Erdut

Name and languages

The name Erdut comes from the local Hungarian name (Erdőd) meaning "forest road". In other languages, the village in German is known as Erdung and in Serbian as Ердут.

Due to the local minority population, the Erdut municipality prescribe the use of not only Croatian as the official language, but the Serbian language and Serbian Cyrillic alphabet as well.

Geography

The municipality have total area of 158 km2 (61 sq mi) and is the largest member municipality of Joint Council of Municipalities. River Drava (5.6 km) and Danube (34.825 km) flows through the municipality. The territory of the municipality is completely flat very fertile black soil. The elevation of the village of Erdut is 158 m. Municipality of Erdut include following settlements: It is connected by D213 road (Croatia) with rest of country.

There are 4 villages in municipality:

History

The settlement was first mentioned in 1335 under the Hungarian name Erdöd and then as a city in 1472. It was successively ruled by Ottoman Empire, Austrian Empire, Austria-Hungary, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Independent State of Croatia and Yugoslavia.

Erdut During the 1991 War

When Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, eastern Slavonia was soon overrun by the Yugoslav National Army and Serb paramilitaries, led by the notorious warlord, Željko Ražnatović known by the name Arkan. The battle for Erdut quickly ended that summer as the entire Croatian population was expelled or killed along with other minorities including Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Ruthenians and Ukrainians in an act of ethnic cleansing. Their homes were soon occupied by other Serbs. Many buildings and homes were destroyed, including the Roman Catholic Church.

Arkan soon set up a training camp for his Serb Volunteer Guard in Erdut, which became headquarters until the end of the war, when Croatian forces recaptured most of the land occupied by the Serb rebels.

Erdut Agreement

On November 12, 1995, officials signed what is commonly called the Erdut Agreement in which the part of eastern Slavonia still occupied by Serbs would be integrated back into Croatia, gradually allowing some of the exiled refugees to return to their homes. This agreement was the basis for the establishment of Joint Council of Municipalities. Erdut has been under Croatian control since 1998.

Population

The municipality population is 7,308 (census 2011), with 805 people in Erdut itself, 3,937 in Dalj, 1,961 in Bijelo Brdo and 605 in Aljmaš. The majority of the population of municipality are Serbs (55%). Other ethnic groups are Croats (38%) and Hungarians (5%).

Religion

Dalj is seat of the Eparchy of Osječko polje and Baranja of the Serb Orthodox Church.

Multilateral cooperation

Erdut municipality is one of seven member municipalities of Joint Council of Municipalities, inter-municipal sui generis organization of Serbian community in eastern Croatia.

Municipality government

The municipality assembly is composed of 13 representatives. As of 2009, the member parties/lists are:

Economy

Erdut development index is between 50-76% of the Croatian average, and therefore, the municipality is part of the Areas of Special State Concern.

Points of Interest

The municipality is home of Eparchy of Osječko polje and Baranja, and there is also Erdut Castle.

Notable natives and residents