Germans of Yugoslavia - History

History

Due to incursions of the Huns in Europe and the associated migration period in the 4th century, Germanic people migrated to the Danube and the Mediterranean as early as the year 375. The first Germans settled in areas of former Yugoslavia approximately 800 years ago. The majority of Germans in the area lived in the Danube basin between Hungary, Croatia and Serbia, and were known as Danube Swabians. The Danube Swabians developed their own distinct culture and dialect. There were most likely also German settlers on the Adriatic who were absorbed into the local population. Among the Danube Swabians, mixed marriages of Germans with Hungarians, Croatians, Serbians and Czechs were common.

To some degree, following the political chaos of the interwar years (compared to the Habsburg regime under which many had lived), the German-speaking population greeted the German Armed Forces in the 1941 invasion of Yugoslavia. In fact, a small portion of the male population joined the combat units of the German troops and the Waffen SS; most, however, were conscripted. After the Second World War, most of those belonging to the Yugoslavian-German minority were interned at camps and eventually expelled from the county. The majority went to Austria and West Germany. However, there were a number of people who stayed, because they were married to local partners. These people and their descendants were no longer officially considered a part of the German population.