The Croatian Immigrant Population in the Vinkovci Area – How Hard is the Immigrant’s Crust of Bread

The Croatian population of Roman Catholic origin from the regions of Herzegovina, Bosnia, Dalmatia, Lika, Zagorje and Bačka which settled down in Vinkovci and the Vinkovci region – in the present area of the easternmost part of Croatia – is quite numerous; this was happening from the beginning of the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century. The causes of coming to Slavonia are: poverty, problems of survival, planned and individual settlement. Research was done on where the immigrants came from and which places in the Vinkovci area they settled; the interaction of the domestic and immigrant populations is also described. In addition, the rural architecture, the kinds of homes, the agriculture and the eating habits of the immigrants after World War II are described as well.
KEY WORDS: Vinkovci region, newcomers, local inhabitants, migration, interaction