SLAVONSKO-PODRAVSKA ŽELEZNICA U RAZVOJU SLAVONSKE PODRAVINE
The Role of Slavonian-Podravian Railway in the Development of Slavonian Podravina

Summary/Abstract: Slavonian-Podravian Railway or „Gutmann's Railway”, was of a great importance for the areas of Slavonian Podravina and regions north of Papuk, particularly for the development of Belisce wood processing enterprise, whose needs were the main reason for building the railway. The region of Slavonian Podravina, streched to the foot of Papuk, as well as some areas of Papuk, presented in XIX century an attractive ground for investments, due to the fact that the region was rich in centenary high quality forests. At the beginning the concessionars of Slavonian-Podravian Railway directed the railway on the Drava river, which was used for wood pulp export towards the Danube river and further in the direction of Central Europe or towards the Adriatic Sea. However, with further development of local railway networks in Slavonia they attached their own railways. Key reloading stations were situated in Osijek and Cacinci, but also in D. Miholjac, which served as a transport point for the goods sent to Hungary. Economic and structural crisis that affected Slavonian Podravina in the second half of XIX century resulted in migrations from Slavonian Podravina, mainly to America, and settling of predominantly German and Hungarian population in this region. Slavonian-Podravian railway network served for such purposes as well. All Gutmann's railway networks were built in the period from 1884 to 1908, at the time of Julian Action. Therefore the same railways were connected to the hungarization of Slavonian Podravina through schools and railway networks. Along with the change of social-political relations after the First World War, Slavonian-Podravian Railway became a stock company whose importance gradually declined due to reducing of wood pulp and introducing of alternative transport means.

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