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Karlobag 1920-1945

The New Adriatic and the Whirlwind of War

Coat of arms of Karlobag
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Click a postcard or photograph for a detailed view, or start the presentation.

Presentation

With the end of the Monarchy, Karlobag stepped into the twenties, becoming part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The town began to breathe with a new, optimistic rhythm. The old vistas of the Customs House and the fortress gained a new gleam, and the waterfront (riva) became livelier than ever, full of travelers and merchants.

The interwar period brought a harbor full of hope and a modest but steady growth in tourism. New postcards and photographs document this period of stability, showing local festivities, new buildings, and people who proudly posed in front of Velebit mountain.

Unfortunately, the optimism was cut short. The Second World War and the Italian occupation brought a bitter period. Karlobag became a place of separation, and the scent of salt was replaced by fear. This collection records that dramatic transition: from family photos taken on the sun-drenched waterfront in the 1930s, through the arrival of foreign soldiers, all the way to the turbulent end of the war.

These images and postcards are a crucial document on how Karlobag survived twenty-five years of upheaval, all while preserving its eternal connection to the sea and the Velebit mountain.

Postcard 1

Postcard sent in 1937.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View towards Karlobag and Pag from Velebit.

Photographed by Griesbach & Knaus, Zagreb, Jurišićeva 1.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1101

Postcard 2

Postcard sent in 1941.

Stamp of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH)

View towards Karlobag and Pag from Velebit.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1102

Postcard 3

Period around 1922.

View of Karlobag and the port.

Photographed by Griesbach & Knaus, Zagreb, Jurišićeva 1.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1103

Postcard 4

Postcard sent in 1939.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of the town from the current Hotel Zagreb direction.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1104

Postcard 5

Postcard sent in 1924.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

View of Velebit and the town of Karlobag.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1105

Postcard 6

Period around 1930.

View of the town and the old port.

Photographed by Vittorio Stein, Trieste.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1106

Postcard 7

Postcard sent in 1932.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of the town and the old port.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1107

Postcard 8

Postcard sent in 1938.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of the school and town.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1108

Postcard 35

Postcard sent in 1936.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View from the sea to Velebit and Karlobag.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1135

Postcard 9

Postcard sent in 1938.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View from the sea to Velebit and Karlobag.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1109

Postcard 10

Postcard sent in 1935.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View from the sea to Velebit and Karlobag.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1110

Postcard 11

Postcard sent in 1934.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View from the sea to Bakarčić inn and the pier.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1111

Postcard 38

Period around 1938.

Publisher: Mile Šikić.

View of the school and the Bakarčić inn.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1138

Postcard 12

Period around 1931.

View of the Higher Elementary School, City Hall and Customs in the town center.

Published by Nik Pavelić, Karlobag.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1112

Postcard 13

Postcard sent in 1924.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

View of the Higher Elementary School, City Hall and Customs in the town center.

Photographed by Zvonimir Pavelić, Karlobag.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1113

View of Karlobag from the sea around 1930

Period around 1930.

Postage stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View from the sea of Karlobag’s waterfront, town houses and the Velebit massif in the background.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1143

Postcard 14

Postcard sent in 1928.

Aerial view of Karlobag.

Publisher: Mile Šikić.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1114

Postcard 15

Postcard sent in 1931.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

View of the pier.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1115

Postcard 17

Postcard sent in 1933.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View from the sea to the town and Velebit with inserted planes.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1117

Postcard 18

Postcard sent in 1931.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

View from the sea to the town and Velebit.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1118

Postcard 19

Postcard sent in 1931.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

View from the sea to the Higher Elementary School, town and Velebit with inserted planes.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1119

Postcard 20

Postcard sent in 1931.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

View from the sea to the Higher Elementary School, town and Velebit.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1120

Postcard 21

Period around 1930.

View of the pier and the steamboat arriving at the port.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1121

Postcard 22

Postcard sent in 1941.

Stamp of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH)

View of the pier.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1122

Narrow stone street in Karlobag's old town around 1925

Period around 1925.

Postage stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

A scene from a narrow stone street in Karlobag’s old town, with stone houses and local residents.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1140

Postcard 34

The postcard was sent in 1922.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

A view of the square, people, and the monument to Baron Molinari in the background.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1134

Postcard 23

Postcard sent in 1937.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of the square and the monument of Baron Molinari.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1123

Karlobag harbour with a steamship and monument

The postcard was mailed in 1933.

Postage stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of Karlobag harbour with a moored steamship, gathered residents and the monument on the waterfront.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1139

Postcard 24

Postcard sent in 1933.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of Baron Molinari monument with steamboat in the background.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1124

Postcard 25

Postcard sent in 1933.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of the Customs building and the waterfront.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1125

Postcard 26

Postcard sent in 1938.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of St. Charles Borromeo Church and the town.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1126

Postcard 27

Postcard sent in 1930.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

View of the town and the port.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1127

Postcard 28

Postcard sent in 1941.

Stamp of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH)

View of Velebit restaurant and the pier.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1128

Postcard 16

Period around 1938.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

View of the pier.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1116

Bather standing on a diving board in Karlobag in 1937

Period 1937.

A bathing scene in Karlobag: a man stands on a diving board above the sea, with the coast of Pag in the background.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1141

Diving into the sea in Karlobag in 1937

Period 1937.

A dive into the sea from a diving board in Karlobag, with the coast of Pag in the background.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1142

Postcard 29

Postcard sent in 1934.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of the town swimming area.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1129

Postcard 30

Postcard sent in 1940.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of the town swimming area and St. Charles Borromeo Church.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1130

Postcard 31

Postcard from the 1930s.

View of Gojtanova Dražica.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1131

Postcard 36

Postcard from the 1930s.

Enjoying the summer in Gojtnova dražica, while the city beach can be seen in the background.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1136

Postcard 32

Postcard sent in 1934.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

View of the town swimming area, St. Charles Borromeo Church and Pag.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1132

Postcard 37

Postcard sent in 1937.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Karlobag, Villa Gojtan and the Draga Karlobaška cove.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1137

Postcard 44

Period around 1940.

Villa Gojtan and the Draga Karlobaška cove.

Photographed by Griesbach and Knaus, Zagreb, Jurišićeva 1.

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1144

Postcard 33

Postcard sent in 1930.

Stamp of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

View of Gojtanova Dražica and Villa "Nada".

T. Potočnjak Collection
Inv. no. ZTP-KB-1133

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