Forgotten Dalmatia launches exploring its history and emigrant past

Fishermen from Sutivan on the island of Brač (Photo: Zaboravljena Dalmacija)

The author of ‘Greeting From a Dalmatia Long Forgotten’, the largest monograph with old postcards published in Croatia, Igor Goleš, has launched his own website with the same theme – Zaboravljena Dalmacija. 

The website Zaboravljenadalmacija.hr, meaning forgotten Dalmatia, is the product of the author exploring the history of Croatia’s Dalmatia region for many years and writing 3 extremely popular books about it. The website is in both Croatian and English.

On the website you can enjoy old photos of Dalmatia by clicking directly on cities and villages on the map. There are several hundred old photos of Dalmatia and the map is constantly refreshed by new additions.

Emigrants from Dalmatia leaving Trst for USA (Photo: Zaboravljena Dalmacija)

You can also read blogs with interesting stories from Dalmatian history, written by Igor Goleš and others. Among the blogs are some fascinating stories, like the one about Dalmatians emigrating to Chile, or how women from Dalmatian families over a century ago got married to people from other parts of the world  by just knowing them threw letter correspondence. 

There is also the story about a Dalmatian, Trojan Drvenica, in Australia and how the coat of arms from his wine labels became Australia’s national coat of arms. You can also learn about the Vis battle from 1866, the Miraculous Lady of Sinj, the Pelješac Maritime Association or famous runner Ante Ružić Bačo – the Dalmatian Forrest Gump. 

Hamburg- America 1928 letter about the overseas lines (Photo: Zaboravljena Dalmacija)

“The website is a great meeting place for everybody who loves Dalmatia and wants to met the homeland from where their grandparents or great-grandparents emigrated from,” the author says.   

The book ‘Greeting from a Dalmatia long forgotten’, which shows how life was in Dalmatia from the period 1893-1940 through rare old postcards, is also for sale on the website. The book, which features 950 quality pages, weighs 5 kgs and has been called the Dalmatian Bible.

Ivan Rakitić with the book ‘Greeting From a Dalmatia Long Forgotten’ (Photo: Zaboravljena Dalmacija)

After Croatia Week published an article last year about the book, Igor says after Croatia Week published an article last year about the book 

The book, the author says, almost sold out last year after a Croatia Week article with many readers picking it up as a Christmas gift. 

“I couldn’t imagine in my best dreams that my books will find their on the book shelves of Dalmatian homes all over the world, from USA, Australia, and Canada, to Chile and Brazil. It is just amazing how Dalmatians identify themselves threw those books. It is a must-have monograph for every Dalmatian home,” Igor explained. 

Luka Modrić with author Igor Goleš (Photo: Zaboravljena Dalmacija)

For Croatia Week readers there is a special 30% discount being offered on the book. To order a copy of the book email: [email protected] or send a DM on the Instagram @zaboravljena_dalmacija.

**The book costs €200 but there is currently a 30% discount for Croatia Week readers by using the code: ‘Croatia Week’ until 20 December 2021 **