THE IMPACT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION (1929–1933) ON TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA AND GERMANY

Milena S. Kocić

DOI Number
10.22190/FUEO1701083K
First page
083
Last page
092

Abstract


This paper examines the impact of the Great Depression (1929–1933), the biggest blow that the capitalist world had undergone in its history up to that point, on trade relations between the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Germany. At that time, the trade relations were based on a trade agreement of 1927, which would be cancelled during the crisis and replaced with a new one in 1934. Germany skillfully used the difficulties that the countries of Southeastern Europe, including the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, suffered from the Great Depression regarding the marketing of their main export commodity, agricultural products. A contributing factor to this was the fact that France and Great Britain, the main partners of the aforementioned countries, were losing economic interest in this area, which enabled Germany to impose itself as the leading trade partner through the expansion of existing and the making of new trade agreements. A key factor in this process was the existing economic complementarity of the two countries, which gained special significance in the years following the crisis. In this sense, it can be said that the world economic crisis, i.e., its aftermath, combined with a general state of political affairs in Europe in the 1930s, ultimately contributed to the promotion of economic cooperation between the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Germany and the strengthening of the ties between the two countries.


Keywords

the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Germany, trade relations, Great Depression

Full Text:

PDF

References


Aleksić, D. (1998). Spoljnotrgovinska politika Kraljevine Jugoslavije 1939-1941 [The Foreign Trade Policy of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1939 to 1941], Tokovi istorije, 1-4, 60-87.

Aleksić, D. (2010). Država i privreda u Kraljevini SHS [The State and the Economy in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes]. Belgrade: Institute for the Recent History of Serbia

Cvetković, V. Lj. (2006). Ekonomski odnosi Jugoslavije i Francuske 1918-1941. [The Economic Relations Between Yugoslavia and France 1918-1941]. Belgrade: The Institute for the Recent History of Serbia

Đorđević, B. (1960). Pregled ugovorne trgovinske politike od osnivanja države Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca do rata 1941. godine [The Overview of the Contractual Trade Policy from the Foundation of the State of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes until the War in 1941]. Zagreb: The Yugoslavian Academy of Arts and Sciences

Đurović, S. (1993). Problemi ekonomske integracije Jugoslavije 1918-1941. godine [The Problems of the Economic Integration of Yugoslavia from 1918 to 1941]. Istorija 20. veka [History of the 20thCentury], 1-2, 179-189.

Đurović, S. (1997). Problem ekonomske kompatibilnosti jugoslovenskog prostora sa ostalom Evropom kao elemenat uvlačenja Jugoslavije u kovitlac Drugog svetskog rata [The Problem of the Economic Compatibility of the Area of Yugoslavia with the Rest of Europe as an Element of Drawing Yugoslavia into the Whirlwind of World War II]. In: Strugar, V. (ed.), Drugi svjetski rat – 50 godina kasnije, zbornik radova [World War II—50 years later, a book of proceedings]. Podgorica: The Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts – Belgrade: The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts

Gašić, R. (2013). Prodor nemačkog kapitala u beogradska rudarska akcionarska društva tridesetih godina 20. veka. [The Influx of German Capital in Belgrade Mining Joint-Stock Companies in the 1930s]. Istorija 20. veka [History of the 20th Century], 1, 9-22.

Krizman, B. (1975). Vanjska politika jugoslavenske države 1918-1941. [Foreign Policy of the Yugoslavian State]. Zagreb: Školska knjiga

Lukač, D. (1976). Intenziviranje nemačkog prodora prema jugoistoku Evrope posle svetske ekonomske krize [The Intensification of the German Breakthrough towards Southeastern Europe after the Great Depression]. In: Čubrilović, V. (ed.), Svetska ekonomska kriza 1929-1934. godine i njen odraz u zemljama jugoistočne Evrope [The Great Depression of 1929-1934 and its Impact on the Countries of Southeastern Europe]. Belgrade: Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 63-75.

Mirković, M. (1968). Ekonomska historija Jugoslavije [The Economic History of Yugoslavia]. Zagreb: Informator

Mitrović, A. (1974a). Nemački privredni prostor i jugoistočna Evropa 1933. [The German Economic Space and Southeastern Europe in 1933]. Istorijski časopis [The Historical Magazine], XXI, 225-240.

Mitrović, A. (1974b). Ergänzungswirtschaft. O teoriji jedinstvenog privrednog područja Trećeg Rajha i jugoistočne Evrope (1933-1941) [Ergänzungswirtschaft. On the Theory of a Unified Economic Area of the Third Reich and Southeastern Europe (1933-1941)]. Jugoslovenski istorijski časopis [The Yugoslavian Historical Magazine], 3-4, 5-42.

Obradović, S. D. (1939). La politique commerciale de la Yougoslavie. Belgrade: Institut de recherches economiques de l'Ecole des hautes etudes economiques et commerciales

Pejić, L. (1976). Uticaj velike ekonomske krize 1929-1933. na jugoslovensku ekonomsku misao i ekonomsku politiku do Drugog svetskog rata [The Impact of the Great Depression of 1929-1933 on the Yugoslavian Economic Doctrine and Policy until World War II], In: Čubrilović, V. (ed.), Svetska ekonomska kriza 1929-1934. godine i njen odraz u zemljama jugoistočne Evrope [The Great Depression of 1929-1934 and its Impact on the Countries of Southeastern Europe]. Belgrade: Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 261-336.

Popov, Č. (1995). Od Versaja do Danciga [From Versaille to Danzig]. Belgrade: The Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Ristović, M. D. (1991). Nemački „novi poredak“ i Jugoistočna Evropa 1940/41-1944/45. Planovi o budućnosti i praksa. [The German “New Order” and Southeastern Europe 1940/41-1944/45. Plans on the Future and Practice.] Belgrade: Vojnoizdavački i novinski centar

Vanku, M. (1969). Mala Antanta 1920-1938. [Little Entente 1920-1938]. Titovo Užice: Dimitrije Tucović

Vanku, M. (1976). Mala Antanta u velikoj ekonomskoj krizi 1929-1933. [The Little Entente in the Great Depression 1929-1933]. In: Čubrilović, V. (ed.), Svetska ekonomska kriza 1929-1934. godine i njen odraz u zemljama jugoistočne Evrope [The Great Depression of 1929-1934 and its Impact on the Countries of Southeastern Europe]. Belgrade: Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 147-161.

Vinaver, V. (1985). Jugoslavija i Francuska između dva rata (Da li je Jugoslavija bila francuski „satelit“) [Yugoslavia and France between the Two Wars (Was Yugoslavia a French “Satellite?”)]. Belgrade: The Institute for Contemporary History.

Vinaver, V. (1987). Svetska ekonomska kriza u Podunavlju i nemački prodor 1929-1934 [The Great Depression in the Danube River Basin and the German Breakthrough from 1929 to 1934]. Belgrade: The Institute for Contemporary History.

Vučković, M. (1976). Uticaj svetske privredne krize 1929-1932. na privredu stare Jugoslavije [The Impact of the Great Depression of 1929-1932 on the Economy of Old Yugoslavia], In: Čubrilović, V. (ed.), Svetska ekonomska kriza 1929-1934. godine i njen odraz u zemljama jugoistočne Evrope [The Great Depression of 1929-1934 and its Impact on the Countries of Southeastern Europe]. Belgrade: Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 197-227.

Vučo, N. (1968). Agrarna kriza u Jugoslaviji 1930-1934 [The Agricultural Crisis in Yugoslavia 1930-1934]. Belgrade: Prosveta

Vučo, N. (1976). „Agrarni blok“ podunavskih zemalja za vreme ekonomske krize 1929-1933. godine [The “Agricultural Block” of the Danube Basin Countries during the Great Depression of 1929-1933]. In: Čubrilović, V. (ed.), Svetska ekonomska kriza 1929-1934. godine i njen odraz u zemljama jugoistočne Evrope [The Great Depression of 1929-1934 and its Impact on the Countries of Southeastern Europe]. Belgrade: Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 29-51.

SOURCES - ARCHIVES

Unpublished sources

Politisches Archiv des Auswärtigen Amtes, Berlin (=PAAA)

R 240726: АА, Аbteilung II. Akten betreffend: Jugoslawiens Handelsbeziehungen zu Deutschland. Jugoslawien, Handel 11, Bd. 3:

PAAA, R 240726/191, Jugoslawiens Außenhandel, Berliner Börsen-Courier, December 20, 1929.

PAAA, R 240726/199, Deutsches Konsulat Zagreb an das AA Berlin, October 2, 1930.

PAAA, R 240726/200, Wirtschaft und Finanzen: die jugoslawisch-deutschen Handelsbeziehungen, October 2, 1930.

PAAA, R 240726/217-219, Die Handelsbeziehungen zwischen Jugoslavien und Deutschland während des 1. Halbjahres 1930, December 22, 1930.

Archives of Yugoslavia, Belgrade (=AY):

AY 334-386-1213. The Fund of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (=334), Consular-Economic Department (CED), folder No. 386, archive unit No. 1213, Belgrade, July 29, 1933.

AY 335-99. The Collection of Vojislav Jovanović Marambo (=335), folder No. 99, no archive unit, Pregled spoljno-trgovinske politike (nedatirani i nepotpuni referat) [An Overview of the Foreign Trade Policy (an undated and incomplete report)], p. 401

AY 38-860-1044. The Fund of the Central Press Bureau of the Presidency of the Ministerial Council of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (=38), folder No. 860, archive unit No. 1044:

AY 38-860-1044, 1932. “Ministar trgovine i industrije o otkazu trgovinskog ugovora s Nemačkom” [Minister of Trade and Industry on the Cancellation of the Trade Agreement with Germany], Politika, September 14, 1932.

AY 38-860-1044, 1934. “Ministar g. J. Demetrović o trgovinskom ugovoru s Nemačkom” [Minister Mr. J. Demetrović on the Trade Agreement with Germany], Politika, May 10, 1934.

Published sources

Jugoslavija 1918-1988: statistički godišnjak [Yugoslavia 1918-1988: a Statistical Yearbook], Belgrade 1989.

Službene novine [The Official Gazette], No. 288 – LXXX, December 20, 1927.

Službene novine [The Official Gazette], No. 123 – XXXII, June 1, 1934.

Press

Politika, February 8, 1931, No. 8174, p. 5 (“Borba za poljoprivredu u industrijskoj Nemačkoj” [The Fight for Agriculture in An Industrial Germany], Berlin correspondent P. Milojević)




DOI: https://doi.org/10.22190/FUEO1701083K

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


© University of Niš, Serbia
Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND
ISSN 0354-4699 (Print)
ISSN 2406-050X (Online)