Na vratima Požeške doline

Dragutin Pavličević's book At the Gates of the Požega Valley was published in 1961 by Matica Hrvatska. It is a popular scientific work that presents a synthetic overview of the history and identity of the Požega Valley (Požega Valley), a key Slavonian region located between Psunj, Dilj and Požega Mountain, at the "gateway" to central Slavonia and the Pannonian Plain.

The author, then a young historian (later known for his works on 19th-century Croatian history, the People's Movement of 1883, etc.), starts from the geographical and strategic importance of the valley: as a natural passage and crossroads, the region was exposed to numerous invaders and migrations. The book chronologically covers:

• prehistoric settlements and the Celtic-Roman period (Andautonia, Roman roads),
• the medieval Slavonian county and the city of Požega as an important center,
• the Ottoman period (16th–17th century) with battles, plundering and demographic changes,
• the Habsburg reconquest and colonization (border guards, Šokci, Nijemci, Bunjevci),
• the 18th–19th century with the development of agriculture, viticulture and multiethnic life.

Pavličević emphasizes the continuity of the Croatian population, folklore, customs and economic importance of the region (fertile soils, vineyards, forests). The text is accessible, enriched with maps (Roman roads, Ottoman fortifications, borders of the Military Border) and illustrations (landscapes, monuments, folk costumes). This is not a dry scientific work, but a patriotic and popularizing presentation that was intended to awaken interest in local heritage during the post-war reconstruction period.