Proces hrvatske nacionalne integracije u Mostaru

In the second half of the 19th century, Herzegovina experienced major changes when, after Herzegovina-Bosnian insurrection from 1875 to 1878 and the Congress of Berlin, Catholic Austro-Hungarian Monarchy arrived at this region. In the process of Croatian national integration in Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the period of mass national agitation and, partly, a mass national movement, Mostar was the center of such events. The establishment of the Fraternity of St. Anthony of Padua, the opening of a printing house, arrival of the nuns from Maribor and public procession through the city for Corpus Christi marked the beginning of that period. It ended at the beginning of 20th century when the process of national integration included peasants and workers as well and turned into a mass national movement. With the arrival of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the city became a center of Croatian culture, education and publishing. Newspaper publishing activities among Croats could be linked to Fran Milicevic and Herzegovinian Basil, New Herzegovinian Basil, Voice of a Herzegovinian and Dawn during the period of 25 years (from 1883 to 1908). The establishment of the Fraternity of St. Anthony of Padua, with its significant role in expanding the network of Croatian institutions in Herzeg-Bosnia, marked the process of establishing the institutions that gathered members from different social structures. Croatian Choral Music Society Hrvoje was an example and incentive for other Croatian institutions in Herzeg-Bosnia of how to work for the people's cause. Through its activities Hrvoje became a serious amateur theater that developed love for such kind of art among the citizens. A large number of different Croatian associations worked in Mostar at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. By including intellectuals, priests, teachers, clerks, merchants, craftsmen, artisans, workers and peasants in the process of national integration, a modern Croatian nation was created at the end of 19th and the beginning of the 20th century based on the model of other nations of Europe.