The issue of emergence and work of the Kulturbund and other German organizations in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians / Yugoslavia

Abstract

The paper discusses the issue of the emergence of the Kulturbund, a German minority organization, which caused suspicion and hostility in the majority nation, as well as the authorities, since its formation. Based on archival research and the analysis of the then media, the author found that there had been significant limitations imposed on the German minority by the authorities, particularly in the political, but also in the cultural field. This paper specially discusses the issue of education in the German language, and also discusses some incidents, especially after the introduction of the Sixth January Dictatorship, which insisted on strengthening of the integral Yugoslavhood in the cultural, educational and political areas. The analyses and conclusions were made on the basis of archival research, as well as observation and treatment of the press between the two wars as a relevant testimony of the then circumstances and the state of mind of an “average” journalist and editor.

Keywords

• germans
• kulturbund
• education
• minorities
• culture
• education system
• press