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Srpsko privredno društvo "Privrednik" ( sr-cyr, Српско привредно друштво "Привредник"; ), commonly referred to as Privrednik, is an organization of the
Serb The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history, and language. They primarily live in Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia ...
minority in
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
, which is aimed to creating and increasing economic opportunities in rural areas where majority of Serbs live in Croatia, as well as development of professional skills of individuals.
Vladimir Matijević Vladimir Matijević ( sr-Cyrl, Владимир Матијевић; 3 August 1854 – 7 September 1929) was a Serbian businessman and philanthropist. Biography He was born in Kordun's Gornji Budački near Krnjak, at the time in the Austrian Em ...
founded ''Privrednik'' under
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
rule and after the
Great War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
when the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () has been its collo ...
was established he moved his business from Zagreb to
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
where he founded ''Zadruga Srba privrednika'' in 1923. Privrednik is a registered
nongovernmental A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...
,
nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
and nonpartisan organization.


History

Undoubtedly, the ''Privrednik'' Society was the fulfillment of Matijević's goal, based on an ideal he himself expressed, "The greatest deed is to give a man honest work and pay." MatijeviĆ's ultimate purpose was to establish an efficient organization — ''Privrednik'' — to identify talented children (boys and girls) from poor Serbian families in
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...
,
Lika Lika () is a traditional region of Croatia proper, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by t ...
,
Kordun The Kordun () region is a part of central Croatia from the bottom of the Petrova Gora (Peter's mountain) mountain range, which extends along the rivers Korana and Slunjčica, and forms part of the border region to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Within ...
,
Banija Banovina or Banija is a geographical region in central Croatia, between the Sava, Una, Kupa and Glina rivers. The main towns in the region include Petrinja, Glina, Kostajnica, and Dvor. There is no clear geographical border of the region tow ...
, Baranja,
Slavonia Slavonia (; ) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria County, Istria, one of the four Regions of Croatia, historical regions of Croatia. Located in the Pannonian Plain and taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with f ...
,
Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
,
Herzegovina Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical Regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia (reg ...
and
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...
and to support their education and training in the trades and in business. After they were trained, it was Matijević's great hope that they would open their own shops and businesses and thus carry forward the means by which their people could progress culturally and socially. By design, the students were to be from poor families. And also by design, they had to be capable and ready to learn. ''Privrednik's'' first president was Isidor Dobrovic from Daruvar. The vice-presidents were Vladimir Matijević and Nikola Cuk, a successful wine merchant. The secretary was Ljubomir P. Ristic. All were dedicated to the goals of the society and were great benefactors, and in the first year, 1897, they registered and placed 207 students. Although the society operated with great success, it also faced several extraordinary crises between 1897 and 1947. Apparently ''Privrednik's''progress aroused the authorities' suspicions as
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
became more fearful of its Serbs. In 1902, an angry mob attacked some of the houses of ''Privrednik's'' officers and the shops where some of the apprentices worked. During the
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the Austro-Hungarian government closed down the society and arrested many of the officers for treason. Matijević, nearly fifty years old at the time, managed somehow to escape to
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. In 1923, after the formation of the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
, ''Privrednik''opened a new headquarters in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
while maintaining its offices in Zagreb's Preradović Street. Six years later, Matijević died from complications of influenza. He was 75. Major problems for ''Privrednik'' arose in Zagreb at the beginning of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in April 1941. Under the government of the Croatian fascist party, the Ustashi, ''Privrednik'' was closed, and the society was banned. Following the war, the Communist government of Yugoslavia began a program of free public education and closed former private schools (even though they were non-profit and funded by wealthy merchants), including the ''Privrednik'' program. The society's considerable property — including Matijević's entire estate, valued at $7 million in 1929 — was
expropriated Eminent domain, also known as land acquisition, compulsory purchase, resumption, resumption/compulsory acquisition, or expropriation, is the compulsory acquisition of private property for public use. It does not include the power to take and t ...
by the Communists. Included in the society's holdings were houses and land in Zagreb, and also in several other cities —
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; ; ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total population of 41,814 (), while its adminis ...
,
Slavonski Brod Slavonski Brod (, ), commonly shortened to simply Brod, is a city in eastern Croatia, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Being one of the principal cities in the historical regions of Slavonia and Posavina, Slavonski Brod is the 7th lar ...
,
Daruvar Daruvar is a spa town and municipality in Slavonia, northeastern Croatia, with a population of 8,567. The area including the surrounding villages (Daruvarski Vinogradi, Doljani, Donji Daruvar, Gornji Daruvar, Lipovac Majur, Ljudevit Selo, Marko ...
,
Rijeka Rijeka (; Fiume ( fjuːme in Italian and in Fiuman dialect, Fiuman Venetian) is the principal seaport and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Ba ...
,
Gospić Gospić () is a town in Lika, Croatia. It is the seat of the Lika-Senj County. Geography Gospić is located in the mountainous and sparsely populated region of Lika. It is the administrative center of Lika-Senj County. Gospić is located n ...
,
Pakrac Pakrac is a town in western Slavonia, Croatia, population 4,842, total municipality population 8,460 (census 2011). Pakrac is located on the road and railroad connecting the regions of Posavina and Podravina. Name In Croatian the town is known ...
, and
Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...
. From its earliest beginning in 1897 until the "government expropriation" in 1947, the society organized and supported the training and education of almost 40,000 students. As a result, those who completed the program became tradesmen and businessmen, members of a new middle class.


Organization

Programmatic and organizational activities of the "Privrednik" are divided into: # Funds for Scholarships # Economic Development Department # Youth Department # Media Production Department Privrednik has two funds from which awards scholarships
Vladimir Matijević Vladimir Matijević ( sr-Cyrl, Владимир Матијевић; 3 August 1854 – 7 September 1929) was a Serbian businessman and philanthropist. Biography He was born in Kordun's Gornji Budački near Krnjak, at the time in the Austrian Em ...
Fund and the Ivana Vujnović Fund. Matijevic Fund scholarships provide grants for high school and university students from families of lower-income families. Vujnović Fund scholarships, excellent university students. Economic Development Department provides support to the sector of small and medium-sized businesses, primarily public information, promotional and advisory services, implementation of development projects in order to influence the reconstruction and development of less developed areas where predominantly Serbs lived in Croatia. Media Production Department includes a media presentation of the Privrednik, its mission, and its programmatic activities, but also informs and connects users to the activities of Privrednik. Privrednik issues the Privrednik Magazine, which comes out once a month, every first Friday of the month.


See also

*
Serbs of Croatia The Serbs of Croatia ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / ", Срби у Хрватској, Srbi u Hrvatskoj) or Croatian Serbs ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / ", Хрватски Срби, Hrvatski Srbi) constitute the largest national minority in C ...
* Serbs of Zagreb *
Lazar Bačić Lazar Bačić ( sr-cyr, Лазар Бачић; January 1865 – 12 May 1941) was a Croatian Serb merchant and philanthropist. Ustashas used his property and industrial facilities to open the Ciglana part of the Jasenovac concentration camp. He w ...
*
Aleksa Spasić Aleksa Spasić (1831 - 1920) was a Serbian economist and minister. Biography Aleksa Spasić was Minister of Finance from 1883 to 1884, deputy minister of the national economy, first governor of the National Bank of Serbia (1884), director of the ...


References


External links

* Donji grad, Zagreb Clubs and societies in Croatia Ethnic organizations based in Yugoslavia Ethnic organizations based in Austria-Hungary Non-profit organizations based in Croatia Organizations established in 1897 Serbian minority institutions and organizations in Croatia {{Croatia-org-stub