Krashovani

From Freepedia

The Krashovani are a people indigenous to Caraşova and other nearby locations in the Romanian Banat. It is estimated that there are around 5,000 Krashovani in Romania, with only some 200 opting for the nationality itself, the remainder being split between Serbs and Croats.

The Krashovani, unlike the Romanians, are Slavic by origin: they are descended from the Serbs from eastern Serbia (Timok) which means that they are also claimed by the Bulgarians. Due to their Catholic faith some have also come to identify themselves as Croatians during the 20th century.

Their dialect is an archaic speech elsewhere preserved only in the area of eastern Serbia, the Torlakian dialect of the Timok valley around Zaječar. However, they are a Roman Catholic group which sets them apart from the other Serbs in the Banat (which are Eastern Orthodox) with whom they share not only a common language but a history of solidarity for centuries which continues to this day through joinst Serb-Krašovan organizations.

Their migration to these parts can be traced to the 1370s, fleeing from the Ottoman onslaught they settled in the Kingdom of Hungary. This could be the source of their Catholicism.

Since Croatia has dual citizenship and fairly liberally awards citizenship to the Croats from abroad, an increasing number of Krashovani have recently opted for the Croatian nationality.