It's table-per-concrete type situation.

I have multiple tables, which has these couple of columns, which are same in each table.
Example lastUpdateDate, lastUpdateUser etc.

Now I got super class having these columns. And all other POJOs extend this class.

But in my mapping files, I have mapping of these columns in each class mapping file.

Is it possible to define these common column mappings single place and let other mappings refer it?

Use DTD entities to avoid repetition

or

Use annotations where there actually is a superclass you can put that definition on.

We are using jdk 1.4, so annotations approach is out.

Any article or documentation link, about DTD approach?

any dtd/xml tutorial should cover that. nothing hibernate specific.

I don't have anything on hand.