Land expropriation The “Montanbahn Vogošća – Čevljanović” railway line is partially owned by the state treasury, while the remaining part pertains to private ownership. An examination of archival documents provides information related to private parcels starting from Semizovac toward Čevljanovići. Mujaga Semiz’s parcel of 660 m² (Mujaga Semiz, in land proceedings, managed the endowment estate – waqf of Hadži Salih-aga Semiz, op. a.) is where guardhouse No. 70 is located on the right bank and at the confluence of the Ljubina stream into the River Bosna. Widow Džemija Krkić’s parcel of 350 m² (which includes a side track used for handling operations). Parcel owner Pašo Lukovac 1800 m² (building of the mining cafeteria and Gendarmerie from 1907/08, now residential objects, op. a.). Parcel from Osmić Nazif 4779 m². Parcel ‘under the angry side,’ owner Pačo Avdia 2815 m², then ‘Gornja Luka’ 279 m²; ‘Fatinica Luka’ 1261 m² and ‘Kod Mlin’ 264 m². Parcel from Hadži Mujaga Osmić 4779 m², parcel owner Džemija Krkić 1920 m², parcel owner Jakob Usper 1400 m², parcel no. 5 owner Hamid Trebinjac 4725 m², parcel no. 6 2600 m², and parcel no. 11 900 m². Parcel no. 12 owner Esad efendi Kulović 2779 m², parcel no. 13 owner Salih Malešević 3064 m², parcel no. 14 owner Halil Malešević 3159 m². Parcel no. 15, owner Esad efendi Kulović 6417 m², parcel no. 16 owner Agan Čehaić 1800 m². Parcel no. 17. owner Ali Penava, 711 m²; parcel no. 18. owner Salih Malešević, 810 m²; parcel no. 19. owners Fata and Dragija Čehajić, 1800 m²; parcel no. 20. owner Agan Čehajić, 649 m²; parcel no. 21. owner Halil Malešević, 210 m². Parcel no. 22. owner Mehmet Penava, 280 m². Parcel no. 23. owner Halil Malešević, 684 m²; parcel no. 24. owner Agan Čehajić, 238 m². Parcel no. 25. owner Halil Malešević, 216 m²; parcel no. 26. of 1820 m² and no. 27. of 300 m², owner Hasan Herić. Parcel no. 28. owner Avdia Spahić, 300 m²; parcel no. 29. owner Mehmed-aga Bajramović, 1080 m²; parcel no. 30. owner mukhtar Husein Spahić, 1845 m². Plot no. 31. owner Mustafa Spahić 900 m², plot no. 32. owner Osman Spahić 1300 m², plot no. 34. owner Avdija Spahić 560 m², plot no. 35. owner Hasan Spahić 560 m², plot no. 36. owner Osman Spahić 960 m². Plot no. 37. owner Mustafa Spahić 1760 m², plot no. 38. owner Derviš Rizvić 840 m². Land – Plot of Ljubina Valley no. 39. owner Mehmed Kreševljaković 3732 m² and 3874 m². Plot no. 40. owner Huso Abadžić 585 m², plots no. 42. a, b, c, and d, owners Salih-beg and Husein-beg Halilbegović 1820 m². These plots extend from km 19+700 along the railway to the turnout switches at Čevljanovići station at km 20+467. These plots stretch from the eastern end of the track at km 19+700 to the outgoing switches at Čevljanovići station at km 20+467, covering areas from the stretch of the railway line specified. All expropriated plots are properly registered in the Land Registry during the period from 1882 to 1885 in Sarajevo. From the above list, it can be observed that among the landowners were prominent
Somewhere in late spring of 1881, a group of geodetic engineers, technicians, and support staff from the Imperial and Royal Bosnian-Herzegovinian Railway Construction Administration (k.k. Bosna Bahn Bauleitung der eisenbahn strecke Zenica – Sarajevo) arrived at approximately the sixty-second kilometer of the right side of the route (61+700) in the village of Vogošća near Ilijaš. Their primary task was expert field measurement and the collection and analysis of spatial information for the future railway route.
The construction of the route, spanning 78.6 km, for which the general project was developed by the construction company “Hügel & Sager,” was carried out under the orders and supervision of the Imperial and Royal Ministry of War of the Monarchy. It was contracted with “Bauunternehmen M. Gerstle & Comp.” for the amount of 3,785,209 Ft, including land acquisition and the execution of all construction works.
As the primary equipment, a mechanical theodolite was used (with a standard magnifying glass or a simple microscope, op. a.), followed by a tape measure for measuring length and a measuring ruler. During direct measurement across private properties (orchards, meadows, etc.), it was mandatory for a local mukhtar or prince to be present, who, through their presence and signature, ensured the fair measurement of the land and the final agreed-upon price. The expropriation and field survey of the land continued through Han Semizovac, Reljevo Dvori, Ilidža-Crnotica (from 1900 known as Rajlovac, op. a.), Alipašin Most to Sarajevo.
On the left and right sides of the future route, from the Vogošća station (within the spatial kilometer from 61+200 to 64+730, operational a.), were the following inns: Han Malešići, Han Balibega Balića, Han Hrastovac, Han Semizov, Han Čebić, and Han Čurćin. The most well-known at that time was Han Semizov, built between 1760 and 1777 (according to H. Kreševljaković, operational a.), which was constructed and endowed by Hadži Salih-aga Semiz, a merchant and landowner from Sarajevo.
After the works were completed and the official inspection of the constructed railway route and auxiliary facilities took place, on October 4, 1882, a ceremonial opening of the narrow-gauge railway line Zenica – Sarajevo was held, attended by all the leaders of the Bosnian military and civil authorities, led by Austro-Hungarian General and head of the Provincial Government in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1882-1903), Baron Johan Appel (Johann von Appel, 1826-1906). The railway line was officially handed over and opened for public traffic on October 5, 1882.
Construction of the “Montanbahn Vogošća – (Semizovac) – Čevljanović” railway
At the beginning of 1884, the administration of the Imperial and Royal Bosnian Railway (k.k. BB / 1878-1895) received an order from the Minister of Finance, Kállay (Hungarian: Kállay Béni or Benjamin von Kállay, 1839-1903, who served as the Minister of Finance of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and, consequently, as the administrator over Bosnia and Herzegovina, op. a.) to urgently plan and commence construction of a railway transportation link from the location Han Semizovac, hereinafter Semizovac, to the location Čevljanović. The importance of this project, as stated in the explanation, “for the essential transport of manganese ore” from the Čevljanović mine pit toward the Vogošća railway station, or Bosanski Brod, and further west toward the Austro-Hungarian steelworks. [end]
The construction of an industrial railway would greatly facilitate the exploitation of the forest in the Ljubina River basin and its larger gravitational area, such as Ozren Mountain, Kalina – Bioštica, Rača – Kalina, Duboki Potok, Lipnik Forest (Podlipnik), as well as in the basin of the Povača and Rača streams.
The construction of the railway was partially financed by a mining enterprise, hereafter referred to as the “Bosnia” Cooperative (“Gewerkschaft Bosnia”) headquartered in Vogošća, while the remaining part was financed by the BiH Land Government.
Technically, the projected route was named “Montanbahn Vogošća – Čevljanović.” This name will be recorded in many documents, now archive records, and many authors of book publications will originally cite it. To avoid confusion, the Vogošća railway station (1882) was located northwest (near Ilijaš), while today’s town settlement of Vogošća is southeast of today’s Semizovac.
This research work is focused on describing the construction of a ‘mining’ railway from the location where it diverges from the main line, specifically from (Han) Semizovac to Čevljanovići. Generally, the main corridor of the Bos. Brod – Zenica – Sarajevo railway (1882) passed through the village of (Han) Semizovac, so the section from Vogošća to the branching point, approximately 1700 meters long, is not part of this research. It is likely that at that time, government officials used the Vogošća train station as the technical-topographical starting point to better understand the proposed mining route.
Earthworks (lower machinery) Semizovac – Čevljanović began in early September 1884 and was completed by the end of December of the same year. Due to the extremely harsh winter (up to 23 degrees below zero) and heavy snowfall, work resumed in January 1885 with the laying of gravel and wooden sleepers with rails. The entire project was finished on January 24th, while on January 25th, the technical acceptance committee visited the site and, after a ‘technical-police’ inspection, signed the final transfer document (commissioning) between the investor and the construction company. With this act, on January 26, 1885, the constructed railway was officially opened to regular traffic.
Technical Data
A branch along the main railway line (at the spatial km 63+400 from Zenica, district a.) in the Semizovac area is located at an elevation of 471 meters above sea level, while the village of Čevljanović stands at 734 meters. The route’s construction would extend through the valley of the Ljubina stream, specifically along the steep Ljubina River Gorge in the direction of Čevljanović, covering a length of 20 km and 467 meters (up to the end of the station’s outgoing track, district a.).
As the lower structure, the existing road was used along a 14 km section of the route, while earthworks were carried out on the remaining 6.5 km to expand the existing road, and in some places, adjustments were made to the flow of the Ljubina stream. The entire route has 237 curves with a minimum radius of 40 meters and 25 open culverts. The supporting structures of the bridges are made of wood, while the bridge abutments and other engineering structures are dry stone walls. The incline of the route ranges from 10‰ to a maximum of 25‰, with a track width of 670 mm. The installed rails (sleepers) were of Type IV, i.e., 15 kg per meter in length. These rails were purchased from stockpiles of Bosnabahn, which had been removed from the Novoselo – Derventa and Velika – Kotorsko lines (on the Bos. Brod – Doboj line, among others).
At the Ljubina and Čevljanovići stations, log cabins were constructed for workers and water stations. At Semizovac station (referring to the station near the mine processing building, branch line – approximately 200 meters away), there was one reservoir with a capacity of 13 cubic meters of water (gravity-fed) and one water supply flowing at a rate of 1.5 minutes per cubic meter. Ljubina has a 4 m³ reservoir and a water supply line of 3.3 minutes per m³, while Čevljanovići station has a 13 m³ reservoir (gravity-fed) and a flow rate of 1 minute per m³. In front of these stations, on passing sidings, wooden barriers were installed to prevent runaway freight cars. Fire and coal cleaning facilities were available at Semizovac and Čevljanovići stations. Neither station had a turning triangle nor a turntable (for reversing the locomotive tender).
The length of the route from Semizovac (zero km) to Ljubina is 9 km + 523 m, to Srednje 16 + 169 km, and to Čevljanovići 20 + 252 km (up to the station building, op. a.). Travel to Čevljanovići uphill takes about 83 minutes, and back downhill approximately 61 minutes. It is regulated that at most ten loaded cars can be driven downhill, while uphill can carry up to 20 cars. Two pairs of trains run every day, but only during the daytime. The number of tracks at the stations is: Semizovac, Ljubina, Srednje, and Čevljanovići, each with two, with a special ramp and track built at Čevljanovići station for loading excavated ore into freight cars (“Erzewerks”).
The total cost of constructing the route with auxiliary structures amounted to 118,198.93 forints. The mining cooperative “Bosnia” was assigned a ‘standard’ freight rate of 0.125 crowns per kilometer. In return, the “Bosnia” cooperative guaranteed the Bosnabahn railway an annual freight revenue of 1,575 guilders. Traffic management with steam traction was carried out in front of the k. and k. Bosnabahn.
Land Expropriation
The “Montanbahn Vogošća – Čevljanović” railway line is partially owned by the state treasury, while the remaining portion is privately owned. Archival documents provide information regarding private parcels starting from Semizovac toward Čevljanović. Mujaga Semiz’s parcel of 660 m2 (Mujaga Semiz, in land proceedings, managed the endowment estate – waqf of Hadži Salih-aga Semiz, op. a.) is where Guardhouse No. 70 is located on the right bank at the confluence of the Ljubina stream into the Bosna River. Widow Džemija Krkić’s parcel of 350 m2 (which includes a side track used for operational handling).
Parcel owner Pašo Lukovac, 1800 m2 (building of the mining cafeteria and Gendarmerie from 1907/08, now residential buildings, op. a.). Parcel from Osmić Nazif, 4779 m2. Parcel called ‘under the angry side,’ owner Pačo Avdia, 2815 m2, then ‘Gornja Luka,’ 279 m2; ‘Fatinica Luka,’ 1261 m2; and ‘Kod Mlin,’ 264 m2. Parcel from Hadži Mujaga Osmić, 4779 m2. Parcel owner Džemija Krkić, 1920 m2. Parcel owner Jakob Usper, 1400 m2. Parcel no. 5 owner Hamid Trebinjac, 4725 m2. Parcel no. 6, 2600 m2. And parcel no. 11, 900 m2. Parcel no. 12 owner Esad efendi Kulović, 2779 m2. Parcel no. 13 owner Salih Malešević, 3064 m2. Parcel no. 14 owner Halil Malešević, 3159 m2. Parcel no. 15, owner Esad efendi Kulović, 6417 m2. Parcel no. 16 owner Agan Čehaić, 1800 m2.
Parcel no. 17. owner Ali Penava, 711 m²; parcel no. 18. owner Salih Malešević, 810 m²; parcel no. 19. owners Fata and Dragija Čehajić, 1800 m²; parcel no. 20. owner Agan Čehajić, 649 m²; parcel no. 21. owner Halil Malešević, 210 m². Parcel no. 22. owner Mehmet Penava, 280 m². Parcel no. 23. owner Halil Malešević, 684 m²; parcel no. 24. owner Agan Čehajić, 238 m². Parcel no. 25. owner Halil Malešević, 216 m²; parcel no. 26. of 1820 m² and no. 27. of 300 m², owner Hasan Herić. Parcel no. 28. owner Avdia Spahić, 300 m²; parcel no. 29. owner Mehmed-aga Bajramović, 1080 m²; parcel no. 30. owner mukhtar Husein Spahić, 1845 m².
Plot no. 31. owner Mustafa Spahić, 900 m2; plot no. 32. owner Osman Spahić, 1300 m2; plot no. 34. owner Avdija Spahić, 560 m2; plot no. 35. owner Hasan Spahić, 560 m2; plot no. 36. owner Osman Spahić, 960 m2. Plot no. 37. owner Mustafa Spahić, 1760 m2; plot no. 38. owner Derviš Rizvić, 840 m2. Land – Plot of Ljubina Valley no. 39. owner Mehmed Kreševljaković, 3732 m2 and 3874 m2. Plot no. 40. owner Huso Abadžić, 585 m2; plots no. 42. a, b, c, and d, owners Salih-beg and Husein-beg Halilbegović, 1820 m2. These plots extend from km 19+700 along the railway to the turnout switches at Čevljanovići station at km 20+467. These plots stretch from the eastern end of the track at km 19+700 to the outgoing switches at Čevljanovići station at km 20+467, covering areas from the stretch of the railway line specified. All expropriated plots are properly registered in the Land Registry during the period from 1882 to 1885 in Sarajevo. From the above list, it can be observed that among the landowners were prominent representatives from reputable Sarajevo families, such as Mehaga (Mehmed) Kreševljaković, father of Hamdija Kreševljaković (1888–1959), a distinguished historian and academic from Sarajevo. Mehmed was engaged in trading iron goods (a tradition brought by his ancestors from Kreševo), and likely, after purchasing the plot near Ljubina stream at Čevljanovići, built a forge or purchased a share, etc. He crafted items for general use by forging iron using an anvil (a forging tool similar to a watermill where a hammer is moved with jointed parts to work with iron, see note). Esad-beg Kulović (1859–1917), poet, translator, and public worker, was mayor of Sarajevo from 1905 to 1910. His plot was located at the exit from Srednji near the old wooden mosque. Nearby, he commissioned Dr. Johan Pavlikov to build a summer house, who served as the chief doctor for the state railways. This building (constructed between 1910 and 1912) was long known as “Pavlikov Villa”. It can be surmised that both of them traveled by train on weekends to their plots in the most beautiful spring times, enjoying the shade by the clear, pure water of Ljubina creek. Near the Čevljanovići railway station, Austrian industrialist August Braun owned a plot intended for bringing in and storing logs. The contracted logging (via tender for forest area Vučja Luka) was carried out in front of the Forest Administration building in Srednji, with logs being loaded into state wagons and transported to Sarajevo. Sarajevan Salomon Levi Sadić (1829–?), originally from Cheb in Bohemia, owned a large plot stretching from Čevljanovići to Ivančići (on the right bank of Ljubina creek). One of his sons, Abraham-Avram Levi Sadić, is known for founding the sock factory “Kljuc” in Sarajevo in 1896. [The translation continues with detailed descriptions of various plots, ownerships, and historical context, which can be provided upon request.]
All expropriated parcels were properly registered in the Real Estate Cadastre between 1882 and 1885 in Sarajevo. From the aforementioned list, it can be observed that the most prominent owners of parcels were notable representatives from reputable Sarajevo families, such as Mehaga (Mehmed) Kreševljaković, who was the father of Hamdija Kreševljaković (1888–1959), a renowned historian and academic from Sarajevo. Mehmed was engaged in the trade of iron goods—a tradition inherited from their ancestors brought from Kreševo—and probably, after purchasing a parcel near Ljubina stream by Čevljanovići, he built or bought a forge (or became co-owner, etc.) with a furnace for melting and processing iron ore. By forging iron using a ‘stupe’ (anvil—similar to a watermill where a jointed device moved a hammer for working with iron), he produced objects for wider use.
Esad-beg Kulović (1859-1917) was a poet, translator, and public worker. He served as the mayor of Sarajevo from 1905 to 1910. His parcel was located at the exit from Srednji, near the old wooden mosque. Close to that parcel, he had a summer house built for Dr. Johan Pavlikov, who served as the chief doctor of the state railways. This building (constructed between 1910 and 1912) long bore the name “Pavlikov Villa.” We can assume that they both traveled together on weekends by train to their parcels during the most beautiful springtime. They would socialize in the shade by the clear and pure water of the Ljubina stream. Near the Čevljanović railway station, Austrian industrialist August Braun owned a parcel intended for bringing in and storing logs. The agreed logging (through a tender for the forest area of Vučja Luka, etc.) and transportation were carried out in front of the Forest Administration Office in Srednji; the logs were loaded into state wagons and transported to Sarajevo.
Salomon Levi Sadić, a Sarajlija born in 1829, originally from Czechia, Karlovy Vary, owned a large parcel of land stretching from Čevljanovići to Ivančići (on the right bank of the Ljubina stream). One of his sons (father of four sons and two daughters), Abraham-Avram Levi Sadić, is known for founding the sock factory “Kljuc” in Sarajevo in 1896.
Extension of the track from Čevljanovići to Ivančići
According to the commissioned project for the railway route Semizovac – Čevljanović, an idea project was also developed for extending the route from Čevljanović to Olovo. In 1885, the Bosnia-Herzegovina State Railways abandoned this project due to a lack of interest from foreign investors. Olovo would, in 1901/02, be connected by a railway line “Zavidovići – Olovo – Han Pijesak – Kusače”.
Through a public auction, the company – Szejda & Kalmut Consortium obtained the permit for the exploitation of the Lipnik forest area. The planned forest route would extend from Lipnik to Ivančići, a distance of 11 km. An agreement was signed with the Land Government in Sarajevo, in which the company committed to finance the construction, or extension, of the railway line from Čevljanovići to Ivančići, approximately two kilometers long. The constructed track was put into service on May 15, 1894. This route would be purchased for the benefit of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian State Railways (BHStB) in 1897.
In the Kingdom of SHS/Yugoslavia, the Ivančići – Podlipnik Forest Railway, with a length of 11 km, was leased in 1922 to the company “Dr. Luka Čabrajić and others” from Sarajevo (from 1926 “ŠIP ‘Ozren’ from Srednje”, etc.). The railway, which is otherwise steam-powered, was extended, and together with its branches, had a total length of 20.9 km. After the war (1918), this forest railway was owned by the Directorate of State Mines in Sarajevo, but timber transport toward Ivančići and Srednje continued. After the war (1945), it was placed under the management of the Srednje Forest Directorate.
Contour lines of the main railway line “Montanbahn Vogošća (Semizovac) – Čevljanović”
Based on free agreements, long-term contracts for the exploitation of forests in the Ljubina stream basin were concluded within the royal forest management operations. Shortly thereafter, full freight trains loaded with timber assortments took precedence over manganese ore transports. Thanks to foreign investments, sawmills along with auxiliary facilities and factory sidings will be built near the Ljubina stream. The first contract was signed with the private company “F. Steinmetz & Co.” from Sarajevo in 1886.
Company “F. Steinmetz & Co.” – Saw Mill in Srednje near Sarajevo
Near the very end of the nineteenth century, the company built the first water-powered sawmill by the Rača stream (a left tributary of the Ljubina River) near Srednji. During the construction of the sawmill, a Venetian gate was installed and put into operation. Later, by signing a forest exploitation agreement with the Land Government (1901), a second gate was installed.
The required bark was supplied from the forest area Rača – Kalina (Laze and Lipnik forests) with an annual capacity of about 2,400 m³ of processed coniferous wood. The bark was delivered to the sawmill by water wooden ‘riža’ (Wässriger Holzreis), and the sawmill products were transported by a forest-mining narrow-gauge railway to Semizovac, or to Sarajevo, to the wood warehouse in Ferhadija. The sawmill operated until the end of 1917, when it was sold to Danilo Ćorović from Sarajevo.
“Buttazzoni and Venturini,” – Exploitation of the Forest in the Forest Area of the Povača Stream Basin
For continuous operation, the built sawmill in Sarajevo (Koševski Potok, op. a.) was supplied with necessary lumber from the erarskog (state) management operations of the Forest Administration Sarajevo from the contractual forestry area within the catchment of the Povača stream.
In 1898, through a free agreement, the company “Buttazzoni and Venturini” concluded a long-term contract with the Provincial Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina for a ten-year exploitation of 40,000 – 60,000 m³ of useful coniferous timber in the forests located within the gravity basin of the Povača stream, a right tributary of the Ljubina River. These forests were also designated and reserved for utilization under the management of the forestry administration in Sarajevo.
This year, at the confluence of the Povača stream into the Ljubina River, the company will build a water-powered sawmill with one installed Venetian water gate. Part of the lumber from the sawmill was processed there, while the remaining processed lumber was transported by rail (Ljubina – Semizovac – Sarajevo) to the storage yard of the steam sawmill in Sarajevo.
For the transportation of cut forest timber to the sawmill, at the confluence of the Povača stream into the Ljubin stream, the company built a gravity track (incline) with a length of 7.3 km, or 7.2 km of the ‘main’ line and 0.10 km of branch line, under the working name “Ljubina – Povača.” The wooden beams were transported to the sawmill using twenty “truck” wagons, with strong axles of 70 mm diameter, capacity of about 7 tons of cargo. The value of the investment is approximately 60,000 crowns.
This wing track led from the sawmill to the junction with the mine railway Vogošća – Čevljanovići. From this junction, it continued (about 1500 meters) along the state railway to the Ljubina railway station. From Ljubina station, the formed train composition was dispatched to Semizovac station (about 9.5 km) to connect with the ‘main’ Bosnian Brod – Sarajevo railway.
After the ten-year period expired (1908), the company was granted an additional contract for 30,000 m³ of coniferous timber from the same contractual area for a duration of three years (until 1911). During the contract period (1898-1911), the company cut approximately 80,000 m³ of coniferous wood, from which about 35,000 m³ of sawed timber was produced. The majority of the sawed timber was used in its own furniture factory, while a smaller part was exported abroad.
Firma Feltrinelli Giuseppe & Comp., Milan
In the autumn of 1889, a contract was concluded between the State Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the company Feltrinelli Giuseppe & Co., for a fifteen-year period (1899 – 1914) for the delivery of coniferous logs (fir and spruce, op. a.), processed under the supervision of the forestry administration in Sarajevo. The designated forest area was located in the gravitational zone of the Ljubina stream, between Srednji and Čevljanovići.
The company allocated a sum of 100,000 florins to the landowner Erar regarding the arrangement for the construction of necessary forest communications, which will be reimbursed during the contract in installments with 3% interest. The Forest Administration, from these funds, built a 9.2 km long water tram (German: Wasserriese) in the valley of the Rača stream with 2.5 km of secondary tramways, as well as a 2.5 km long forest gravitational railway (the slope railway, see note a.) in Duboki Potok near Čevljanovići.
Built waterway (gravitational wooden trough for water flow and log transportation, op. a.) had a secured water intake from the Rača stream, supplied by several constructed dams, often referred to by the local people as ‘Bent‘ (Bent – embankment, dam). When the water flow was favorable, this long device of 9.2 km could transport daily between 800 and 1000 logs.
During the design of the track from Čevljanovići to Duboki Potok, unforeseen circumstances occurred. Namely, the planned route would pass over private meadows, orchards, and yards. The company requested the owners’ consent along with monetary compensation or leasing for one year. Most owners immediately agreed, among them are:
Mujo Ibrić, 45 years old, married, heavy-set; Pero Đurić, 38 years old, married, heavy-set; Mehaga Stomornjak, 70 years old, married, heavy-set, while the rural prince Petar Kojić from ‘Čifluka’ Crna Rijeka (Turkish: çiftlik, landholding in the Ottoman Empire), 40 years old, married, and Džemalbaša Ibrahim Balta from Čifluka Crna Rijeka, 45 years old, married, persistently refused to cooperate. Mujaga Halilbašić from Sarajevo and Salomon Levi from Sarajevo are not currently participating in the negotiations.
The statement of Prince Petra Kojića, which was recorded in the Minutes, Džemalbaša Ibrahim Balta expressed that he fully supports the prince. Since this statement is interesting, we are transmitting it in full:
(…) “The Rollobahn, which is planned to be built, would cause great harm to the people, because it would take away their work and income. So far, the people helped themselves by pulling logs with oxen, and from now on, if I am deprived of this income, it will be very, very difficult and will lead to ruin. Therefore, we humbly request that the Rollobahn not be constructed, but that the roads be improved and new bridges built, so that the people are given the opportunity to continue helping themselves by pulling logs with their oxen. We are certain that there will never be a shortage of hardworking people (farmers, agricultural workers, or day laborers, ed.), who would like to earn something. If our request is not heeded, the people will be left without conditions, because they have gone into debt and will not have better earnings. We are threatened with great disaster from the Rollobahn, and we once again beg that it not be built. In this way, it would be a great help to the people, and the state would spend less money. We only ask that the roads be improved and new bridges built, and that we continue working as we have until now, and even better!”
Anyway, the mentioned Rollobahn was built according to the project, and the landowners negotiated a good agreement with the company regarding the rental of oxen for hauling fallen wood from the forest to the loading point on the railway. The company was loading logs taken from Srednje and Čevljanovići into railway wagons of the state railways and transporting them to sawmill facilities in Kasindo and Hadžići, where they processed them. The processed raw materials were almost exclusively exported abroad, mainly to Italy.
Luka Čabrajić – Enterprise “Ozren” – Forest Industry Ltd. Srednje
In 1922, at the confluence of the Rača stream into the Ljubina River, the company “Dr Luka Čabrajić and others” from Sarajevo will build a steam sawmill, and in March 1926, it registers as the “Ozren” Company – Forestry Industry Ltd. Srednje. One of the shareholders was Danilo Ćorović, who contributed his water-powered sawmill to the newly established company, which he had previously purchased from Franz Steinmetz. The steam sawmill was equipped with one steam engine with 134 HP and three full gangs with auxiliary machines and devices. The company was supplied with raw materials from the forested area of Rača – Kalina, or from the Forest Management Srednje area, by purchasing wood in the forest on the stump or finished sawn timber produced under state supervision, through a bidding process.
Regarding transportation communications, the company “Dr. Luka Čabrajić and others” (later the company “Ozren”) built a railway line in the period 1923/24, with a track gauge of 760 mm, from Srednje (from the sawmill, op. a.) to the village of Sići on Mount Ozren near Sarajevo, with a length of 7.3 km, consisting of 6.150 km of steam-powered track and 1.150 km of track for horse-drawn wagons. After World War II, all assets were declared social property, leading to the registration of a new company in Srednje under the name Forest-Industrial Company “Romanija”.
Pilana Sadika Baruha in Čevljanovići
The sawmill owned by Sadik Baruha was transferred in 1937 from Binježevo near Hadžići, where it operated as a water-powered sawmill with a combined operation for 50 years. During the transfer to Čevljanovići, two gates equipped with five circular saws and a machinery for manufacturing boat planking were installed. According to the reservation agreement from 1932, the sawmill received a reserved area in Kalina – Bioštica for a period of 10 years. The sawmill operated continuously until the April War of 1941.
Mehe Karalić’s Sawmill in Podlipnik near Srednje
Meho Karalić from Srednje built a water-powered sawmill in 1939 in Podlipnik, on the Blatnica River, which also featured a Venetian double-gate with a circular saw. The sawmill was established in collaboration with the Forest-Industrial Company “Ozren” a.d. from Srednje, which also financed it for that purpose. Regarding the supply of the sawmill, it was oriented towards purchasing timber in the forest on logs, through auction in the Kalina – Bioštica area, or buying processed logs managed by the Forest Administration of Srednje.
**Cement Factory – Vogošća**
On the exit from Semizovac towards Ljubina, between the second and third kilometers of the railway track (near Beslića Pump, ed.), in the year 1895, a cement production facility was started by a certain Emil Ehrenfried from Sarajevo. The production building was ‘tucked in’ between the left bank of Ljubina creek and the right side of the railway track. Since the factory did not have a connecting track, finished products were transported by road to the Vogošća station, or by train to the construction storage in Sarajevo. Little is known about this cement plant, so it is assumed that it operated until the outbreak of World War I (1914).
< strong> Visit of high officials of Rudokop in Čevljanovići
The first visit of the mine explorer in Čevljanovići was made by civil aide Teodor Baron Nikolić, who held this position from 1882 to 1887. The journey in ‘salon’ carriages from Sarajevo took place on June 18, 1885. In general, the civil aide by function is the vice president of the Provincial Government, or the administrator of the entire civil administration. The heads of government and, simultaneously, the head of the country (1882-1912) were the supreme commanders, or commanders of the 15th military corps in Sarajevo.
Unofficial. Sarajevo, June 25. His Eminence Mr. Minister Kallay took the train this morning to Vogošća, then continued along the minor line to Čevljanovići to inspect the operations at the local manganese mines. His Eminence will return this evening to Sarajevo and on Saturday morning will depart by train for Vienna and Brod.
In August 1885, as recorded in the chronicle “Sarajevski List,” titled “The Country Leader’s Journey” (…) “His Excellency the Country Leader, Baron Appel, set out on the morning of August 19th, accompanied by a Major from the General Staff and two other officers for a longer journey aimed at supervision. The itinerary of this trip is as follows: On August 19th, His Excellency traveled to Čevljanovići from where he proceeded to Kladanj, arriving between 6 and 7 PM. On August 20th, he would depart from Kladanj to D. Tuzla.”
Whether it concerns civilian civilians (journalists, photographers, family members of the mine management and owners of sawmills, etc.), or regardless of military rank or bearer of titles such as duke, baron, and the like, the approval for passenger train traffic was issued personally by the mine director. The traffic service, under the direction of the Bosnabahn general management, through the station master of Vogošća, organizes and assumes all responsibility for planned ’emergency’ runs. This method of travel will cease to be significant with the introduction of passenger service, which was officially recorded in the 1899 schedule of the Official Timetable of the Bosnia and Herzegovina State Railways.
For the transportation of high-ranking persons, it was mandatory to include salon carriages along with other cars (two or three) of third class for escort by gendarmes or armed soldiers in case of any ‘hajdućija’ (banditry) and other extraordinary circumstances (e.g., the carriage jumping off the track, allowing manual lifting and returning it to the track). Additionally, a chief traffic inspector and the head of the supervisory service (Supervisory Traffic Service based in Podlugovi, op. a.) were obligatorily present in the escort of the ‘royal’ train along the entire section of the Podlugovi – Semizovac – Čevljanovići track.
The passenger carriage in which the country’s leader Baron Appel was traveling, alongside salon carriages, also included carriages for transporting “imperial” horses. These were official carriages intended for the transport of large and small livestock, equipped with harnesses and water troughs. Baron Appel, with his entourage from Čevljanovići, rode exactly with these imperial horses to Kladanj.
Introduction to the Passenger Train Schedule
Starting October 1, 1899, on the “Montanbahn Vogošća – Čevljanović (Ivančići)” railway, passenger train service was officially introduced. According to the timetable, two pairs of trains operated (departure and return): a Passenger train (morning) with included official cars (transporting official mail and express goods, op. a.) with two third-class passenger cars, and a mixed train (around noon), i.e., a composition with included freight and passenger cars.
The train journey, with stops at intermediate stations, lasted about 2 hours and 10 minutes. Later on, these travel times will decrease on average by one and a half hours by upgrading to more powerful steam locomotives, specifically during the period from 1905 to 1908. During this time, the railway was reconstructed with strengthened bridge structures and dry stone walls. Usually, trains taking the ascent toward Ivančići experienced longer travel times, while downhill routes toward Semizovac were shorter. Generally, from the introduction of the railway to traffic (1885) until its discontinuation (1962), only daily trains operated.
The starting station for passenger trains was Vogošća station. The first station was Semizovac, located in front of the building for manganese ore separation (designated as Semizovac “0 + 200,” meaning it is 200 meters from the junction of the main track), followed by stations Ljubina, Srednje, Čevljanović, and Ivančići. Exclusively steam locomotives from the locomotive depot in Podlugovi were engaged for train propulsion.
With the construction of the railway station building in Semizovac (1906), with the laying of six station track rails and the installation of entrance-exit signals with telegraph and telephone, technical conditions were created for the dispatching of passenger trains to Ivančići and back. The Vogošća station loses its status as a main station and is declared a ‘stop,’ meaning only local passenger trains stop there and depart after receiving passengers. All tracks (except the passing one) have been dismantled and laid at Semizovac station.
By organizing railway personnel of various trades and constructing a goods warehouse with a loading ramp and other auxiliary facilities, in 1908, the Semizovac station begins operating at full capacity. Technically, passenger trains will be dispatched from it towards Čevljanovići and Ivančići, and freight trains towards the west (Bosanski Brod) and south (Sarajevo, or Metković). Additionally, express trains will also stop at the station.
There is an interesting detail related to the introduction of a ‘new’ station along the route Semizovac – Ivančići. In 1913, the supervisor of the track section Podlugovi – Semizovac – Ivančići traveled by passenger train to Ivančići to inspect the work of the track and station staff. Between Srednje station and Čevljanovići, the train stopped to allow a few passengers to disembark; the inspector noticed this, documented the time and the railway kilometer in writing, and at Čevljanovići station, officially spoke with the locomotive engineer.
The train conductor reported to him that he was asked by the passengers to stop briefly because they had built a residential building near the tracks at that location. The remark regarding observed irregularities was properly documented and forwarded in the protocol to the Main Directorate of BH State Railways. Upon quick inquiry, they learned that it was Dr. Johan Pavlikov, who was the chief doctor of the state railways and a member of the National Health Council with the Ministry Department of the State Government in Sarajevo. In the following year, 1914, with the issuance of a new Schedule of Operations, a station (stop) named “Pavlikov Villa” was added. The status of this station-stop remained until the end of World War I.
Little is known about this building (Pavlik’s Villa). According to conversations with witnesses, they have heard from elders about this villa, where after the war (1945), a district outpatient clinic was located for residents of nearby villages. Today, that building no longer exists, and the only mention of this villa is that the settlement where the mentioned clinic was situated is called “Vila.”
Rudokop in Čevljanovići
Rudokop was located in a beautiful circle of coniferous forest, between Gojanović, Gajev and Mount Grk, where a small mining ‘village’ called Čevljanović was situated. Foreign visitors would have to ride a horse from the train station (later from the Ivančić station) for about half a ‘sahata’ to get to the workers’ settlement. At that time, the settlement was officially called “Bergbaudorf,” but it was quickly pronounced by the local population and even by foreign workers as “Berghof” (Berghof in simple translation means a mountainous area with yards and homesteads, ed.).
The oldest deposits of manganese ore in Bosnia and Herzegovina were located in Čevljanovići. Even during the Ottoman rule, smaller furnaces with bellows (forging hammers) and pillars powered by gravitational water were built alongside rudimentary mines, where various types of iron goods (bars, nails, clamps, hoops, iron rods, shovels, pickaxes, shovels, and other tools) were produced and sold for a long time to Dubrovnik traders. For example, with the construction of the railway, iron bolts used to secure tracks to wooden sleepers were made. All of this was done by eye, so a blacksmith master would produce hundreds of identical and equally heavy nails. Exploitation continued during the Austria-Hungary Monarchy because many steel mills expressed a need for manganese ore delivery from Bosnia, especially for military and specialized industries.
Technical preparations and leveling of the platform, concerning the necessary earthworks, narrow-gauge tracks for wagons 500 mm wide (“Erzbahn”), cleaning facilities, and ore storage began between 1880 and 1882. In the settlement, since 1881, wooden barracks started being built, and later new structures made of brick with tiled roofs, such as: a building for accommodating foreign workers—miners, known as the ‘barracks’—and next to it, a building for the chief supervisor, engineers, technicians, and administrative staff, then a hospital, a canteen, and buildings for visitors of the mine. At full capacity, the mine began operations in 1883. The owner of the mine was the company Mining Venture “Bosnia,” hereinafter referred to as the Mining Cooperative “Bosnia” (Gewerkschaft “Bosnia”).
By the end of the nineteenth century, with rapid modernization, the mine will build a smaller power plant and produce electricity for lighting the workers’ colony and for operating machinery such as an elevator for transporting personnel deep into the mine and for lowering and raising small carts with excavated ore.
By opening new ‘tunnels,’ an additional five kilometers of mine railway (width 500 mm) will be constructed. By building the railway to the town of Čevljanović, and later to Ivančići, a track (width 760 mm) approximately five kilometers long will be built. The mine will finance the construction of the first Public School in this area in 1908. In the initial years of the school’s operation, students were the children of foreign workers, and lessons were taught by teachers, initially military officers, in German. An interesting detail is that, besides regular classes, students had mandatory horseback riding lessons.
The mine continued operating during the time of the Kingdom of SHS, or the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which took over the entire state-owned property of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and operated under the name “Bosnian Mining Cooperative in Semizovac.” During World War II, Bosnia and Herzegovina was under German occupation, so the mine exploited ore exclusively for the needs of German war industries. After the war, the mine, under a new name “Čevljanovići – Semizovac Mine,” operated for the industry of the People’s Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1962, the mine ceased operations. Tunnels and shafts were filled in, bringing to an end an eighty-year history of the mine’s work. Today, the place Čevljanovići (Gornji Čevljanovići) is known for the Čevljanska Korida, which has been traditionally held since 1947.
Mine „Bosnia” Workers’ Union
The “Bosnia” Mining Cooperative (Gewerkschaft “Bosnia”) was established in 1880. Most of its members were mining engineers and geologists, and it was engaged in the exploitation of non-ferrous metal ores. With the approval of the Joint Ministry of Finance from Vienna, they came to Bosnia for geological surveys and assessment of the quality of ore minerals. With the consent of the State Government in Sarajevo (Commercial Department, district a.), the company was registered with its headquarters in Sarajevo. After conducting geological surveys, they submitted an application for a concession, which was granted, and they began ore exploitation.
In 1881, exploration for lead began in the Srebrenica area. After opening the Čevljanovići mine, they also established a mine in the small town of Ivanjica near Banja Luka for extracting antimony ore. Subsequently, they opened a chrome mine near Duboščica and a zinc and copper ore mine near Donji Vakuf (the “Maškara” mine). Although the initial years showed favorable results in the exploitation of these mines, the “Bosnia” Cooperative failed to grow into a larger mining enterprise.
Factory for mineral separation in Semizovac
With the construction of the building for ore separation, the administrative building with an apartment for the director, mine barracks, and other auxiliary facilities became the nucleus of the ‘village’ Semizovac, which took the name of the village Han Semizovac. Otherwise, the broad earthen strip with inns, before the occupation of Bosnia, bore the name Ljubina, after the small and old settlement of Ljubina on the left bank of the Ljubina stream.
The extracted ore from the trench in Čevljanovići is immediately cleaned, or ‘skinned’ of unnecessary components, and transported to the warehouse. From the warehouse, the ore would be loaded into draft horses or wagons and transported along an old road to Semizovac, in front of the building, which at that time was called the ‘Institute’ or ‘Separation Plant’ for ore. The taken ore is loaded into a special crushing machine and later delivered to a machine with a screen to remove other impurities and to grind by size and weight.
For the described method of the technological process, a lot of water was needed. The institute found a solution by constructing a wooden trough (a water supply channel using gravity, op. a.) that stretched from the “Institute” to the built dam (embankment) on the Ljubina stream, approximately 470 meters long. Besides washing the ore with the power of the water flow, it also powered a wooden watermill with an extended shaft. By turning this shaft, connected by leather straps (belts), mechanisms of the crusher and sieve were operated. Thanks to these transmissions, a small turbine or dynamo (alternating current generator, op. a.) was also powered, which produced electrical energy for the operation of the first electric lamps lit in the Balkans (1890).
Pure ore from the ‘Institute’ is transported by horse-drawn carriage to the Vogošća railway station and further by state freight trains to Bosanski Brod. With the construction of the narrow gauge line from Semizovac to Čevljanovići in January 1885, horse-drawn hauling was discontinued. This abolition caused many local hosts to lose their jobs and consequently their income. The ore was entirely exported to Austria for the factory in Witkovitz, where it was used in the important ferromanganese industry. On average, about 7,000 tons of pure ore were exported annually. The number of employed workers ranged from 80 to 150, depending on the season. The largest proportion consisted of local miners.
With the construction of the first industrial ironworks and the first blast furnace in Vareš in 1891, and the building of the industrial railway Podlugovi – Vareš in 1895, manganese ore from Semizovac would be transported to the ironworks in Vareš. By mixing manganese with iron ore in the high furnaces in Vareš, it would be used for manufacturing larger caliber cannon and rifle barrels. Soon, a steam engine (Dampfmaschine) with a power of 20 HP will be installed in the ‘Laboratory’ building, which operated a water turbine of 35 HP (the so-called “Girard Turbine”). The water turbine was used to control water flow, speeding up the production process.
Following the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1908), Semizovac experiences a true construction boom, which will further improve the quality of life for both the current and future inhabitants. Namely, the mining administration will build a new production building (replacing the former ‘Zavod’ wood-framed structure). The building was constructed with bricks and covered with a tiled roof. It was demolished in 1962/63 during the mine’s closure and the abolition of the narrow-gauge line to Ivančići. The same material was used to construct a warehouse, boiler room, hospital, a residence for the director, and other auxiliary facilities located nearby the main building. Some of these structures from that time still partially exist today.
On the right bank of the Ljubina stream, near its confluence with the Bosna River, two alpine-style buildings will be constructed. The first was built to serve as a workers’ canteen and rest area, with subdivided land for smaller-scale agricultural production to benefit the kitchen canteen.
The second building was designed for official use and accommodation of the gendarmerie (Imperial and Royal Cuirassier and Gendarmerie Unit). Between the two world wars, it served for members of the Gendarmerie of the Kingdom of SHS/Yugoslavia, which fully relied on the tradition and organization of the pre-war Serbian gendarmerie. After the war (1945), it housed the organs of the People’s Militia. In two rooms, personnel from the Central District were accommodated until 1947, as well as the local office.
Both buildings still stand on their foundations today. The former workers’ canteen building has long been abandoned, deteriorating as the new/old owners do not care for its maintenance or renovation at all. The gendarmerie building has been declared a residential property so it still serves as a residence.
In 1919, the hospital building will be relinquished by the mine for the operation of an elementary school in Semizovac through substitution, op. a. The school year began on November 1, 1919, with a total of 60 students in the first and second grades. On the ground floor, there are two classrooms, while the teacher and school principal lived upstairs. Otherwise, the old elementary school building (1914), which was owned by the mine, was occupied, and its condition did not meet the school standards. Its first teacher, Simeun Simo Knežević, continued working at the new school until 1923. The school building was demolished in 1963 when it moved to a newly constructed school facility with a capacity of up to 800 students.
In the year 1919, teacher Simo Knežević will organize a course for 35 illiterates. The classes will be held every Sunday, lasting for two school periods. The literacy education program includes writing, reading, arithmetic, and a brief history lesson on the topic of the state and the duties of citizens in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.
Alphabets who successfully completed the course are: Sofija Veljić, age 13, Sava Maunaga – 16 years old, Ljubo Maunaga – 15 years old, Vojislav Maunaga – 14 years old, Selim Bešić – 17 years old, Arif Bešić – 16 years old, Meho Musić – 14 years old, Adil Hasanović – 17 years old, Manojlo Vitomić – 15 years old, Jovo Radić – 16 years old, Mara Lukić – 13 years old, Osman Pačo – 18 years old, Mićo Nikolić – 30 years old, Aleksa Torbica – 15 years old, Vojislav Petrović B. – 14 years old, Vojislav Petrović Jr. – 12 years old, Savo Nikolić – 15 years old, Mlađen Jovanović – 15 years old, Stevan Jovanović – 13 years old, Dušan Petričević – 14 years old, Sava Petričević – 13 years old, Dragutin Bjelica – 15 years old, Sava Rosuljaš – 15 years old, Milinko Kuzman – 15 years old, and Anđa Stevanović – 16 years old.
The First Electric Light Bulbs in Semizovac
According to the encyclopedist Alija Bejtić, the first light bulb on the Balkans illuminated in Semizovac in 1890, before Sarajevo in 1895, and only nine years after Edison’s first bulb (New York, 1881). Power from water would rotate a wooden wheel with paddles connected through a leather belt, turning the rotor of a dynamo machine, i.e., an alternating current generator, which, using a rotor guide in external outlets, produced a direct current voltage.
This small single-phase generator, connected via a wire system across wooden poles, powered the lights that illuminated the workspaces of the separation plant, the boiler room, warehouse, the director’s residence, and all the staff housing. Later (1908), the rooms of the workers’ cafeteria, the gendarmerie station, the hospital building (from 1919 onwards, a primary school, ed.) and part of the street area in front of the central building would be illuminated.
The first light bulbs were of simple design, with a thin tungsten filament that, when heated, produced light of 1.5 volts. There was great interest in this event, so wealthier citizens, among them the ages and pashas, arrived in carriages from Sarajevo and Visočica, even from farther away in Semizovac, before sunset, to witness the miracle and see the ‘light on the cushion’.
Later, between the two wars, two generators were installed: Ganz with 700 O/min, 180 V, 30 A, and Siemens NP 20/23, 210 V, 30 A. Both generators produce a current with a voltage of 130 V. The generators are driven by a belt connected to a transmission, linked to a water wheel. Since, apart from light bulbs, there were no other electrical consumers, the mine’s management approved ‘electrification’ also for private houses with additional street lighting lamps in the narrow core of Semizovac. This method of electricity production would be in use until 1947, when Semizovac was connected to the city’s electrical grid.
The connection to the electrical grid of private houses, according to the archival sketch from 1941, includes: Krsto Blagojević (a building next to the mouth of the Ljubina stream into the Bosna River), the Mutajić family near Sokolana, opposite a certain ‘Girzih’, next to Marko Nikolić, the Omeragić family, the Hakl family house, across from the Marić family, further from Hakl, the Vidović family. On the left bank of Ljubina, the Babić family, next Borić, and a little further, the Sarajlić family. The sketch lacks the names of the house owners.
Closing of the Manganese Mine in Čevljanovići and the Discontinuation of the Railway Line
The Department of Economy of the Executive Council of the People’s Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1962, granted approval and made a decision to cease manganese ore exploitation in Čevljanovići. Further maintenance of exploitation and those costly underground excavations under the current conditions and with poor ore quality was deemed unnecessary for making a final decision. Filling all mine shafts and transferring miners along with the then-management (the last mine director, Milan Trivanović, among others) to the Iron Ore Mine in Vareš marked the end of an eighty-year (1882-1962) period of mining exploitation under the names: Cooperative “Bosnia” (“Gewerkschaft Bosnia”), 1882-1918; “Mining Cooperative Bosnia in Semizovac,” 1919-1945; and “Čevljanovići – Semizovac Mine,” 1945-1962.
The existing road from Semizovac towards Ivančići and Olovo, built in 1914/15 under the name “Military Road,” required its expansion and upgrading, which would only happen in 1930 but only as far as Čevljanovići. The wide road, six meters across the plateau, heading towards Olovo and Tuzla, was constructed in 1954 under the name “Road No. 6 JNA.” That same year, the Sarajevo Directorate issued an Addendum to the 1954 Timetable which introduced ‘Passenger’ trains from Semizovac station to transport personnel, engineering military units ahead of JNA, and construction materials. The first asphalt pavement would only be laid in 1963.
Since constructing the road required a massive amount of gravel, the railway construction section from Semizovac built a 600 mm wide track approximately 800 meters long. A small locomotive of series 99.3-002 pulled wagons from the ‘new’ Semizovac station to the Bosna River bank, called the ‘gravel’ train. Otherwise, this valuable locomotive (brought from the locomotive depot in Titograd – today Podgorica) pulled pioneer trains in Sarajevo (Švrakino Selo – Kotorac, 1948) until they were discontinued. During the post-war recovery and development of the country, Semizovac station had three types of tracks: 1435 mm, 760 mm, and 600 mm wide.
With the closure of the mine and the construction of the Sarajevo – Tuzla road communication, the further exploitation of the railway line from Semizovac to Ivančići came into question. At the request of the Workers’ Council of ŽTP Sarajevo, the Economic Committee of the Executive Council of the People’s Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on April 14, 1962, approved the dismantling of the narrow-gauge track, 0.76 m, Semizovac – Ivančići. The Sarajevo ŽTP Directorate, effective May 27, 1962, decided to cease all passenger, luggage, and freight traffic of any kind on the aforementioned line. The stations Ljubina, Srednje, Čevljanovići, and Ivančići are removed from the Yugoslavia railway station directory.
This marks the end of the 77-year era (1885-1962) of the first industrial railway. However, this old route of the Ljubina Valley will continue to echo with the sharp whistle of locomotives for another year. Namely, construction and technical services are gradually finishing the final tasks of dismantling the upper part of the railway and transporting materials to Semizovac. According to eyewitness accounts, the last passenger train trip to Ivančići will occur at the end of May 1963. In the evening, the train from Ivančići was returning empty for its final trip to Semizovac with engineer Gabela Ilija and conductor Kapikul Mihajlo. ]END TRANSLATED SECTION]
Old and New Railway Station in Semizovac
As mentioned, the Semizovac railway station began operations in 1908. With the construction of the Youth Railway “Šamac – Sarajevo” (1947), Semizovac station continued to operate at full capacity, connected to narrow-gauge train traffic. Through a technical solution of ‘intertwining’ the track, railway traffic towards the steam locomotive shed in Podlugovi, as well as freight station Alipašin Most and regular traffic towards Ivančići, proceeded unobstructed.
Traffic stoppages on the Semizovac – Ivančići track (1962/63) are gradually being discontinued, along with the last station capacities of narrow-gauge traffic. Over time, the upper narrow-gauge locomotive is dismantled and transported to the blast furnaces of the Zenica ironworks. In 1968/69, the narrow gauge rails from Podlugovi station, along with the complete locomotive infrastructure, as well as the entire track to Alipašin Most station, are dismantled.
In front of the station building remains the operational railway track of standard gauge, witnessing past events from 1947 to the present day. The station building is declared a residential unit and was later converted into ‘official’ premises after the last war (1996), then proclaimed a ruin. Despite these decisions by the railway management, since 1996, seven families have been residing in this building, including the author of these lines. Their status as users of the space remains uncertain to this day. The building’s owner (the Infrastructure Department of ŽFBH in Sarajevo) justifies future modernization of the railway with straightening of the track curve in front of the building, which, in the end, would require demolishing the structure.
The new railway station of the standard gauge in Semizovac was built during the construction of the Youth Railway “Šamac – Sarajevo” (1947). It is located south of the building of the ‘old’ station, approximately 900 meters away. After its construction and commissioning, the narrow gauge track that led toward the factory of the specialized industry in Vogošća was not dismantled. That industrial track was built and put into operation on May 1, 1940, for the benefit of the Czech company “Škoda.”
During 1951, a branch of standard gauge track would be constructed along the old route towards the industrial zone in Vogošća. Through a technical solution of ‘intertwining’ both tracks, train traffic, i.e., diesel-powered and steam-powered traction, continued to operate without interruption on the normal and narrow gauge tracks. Specifically, from the ‘new’ railway station, mixed trains were dispatched, in which two old Sarajevo electric tramway trailers were attached. The company PRETIS purchased decommissioned trailers for transporting workers of the first and second shifts, from Semizovac to the company’s gate and back. The only technical modification involved creating a final solution for coupling the tram trailer to the locomotive. This mode of transportation operated from 1963 to 1966.
A new industrial railroad has been built, becoming a vital transportation artery for some of the most promising economic enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina at that time, such as UNIS-PRETIS, TAS, UTL, and others. Soon after, they established a ‘factory’ railway with two diesel locomotives and employed workers from various railway trades. Operations ran nonstop 24 hours a day until the outbreak of the last war in Bosnia (1992-1995). Today, this rail line, which runs through the center of Vogošća, still serves its purpose, although in a reduced capacity, mainly servicing private companies.
Today, the train station in Semizovac operates traffic for trains transporting freight and passengers. Higher-ranked trains do not stop there except for local passenger trains, although this type of traffic has completely declined. Due to the station’s distance from the center of Semizovac, many passengers opt for bus transportation.
Vogošća Locomotive Shafts – Ivančići and Semizovac – Vogošća Industrial Zone
For maneuvering and pulling trains at the Vogošća station (Semizovac), locomotives from the Podlugovi locomotive depot were engaged. In the prescribed order, locomotives of the following series arrived: Locomotive Bp series JDŽ 81-005 (built in 1914) operated until the railway was discontinued. Locomotive O&K series JŽ 172-004 operated until the line was shut down. The KrLi series JDŽ 173-002 (built in 1881) was leased for the Bar – Vir Pazar route and later operated on the industrial siding (tram cars) for UNIS and PRETIS until the end of 1966.
KrMu Series locomotive JDŽ 176-005 (manufactured in 1884, rented on the Doboj – Simin Han line). Arad JDŽ 185-012 locomotive (built in 1900, rented on the Brod – Sarajevo line) which operated until 1955. Jung Series locomotive 11928/1953 named ‘Čevljanka’. Operated Semizovac – Čevljanovići from 1961 to 1963. O&K Series locomotive 7324/1917; KrMu Series 3548/1896; ĐĐ series 331, 332, 333, 340, and 342/1952; Chrz series 1121-03, 1121-05; and 1121-06/1947; KrLi series 1232/1904; and O&K series 5670/1948.
Semizovac – ‘Open-Air Museum’
Within the narrow site of Semizovac (covering approximately 300 m2), near the confluence of the Ljubin Stream into the Bosna River, there are five significant structures that testify to different historical periods of Bosnia and Herzegovina — from the Ottoman Empire, through Austro-Hungary and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, to socialist Yugoslavia. These structures include three bridges and two concrete bunkers, forming a unique cultural and historical complex.
The oldest among them is the stone bridge from the Ottoman period, likely built in the 18th century. This bridge served as part of important trade and passenger routes connecting Sarajevo with the interior of the country.
Hadzhi Salih-aga Semiz’s most well-known – stone bridge from the Ottoman Empire period
Near the very mouth of the Ljubina stream into the Bosna River stands a stone bridge, which represents one of the most significant architectural heritage remnants from the Ottoman period in this region. The bridge was constructed by Hadži Salih-aga Semiz, a prominent vakif, landowner, and merchant after whom the settlement was named.
Built in the 18th century (according to Kreševljaković, between 1760 and 1777), the bridge has for centuries connected trade routes leading from Sarajevo towards Visoko, Vareš, Olovo, and further east. Constructed from dressed stone, with elegant arches and harmonious proportions, it is a characteristic example of Ottoman bridge architecture, serving both functional and aesthetic purposes.
The stone bridge was erected with one semi-circular arch and an ascending-descending line, characteristic of Ottoman bridge construction. The rhythm of the arch increases from the ends toward the middle, both in span, which measures 8 meters, and in height, at 4 meters, creating a recognizable, uplifted, and slightly broken silhouette of the bridge toward the center.
On the southern side of the bridge, a circular opening has been constructed for the drainage of stormwaters. The bridge was built from carved pieces of local limestone held together with lime mortar. Most likely, it is the work of local artisans, created according to drawings derived from the school of one of the famous Ottoman bridge builders.
The August street, 3.5 meters wide, which was previously paved with cobblestones, was constructed from finely sawn wooden beams with a simple wooden fence. Naturally situated along a stream called Ljubina, on a hill near the bridge, Hadži Salih-aga Semiz built a fairly large inn. In the first half of the 19th century, during topographical surveys of Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted by the Geographic Institute of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, a new topographical designation was recorded on the maps – Han Semizovac.
Unfortunately, the Han was demolished in 1947 during the construction of the standard gauge railway.
In 1925, the Sarajevo Construction Directorate prepared a project for the construction of the Semizovac–Ilijaš road, 6 meters wide, as the existing bridge was only 3.5 meters wide, and plans were made for its reconstruction. Thus, a new bridge was built alongside the old one, with identical dimensions but with a wider roadway of 6 meters. During these works, the circular water drainage opening was partially buried, and it was completely covered in 1941 during the construction of a concrete bunker.
The wooden fence has been replaced with a concrete curb, which is now significantly damaged due to numerous construction interventions during the laying of pipes, cables, and similar infrastructural works.
Railway Bridge of Narrow-Gauge Track (1882) – Period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
The railway bridge in Semizovac was built in 1882 as part of a major infrastructure project from the Austro-Hungarian period, for the needs of the narrow (light) gauge railway Bosanski Brod – Zenica – Sarajevo. This railway was crucial for connecting the interior of Bosnia and further south with important commercial and industrial centers.
Most of it was built as an iron structure approximately 22 meters long with stone supports, characteristic of railway infrastructure from that period. The construction of the bridge was directly transported from Austrian steelworks. Along its length, besides special iron contractors, a party of nail workers worked there, completing over a thousand rivets.
For decades, it served to transport goods and passengers, significantly contributing to the development of the local economy, especially the exploitation of forests and ores in the surrounding area. After the narrow-gauge track was discontinued in the second half of the 20th century, the bridge was not dismantled but remained preserved as an authentic monument of technical and industrial heritage. Today, it stands as a silent witness to an era, reminding us of the intensive industrial development initiated by Austria-Hungary in these lands.
Armirano-betonski most iz 1947. – period socijalističke Jugoslavije
The Third Bridge, built in 1947, was constructed for the needs of the standard gauge railway within the famous Youth Railway project Shamac–Sarajevo. The bridge was built with the enthusiastic effort of youth brigades, symbolizing post-war recovery, brotherhood, and unity. It is made of reinforced concrete, in accordance with modernist principles of socialist architecture and technological advancement. It still serves its purpose today. The bridge is regularly maintained by the construction service in front of the Railway Federations of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Concrete bunkers from the wartime period – NDH
Two nearby concrete bunkers near the confluence of the Ljubina stream into the Bosna River date from the period of World War II. They were built immediately (1941) following the arrival of German occupying forces into Sarajevo. One is smaller with three rifle loopholes (protecting the rail and road Semizovac – Čevljanovići), while the other is a larger bunker with four loopholes, guarding the road and the main railway (Sarajevo – Podlugovi, north-south). Similar bunkers were constructed along the Sarajevo – Doboj railway line, an important traffic route, for protection against possible attacks or sabotage.
In Conclusion
Two bridges that testify to Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian construction are today in a neglected and degraded state, threatening their complete collapse. The supports of the bridges have been undermined due to frequent flash floods of the Ljubina stream. The foundations of the bridges, along with the bunkers, are destabilized, and in them, branches and roots are growing, further damaging the structure.
The construction of the iron bridge is further burdened by rotting branches and old logs leaning against the bridge. The approach to the bridge is nearly impossible due to impassable and dense vegetation, leaving it abandoned to decay, with no signs of care, supervision, or maintenance.
From the foundation of the stone bridge, trees and shrubs grow, whose roots damage the masonry structure. Vegetation encroaches upon the joints of the stone blocks, causing mechanical and capillary damage. The fencing wall (constructed during the reconstruction of 1925, ed.) has cracked and is in poor condition, leaving the bridge unprotected, untreated, or conserved. Even today, the bridge serves as a road communication (a dead-end road) for a smaller settlement on Stara željeznička stanica street.
This micro-location in Semizovac, with its three bridges, three empires/structures, three different technologies and materials with bunkers, could become a cultural-historical park, featuring a walkway, informational boards, and tours. It is ideal for education, tourism, architectural studies, and cultural memory.
This modest research paper, which we have presented through this article, concludes with our sincere gratitude to the employees of the Archive of BiH in Sarajevo, without whose assistance in recommending the use of accessible library materials and permissions to present the above sketches and plans, this would not have been possible.
[LITERATURE]
- Branislav Begović, 1978. „Razvojni put šumske privrede u Bosni i Hercegovini u periodu austrougarske uprave (1878—1918) sa posebnim osvrtom na eksploataciju šuma i industrijsku preradu drveta“,
- Branislav Begović, 1985 „Šumska privreda Bosne i Hercegovine za vrijeme monarhističke Jugoslavije (1918.-1941.) s posebnim osvrtom na eksploataciju šuma i industrijsku preradu drveta. Sarajevo“,
- Dževad Juzbašić, 1974. „Izgradnja željeznica u Bosni i Hercegovini u svjetlu austrougarske politike od okupacije do kraja Kállayeve ere“.
- Hamdija Kreševljaković, „Hanovi i karavansaraji u Bosni i Hercegovini“, Sarajevo 1957. godine, Strana 149 i 150.
- Časopis „Nada“, Sarajevo, 1. januara 1897. broj 1. Članak o rudokopu u Čevljanoviću sa fotografijama, str. 8, 12, 13, 15 i 16.
- Srećko Ignjatović, Iz historije šumske pruge „Ilijaš – Misoča“, vremeplov.ba
- Šumske željeznice Bosne i Hercegovine 1911. godine. Izvijestio: Gyula Sztehlo, glavni inženjer Uprave za šume Zemaljske vlade Bosne i Hercegovine. Str. 1002-1016).
- Arhiv BiH Sarajevo, DŽS, Br. 16027/I 1926. Iskaz šumsko industrijskih željeznica na teritoriji Direkcije državnih željeznica Sarajevo, juna 1926. godine.
- Arhiv BiH Sarajevo, ZVS 1895 K 483 130-127, ZVS 1900-K 83 15-157, K 469 130-71, K 471 130-144; ZVS 1904-K 285/383-402; ZVS 1905-K 339/383-401; ZVS 1906 K 339 383-401; ZVS 1912-K800/381-13; ZVS 377-K 282; GDS 1927-K 146/8407; GDS 1921-K 21 Š29-148; K 109 Š127-5; K 110 Š27; RGS 1883 K 2, D83; RGS 1894 K 3, 1020-1029; RGS 1886/87 K 4, I-c86/87; RGS 1888 K 6, K 8 i K 12; RGS 1941 K 68, K 9-74, E spisi.
- Web portal vremeplov.ba, Lični foto-arhivski fond
- Iskaz svjedoka
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