ЈУГОСЛОВЕНСКА КОЛОНИЈА У ЦАРИГРАДУ ИЗМЕЂУ ДВА СВЕТСКА РАТА
The Yugoslav Colony in Constantinople Between the Two World Wars

Summary/Abstract: Functioning and lives of the members of the Yugoslav colony in Constantinople/ Istanbul which came to being after WWI, was infl uenced by many factors ranging from those concerning political changes in Turkey to relations of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes/Yugoslavia with the colony. Taking over of Constantinople by the Turkish authorities led to suppressing of Christians, and the loss of the role of the political center of the state contributed to gradual emigration of the population due to deteriorating economic situation. The lack of clear direction on the part of the authorities of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in which one should work to aid and develop the colony, its primary concern with the colony’s Orthodox members, confl icts among them and their gradual assimilation led to the decrease of numbers and weakening of compactness of the colony. On the basis of the existing archival sources it isn’t possible to determine the exact number of the members of the colony, but it ranged from 10.000 at the end of WWI to 2.000 at the beginning of WWII. Members of the colony were mostly engaged in crafts, commerce, sailing, services, but also in heavy menial jobs in building and other industries. Most members of the colony were poor during the inter-war period. The process of extinguishing of the colony was completed during WWII.

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