Development of timber conversion and utilization of Slavonian oak and other hardwood species in Croatia from 1699 to 1984

This paper presents historical development of forest exploitation and wood conversion in Croatia. Investigations of this development comprise four characteristic periods: 
1) The period from liberation of Slavonia from Turks (1699) to establishment of proprietary communes (1873) 
2) The period from 1873 - 1918 
3) The period from 1918 - 1945 
4) The period from 1945 to this day. 
Outlined are the beginnings of oak utilization (charcoal, staves, shipbuilding), developing of manual work, construction of sawmills driven by horse or water power and development of steam driven sawmills. The paper describes in a period from 1873 further development of sawmilling and the beginnings of chemical (tannin) and other manufacturing processes (barrels, veneers, furniture, parquet flooring, small wooden products). The period from 1918-1945 reviews a development of existing and construction of new plants for sawmilling industry. A particular attention has been devoted to a situation, development and importance of timber industry for economy of Croatia and Yugoslavia in the period from 1946. Finally analyzed are the trends of timber industry development in Croatia from the aspects of the achieved stage of technology.