The arrival of Huns in Europe in the 4th century moved a mass of Eastern European nations toward the west. Looking for a safe haven there, many of them came in touch with the Roman Empire – as enemies, and later as allies. The Goths were a significant nation. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, both shores of the Adriatic Sea were ruled by the mighty Ostrogoth (Eastern Goths) kingdom with a ruler called Theodorick. This kingdom existed for a short while, but some say it was significant for the Gacka river. Because the name of that nation – Goth(Gat) – was taken as the name of that river Gotska or Gacka (land). It is not known if that name was taken for the river or the entire area. That nation probably dwelled around Gacka for a long time after their Kingdom fell in the beginning of the sixth century and the arrival of Slavic tribes in the seventh century. And there is a possibility they had a form of independence.
But, traces of man in this area go back to the stone age. Twelve years ago after the last ice age, remains were found in Pećina near Lešće on an elevated area. At that time Gacko field was covered with more water, maybe several small lakes which often flooded the area, and it was important to find a home on an elevated spot. The present shape of this karst field gradually appeared. Water carved the limestone, made cracks, abysses, and a new winding river with a beautiful color and transparency appeared. Man found his home near the river, it was his life – he used it for drinking and hunted wild animals while they were drinking water.
In the and of the Bronze age (around 1000 BC), an Illyrian nation comes to this area, Japodi. Their land was wider, but here they reached their material and cultural peaks, especially from 500 BC. In touch with Greek and Etruscan merchants, they left many monuments and sculptures. Japodi lived in communities, encompassed with walls, on hills. They used the river as their protection and a natural ditch. Famous Japod towns along Gacka were Vinica and Umac near Otočac, Podina in Prozor, on Zorišnjak in Staro Selo, Pećina near Lešće (near the cave) and two in Sinac. We get important historical data from the old Romans. To conquer the Illyrian tribes which were not under Roman rule, Octavian lead an army against them in 35 BC. He succeeded. The Japods then accept Roman customs and culture. In that time they develop towns like Arupium (Prozor) and Avendo (Kompolje) along the Roman road from Northern Italy to Greece, which was built in the first century.
This area was not spared from Barbarian tribes breaking in the Roman Empire. With the Goths we already mentioned, the largest tribes break in around the 7th century. These were the Slavic tribes which assimilated the native population.
A mighty Franc state was spreading in Western Europe in the end of the eighth century and the beginning of the ninth century. In its expansion on the Apennine peninsula, and toward the East, it went to war with the Byzant Empire which claimed the right on that area after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. When their war ended in the beginning of the ninth century, the Franc state gets the entire territory of Croatia, except some Dalmatian cities. Christianity starts coming from the Franc state. Prince Borna appears at that time, dux Goduscanorum, a Franc servant, who adopted Christianity, and went to pay tribute to king Ludovic and spread his authority on Dalmatia and Liburnia (the territory near the Sea from the Raša river in Istria to Ravni kotari in Northern Dalmatia). The first written document about the Gacka ministry dates from 819 AD. A very important written document “De administrando imperio” says that in other Croatian provinces there are princes and ministers, and only Gacka, Lika and Krbava are ruled by a governor (ban). This title is here mentioned for the first time, and Gacka is one of the three provinces which belong to Croatia.
The Baška plate (1105 AD island Krk) for the first time mentions the name Otočac, and its church of St. Nicholas. The river gave the name to Otočac (little island). Gacka at that time ran in several backwaters. Somewhere inside there was a small island on which the inhabitants built a fortress. Otočac then meant small island.
During king Koloman Arpadović’s reign this territory is in the Hungarian – Croatian state (the beginning of the 12th century). From 1219 to 1269 Otočac was owned by Templar Knights, given to them by king Andrija II. In the end of that century the Gacko field was owned by the princes from Krk, and in a document of the king Robert Anžuvinac dating from 1300 AD Otočac is for the first time mentioned as a city. It was surrounded with a strong wall with six towers.
The basic activity of the local population then was agriculture, just like the spirit of Medieval Europe belongs to peasants.
In 1460., with a permit from pope Pio II., an archdiocese was founded in Otočac. Otočac gets the title “civitas”. The archdiocese was abolished in 1535 and it merged with Senj.
In the end of the 15th century, after the Turks devastated South-East Europe, they became the main factor in the region, especially during the sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (1520 – 1566) and after the battle on Mohač field in 1526. Gacko field remains a part of the “remains of remaining Croatia” until the Great Vienna War in the end of the 17th century. That was a time of migration.
After the Turks were driven away from the area, Gacka and Otočac were handed over to the Krajiška rule in 1701, and in 1746 Otočac becomes the headquarters of the Otočac regiment. Otočac was described as little Venice because it was surrounded by Gacka backwaters, and people had to reach their homes by boats. In the time of the Queen Maria Teresia there was a fair on Wednesday, and that custom still lives today. Her son Joseph II built in 1782 a school for border patrols. In 1844 Otočac gets a theater thanks to general Nikola Maštrović. The same man later built Karl’s bridge on Gacka near Otočac. After Varaždin and Sisak, Otočac is the third city in Croatia with a fire brigade (1868).
The industrialization in this area appeared in the end of the 19th century after a brewery was built. With the abolition of the Military rule in 1881 many inhabitants moved out, especially those who suddenly became civilians and could not manage in the new life. People looked for homes in distant countries. The migration continued even in the 20th century. And Gacka still flowed in the valley. Until 1964 when the hydro-electric system Lika-Gacka was built. This construction changed the face of that river.
Gacka would like to forget the 20th century. World War I in this area wasn’t fierce, but its consequences were felt in the poverty of the local people. Fish and crayfish from the river were God given food at that time. In those dark ages, Gacka was the ray of light which came from Tonković spring, and caressed the fields with its body, leaving a mark in Otočac, which cared about the social life, not letting the people fall into a depression.
But, the dark clouds of World War II could not be avoided. Otočac is remembered for the first ZAVNOH (the anti-fascist movement in Croatia) meeting in 1943.
The mentioned hydrotechnical construction in the sixties shortens the blood vessel in this area, and destroys a fascinating work of nature. The recent war in Croatia only opened that wound. Deadly metal objects destroy Otočac. Make noise, cause fear, and peace flees from the waters of Gacka.
Is this now finally the end, the river wonders. It is sad no one asks the river about it. The people in Gacka grew numb in the last hundred years. As if they don’t understand the message from Mother Nature, the wish of the Gacka river to show its beauty and caress numerous generations.