17th-Century Migration
Podum and its neighboring villages, historically known as Vilići, were settled in the mid-17th century by Serbian families referred to as Usorci (or Uzorci). On June 8, 1658, at the invitation of Austrian authorities—specifically Baron Ivan Albrecht Herberstein, Captain of the Senj Military Frontier—these families left the Koreničko Field, then part of the Ottoman Empire, and settled in the Gacka Valley, within the Austrian-controlled Senj Captaincy (Lopašić, 1885).
Initial settlement likely occurred in the wider area of today’s Staro Selo (Ivić, 1923). Leaders of this migration included Vuk Manojla Mandić and a man referred to as Milak (Ivić, 1923). A total of 83 Usorac families with 941 individuals were recorded, of whom 263 were armed (Ivić, 1923).
Caught Between Empires: The Usorci as Fighters
The Usorci were experienced warriors. Prior to their migration, they had at times fought alongside the Ottomans, and at other times against them, depending on the shifting political dynamics. Living in a border zone between the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires placed them in a volatile geopolitical position.
In a letter dated May 16, 1642, Baron Herberstein described the Usorci as "very honorable and reliable people" and recommended they be settled in Senjska Draga (Lopašić, 1885; Ivić, 1923). The same letter mentions a village named Usorac, which likely existed at the time but may have disappeared following the mass migration.
Permanent Settlement and Land Allocation
When the Usorci arrived in the Gacka Valley, specifically in the area near the town of Otočac, their permanent resettlement was neither simple nor immediate. For two full years, until 1660, a dispute unfolded among local (Senj captain), regional (Commander of the Coastal Frontier in Karlovac), and imperial authorities (the War Council and Emperor Leopold himself) over the exact location for their settlement.
Several commissions were formed, and under the influence of Count Petar Zrinski, a decision was reached in 1660 to resettle the Usorci in Vilić Field. This field stretched eastward from the site of the former medieval settlement of Vilići toward the areas of Škare, Doljani, and Zalužnica (Lopašić, 1885). The village of Vilići is visible on old geographic maps, which show that the area had likely been depopulated due to repeated Ottoman raids and looting prior to the arrival of new settlers.
Residents of the newly formed villages; Staro Selo, Glavace, Oraovac, Podum, Škare, Doljani, and Zalužnica continued to be referred to as Vilićani even in official documents of the Austrian military for some time.
The original list of settlers most likely exists in the Austrian War Archive or the Croatian State Archives, though it remains publicly unavailable. Pavičić mentions the surnames of the Usorci settlers but does not provide a source for this information (Pavičić, 1962, p.149).
The earliest confirmed list of male military conscripts from the village of Podum within the Vilić Company of the Otočac Regiment dates to 1725 and was published by Marinko Vukovojac, a native of Zalužnica now living in London, on the website Lika Ancestors.com (Vukovojac, 2025). Given the year of the list, these men were likely the third generation of settlers grandchildren of the original families.
This list has since been expanded with names from other sources, including Mr. Vukovojac's site. The chronological list begins in 1725 and extends through the period of 1941–1945. Some names appear more than once, reflecting individuals who lived across multiple historical periods.
Adapted from original text 'Podum – The Village of My Memories' (D. Lacmanović).
