Romanian national minority in the Yugoslav Banat 1918-1948

Zoran JANJETOVIĆ

DOI: 10.47743/asui-2022-0001

Abstract: The Romanians of Western Banat experienced three turbulent decades between 1918 and 1948. Within just one generation they lived to see the break-up of the Habsburg Monarchy, creation of Yugoslavia, its demise in WWII, communist liberation, imposition of communist system and eventual split with the Soviet Union. Being a real minority, they were denied self-determination and become subjects of a country in which they, like all national minorities, were second-class citizens. Then, the leading communists were willing to grant equality to all – within the framework of their system that was equally oppressive for all citizens. Due to Romanians’ isolationism and conservativism, they could never be firmly integrated in the socialist system – even when it gradually became more liberal than in other East European countries.

Keywords: Romanians; national minority; Yugoslavia; Banat; communism.