences for Jewish population which was decimated in Holocaust and in many places today live only one or two Jewish families. 

In 2001 there were 576 Jews registered according nationality and 495 according to religion. They lived in 47 towns. 

In census 2011 was registered 509 Jews according to nationality and 511 according to religion. They lived in 57 towns, only 18 in villages.

Number of Jews by counties according nationality in census 2011

Number of Jews in Croatiaaccording religion by counties, in 2011 census

Comments

In our research special interests are focused on data about identity of the Jews who declared themselves as religious Jews in the censuses in 1953 and 2011.

In 1953 census we found that 61,2 % religious Jews who declares themselves as “Croatian nationality” and only as 27,5 as Jew.  In census in year 2011 was 50:50% “religious” and “national” Jews. We presume that differences depends on: -political situation in country,-mortality in old survivor’s population,-high number of mixed marriages, -lower participation of Jews in censuses (because of experience in Holocaust and anti-Semitism).  

 Number of Jews in Croatia in censuses 1953, 1961, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 according nationality (red) and according religion

(green)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1953. 1961. 1981. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Po narodnosti Po vjeri

Broj Židova

Godine popisa

Number of cities where Jews lived according to censuses in years 1900, 1910, 1991, 2001 and 2011

781

701

53 49 54

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1900. 1910. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojnaselja

Godina popisa

Number of Jews and number of places where Jews lived according censuses 1900 - 2011

Year Number of places Number of Jews

1900 781 20,131

1910 701 21,831

1991 53 633

2001 49 495

2011 54 529

Number of Jews in towns according to censuses in year1900, 1910, 1921, 1931, 1991, 2001 and 2011

Town 1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Vinkovci 515 613 748 647 5 4 2

Vukovar 513 493 456 306 6 1 4

Osijek 2094 2340 2731 2445 19 24 31

Slavonski Brod 393 558 648 462 2 2 3

Gradiška Nova 143 210 - 207 0 0 1

Požega 327 327 340 248 1 0 1

Virovitica 228 229 278 233 2 2 1

Bjelovar 345 550 502 360 3 3 2

Koprivnica 368 447 369 339 4 8 5

Križevci 230 230 167 126 0 0 0

Varaždin 730 621 569 486 2 3 3

Karlovac 324 320 302 347 1 4 5

Sisak 373 395 331 248 2 2 5

Zagreb 3261 4275 5970 8702 392 368 317

Split 0 0 173 292 47 42 29

Dubrovnik 0 0 108 120 19 17 10

Čakovec 591 622 611 533 4 6 3

327 327340

248

1 0 10

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Number of Jews according to censuses in year 1900, 1910, 1921, 1931, 1991, 2001 and 2011

Požega

515

613

748

647

5 4 20

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Godina popisa

Brojžidova

Vinkovci

513493

456

306

6 1 40

100

200

300

400

500

600

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Vukovar

2094

2340

2731

2445

19 24 310

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Osijek

Number of Jews according to censuses in year 1900, 1910, 1921, 1931, 1991, 2001 and 2011

393

558

648

462

2 2 30

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Slavonski Brod

228 229

278

233

2 2 10

50

100

150

200

250

300

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Virovitica

345

550

502

360

3 3 20

100

200

300

400

500

600

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Bjelovar Koprivnica

368

447

369339

4 8 50

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

230 230

167

126

0 0 00

50

100

150

200

250

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Number of Jews according to censuses in year 1900, 1910, 1921, 1931, 1991, 2001 and 2011

Križevci

730

621569

486

2 3 30

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Varaždin

324 320302

347

1 4 50

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Karlovac Varaždin

373395

331

248

2 2 50

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Number of Jews according to censuses in year 1900, 1910, 1921, 1931, 1991, 2001 and 2011

173

292

47 4229

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Split

Nova GradiškaČakovec

Dubrovnik

108

120

19 1710

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

591622 611

533

4 6 30

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojnaselja

Godina popisa

143

210

0

207

0 0 10

50

100

150

200

250

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Godina popisa

Brojžidova

Number of Jews according to censuses in year 1900, 1910, 1921, 1931, 1991, 2001 and 2011

1172

1872

20 14 120

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

1900. 1910. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Godina popisa

Brojžidova

Rijeka Zagreb

3261

4275

5970

8702

392 368 317

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001. 2011.

Brojžidova

Godina popisa

Number of Jews in Croatian districts in 1931 and 2011

Research in Jewish communities

Research in Jewish communities have great importance because they offer additional data to census data and contribute to the knowledge about the Jewish population.

We collected data from the previous social and demographic analysis in all Jewish communitites in ex-Yugoslavia and Croatia taken in years 1957 and 1971.

We compared data with the research taken by Research and documentation center (CENDO) and other institutions.

.

Research in Yugoslavia - Number of Jews in Jewish communities in 1957Community members man woman % of total % of man % of woman

Zagreb 1.340 576 764 22,3 22,8 21,9

Beograd 1.338 508 830 22,2 22,7 23,8

Sarajevo 1.018 451 567 16,9 17,8 16,2

Subotica 459 194 256 7,5 7,7 7,3

Novi Sad 349 165 184 5,8 6,5 5,3

Osijek 253 105 148 4,2 4,2 4,2

Rijeka 156 59 97 2,6 2,3 2,8

Split 135 51 84 2,2 2,0 2,4

Skoplje 95 44 51 1,6 1,7 1,5

Ljubljana 89 39 50 1,5 1,5 1,4

Total 5.223 2.192 3.031 86,7 86,6 86,8

In all other communites 795 339 459 13,3 13,4 13,2

All communites total 6.021 2.351 3.490 100 100 100

Research about Jewish households in Yugoslavia (1971)

Number of members in Household Number of Households % of the total number of

households

1 single 643 21,5

2 members 777 30,2

3 members 586 22,9

4 members 415 16,2

5 members 101 3,9

6 members 28 1,1

7 and more members 12 0,6

Research in Jewish community Zagreb in 2005 year Household structure in Jewish community in Zagreb

   Households  percentage

One member 223 32%

Two members 168 24%

Three and more members 299 43%

Community Zagreb (according available data) 690 100%

• Number of Holocaust survivors has been estimated on 1,100.000 in year 1945 and about 50% of them lived in Israel.

• Number of survivors who today live in Croatia can be estimated from our databases. In several research we can follow changes in survivors population and high mortality in last time.

• Registration of survivors taken in 1998/1999, when they received so called „Swiss fund”, can be used as a „starting measure” in research about survivors.

• In Croatia has been registered in „Swiss fund” about 900 survivors who lived in 60 settlements, most of them in Zagreb (643), Osijek(46), Split (49), Rijeka (34) and Dubrovnik (12)...

• They survived Holocaust mostly as a hidden children or as a refugee in Italian zone and in NOB (National Liberation War).

Holocaust survivors

Holocaust survivors - „Swiss fund” 1999distribution by age

1999

Year of birth Ages Number of

persons %

1945-1940 52-57 125 14,55%

1939-1932 58-62 118 13,74%

1931-1926 63-67 102 11,87%

1925-1920 68-72 136 15,83%

1919-1914 73-77 173 20,14%

1913-1908 78-82 97 11,29%

1907-1902 83-87 67 7,80%

1901-1896 88-92 29 3,38%

1895- + 93 12 1,40%

    859    

         

Age structure of members in Zagreb Community in year 1941 and 2005

Number of Jews (according religion) and number of places where they lived in censuses

1900 - 2001

Year Number of places

Number of Jews

1900 781 20 131

1910 701 21 831

1991. 51 633

2001. 47 495

2011. 57 529

781

701

53 51

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1900. 1910. 1991. 2001.

Brojnaselja

Godinapopisa

3261

4275

5970

8702

392 368

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

1900. 1910. 1921. 1931. 1991. 2001.Godinapopisa

Brojžidova

Holocaust survivors in Croatia according year of birth (from new data base)

Years of birth

Men

Women

Total1851-1858 4 41859-1866 14 8 221867-1874 35 28 631875-1882 107 84 1911883-1890 140 119 2591891-1898 243 193 4361899-1906 289 198 4871907-1914 239 256 4951915-1922 153 263 4161923-1930 182 290 4721931-1938 135 190 3251939-1946 119 161 280Grand Total 1656 1794 3450

Holocaust survivors in Croatia by age and sex structure(from new data base)

Conclusions

 Our findings confirm our assumption that the official data (censuses) significantly underreported the number of Jews in Croatia with important consequences for the Jewish community in Croatia.  Number and share of one national minority in global population (according census data about ethnic or national denomination) determine their participation in the local and governmental authorities and structures, possibility for schooling,learning mother language, support for journals and publications, cultural societies and manifestations, amount of financialand other support for activities, restitution question, protection.

In our research special attention was given to the censuses after WW. II in which data about religion has not been alwaystaken, or was not further analyzed.

Methodology in the censuses differs each one from another and can be influenced by political situation in country.

Results in census data also depends of the willing of Jews to declare their Jewish nationality or religion (consequence of Holocaust experience and growing anti-Semitism).  In Croatia person who declares in census that he is „Jew by religion,” has not been recognized by governmental institutions, recognized are only persons who declares themselves as „Jews by nationality (ethnicity)” For last censuses there are new decisions that ”when in one settlement is less than 100 inhabitants”, or „when there are less than 10 persons of certain nationality or religion” , census data are not counted.

This have negative consequences on Jewish population who are dispersed in about 60 places in Croatia, in which sometimes lives only one or two families.

In some cases we can obtain only cumulative data about the number of persons who declared that are Jews by religion, according new law about protection of personal data (EU).