ABSTRACT
The essay deals with the relationship between marriage and other survival strategies based on the micro ethnologic-demographic study of the way of life of parishioners of Velike Brusnice (Slovenia), located under the hilly Gorjanci between 1840 and 1945. The research of social and cultural characteristics of a self-sufficient family-farming economy, which determine the marriage rules – why, when, and whom to marry - cannot neglect the parishioners’ mainly economic contacts with the inhabitants of neighbouring Žumberk. The author tries to explain the reasons for their prominent endogamy, which is hypothetically the main reason for not marrying with the people of Žumberk in Croatia. The author explains the endogamic rules by the marriage pattern. In this regard she discusses on the one hand the natural conditions for farming, and on the other, the effects of accelerated growth of the population of Brusnice – their emigration and creation of class differences due to the agrarian overpopulation. The emigration process was closely connected to the limited possibilities for income. The Brusnice parishioners did not balance the essential resources and population growth with marriages only; preventing emigration and dividing estates into smaller units would be unsuccessful during the spurs of population growth. The effects of industrialization enabled the socially weakest classes to get married, as well. This can be explained with the mechanism of the so-called “economic nische”, the interpretational model of Hajnal’s thesis about the ‘European marriage pattern’ in the continental agricultural Europe. By this concept, the author seeks to explain those marriages that deviated from the established rules; among them are rear married couples between people from Podgorje and Žumberk. The latter is also confirmed by the archives of the parish Radatovići (Žumberk region in Croatia), where only 8 marriages were registered between 1843 and 2004 with the locals from Podgorje. Most marriages occurred during the years of accelerated population growth. Yet despite busy economic contacts the locals from both parishes did not get married frequently. Oral tradition leads the author to conclude that the lack of marriages between the locals from Podgorje and Žumberk can be ascribed to other perceived cultural differences, particularly of the ‘collective character’ of both economies. Namely, the informants from Podgorje believed that their economies were not compatible but complimentary, which was not in accordance with their endogamic rules that support the marriages among the people from economically, socially and culturally similarly oriented groups. However, it seems that the endogamic rules of people from Podgorje were also a means of maintaining the ethnic and religious boundaries between the locals. It seems that endogamic rules also support the prejudices against people from Žumberk despite many similarities (hard work on poor land, low quality of life, emigration because of agrarian overpopulation, etc.). And finally, the perceived differences between the ways of life of both locals stem from their perceptions of otherness. In this respect, the study of values related to the selection of marriage partners in the context of family structure and family economy, would be of great importance.

ABSTRACT
The essay deals with the relationship between marriage and other survival strategies based on the micro ethnologic-demographic study of the way of life of parishioners of Velike Brusnice (Slovenia), located under the hilly Gorjanci between 1840 and 1945. The research of social and cultural characteristics of a self-sufficient family-farming economy, which determine the marriage rules – why, when, and whom to marry - cannot neglect the parishioners’ mainly economic contacts with the inhabitants of neighbouring Žumberk. The author tries to explain the reasons for their prominent endogamy, which is hypothetically the main reason for not marrying with the people of Žumberk in Croatia. The author explains the endogamic rules by the marriage pattern. In this regard she discusses on the one hand the natural conditions for farming, and on the other, the effects of accelerated growth of the population of Brusnice – their emigration and creation of class differences due to the agrarian overpopulation. The emigration process was closely connected to the limited possibilities for income. The Brusnice parishioners did not balance the essential resources and population growth with marriages only; preventing emigration and dividing estates into smaller units would be unsuccessful during the spurs of population growth. The effects of industrialization enabled the socially weakest classes to get married, as well. This can be explained with the mechanism of the so-called “economic nische”, the interpretational model of Hajnal’s thesis about the ‘European marriage pattern’ in the continental agricultural Europe. By this concept, the author seeks to explain those marriages that deviated from the established rules; among them are rear married couples between people from Podgorje and Žumberk. The latter is also confirmed by the archives of the parish Radatovići (Žumberk region in Croatia), where only 8 marriages were registered between 1843 and 2004 with the locals from Podgorje. Most marriages occurred during the years of accelerated population growth. Yet despite busy economic contacts the locals from both parishes did not get married frequently. Oral tradition leads the author to conclude that the lack of marriages between the locals from Podgorje and Žumberk can be ascribed to other perceived cultural differences, particularly of the ‘collective character’ of both economies. Namely, the informants from Podgorje believed that their economies were not compatible but complimentary, which was not in accordance with their endogamic rules that support the marriages among the people from economically, socially and culturally similarly oriented groups. However, it seems that the endogamic rules of people from Podgorje were also a means of maintaining the ethnic and religious boundaries between the locals. It seems that endogamic rules also support the prejudices against people from Žumberk despite many similarities (hard work on poor land, low quality of life, emigration because of agrarian overpopulation, etc.). And finally, the perceived differences between the ways of life of both locals stem from their perceptions of otherness. In this respect, the study of values related to the selection of marriage partners in the context of family structure and family economy, would be of great importance.

ABSTRACT
In the essay, the author holds that intermarrying among Žumberčani (the locals from the Žumberak region in Croatia) has been common practice at least during the past century and a half. The reasons for such in-group marrying strategies are significantly connected to the past ways of life of Žumberčani of the Greek-Catholic religious affiliation, particularly to the ancestors who settled the then Military Border Zone as uskoki. Considered were the informants’ narratives from the most ancient Greek-Catholic parish in Radatovići; the westernmost Žumberak parish situated at the Croat-Slovenian state border. In conclusion, the paper seeks to determine whether Žumberčani have been marrying also cross the present border with Slovenia, with whom, and to what extent. During the first fieldwork in 2003, the informants’ narratives about the past and present ways of life in the Radatovići parish were collected. During the second fieldwork in 2005, the main topic of the interviews was marriage practices among Žumberčani, and relevant archival material on the topic was collected. By means of uni- and bi-variat statistical methods, the data on the parishioners’ marriages in the period from 1858 to 2004 were analyzed.The specific collective identity of Žumberčani of Greek-Catholic affiliation, life in the zadruga households with the common, indivisible property, and the specific past ways of life in the region are significantly connected to the marrying strategies. In 2005, the informants ascribed the marrying within the parish to the specific way of life in the times before WWII. After the war, better employment opportunities arose in factories outside the Žumberak region, in the near urban centres in Croatia and Slovenia. As a consequence, »mixed marriages« are said to have increased. However, descriptive statistical analysis shows that even on the Slovenian side of the state border, Žumberčani have predominantly married among themselves since WWII, mostly within the Greek-Catholic community in the Slovenian town Metlika. To sum up, the statistical analysis shows that during the past 150 years, the majority of bridegrooms and brides (app. 70% and 82% respectively) were born, and have before marriage lived in the Radatovići parish. In this sense, their marrying strategies were endogamous, occurring within their own group. Yet the analysis of the much smaller percentages of non-endogamous partners (app. 30% bridegrooms and 18% brides) shows that they were in most cases born, or have until marriage lived, in the nearby Greek-Catholic parishes either in Žumberak or in Slovenia, and only in a few cases in the Roman-Catholic parishes. Demonstrably then, Žumberčani remained predominantly endogamous even after WWII, in Žumberak as well as in Slovenia.

ABSTRACT
In the essay, the author holds that intermarrying among Žumberčani (the locals from the Žumberak region in Croatia) has been common practice at least during the past century and a half. The reasons for such in-group marrying strategies are significantly connected to the past ways of life of Žumberčani of the Greek-Catholic religious affiliation, particularly to the ancestors who settled the then Military Border Zone as uskoki. Considered were the informants’ narratives from the most ancient Greek-Catholic parish in Radatovići; the westernmost Žumberak parish situated at the Croat-Slovenian state border. In conclusion, the paper seeks to determine whether Žumberčani have been marrying also cross the present border with Slovenia, with whom, and to what extent. During the first fieldwork in 2003, the informants’ narratives about the past and present ways of life in the Radatovići parish were collected. During the second fieldwork in 2005, the main topic of the interviews was marriage practices among Žumberčani, and relevant archival material on the topic was collected. By means of uni- and bi-variat statistical methods, the data on the parishioners’ marriages in the period from 1858 to 2004 were analyzed.The specific collective identity of Žumberčani of Greek-Catholic affiliation, life in the zadruga households with the common, indivisible property, and the specific past ways of life in the region are significantly connected to the marrying strategies. In 2005, the informants ascribed the marrying within the parish to the specific way of life in the times before WWII. After the war, better employment opportunities arose in factories outside the Žumberak region, in the near urban centres in Croatia and Slovenia. As a consequence, »mixed marriages« are said to have increased. However, descriptive statistical analysis shows that even on the Slovenian side of the state border, Žumberčani have predominantly married among themselves since WWII, mostly within the Greek-Catholic community in the Slovenian town Metlika. To sum up, the statistical analysis shows that during the past 150 years, the majority of bridegrooms and brides (app. 70% and 82% respectively) were born, and have before marriage lived in the Radatovići parish. In this sense, their marrying strategies were endogamous, occurring within their own group. Yet the analysis of the much smaller percentages of non-endogamous partners (app. 30% bridegrooms and 18% brides) shows that they were in most cases born, or have until marriage lived, in the nearby Greek-Catholic parishes either in Žumberak or in Slovenia, and only in a few cases in the Roman-Catholic parishes. Demonstrably then, Žumberčani remained predominantly endogamous even after WWII, in Žumberak as well as in Slovenia.

ABSTRACT
The article analyses the experience of Croatian migrant-returnees who have come back from abroad to the south-western Žumberak region. The research into the returnees' experiences in this area is intertwined with research into the consequences of the raising of the international Croatian-Slovenian border. It has been established that the characteristics of the region of origin, combined with the phase in the life cycle in which the repatriation from external migration took place, influenced the choice of the place of settlement after return. For young people, the return coincides with internal migration from the economically undeveloped hill settlements, which are isolated in the sense of communications, to the well-connected and economically more developed settlements in the environs. At the same time, returnees who are in the older age group prefer to resettle in their immediate native place. Further, the author compares the life experience of four migrants after their return. It is obvious that, in order to understand such experiences, it is necessary to take into account the juncture in the personal and family life cycle in which they are returning (individual and family time), along with the juncture in the social and political development of the region and of the state of return (historical time). In the case of returnees in the younger age group, a twofold historical time is necessary for comprehending their current experiences: it comprises the period in which they returned (socialist Yugoslavia) and the current period (the separate States of Croatia and Slovenia). Therefore, both the experiences and current problems of migrants who returned thirty years ago differ to an extent from those of migrants who came back after the emergence of the Croatian and the Slovenian states. The returnee experiences of those who came back during socialism were formed on the former intrastate (republican) borders, while the changes brought into their lives by the transformation of republican into international borders are exceptionally negatively evaluated. For their part, the returnee migrants who have come back more recently, subsequent to the state and political changes, do not focus their complaints exclusively on the new border regime. Such issues are even completely absent or are somewhat overshadowed by general social criticism. The author concludes that those who have come back from external migration as returnees to the south-western Žumberak region can be described as pragmatic border inhabitants and/or as disenchanted Croatian citizens. They testify to the frustrating position of an economically, geographically and demographically marginal region of Croatia, where the state finds it economically unfeasible to invest in infrastructure and the economy, while, at the same time, wanting to retain it inside the existing borders, lead by the logic of the territorial national state.

ABSTRACT
The article analyses the experience of Croatian migrant-returnees who have come back from abroad to the south-western Žumberak region. The research into the returnees' experiences in this area is intertwined with research into the consequences of the raising of the international Croatian-Slovenian border. It has been established that the characteristics of the region of origin, combined with the phase in the life cycle in which the repatriation from external migration took place, influenced the choice of the place of settlement after return. For young people, the return coincides with internal migration from the economically undeveloped hill settlements, which are isolated in the sense of communications, to the well-connected and economically more developed settlements in the environs. At the same time, returnees who are in the older age group prefer to resettle in their immediate native place. Further, the author compares the life experience of four migrants after their return. It is obvious that, in order to understand such experiences, it is necessary to take into account the juncture in the personal and family life cycle in which they are returning (individual and family time), along with the juncture in the social and political development of the region and of the state of return (historical time). In the case of returnees in the younger age group, a twofold historical time is necessary for comprehending their current experiences: it comprises the period in which they returned (socialist Yugoslavia) and the current period (the separate States of Croatia and Slovenia). Therefore, both the experiences and current problems of migrants who returned thirty years ago differ to an extent from those of migrants who came back after the emergence of the Croatian and the Slovenian states. The returnee experiences of those who came back during socialism were formed on the former intrastate (republican) borders, while the changes brought into their lives by the transformation of republican into international borders are exceptionally negatively evaluated. For their part, the returnee migrants who have come back more recently, subsequent to the state and political changes, do not focus their complaints exclusively on the new border regime. Such issues are even completely absent or are somewhat overshadowed by general social criticism. The author concludes that those who have come back from external migration as returnees to the south-western Žumberak region can be described as pragmatic border inhabitants and/or as disenchanted Croatian citizens. They testify to the frustrating position of an economically, geographically and demographically marginal region of Croatia, where the state finds it economically unfeasible to invest in infrastructure and the economy, while, at the same time, wanting to retain it inside the existing borders, lead by the logic of the territorial national state.

ABSTRACT
The essay discusses Žumberčani population in Slovenia. They immigrated to Slovenia from the hilly region of Žumberk, app. 15 to 40 km west of the Croatian Capital Zagreb along the Slovenian-Croatian state border. Mostly they are descendents of the Uskoki, the population that had immigrated from the Balkans after the Ottoman conquest of the region. In the 1611, the majority of the Uskoks from Žumberak became Greek-Catholics, Eastern Christians, which are directly subject to the Pope in Rome. Žumberk was a part of Military Border Region, which was organized as defense belt against the Ottomans by Habsburgs; Žumberčani were recruited professional soldiers by the Hapsburg Empire. After the abolishment of the Military Border Region in 1881, the life and economic conditions in Žumberk changed dramatically. Since then, Žumberk demographically has become an exodus zone. Žumberčani were forced to migrate to other regions of Habsburg Empire and to other states, predominantly to the USA, France and Germany. Since 1880, Žumberčani have migrated in larger numbers towards the border regions along the present Slovenian-Croatian state border, especially to Bela krajina, Novo mesto and Posavje in Southeastern Slovenia, and to larger cities, such as Ljubljana. This is also the geographical framework of our analyses of the present Žumberčani population in Slovenia. More than half out of 671 Žumberčani, and 772 other persons living with them in the same households (families), live in Municipality of Metlika in Bela krajina. Other persons are individuals that were not born in Žumberk settlements in Croatia neither did they declare themselves as Greek-Catholics in population census. Žumberčani are demographically older population then the majority in the region. They are more concentrated in urban settlements and have a larger proportion of males. The differences in employment end education structure of Žumberčani in comparison with entire population in the region are statistically not significant. The majority of the middle aged, and particularly the young generations of Žumberčani live in ethnically and religiously heterogeneous households and families. Yet the analyses show the important shift in younger population from declared Croats to Slovenians, and the Greek-Catholics to Roman-Catholics. Trends are less strong in Municipality of Metlika where Žumberčani represent a larger proportion in local population.

ABSTRACT
The essay discusses Žumberčani population in Slovenia. They immigrated to Slovenia from the hilly region of Žumberk, app. 15 to 40 km west of the Croatian Capital Zagreb along the Slovenian-Croatian state border. Mostly they are descendents of the Uskoki, the population that had immigrated from the Balkans after the Ottoman conquest of the region. In the 1611, the majority of the Uskoks from Žumberak became Greek-Catholics, Eastern Christians, which are directly subject to the Pope in Rome. Žumberk was a part of Military Border Region, which was organized as defense belt against the Ottomans by Habsburgs; Žumberčani were recruited professional soldiers by the Hapsburg Empire. After the abolishment of the Military Border Region in 1881, the life and economic conditions in Žumberk changed dramatically. Since then, Žumberk demographically has become an exodus zone. Žumberčani were forced to migrate to other regions of Habsburg Empire and to other states, predominantly to the USA, France and Germany. Since 1880, Žumberčani have migrated in larger numbers towards the border regions along the present Slovenian-Croatian state border, especially to Bela krajina, Novo mesto and Posavje in Southeastern Slovenia, and to larger cities, such as Ljubljana. This is also the geographical framework of our analyses of the present Žumberčani population in Slovenia. More than half out of 671 Žumberčani, and 772 other persons living with them in the same households (families), live in Municipality of Metlika in Bela krajina. Other persons are individuals that were not born in Žumberk settlements in Croatia neither did they declare themselves as Greek-Catholics in population census. Žumberčani are demographically older population then the majority in the region. They are more concentrated in urban settlements and have a larger proportion of males. The differences in employment end education structure of Žumberčani in comparison with entire population in the region are statistically not significant. The majority of the middle aged, and particularly the young generations of Žumberčani live in ethnically and religiously heterogeneous households and families. Yet the analyses show the important shift in younger population from declared Croats to Slovenians, and the Greek-Catholics to Roman-Catholics. Trends are less strong in Municipality of Metlika where Žumberčani represent a larger proportion in local population.

ABSTRACT
Slovene-Croatian bilateral project, which was conducted in years 2004 and 2005, enabled collection of various rare, less accessible archive (statistical, demographical), as well as fieldwork data (interviews). Besides previously collected data, those data provided the platform of the research and for this contribution. The latter focuses on selected aspects of demo-geographical development of population, including fertility and migration, and development of boundary. Žumberk as a peripheral and border as well as a trans-border region lies in a wider area called Kolpa region between Slovenia and Croatia. According to analysed material, results and synthesis respectively, it is possible to sum the findings into three groups up. (a) Spatial determination: Žumberk as political-geographic territorial unit is not completely within the Croatian state. According to the old land law of Carniola, Žumberk was a part of the Military Border of Carniola. (b) Changes in religious and ethnic structure in last 150 years: the basic demographical determinant of Žumberk is greek-catholic religious belief, which could be statistically traced as far as in mid 19th century. Despite of the intensive depopulation, the Greek-catholic population still represents spatially overwhelming part of Žumberk. In the last century, there has been major strengthening of proportion of Roman-Catholics, which is obviously keen to completely supplant greek-catholic faith. Ethnic structure seems to be relatively stable all the way from the first censuses. A strong majority of population declare themselves as Croats. As well as “traditionally” present Slovenes, there are also other groups as Serbs and Yugoslavs decades ago. Locals declared as Serbs formed in some parts of Žumberk even a majority in a couple of post-war censuses. Nowadays it is almost extinct. Since the local regional affiliation (Žumberchans) is merely measurable, the self-determination of population at censuses does not mirror the actual situation in Žumberk. (c) Population dynamics in last two decades: Žumberk is almost famous for its exodus-type emigration, which last already one of the half of century till the present. The fertility itself is not that low as in Slovenia and Croatia, despite of lowering under the simple reproduction level. A low proportion of women in fertile period give rise for concern today and in the future. Migration processes are marked especially by intensive emigration, relatively vivid internal moves, and sporadic immigration. Regional and developmental decline is stressed and in a negative recurrent snare.

ABSTRACT
Slovene-Croatian bilateral project, which was conducted in years 2004 and 2005, enabled collection of various rare, less accessible archive (statistical, demographical), as well as fieldwork data (interviews). Besides previously collected data, those data provided the platform of the research and for this contribution. The latter focuses on selected aspects of demo-geographical development of population, including fertility and migration, and development of boundary. Žumberk as a peripheral and border as well as a trans-border region lies in a wider area called Kolpa region between Slovenia and Croatia. According to analysed material, results and synthesis respectively, it is possible to sum the findings into three groups up. (a) Spatial determination: Žumberk as political-geographic territorial unit is not completely within the Croatian state. According to the old land law of Carniola, Žumberk was a part of the Military Border of Carniola. (b) Changes in religious and ethnic structure in last 150 years: the basic demographical determinant of Žumberk is greek-catholic religious belief, which could be statistically traced as far as in mid 19th century. Despite of the intensive depopulation, the Greek-catholic population still represents spatially overwhelming part of Žumberk. In the last century, there has been major strengthening of proportion of Roman-Catholics, which is obviously keen to completely supplant greek-catholic faith. Ethnic structure seems to be relatively stable all the way from the first censuses. A strong majority of population declare themselves as Croats. As well as “traditionally” present Slovenes, there are also other groups as Serbs and Yugoslavs decades ago. Locals declared as Serbs formed in some parts of Žumberk even a majority in a couple of post-war censuses. Nowadays it is almost extinct. Since the local regional affiliation (Žumberchans) is merely measurable, the self-determination of population at censuses does not mirror the actual situation in Žumberk. (c) Population dynamics in last two decades: Žumberk is almost famous for its exodus-type emigration, which last already one of the half of century till the present. The fertility itself is not that low as in Slovenia and Croatia, despite of lowering under the simple reproduction level. A low proportion of women in fertile period give rise for concern today and in the future. Migration processes are marked especially by intensive emigration, relatively vivid internal moves, and sporadic immigration. Regional and developmental decline is stressed and in a negative recurrent snare.