The information on this page provides historical context essential for understanding the life of Nikola Tesla and the history of Serbs in Lika and the Serbian Krajina from the 4th century to the present day. While we ensure the accuracy of the facts presented here, we do not take responsibility for your emotional reactions to them or whether you find them offensive.

The presence of Serbs in Lika can be traced chronologically from the 4th-5th century AD to modern times. The population’s size and density depended on numerous socio-political conditions that hindered the normal development of the Serbian ethnic community. In the early centuries, archaeological research confirms the presence of Serbs in areas west of Mount Velebit, while historical science relies on archival records for later periods.

The first significant traces of Serbs in Lika emerge after the 4th-5th century, during the mass migration of Slavic populations across the Sava and Danube rivers. The porous borders of Byzantium allowed Slavic tribes to settle in fertile areas across the Balkans. Thus, the Serbian people settled fertile karst fields inland from the Adriatic, abandoned by Romans retreating to fortified cities along the coast for safety. For centuries, while building their statehood and cultural identity, the Serbian people formed their first states in the region by the early 9th century.

Evidence for this lies in the writings of the chronicler Einhard from the early 9th century, who described the rebellion of Posavina Prince Ljudevit against Frankish rule under Charlemagne. After the failed rebellion, Einhard wrote that Prince Ljudevit fled to his neighbors, the “Serbs,” seeking refuge. This marks the first historical mention of Serbs by that name. Additionally, the mention of Prince Borna as the ruler of Dalmatia within a Serbian statehood context further supports the presence of Serbs in Lika.

Fate shifted Serbian statehood eastward by the late 9th century. Consequently, Serbs in Lika, living on the border with Croats, frequently faced Croatian incursions. These raids often succeeded, and by the 10th and 11th centuries, these areas were incorporated into Croatian statehood. From then on, the Serbs endured centuries of subjugation, first under Croatian, then Hungarian (from 1102), and later Venetian rule during the late medieval period.

Under foreign rule, the Serbian population in this region faced pressure from the Roman Catholic Church, which sought to expand its influence through conversions, thus aligning the Serbian people with Croatian national identity. Many Serbs under foreign influence became Romanized urban citizens loyal to the regime.

Changes came in the early 16th century when Turkish raids on Lika became more frequent. Following their conquest of Bosnia, the Ottomans aimed to reach the Adriatic and capture wealthy trading towns. To defend their borders, the Habsburg Monarchy and the Venetian Republic began arming and resettling Serbs, mostly refugees from Bosnian Krajina fleeing Ottoman terror. In return for loyal service, Serbs received land, tax exemptions, and religious privileges. For decades, they were the backbone of border defense, proven by their participation in the Great Turkish War (1683-1699), after which the Ottomans no longer posed a threat to Lika.

Until 1918, the Serbs of Lika were under foreign rule. During wartime, they were conscripted to fight for foreign empires, and in peacetime, they were marginalized politically, granted only church-school autonomy. Through various cultural and educational organizations, they preserved their traditions from Plitvice to Gospić.

Liberation came in 1918 when the Kingdom of Serbia’s troops triumphantly entered parts of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, uniting all Serbs into a single state. The Karadjordjevic crown became a guarantor of security and development for Serbs across the Balkans. This marked the beginning of a period of peace and coexistence with other Yugoslav peoples, though this peace was short-lived, lasting only until 1941, when World War II broke out.

In April 1941, following the Axis invasion, Yugoslavia was on the verge of collapse. Unable to defend itself adequately, the state fell into disarray. The Serbs of Lika were left defenseless against Croatian nationalism, which escalated into fascism and genocide. Seeking an “ethnically pure” Croatia, Ustashas forces initiated pogroms of the Serbian population through executions, concentration camps, expulsions, and forced conversions. For nearly four years, the population fought for survival. Camps and killing fields in Gospić, Jasenovac, Jastrebarsko, and Jadovno are just some examples of the martyrdom, with estimates suggesting around 700,000 Serbs perished in Jasenovac (The number of victims listed on the Wikipedia page differs from the actual figures because the Republic of Croatia does not permit excavations or investigations of the Jasenovac camp to determine the true number of victims). During World War II, 91 individuals with the surname Tesla were killed in Ustashas’ camps and pits, including 11 in Jasenovac.

The war’s end and victory over fascism in 1945 brought only superficial peace and forgiveness of past crimes. The communist government suppressed any revival of Ustasha activities, aiming to restore good neighborly relations. This fragile peace lasted only until 1991, with the state’s dissolution and the outbreak of civil war. Once again, the Serbs of Lika faced bloody terror. Learning from history, the Krajina Serbs organized politically and militarily, resulting in the establishment of the Republic of Serbian Krajina. In 1991, the Ustashas burned down Nikola Tesla’s house and the Serbian Orthodox Church in Smiljan, and all Tesla’s monuments were destroyed.

Driven by patriotism, the Serbian people resisted until August 1995, when Operation “Storm” unfolded. Supported logistically by global powers, Croatian forces expelled 250,000 people from their ancestral homes in mere days. Today, Serbs in Lika are few, with little international recognition of their suffering.