Another Story of War
Sa, 2. Sep. 2006, 08:35 in 'BiH'
"I had thought I would leave Sarajevo just for a couple of days and come back for my law exam."
Art in Sarajevo-Skenderija
There are millions of them, and this is just another story of war.
"I went to the bus station with a friend. I had just a small bag - some clothes and the books - since I thought I would be away for no more than 4 or 5 days."
20.8 million stories are those of refugees, 9 million of them stories of the young ones.
"The busses were completely overcrowded. I was lucky to get in. I had to stand for hours."
Often at night these stories emerge.
"First road blocks had been erected, barricades prepared. The atmosphere was tense."
The eyes are scanning the black horizon.
"I had left everything behind. I had had a nice room in student dormitory - even with a TV set."
Some more wine?
"I stayed with my parents in Montenegro for two years. But then the situation became more and more difficult. I went to Austria. My oldest sister was already there."
1994.
"I wanted to get out of that refugee camp and be independent again."
The cicadas rise for crescendo.
"I started working as a cleaning-lady. You can't do much more when you don't speak the language. In the meantime I learnt German. I later worked in a bank doing administration and then got the offer to take over the cafeteria in this company."
A moskito bows its head.
"Ach ... I could have finished university ... in Turkey ... I just didn't have the energy anymore."
And ...
"I came back to Sarajevo in 1999 for the first time after the war. For a visit."
Sarajevo-Grbavica 2006
At the end of this virtual journey to the Balkans I close with something I wanted to avoid.
"Each generation here faces a war", a Sarajevan said. Like so many times since I have started exploring Southeastern Europe I met someone my age who had the same chances - until these "five days before the exam". Some of them were at least lucky enough to get permanent residence status or a working permit in another country.
Makes me humble. Over and over again.
Art in Sarajevo-Skenderija
There are millions of them, and this is just another story of war.
"I went to the bus station with a friend. I had just a small bag - some clothes and the books - since I thought I would be away for no more than 4 or 5 days."
20.8 million stories are those of refugees, 9 million of them stories of the young ones.
"The busses were completely overcrowded. I was lucky to get in. I had to stand for hours."
Often at night these stories emerge.
"First road blocks had been erected, barricades prepared. The atmosphere was tense."
The eyes are scanning the black horizon.
"I had left everything behind. I had had a nice room in student dormitory - even with a TV set."
Some more wine?
"I stayed with my parents in Montenegro for two years. But then the situation became more and more difficult. I went to Austria. My oldest sister was already there."
1994.
"I wanted to get out of that refugee camp and be independent again."
The cicadas rise for crescendo.
"I started working as a cleaning-lady. You can't do much more when you don't speak the language. In the meantime I learnt German. I later worked in a bank doing administration and then got the offer to take over the cafeteria in this company."
A moskito bows its head.
"Ach ... I could have finished university ... in Turkey ... I just didn't have the energy anymore."
And ...
"I came back to Sarajevo in 1999 for the first time after the war. For a visit."
Sarajevo-Grbavica 2006
At the end of this virtual journey to the Balkans I close with something I wanted to avoid.
"Each generation here faces a war", a Sarajevan said. Like so many times since I have started exploring Southeastern Europe I met someone my age who had the same chances - until these "five days before the exam". Some of them were at least lucky enough to get permanent residence status or a working permit in another country.
Makes me humble. Over and over again.
quod,
Sa, 2. Sep. 2006, 18:57
We who stayed in the city during the war often asked ourselves during the war, was that wise. Many of course did not live to see the end of the war. Others like me survived. And every summer I meet on the main street some of the people who left in 1992 or later and who now return, talk with nostalgy about Sarajevo Bosnia. My generation is old generation and those who left with 40-50 years are only dreaming of comming backe from wherever they are to die and be burried here!
novala,
So, 3. Sep. 2006, 21:47
And they will keep on dreaming
because they were forced to leave.
My grandparents, for example, left Dresden involuntarily in 1945. I had never noticed that until he got old, how homesick my grandpa had been for the rest of his life. When he was 82 or 83 my grandma bought a slide projector and the three of us looked at pictures from the 30ies and 40ies. Grandpa had tears in his eyes. The memory was just too much for him.
For my family it was such a miracle that the wall came tumbling down and my grandparents were able to go "home" whenever they wanted. (While my grandmas sister moved back from West Germany to Dresden, my grandma said "no, I am not going to move back - this is not the city I have left".)
A lot of people said to me how wonderful Sarajevo was before the war. I already like it a lot how it is nowadays I wonder how great it must have been before. I understand that people want to come back.
My grandparents, for example, left Dresden involuntarily in 1945. I had never noticed that until he got old, how homesick my grandpa had been for the rest of his life. When he was 82 or 83 my grandma bought a slide projector and the three of us looked at pictures from the 30ies and 40ies. Grandpa had tears in his eyes. The memory was just too much for him.
For my family it was such a miracle that the wall came tumbling down and my grandparents were able to go "home" whenever they wanted. (While my grandmas sister moved back from West Germany to Dresden, my grandma said "no, I am not going to move back - this is not the city I have left".)
A lot of people said to me how wonderful Sarajevo was before the war. I already like it a lot how it is nowadays I wonder how great it must have been before. I understand that people want to come back.
quod,
Do, 7. Sep. 2006, 21:34
It was so beautiful...
before the war that I refused to stay in England (when I could continue with my studies) and returned to Sarajevo instead. It had great atmosphere - whatever people said or wrote in last 15 years!!!
sspguest,
Mo, 11. Sep. 2006, 13:55
Great.
I've really enjoyed all your photographs and experiences in the Balkans. They have been fascinating. I'm hoping to do a journey like that myself next year.
Adrian
Adrian