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Occupation of Cavtat, 1991-92 By
ZORAN VLAHOVIC The declaration of Croatian independence and her separation from the remainder of the Yugoslav state was met with armed opposition by the Serbian and Montenegrin communist and nationalist interests acting through paramilitary units throughout areas of their traditional settlement in Croatia and with enthusiastic backing of the Yugoslav regular army. It is a matter of record that Croatia was unable to resist such overwhelming forces of aggression until late in 1991 and that parts of her territory fell under Serbian or Montenegrin occupation. In due course occupation forces attempted to link separate areas of Eastern and Western Slavonia as well as the Knin district into the so-called 'Republic of Serbian Krajina' with Knin as its administrative centre. In the course of aggression attempts were made to occupy Dubrovnik. Much wanton destruction was visited upon this beautiful city and upon its hinterland of Konavle. Less publicity was given to the actual occupation of Cavtat, an equally charming if much smaller coastal town to the south of Dubrovnik. Cavtat was taken by the Serbian and Montenegrin forces on 15th October 1991 and its inhabitants suffered the occupation for just over one year - till 17th October 1992. For much of this time the only link with the rest of Croatia or the World at large was a limited postal service which differed substantially from service in other occupied areas of Croatia. In other occupied areas authorities initially used Yugoslav stamp issues, thereafter their own stamp issues. In Cavtat an agreement was reached between civic representatives and occupying authorities which also covered certain postal and financial matters. It was agreed that Croatian stamps or money will not be used in
Postal Stationery of former Yugoslavia used on 30th March 1992.
In the period between 15th October and 13th December 1991 the transmission of mail between Cavtat and Dubrovnik was made by the M.S. 'Argosy'. This ship sailed between two ports every 8 -10 days and was used to ferry Croatian representatives and EEC observers negotiating with the occupying forces. Daily ship service resumed on the 14th December 1991 and from that date on mail was exchanged with Dubrovnik every day. Postal deliveries in the hinterland of Cavtat also became possible early in December after lengthy and tortuous negotiations between Cavtat's postmen and occupying authorities. On the instructions of Dubrovnik Postal Centre Cavtat Post Office was able initially to accept only letters and postcards addressed to Croatia or Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the eruption of hostilities and disruption of postal services in Bosnia the acceptance of mail for Bosnian destinations ceased on the 7th September 1992. However, on the same day dispatch of mail for foreign destinations became possible. On the 23rd December 1991 Croatia introduced her own currency replacing Yugoslav monetary unit with the Croatian Dinar. As the inhabitants refused to use Yugoslav money and Croatian variety was neither available nor allowed it became necessary to find a way to pay or account for postal services. In the circumstances Dubrovnik Postal Centre hit on an ingenious if simple solution - postal services were made available on credit but only to registered telephone users. In effect - anyone with pre - occupation telephone account at Croatian Post Office was able to send mail with postage entered into the'Register of Services Exetended on Credit'. People without telephone accounts depended on the good will of relations, friends or neighbors who had the facility. This system operated until the liberation of Cavtat. Postal service remained active throughout occupation. However all mail arriving or leaving Cavtat was examined and censored by the occupying forces. Evidently three to five people were detailed for this task. Occasionally, a letter was
Fig. 3. Usual form of 'Cavtat Correspondence'. Cavtat circular date stamp and'POSTARINA PLACENA KOD POSTE 50101 DUBROVNIK' boxed rubber stamp confiscated by the censors and taken away. What happened to impounded letters is not known. No marking of any kind was used to show that mail had undergone examination; departing mail was sealed before being placed into postal bags which were sealed in turn for transmission to Dubrovnik. Typically there are no stamps on mail originating from Cavtat at that time, only a Cavtat circular date canceller. If old Yugoslav Postal Stationery was used it was made invalid by obliteration in lead pencil or by affixing white paper label over the imprint. Occasionally, an evidencing number indicating daily order of mail handling in Cavtat is found on the envelope or postcard. Furthermore, before onward transmission all Cavtat mail also acquired Dubrovnik Post Office's rubber stamp 'POSTARINA PLACENA KOD POSTE 51 101 DUBROVNIK l' (Postage paid at Dubrovnik I Post Office 51 101). However, there are few letters bearing leftover Yugoslav stamps posted before 15th January 1992, as the use of Yugoslav stamps was possible in Croatia until that date. Mail sent from Cavtat was largely of the ordinary type. There are only a few registered or insured letters, usually 'Official' style mail between the Cavtat Post Office and Dubrovnik Postal Centre. Three circular date stamps were used -'CAVTAT 50210' with identifying letters 'a', 'b', or 'c'. It should be noted that 'a' canceller features inverted final digit in the year portion of the date. (Thus inverted figure ‘1’ or '2'),
Fig. 4.
Throughout the occupation Cavvaf Post Office offered its services only to Cavtat residents and did not handle occupying forces' mail. Undoubtedly they had their own arrangements which are unknown to the author. The town was liberated on the 17th October 1992. On that day the post office opened for business as usual but closed early and remained shut for three days reopening on the 20th. Last letter collection under the occupation occurred on the 10th October but onward transmission took place only after the liberation. First Cratian stamps were introduced few days later; until then the old 'register' method continued in use. Regular postal service was nominally re-established on the 20th October 1992, There were some difficulties in the beginning, largely due to damaged coastal road. Daily maritime service also ceased for a while. Eventually things returned to normal and Cavtat again became a full participant in the Croatian Postal Service. If is to the credit of Cavtat's residents on the whole and of postal employees in particular that they managed to establish and keep such tenuous postal links with the rest of Croatia in the dark hour of occupation. Without doubt, their efforts did much to maintain the morale and to reaffirm Croatian roots of this town and area. Back to: |
KRAJINA
LIBERATED -- This postage stamp was
first issued in April 1992, however once Knin was
liberated August 5, 1995, it was re-issued 11 days after
recapture from Serb forces (Aug. 16, 1995). This
commemorative stamp shows the city of Knin with the
historic castle overlooking the city. With
"Operation Storm" Croatian troops in 4 days
liberated Knin and the reminder of Krajina, known as the
Military Frontier, placing a 20-meter size Croatian flag
at the castle.
