Exactly 146 years ago, on July 13th, 1878, the Berlin Congress officially ended – a key diplomatic event that shaped the political map of the Balkans, but also paved a new historical fate for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
The decisions made at this congress represent a turning point: the end of centuries-long Ottoman rule and the beginning of Austro-Hungarian occupation. Although for the European powers this was an act of “balancing power,” for the peoples of BiH it meant the loss of hope for achieving sovereignty, a violent transition, and social upheavals that would be felt for decades.
What was the Berlin Congress?
The Berlin Congress was held from June 13th to July 13th, 1878, in the capital of the German Empire under the presidency of Otto von Bismarck, the chancellor of then-powerful Germany. The aim of the congress was to revise and “balance” the Treaty of San Stefano, which had been signed three months earlier by the Ottoman Empire and Russia, after the end of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878).
That war marked the beginning of the end of Ottoman influence in the Balkans, but also caused panic among Western powers over the expansion of Russian influence.
The San Stefano treaty envisioned the creation of a Greater Bulgaria, which would be under a strong Russian protectorate, as well as significant territorial concessions to Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania. Such an outcome would have endangered the interests of Austria-Hungary and the United Kingdom (UK) in the Balkans, so these powers insisted on a new conference. The Berlin Congress was the result of this need for a “European agreement,” and BiH found itself at the very center of that compromise.
BiH as a token in the hands of imperial interests
One of the key topics of the congress was the question of the future of BiH. This territory, although formally under the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire, was in a state of deep social, economic, and political decay. Institutional corruption, tribal divisions, increasingly frequent uprisings of the Orthodox population, and refugee crises seriously shook the stability of the region.
Austria-Hungary, as a neighboring power with interests in Dalmatia, Croatia, and Hungary, did not want to allow the power vacuum in BiH to be filled by the Russians or for Serbian influence to expand.
By the agreement signed on July 13th, Austria-Hungary was given the right to occupy and administer BiH, while maintaining nominal Ottoman sovereignty. In addition, Austria-Hungary was given the right to place military garrisons in the Sanjak (Novi Pazar Sanjak), to prevent a direct connection between Serbia and Montenegro and to retain strategic control over the so-called “Balkan gate.”
This decision was not the result of the will of the people of BiH, but a product of pragmatic imperial agreements behind closed doors. In essence, the country was “sold” without the consent of its inhabitants, thus renewing a pattern that would repeat itself in the 20th century, when great powers decide the fate of smaller nations.
Austro-Hungarian occupation: resistance, blood, and repression
By the end of July 1878, the first units of the Austro-Hungarian army entered the territory of BiH. Contrary to Vienna’s expectations that the population would passively accept the “civilizing mission,” they were met with armed resistance in many areas.
The fiercest fighting took place around Maglaj, Tuzla, Travnik, Sarajevo, in the Lasva Valley, and near Livno. About 150.000 Austro-Hungarian soldiers took part in the occupation operation, which lasted more than three months. Over 5.000 local fighters (mostly Muslims and Orthodox Christians) resisted, using guerrilla methods.
Particularly bloody clashes were recorded in Sarajevo, where on August 19th, 1878, a massive uprising and street fighting broke out. After several days of heavy fighting, Austro-Hungarian troops crushed the resistance, followed by brutal repression – executions, imprisonments, and property confiscations.
Austro-Hungarian administration: between modernization and colonization
After consolidating power, Vienna began a process of administrative reorganization and modernization of BiH. New laws were introduced, the judicial system was reformed, the territory was divided into districts and counties, education was reformed, railway and road infrastructure was built, a tax system was introduced, and banks and post offices were established.
BiH was thus institutionally connected with the rest of Europe for the first time, but not as an equal entity, rather as a province under the military and political administration of Vienna, without the right to self-governance. The country was not part of Hungary or Austria, but a separate unit directly governed by military and civil governors.
Modernization came hand in hand with cultural and identity colonization. The Austro-Hungarian authorities attempted to create a “Bosnian identity” that would neutralize the Serbian, Croatian, and Bosniak (then Muslim) national movements, and religions were treated as “religious communities,” not as political identifications. Also, a significant number of Catholic priests, clerics, and soldiers from Croatia, Czechia, and Austria were placed in the state administration, which provoked suspicion and resistance.
Other topics at the Berlin Congress: Redesigning the Balkans
In addition to the question of BiH, the Berlin Congress dealt with a wide range of territorial and political issues, mostly related to the balance of power in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Among the most important topics on the agenda were:
Bulgaria: The San Stefano treaty envisioned the creation of a large autonomous Bulgaria under Russian influence, which caused serious concerns and opposition from Austria-Hungary and the UK. The Berlin Congress annulled that provision and divided Bulgaria into three parts: the Principality of Bulgaria (autonomous, but formally under Ottoman sovereignty), Eastern Rumelia (a special autonomous region), and Macedonia, which was returned to direct Ottoman rule.
Serbia: Received international recognition of independence and territorial expansion, including the cities of Nis, Pirot, Vranje, and Toplica.
Montenegro: Also gained international recognition and expanded its territory, including access to the sea at Bar and Ulcinj, but had to guarantee religious rights to non-Muslim populations, especially Catholics.
Romania: Was recognized as an independent state, but in exchange for recognition had to cede southern Bessarabia to Russia, while it received northern Dobruja.
Greece: Although it did not immediately gain territorial expansion, the congress opened the door to future negotiations on expansion to the north, which would occur a few years later.
International guarantees: Special attention was given to the issue of protecting religious and minority rights, especially in the newly formed states, which were obliged to ensure equality for all their citizens, one of the few liberal points of the congress.
In essence, the Berlin Congress was not just a diplomatic conference, but a redrawing of the political map of the Balkans, aimed at thwarting Russian domination and preserving the fragile balance of interests among the great European powers. For the Balkan peoples, it meant new state borders, new rulers, but often also new conflicts.
The Berlin Congress and the subsequent occupation marked the beginning of a new era for BiH – an era divided between technical progress and political enslavement. Although the country experienced significant infrastructural and economic development, it did not gain political freedom or a voice in managing its own destiny, something that would continue to follow this country for decades to come, Klix.ba writes.
