Doboj (Cyrillic: Добој) is a city and a
municipalityA municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. A municipality is typically governed by a mayor and a city council or municipal council.The notion of municipality...
in northern
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( or (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula...
, situated in the northern part of the
Republika SrpskaRepublika Srpska is one of two main political-territorial divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
entity on the river Bosna. Doboj is the largest national railway junction; as such, the seats of the Republika Srpska Railways, and the Railways Corporation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are located in Doboj. It is one of the oldest cities in the country and one of the most important urban centers in Northern Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Middle Ages
The first official mention of the settlement is from 1415, as it was written in the charter issued by Dubrovnik to Hungarian Emperor
SigismundSigismund was one of the longest ruling Kings of Hungary, reigning for fifty years from 1387 to 1437, and was also Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, and the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Bohemia from 1419, of Lombardia from 1431, and of Germany...
, although there are numerous artefacts and objects that have been found (The National Museum of Bosnia/Herzegovina in Sarajevo & The Regional Museum in Doboj) and which confirm the fact that the area had been inhabited ever since the early
stone ageThe Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which humans widely used stone for toolmaking.Stone tools were made from a variety of different sorts of stone. For example, flint and chert were shaped for use as cutting tools and weapons, while basalt and sandstone were used for ground...
, and that the
Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
had an army camp (
Castrum) and a settlement (
Canabea) in the vicinity of the town dating from the 1st century AD. Following the arrival of the Slavs in the 6th century AD it became a part of the region/
bannateBan is a title used in several states in central and south-eastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century.-Etymology:The word ban has entered the English language as a borrowing from South Slavic ban, meaning "lord, master; ruler"...
Usora (in the medieval documents sometimes put together with the nearby province
SoliSoli can refer to:* Soli, an ancient city on the island of Cyprus.* Soli, an ancient city in Cilicia, later renamed Pompeiopolis.* Soli, a 10th century name for Tuzla, a city in Bosnia-Herzegovina....
, hence,
Usora and Soli).
The
Doboj fortressDoboj fortress "Gradina" is located in the city of Doboj in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:One of the most important defenses in the medieval bannate/dukedom of Usora, this large stone structure has been built in the early 13th century on the site of earlier, clay and wood-based structure...
, a royal Kotromanic fortress, was first built in the early 13th century and then expanded in the early 15th century (1415). It was expanded during the
Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
in 1490. This newer stone foundation of the fortress was built on previous layers of older foundation (dating to 9th or 10th century AD) made of wood, mud and clay (Motte & Bailey type). It was a very important obstacle for the invaders coming from North, Hungarians, and later on,
AustriansAustrians are a nation and an ethnic group originating from the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent...
and
GermansThe German people are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent, and speaking the German language as a mother tongue. Within Germany, Germans are defined by citizenship , distinguished from people of German ancestry...
. It was built in the
GothoGothic architecture is a style of architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
-
RomanThe architecture of Ancient Rome at first adopted the external Greek architecture for their own purposes, which were so different from Greek buildings as to create a new architectural style. The two styles are often considered one body of classical architecture...
style with the gothic towers and romanic windows. The area has seen numerous battles in the Medieval times and the fortress often changed hands between Bosnian and Hungarian armies. Doboj was the site of a particularly major battle between Hungarians and Bosnian/Turkish coalition in early August of 1415 in which Hungarians were heavily defeated on the field where the modern City of Doboj lies today (esp. around Makljenovac and Usora area). As an important border fortress (between Bosnian Kingdom and
HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
), it was also frequently attacked (officially recorded - 18 times) in the
Austro-Ottoman WarAustro-Ottoman War refers to:* the Great Turkish War of 1683-1699,* the Austro-Turkish War of 1716-18* the Austro-Turkish War, 1737-1739* the Austro-Turkish War * any number of other Austro-Ottoman wars in Europe...
s, and finally fell to the
HabsburgThe House of Habsburg or Hapsburg was an important royal house of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1452 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian and Spanish Empire and several other countries...
s in 1878.
World War I and World War II
During
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, Doboj was the site of the largest
Austro-HungarianAustria–Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the k.u.k. Monarchy, or Dual State, was a monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in Central Europe...
concentration camp for
SerbsSerbs are a South Slavic people living in the Central Europe and the Balkans , between the Balkan- and Carpathian mountains in the east and the Adriatic sea in the west. They are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in Croatia...
. According to its official figures, it held, between December 27, 1915 and July 5, 1917:
- 16,673 men from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( or (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula...
(mostly of Serb ethnicity)
- 16,996 women and children from Bosnia and Herzegovina (mostly of Serb ethnicity)
- 9,172 soldiers and civilians (men, women, children) from the Kingdom of Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
- 2,950 soldiers and civilians from the Kingdom of Montenegro
Montenegro , is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south...
In total, 45,791 persons.
By February 1916, the authorities began redirecting the prisoners to other camps. The Serbs from Bosnia were mostly sent to
GyőrGyőr is the most important city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron county, and lies on one of the important roads of Central Europe, halfway between Budapest and Vienna. The city is the sixth largest in Hungary, and one of the seven main regional centres of the...
(Sopronyek, Šopronjek/Шопроњек).
Most of the interned from Bosnia were whole families from the border regions of eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is said that 5,000 families alone were uprooted from the
SarajevoSarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,614 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 421,289 people in the Sarajevo Canton . It is also the capital of the Federation of Bosnia and...
district in eastern Bosnia along the border with the Kingdoms of Serbia & Montenegro.
The
Nobel PrizeThe Nobel Prize is a Sweden-based international monetary prize. The award was established by the 1895 will and estate of Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel. It was first awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace in 1901...
-laureate
Ivo AndrićIvo Andrić was a Yugoslav novelist, short story writer, and the 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature from Yugoslavia. His novels, e.g. The Bridge on the Drina and Bosnian Chronicle dealt with life in his native Bosnia under the Ottoman Empire...
was also an inmate of the camp.
During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Doboj was an important site for the
partisan resistance movementThe Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II resistance movement engaged in the fight against Axis forces and their collaborators in Yugoslavia during the Yugoslav People's Liberation War from 1941 to 1945...
. From their initial uprising in August 1941 up until the end of the war, the
OzrenOzren mountain is a mountain in north Bosnia and Herzegovina partly in the Republika Srpska and partly in the Federation entity.Ozren Mountain is rich in natural resources. It abounds in drinkable water springs surrounded by clean nature, thermal wells with healing effects, ore and mineral...
partisan squad carried out numerous diversions against the occupation forces, among the first successful operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town was liberated on April 17, 1945.
Bosnian War
Doboj was strategically important during the
Bosnian WarThe Bosnian War, also known as the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was an international armed conflict that took place between March 1992 and November 1995. The war involved several sides...
. In May 1992, the occupation of Doboj by the Serbian forces began. The
Serbian Democratic PartyThe Serbian Democratic Party is a political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is led by Mladen Bosić...
took over the governing of the city. What followed was a mass disarming and subsequently mass arrests of all non-Serb civilians (namely
BosniaksThe Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller autochthonous population also present in the Sandžak, Croatia, and the Republic of Macedonia. Bosniaks are typically characterized by their tie to the Bosnian historical region,...
and
CroatsCroats form one of the three constitutive nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are frequently referred to as Bosnian Croats, but since the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina the number of Herzegovinian Croats exceeds the number in Bosnia...
). Many instances of war crimes and ethnic cleansing were committed by Serb forces.
In an effort to liberate the city, Doboj was shelled by
Army of the Republic of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina established by the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 following the outbreak of the Bosnian War...
(over 5,500 mortar and tank rounds had hit the city itself and immediate surrounding area during the period of May 1992 - October 1995). As a result, 99 citizens of Doboj have been killed due to mortar and tank fire in the aerial attacks on downtown, and about 400 of Doboj's residents got wounded and maimed in the process..
Biljana PlavsicBiljana Plavšić is a former Bosnian Serb politician and university professor currently serving a sentence in Sweden as a result of a conviction by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for war crimes...
acting individually or in concert with
Radovan KaradzicRadovan Karadžić is a former Bosnian Serb politician, poet and psychiatrist. He is currently on trial in the United Nations Detention Unit of Scheveningen accused of war crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims, Bosnian Croats, and other non-Serbs during the Siege of Sarajevo...
,
Momcilo KrajisnikMomčilo Krajišnik is a former Bosnian Serb politician. Between 1990 and 1992, he was the speaker of the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska and, between June and December 1992, a member of the expanded Presidency of the Bosnian Serb Republic...
and others planned, instigated, ordered, committed or otherwise aided and abetted the planning, preparation or execution of the destruction, in whole or in part, of the Bosnian Muslim and Bosnian Croat national, ethnical, racial or religious groups, as such, in several municipalities, including but not limited to Doboj.
After the
Dayton AgreementThe General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement, Dayton Accords, Paris Protocol or Dayton-Paris Agreement, is the peace agreement reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio in November 1995, and formally signed in Paris on...
and the peace following in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the city served as a major HQ/base for
IFORThe Implementation Force was a NATO-led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour to implement the military Annexes of The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and...
(later
SFORThe Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement....
) units.
Ethnic Cleansing and Mass Killings
Serb forces were implicated in the systematic looting and destruction of Bosniak and
CroatianCroats form one of the three constitutive nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are frequently referred to as Bosnian Croats, but since the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina the number of Herzegovinian Croats exceeds the number in Bosnia...
homes and villages during the
Bosnian WarThe Bosnian War, also known as the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was an international armed conflict that took place between March 1992 and November 1995. The war involved several sides...
. Women were raped and civilians tortured and killed. Widespread looting and destruction of Bosniak homes and property took place daily and the Bosnian Muslim mosques in town were destroyed. Many of the non-Serbs who were not immediately killed were detained at various locations in the town, subjected to inhumane conditions, including regular beatings, torture and strenuous forced labour. A school in Grabska and the factory used by the Bosanska company that produced jams and juices in Doboj was used as a rape camp. Four different types of soldiers were present at the rape camps including the local Serbian militia, the Yugoslav army (JNA), police forces based in the Serbian-occupied town of Knin (or "Marticevci" as their commander was
Milan MarticMilan Martić is a Serbian politician, convicted of war crimes by the ICTY on June 12, 2007. He led rebel Serbian forces in Croatia during the Croatian War of Independence.-Biography:...
) and members of the "White Eagles" (Beli Orlovi) paramilitary group who wore an insignia bearing three eagles and a "kokarda" on their hats. The man who oversaw the women's detention in the school was
Nikola JorgicNikola Jorgic is a Bosnian Serb from the Doboj region who was the leader of a paramilitary group located in the Doboj region. In 1997, Nikola was convicted of genocide in Germany. This was the first conviction won against participants in the Bosnian Genocide...
, a former police officer in Doboj, who has been convicted of
genocideGenocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group.While precise definition varies among genocide scholars, a legal definition is found in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of...
in Germany and is currently serving a life sentence.
Biljana PlavsicBiljana Plavšić is a former Bosnian Serb politician and university professor currently serving a sentence in Sweden as a result of a conviction by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for war crimes...
's charges against humanity include but are not limited to the killings in Doboj. Plavisic's indictment related to genocide charges in Doboj specifically includes but is not limited to the following killings:
- the killing on or about 10 May 1992 of thirty-four Bosnian Muslim and/or Bosnian Croat civilians of the village of Gornja Grapska - Doboj municipality.
- Many of Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats who survived the attacks and forced marches were taken to these camps and detention facilities, including but not limited to: Bare ammunition warehouse from 1 May 1992, Spreca prison from 1 May 1992, the SUP station from 1 May to 31 July 1992, Percin’s Disco from 1 May 1992, Sevarlije JNA barracks from 1 May to 30 June 1992, and the JNA hangars near the Bosanska plantation from May 1992, all in Doboj.
Other incidents currently under investigation include:
- the execution of 15 civilians from the Spreca Central Prison in Doboj in May 1992;
- a series of mass executions of non-Serbs on the banks of the river Bosna on June 17-19, 1992;
- a series of mass executions in the "July 4th" military barracks in the village of Miljkovac on July 12, 1992; and
- the use of civilians as human shields against a Bosnian Army advance the same month.
Although Jorgic's, Plavsic's, Karadzic's and Krajisnik's cases were tried in foreign jurisdictions, the court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has processed or is currently processing the following cases for war crimes in Doboj:
- Milovan Stankovic, the former Bosnian Serb military commander for the town and surrounding region;
- Milan "Mico" Ninkovic, formerly chairman of the local branch of the Serb Democratic Party, SDS, as well as being a former Bosnian Serb defence minister; and
- Andrija Bjelosevic, the one-time head of the Doboj Security Centre.
Demographics
The non-Serb population of Doboj numbered approximately 55,000, including about 41,000 Bosniaks, 13,000 Croats and 1,000 others, at the outbreak of the Bosnian War in 1992, during which almost all left or were ethnically cleansed. With the city's post-war division into Republika Srpska, very few non-Serbs have returned. As a result, Doboj's current Bosniak and
CroatCroats form one of the three constitutive nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are frequently referred to as Bosnian Croats, but since the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina the number of Herzegovinian Croats exceeds the number in Bosnia...
population is generally assumed to negligible, despite the fact that the last census was conducted in 1991.
It has been announced in 2007 that a country-wide census will likely take place in 2011. Currently, the only official census numbers are those from 1971 and 1991, but they do not reflect the current demographics as ethnic cleansing of the last decade has caused permanent population changes.
1971
88.985 total
- Serbs - 39.884 (44,82)
- Muslims - 32.418 (36,43)
- Croats - 14.754 (16,58)
- Yugoslavs - 1.124 (1,26)
- Others - 805 (0,91)
1991
In 1991, prior to the
Yugoslav warsThe Yugoslav Wars were a series of violent conflicts fought in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the 1990s and 2001...
, the Doboj municipality (including the present
Republika SrpskaRepublika Srpska is one of two main political-territorial divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
and
Federation of BiHThe Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
regions was inhabited by 102,519 people, including:
- 41.164 Muslims by nationality
Muslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
(40,14%)
- 39.820 Serbs
Serbs are a South Slavic people living in the Central Europe and the Balkans , between the Balkan- and Carpathian mountains in the east and the Adriatic sea in the west. They are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in Croatia...
(38,83%) (See: Serbs of Bosnia and HerzegovinaSerbs are one of the three constitutive nations of Bosnia-Herzegovina, predominantly concentrated in the Republic of Srpska entity, although many also live in the other entity called the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
)
- 13.264 Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 5 million Croats living in the southern Central Europe region, along the east bank of the Adriatic Sea and an estimated 9 million throughout the world...
(12,93%) (See: Croats of Bosnia and HerzegovinaCroats form one of the three constitutive nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are frequently referred to as Bosnian Croats, but since the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina the number of Herzegovinian Croats exceeds the number in Bosnia...
)
- 5.765 Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs Yugoslavs Yugoslavs (Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian: Jugoslaveni/Jugosloveni/Jugoslovani,
[Latin script was used in Serbo-Croat, and Slovene languages. Identical spelling is used in the Serbian and Macedonian Cyrillic script (Serbian variant)...]
(5.62%)
- 2.536 others (2.48%)
Yugoslavs (5.5% of the municipal population) were likely to be Serbs, Muslims or children from numerous inter-ethnic marriages.
In urban part of pre-war Doboj municipality, there were:
- 11,133 (40.36%) Muslims by nationality
- 8,088 (29.32%) Serbs
- 4,334 (15.75%) Yugoslavs
- 2,755 (9.98%) Croats
- 1,269 others
Population by settlements composing the town of Doboj:
- Bare: 732 (62%) Serbs, 153 (13%) Yugoslavs, 135 (11%) Croats, 112 (9%) Muslims, 53 (4%) others, 1,185 total
- Centar: 3,720 (35%) Serbs, 3,365 (31%) Muslims, 1,982 (18%) Yugoslavs, 1,236 (12%) Croats, 432 (4%) others, 10,735 total
- Čaršija: 3,561 (72%) Muslims, 594 (12%) Yugoslavs, 303 (6%) Serbs, 195 (4%) Croats, 273 (6%) others, 4,926 total
- Doboj Novi: 358 (48%) Muslims, 237 (32%) Serbs, 39 (5%) Yugoslavs, 7 (1%) Croats, 108 (14%) others, 749 total
- Donji Grad: 1,879 (37%) Serbs, 1,547 (31%) Muslims, 844 (17%) Yugoslavs, 569 (11%) Croats, 196 (4%) others, 5,035 total
- Orašje: 1,411 (66%) Muslims, 293 (14%) Serbs, 231 (11%) Yugoslavs, 111 (5%) Croats, 90 (4%) others, 2,136 total
- Usora: 924 (33%) Serbs, 779 (28%) Muslims, 502 (18%) Croats, 491 (17%) Yugoslavs, 117 (4%) others, 2,813 total
Doboj Coat of Arms
The four squares represent the four mountains which mark the outer borders of Doboj valley in which the City of Doboj lies in: Ozren, Trebava, Vucjak, and Krnjin. The fleur-de-lys represent the medieval origins of the city in the royal fortress
Gradina built by the kings from the medieval Bosnian dynasty of Kotromanic.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.opstina-doboj.ba/lat/slike/doboj/grb.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.opstina-doboj.ba/lat/&usg=__D8UmFKNjV1kU4_lSvq94TutN-1k=&h=140&w=170&sz=11&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=eeXuQmkONE3L5M:&tbnh=82&tbnw=99&prev=/images%3Fq%3DGrb%2Bgrada%2BDoboja%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG
Geography
Before the war in Bosnia the municipality of the same name had a bigger area surface. A larger part of the pre-war municipality is part of the
Republika SrpskaRepublika Srpska is one of two main political-territorial divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, including the city itself, (the
Doboj RegionThe Doboj Region is one of the seven Regions of Republika Srpska. Its center is the city of Doboj and it's located in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-List of Municipalities:#Bosanski Brod #Derventa#Doboj...
). The southern rural areas are part of the
Zenica-Doboj CantonThe Zenica-Doboj Canton is one of the cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:This canton is situated in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cantonal capital is Zenica and the other town mentioned in the name is Doboj, which is in Republika Srpska, but part of the...
of the
Federation of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, and the eastern rural part of the municipality is part of the
Tuzla CantonThe Tuzla Canton is a canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cantonal seat is in Tuzla.-Municipalities:...
, also in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The parts of the pre-war Doboj Municipality that are in the
Federation of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
are the municipalities of
Doboj SouthDoboj South is a small rural municipality in the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.It borders with Doboj municipality, part of Republika Srpska entity.-About Doboj South:...
(Doboj Jug) and
Doboj EastDoboj East is a small rural municipality in the Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Municipality:It consists of the villages of Stanić Rijeka, Klokotnica, Brijesnica Velika and Brijesnica Mala....
(Doboj Istok) and the
Municipality of UsoraUsora Municipality is a rural municipality in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a Bosnian Croat majority.It border with Doboj municipality, part of Republika Srpska entity. It name after Usora River....
. The northern suburbs of Doboj are extending into the peri-Pannonian plains, and effectively mark the southern tip of this great Central European plain. The southern (Doboj-South)and eastern suburbs (Doboj-East) are spread on the gentle hills which extend to larger Central Bosnian mountain areas (Mt. Ozren in south-east, Mt. Krnjin in the west).
Economics
As a rail hub, before the
Bosnian WarThe Bosnian War, also known as the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was an international armed conflict that took place between March 1992 and November 1995. The war involved several sides...
, Doboj focused much of its industrial activities around it. Moreover, as a regional center, it was home to several factories, now mostly bankrupt from mismanagement or privatized, including "Bosanka Doboj", a fruit and vegetable product factory; "Trudbenik", a maker of air compressors and equipment, etc. Nowadays, most of the economy, similar to the rest of the country and typical of poorly executed transition from state-controlled to market economy, bases around the service industry. High unemployment warrants a vibrant coffee shop and bar scene, crowded throughout most of the day and night(it is commonly believed that Doboj is one of the top three cities having largest number of coffee bars/pubs within city limits in Bosnia & Herzegovina).
On the positive side, an approximately $800 million investment, due for ground braking during 2008 in the Stanari suburb, will start of with the building of an electrical power plant. Additionally, the $1 billion investments in the northern
ModricaModriča is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located near the towns of Bosanski Samac, Derventa and Doboj...
Oil Refinery are likely to increase railroad traffic.
Nightlife/tourism
The City of Doboj is very colorful and contrasted to the extremes, there are top notch urban cafes/bars sharing the garbage containers with the old-school towney pubs and restaurants. The place to start is Doboj fortress then Zanatski Centar, bar/club-infested neighborhood, which is located in Naselje Stadion (Stadium Village) in downtown Doboj. There are numerous cafe bars, clubs, restaurants, arcade saloons, and sports-betting joints in this relatively small urban oasis. Mixed mediterranean and European continental food, hard rock and metal concerts, turbo-folk rising stars, cevapcici & other oriental dishes, and all kinds of beer & other liquor(domestic and foreign) available. Magic Caffe, Orange bar, Corner Cafe, Time Out, City, Irish Pub, La Linea are just some of the must-see locales in this part of town.
Visit the club "Rupa" ("The Hole") by the city park and try to attend one of the beer-promo nights in the crowded atmosphere and stylish underground location (a former city amateur theater location). There is a large, ornate, discothèque/club "Dzungla" (The Jungle) located by the river Bosna for those who love Balkan-style ethno fury mixed with oriental and techno rhythms. . Above the all, do not forget to visit the freshly-renovated medieval city castle (early 1200s) both during the day and at night before hitting the same bars once again, this time better prepared.
Best cultural performances are taking place on Doboj Fortress and Center for Culture Doboj. There is a famous festival of tourism called FEST-TOUR, traditionally held in the last days of June. On Doboj fortress you can visit Ethno shop/cafe, children playground, take a photo with knights and princess, see an exhibition of medieval weaponry, buy souvenirs and experience a medieval life for a few minutes.
Transportation
The city is the region's commanding railroad knot, going south to
PločePloče is a town and a notable seaport in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county of Croatia, population 6,537 , total municipality population 10,834...
on the
Adriatic SeaThe Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. The Adriatic Sea is a part of the Mediterranean Sea...
, west to
Banja LukaBanja Luka or Banjaluka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the largest and most developed city in Republika Srpska which is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Traditionally it has been the center of the Bosanska Krajina region located in the northwestern...
and
ZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of Croatia. Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic and governmental center of Croatia, and a global city. According to the city government, the population of Zagreb in 2008 was 804,200...
, north to
VinkovciVinkovci is a Croatian town in eastern Slavonia, with a population of 32,455 making it the largest town of the Vukovar-Srijem county...
,
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a country in southeast Europe, at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Zagreb...
, and east to
TuzlaTuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 131,000 inhabitants. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants. After Sarajevo, and Banja Luka, Tuzla is the third largest city in Bosnia...
and
ZvornikZvornik is a city on the Drina river in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located south of the town of Bijeljina in the Republika Srpska entity...
. The route of the future E-75 highway is supposed to pass through the Doboj area, and a separate highway toward western
Banja LukaBanja Luka or Banjaluka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the largest and most developed city in Republika Srpska which is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Traditionally it has been the center of the Bosanska Krajina region located in the northwestern...
is in the planning stage.
Education
Doboj hosts the private Slobomir P University branch, with several colleges. Doboj also seats the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technical School, as well as several specialized High Schools.
Sport
The local
football clubA football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in a against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
,
FK Sloga DobojFK Sloga is a football club from the city of Doboj, in Bosnia and Hercegovina. The club competes in the First League of the Republika Srpska. FK Sloga plays at the "Luke" stadium.-Supporters:...
, plays in the
First League of the Republika SrpskaFirst League of the Republika Srpska is a second level football competition in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since there were three different football championships in country, organized on ethnic principles, the "First League of the Republika Srpska" was the top flight in Republika Srpska before 2002....
. The town's favourite sports activity, however, is team handball. It is being played by the local Sloga Doboj team. Sloga Doboj ranks among the country's top teams and consistently qualifies for international competitions. Very importantly, Doboj traditionally hosts "The Annual Doboj International Champions' Handball Tournament" every year during the last days of August. The year 2009 will see its 41st tournament and once again, the best European handball teams will fight for the title of the Tournament's Winner. The prestige of this EHF-listed tournament was consistently strong enough to attract the most important names in the European team handball over the past four decades such as: Barcelona,
GrasshopperGrasshopper Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and most well known section of Grasshopper Club Zürich is its football team...
,
GummersbachVfL Gummersbach is a team handball club from Germany. Currently, VfL Gummersbach competes in the German First League of Handball and the German Handball Cup.Gummersbach is one of the most successful team-handball club ever.-Accomplishments:...
,
Ademar LeónClub Balonmano Ademar León is a Spanish handball team based in León. The team plays in Liga ASOBAL.-History:Founded on 1956, the Ademar León is the handball team more representative of the city of León. Until 1975 it played in the provincial categories when not existing economic availability to be...
,
CSKACSKA Moscow is a major Russian sports club based in Moscow...
,
SteauaHandball Club Steaua Bucureşti is a team handball club from Bucharest, Romania.-Achievements: *Romanian League:**Winners : 1963, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2001,...
,
Dinamo BucureştiMaccabi or Macabi Bucureşti, later known as Ciocanul, was a Romanian sport club, representing the Jewish community, akin to the famous Hakoah Vienna...
, Atletico Madrid,
Red StarRK Crvena Zvezda is a team handball club from Belgrade, Serbia. Currently, RK Crvena Zvezda competes in the Serbian First League of Handball.-Notable players: SFR Yugoslavia FR Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro...
, Metaloplastika,
PartizanRukometni klub Partizan Dunav osiguranje is a handball club from Belgrade, Serbia. RK Partizan is one of the sport clubs in Serbia that are part of sport society Partizan. It was founded in 1948 and until now Partizan had won 6 national titles and 9 national cups. Club also played few good...
,
PelisterRK Pelister is a team handball club from Bitola, Republic of Macedonia. It was the most successful Macedonian club in the 90's when it won five domestic championship titles and qualified regularly for European competition. Pelister has participated in the EHF Champions League and EHF Cup Winners'...
,
NordhornHSG Nordhorn-Lingen is a team handball club from Nordhorn, Germany. Currently, HSG Nordhorn-Lingen competes in the Second Division of the German Bundesliga, following a mandatory relegation from the First Division in 2009 owing to insolvency.In 2008 Nordhorn won the EHF Cup.-2008/09 Team:...
,
Pick SzegedPick Szeged is a team handball club from Hungary. Currently, Pick Szeged competes in the Budapest Bank Handball League.-Accomplishments:*National Championship of Hungary:**Winner: 1996, 2007...
, Veszprém, Göppingen,
d'IvryUS d'Ivry is a team handball club from France. Currently, US d'Ivry competes in the French First League of Handball.-Accomplishments:*National Championship of France: 7**1963, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1983, 1997 et 2007...
and Chekhovski Medvedi.
Notable places/events in Doboj
- The Doboj Fortress
Doboj fortress "Gradina" is located in the city of Doboj in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:One of the most important defenses in the medieval bannate/dukedom of Usora, this large stone structure has been built in the early 13th century on the site of earlier, clay and wood-based structure...
from the early 13th century, looking over the town. The grounds of the fortress have been renovated during 2006.
- A Roman
Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
military camp (Castrum) from 1st century AD (right above the confluence of the UsoraUsora is a river in central-northern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It begins at the confluence of two smaller Usora rivers, Mala Usora and Velika Usora, at the town of Teslić. Usora runs for some 20 km northeast of Teslić, and becomes a left tributary of the Bosna River, south of Doboj....
and the BosnaThe Bosna is the third longest river in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is considered one of the country's three major internal rivers, along with the Neretva and Vrbas Rivers; the other three major rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina are the Una, to the northwest, the Sava, to the north, and the Drina,...
rivers)
- The regional museum (Завичајни Музеј Добој or Zavičajni Muzej Doboj)
- A monument dedicated to the Serb civilians died in the World War I
World War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
Austro-HungarianAustria–Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the k.u.k. Monarchy, or Dual State, was a monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in Central Europe...
detention camp in Doboj
- The annual Doboj International TV Handball Tournament
- The Doboj Synagoge located close to the city center
- Dzungla (i.e., "The Jungle") swimming/aqua complex
- The old Austro-Hungarian Railway Station Building (oldest railway station in Bosnia/Herzegovina, built in 1878).
- Small Business Trade Fair DOBOJEXPO
- FEST-TOUR Festival of Tourism of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Western Balkans, late June.
- Cultural Summer on Doboj fortress (June, July, August)
- Gastro show "Dobojgastro" - February
- International Theater Fest - May
External links
- http://www.esiweb.org/index.php?lang=en&id=156&document_ID=100 - ESI report: A Bosnian Fortress. Return, energy and the future of Republika Srpska (19 December 2007)
- http://www.dobojcaffe.com - Sve o Doboju
- http://www.dobojlive.com
- http://www.mojdoboj.com
- http://www.doboj.net - Prvi ISP na području Dobojske regije
- http://www.bhtourism.ba/eng/doboj.wbsp
- http://www.doboj.com
- http://www.dobojskatvrdjava.rs.ba
- http://sajam.doboj.net
- http://www.doboj.eu