Kozica
Encyclopedia
Kozica; is a small village in the Split-Dalmatia County
of Croatia
. It is in the jurisdiction of Vrgorac
, 80 km southeast of Split
. It lies just below Sveti Mihovil mountain which is 1247 m high.
Kozica probably fell with the rest of the area. The spread of the Islamic religion into the region that came with the arrival of the Ottoman army concerned the occupants of the monastery in Makarska
, who began to worry about the residents in Kozica and the surrounding region, fearing that many would convert to Islam
.
from the Ottoman Empire, most of Kozica and the surrounding villages had been deserted because of the exodus
of the populace to the northern regions of Croatia. The Venetian Republic
repopulated the area with Herzegovinian
people from the east.
The withdrawal of the Ottomans saw the region come under the jurisdiction of the Venetian Republic, then under the laws of Napoleon
. A short and prosperous period followed, which included the construction of the "napoleonsku cestu" (Napoleon's road), encouraging travel to the area. With the failure of Napoleon's campaign in Dalmatia, Kozica fell under the laws of Austria-Hungary
, it remained so until the end of the First World War.
's partisans, were operating in the area.
Kozica became known as a partisan village as many opposed Hitler's ideology and the presence of foreign forces on their land. Jozo Jurcevic's partisan brigade, led by Petar Bogunović, numbered about 350 men from the Peljusac peninsula and southern Dalmatia. It was active in the Biokovo area from June 6, 1942. Kozica was a starting point which to launch their offensives to free the city of Vrgorac from Nazi occupation. The Italians became infuriated and decided to take action. Operation Albia gave the Italian army the objective of wiping out all partisans from Biokovo, this caused great harm to the civilians in the area.
In August 1942, the Italian army brought Četnik forces
to the area in trucks; their mission was to destroy everything and "clean" Biokovo of partisans, disregarding NDH
wishes to keep Četnicks out of Croatia. This action brought controversy to the region, implying the Italians were only looking after their interests. On 29 August, the Četnicks rounded up all the people in the villages, put them in a house and set it on fire, killing 270 civilians, 66 of them from Kozica. After the Četnik rampage, nearly all of Kozica's infrastructure and housing was destroyed. Following the Italian surrender to the Allies
, the incoming Germans and Ustase
(a Croation pro-nazi movement), launched their sixth anti-Partisan Offensive (Šesta neprijateljska ofenziva/ofanziva). Kozica was reoccupied along with the rest of the Vrgorac municipality only for the Germans to retreat in October 1944. A common saying in Kozica has come about due to the Human losses in World War 2, "Kozica selo malo, puno partizana je dalo" (Kozica is a little village yet it produced many Partisans)
. Kozica is situated on a plateau in between two mountains, Biokovo and Sveti Mihovil.
from Zagreb
via Split
to Dubrovnik
. The nearest motorway exit for Kozica is Ravča
which is 3-4 km south of Kozica, only a three minute drive away. This brings hope to the village's economy.
In recent times, there was a dramatic drop from previous censa.
Split-Dalmatia County
Split-Dalmatia County is the central-southern Dalmatian county in Croatia. The administrative center is Split. The population of the county is 455,242...
of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. It is in the jurisdiction of Vrgorac
Vrgorac
Vrgorac is a town in Croatia in the Split-Dalmatia County.The total population of Vrgorac is 6,501 , in the following settlements:* Banja, population 214* Dragljane, population 47* Draževitići, population 204* Duge Njive, population 106...
, 80 km southeast of Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
. It lies just below Sveti Mihovil mountain which is 1247 m high.
Ottoman Empire
When Vrgorac capitulated to the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Kozica probably fell with the rest of the area. The spread of the Islamic religion into the region that came with the arrival of the Ottoman army concerned the occupants of the monastery in Makarska
Makarska
Makarska is a small town on the Adriatic coastline of Croatia, about southeast of Split and northwest of Dubrovnik. It has a population of 13,716 residents. Administratively Makarska has the status of a town and it is part of the Split-Dalmatia County....
, who began to worry about the residents in Kozica and the surrounding region, fearing that many would convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Post-Ottoman occupation
After the liberation of inner DalmatiaDalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
from the Ottoman Empire, most of Kozica and the surrounding villages had been deserted because of the exodus
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
of the populace to the northern regions of Croatia. The Venetian Republic
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
repopulated the area with Herzegovinian
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
people from the east.
The withdrawal of the Ottomans saw the region come under the jurisdiction of the Venetian Republic, then under the laws of Napoleon
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
. A short and prosperous period followed, which included the construction of the "napoleonsku cestu" (Napoleon's road), encouraging travel to the area. With the failure of Napoleon's campaign in Dalmatia, Kozica fell under the laws of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, it remained so until the end of the First World War.
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1918–1941)
Many of Kozica's population bought land near Vrgorac, where they grew their own produce, including olives and grapes; the area acquired a reputation for good wine. The Second World War changed this for the worse.World War II
Hitler occupied Yugoslavia from April 1941; he carved the country up using different Axis armies. Kozica and the surrounding region was occupied by the Italians. With their forces operating a garrison in Kozica, it was able to keep the village and surroundings under observation. However, a rapidly growing force, TitoJosip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
's partisans, were operating in the area.
Kozica became known as a partisan village as many opposed Hitler's ideology and the presence of foreign forces on their land. Jozo Jurcevic's partisan brigade, led by Petar Bogunović, numbered about 350 men from the Peljusac peninsula and southern Dalmatia. It was active in the Biokovo area from June 6, 1942. Kozica was a starting point which to launch their offensives to free the city of Vrgorac from Nazi occupation. The Italians became infuriated and decided to take action. Operation Albia gave the Italian army the objective of wiping out all partisans from Biokovo, this caused great harm to the civilians in the area.
Chetniks
Chetniks, or the Chetnik movement , were Serbian nationalist and royalist paramilitary organizations from the first half of the 20th century. The Chetniks were formed as a Serbian resistance against the Ottoman Empire in 1904, and participated in the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II...
to the area in trucks; their mission was to destroy everything and "clean" Biokovo of partisans, disregarding NDH
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
wishes to keep Četnicks out of Croatia. This action brought controversy to the region, implying the Italians were only looking after their interests. On 29 August, the Četnicks rounded up all the people in the villages, put them in a house and set it on fire, killing 270 civilians, 66 of them from Kozica. After the Četnik rampage, nearly all of Kozica's infrastructure and housing was destroyed. Following the Italian surrender to the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
, the incoming Germans and Ustase
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
(a Croation pro-nazi movement), launched their sixth anti-Partisan Offensive (Šesta neprijateljska ofenziva/ofanziva). Kozica was reoccupied along with the rest of the Vrgorac municipality only for the Germans to retreat in October 1944. A common saying in Kozica has come about due to the Human losses in World War 2, "Kozica selo malo, puno partizana je dalo" (Kozica is a little village yet it produced many Partisans)
Climate
Kozica has a Sub-Mediterranean climate, but due to its elavation Kozica has its own specific climate which differs from the Dalmatian Coast. Kozica has its own MicroclimateMicroclimate
A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
. Kozica is situated on a plateau in between two mountains, Biokovo and Sveti Mihovil.
Tourism and the economy
Tourism has started up in Kozica and is becoming popular for cyclists who tour the region and like the idea of a challenge due to its rocky landscape. Kozica's natural beauty also attracts those who would like to take a break from the coastal cities and cramped resorts in the summer. Kozica's charm as a small Mediterranean mountain village gives tourists peace and quiet while only being 20 minutes by car from the nearest beach. Kozica is also home to various palm trees and many other types of flora. Kozica's landscape is a mixture of natural and man-made structures. The new motorway is at one with the landscape and the viaducts are surely a sight to see. Tourism in Kozica is expected to increase with the construction of the A1 highwayA1 (Croatia)
The A1 motorway is the longest motorway in Croatia spanning . As it connects Zagreb, the nation's capital, to Split, the second largest city in the country and the largest city in Dalmatia, the motorway represents a major north–south transportation corridor in Croatia and a significant part of the...
from Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
via Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
to Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
. The nearest motorway exit for Kozica is Ravča
Ravča
Ravča is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D512 highway. Since December 2008, the A1 motorway has an eponymous exit located west of the village....
which is 3-4 km south of Kozica, only a three minute drive away. This brings hope to the village's economy.
Demographics
There was an increase in population from the 1800s until the Second World War. After 1945 the decrease in population was due to the exodus of people trying to find a better life in the cities or migrating.In recent times, there was a dramatic drop from previous censa.