DONJA DUBRAVA - SREDIŠTE SPLAVARSTVA NA RIJECI DRAVI
DONJA DUBRAVA - CENTER OF LUMBERING AND FLOATING TRADE ON RIVER DRAVA

Summary/Abstract: In the past, littoral settlements and population along Drava River were depending a great deal more on »gifts and whims« of Drava River, than it is today. Next to other activities, tied to Drava, lumbering and floating trade had a very important economic role (fljojsarstvoa local term for river lumbering). Since early 19th century until the World War Two, lumber trade was particularly thrived and prospered. The most developed commercial company in lumber and floating established a head office in the town of Donja Dubrava in Međimurje region, close to confluence of Mura into Drava. This is where a large commercial company »Ujlaki-Hirschler and sons« established their offices; on the turn of the 20th century, the company had more than 500 employees. Rafting of lumber in Donja Dubrava took lumber all the way from Maribor to Donja Dubrava and onward to Osijek, Novi Sad, Beograd and Smederevo. This paper describes development of this commercial trade throughout nearly 150 years time, as much as the preserved sources and history enabled.

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