THE SUFFERING OF THE SERBS IN LIVNO DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Abstract

After the assassination in Sarajevo in 1914, the Austrian-Hungarian occupation authorities began scuffling with the Serbian people, the Serbian Orthodox Church, and Serbian cultural and educational organizations in the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Anti-Serbian demonstrations that started in Sarajevo on the same day as the assassination later spread to other places, including Livno. The demonstrations in Livno began in front of the Puskarevic brothers' shop. Many Serbian shops and houses were demolished during these demonstrations. The school and the premises of the "Sundecic" society were also destroyed. After the introduction of emergency measures, the following individuals were arrested in Livno due to political unreliability: Pavle Kujundzic, the Samardzic brothers, Suharevic, and two other Orthodox priests. According to the official report from December 1918 and January 1919, 22 people from Livno were imprisoned in the Arad camp. Due to the departure of the individuals who were able to work to the war, the agricultural problems began to appear. The severity of the food situation in the district of Livno is reflected in a recommendation from the district office to Orthodox Serbs, suggesting that in order to overcome the scarcity, they should reduce the costs associated with the celebration of patron saints. Children from the district of Livno were sent for food aid to Croatia, Backa, Baranja, Banat, and Srem at the end of 1917 and the beginning of 1918. According to the available data, in September 1918, 2,494 children from the district of Travnik were receiving food aid, of whom, 368 were from the district of Livno. After the war ended, 1,941 children were returned to the district of  Travnik by 1921, of whom, 273 were returned to Livno.