Title: Identity and Conflict in the Balkans
1Identity and Conflict in the Balkans
2Announcements
- News
- Death of Ibrahim Rugova
3The Bigger Picture
4Former Yugoslavia
- Croatia
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Serbia Kosovo, Vojvodina
- Montenegro
- Macedonia
- Slovenia
5Film on Balkan Wars
- Slovenia, then Croatia declare independence
- Serbia (as Yugoslavia) reacts
- Croatia and Serbia attack Bosnia
- Bosnian Muslims and Croats join Croatia against
Serbia - Dayton Accords in 1995
6Principal Events of War
- Rout in Slovenia
- Destruction of Vukovar, Croatia
- Siege of Sarajevo, Bosnia
- Massacres (e.g., Srebenica)
- Dayton Accords
7Principal features
- Brutal violence
- Ethnic cleansing
- Sex camps in Bosnia
- UN indecision, ineffectiveness
8Divided Bosnia
9Croatia (and Kaplan)
10Balkan Ghosts Croatia today
- Zagreb
- Old City, Esplanade Hotel, Cathedral, St. Marko
Church
11St. Marko Church, Old City
12Croatia Zagreb (Chapter 1)
- Religion and ethnic identity
- Croats vs. Serbs
- Catholics vs. Orthodox
- Rome vs. Constantinople
- Little differences strong antipathies
13Croatia Part of the Balkans?
- Feeling of superiority to Serbs
- Connections with Western Europe
- Proximity to Austria, Italy
- Roman Catholic ties
- Myth-based kinship?
14Early History Slav settlements in Balkans
- Slavs in the west peninsula (6th-7th c.)
- Independent kingdom (early 10th)
- King Tomislav Croat State
- Hungarian rule (late 11th)
- Alliance with western powers, Roman Catholicism
15Attitudes today
- Orthodoxy, Muslim Turks the East
- Habsburgs, Austro-Hungarian Empire the West
- We are part of the West
16Mutual resentments
- For Croats Serb rule in post-WWII age
- For Serbs Croats blamed for treatment of Serbs
after WWI - Assassination of King Alexander Karageorgevich
(hero to Serbs) - Crimes of Ustashe against Serbs
- Mistreatment of Croatian Serbs (from nationalist
zeal)
17Accusations?
- Forced conversions
- Willing complicity with Hitlers goals
18Kaplan to the Croats Historical Choices
- Fr. Strossmayer (tolerance)
- Fr. Stepinac (nationalism)
19Religion Early Heroes
- Cyril and Methodius (9th century)
- Missionaries from Salonika
- Translations into (Old Church) Slavic
- New alphabet (Glagolitic)
- Major figures for Croats and Serbs
20Split in Christianity 1056
- Rome vs. Constantinople
- Catholicism vs Orthodoxy
- Croat alliances with Catholic countries
21Bishop Strossmayer (1815-1905)
- Voice (of the past) promoting harmony
- Conflict with Habsburg Empire
- Conflict with Vatican
- Secular spirit
- Urged tolerance for Serbs, for Eastern Orthodoxy
22Religion as Divisive Force During WWII
- Archbishop Stepinac
- Croat nationalism
- Piety dogmatism
- Religious zeal
23Stepinac Broader Questions
- Complicity of Vatican in WWII atrocities
- Hatred of Communism as justification for anything
24Fascist connections
- Collaboration with Nazis, Ustashe
- Tito equilibrium between groups, but nothing
forgotten
25Outcomes Today
- Stepinac a symbol for Croatian identity,
independence - Martyrdom at hands of Tito
- Elevation in Catholic hierarchy
- Beatification by John Paul II in 1998
- John Paul II visited Croatia three times 1994,
1998, 2003
26Another Wound Jasenovac
27Serbs, Roma
28Beginnings
- Germany and its Axis allies invaded Yugoslavia in
April 1941 - Nazis permitted Ustaa organization to found
Independent State of Croatia. - Ustaa regime establishes numerous concentration
camps in Croatia between 1941 and 1945 - The largest was the Jasenovac complex
- Number killed is big issue
29WWII Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia Issues
- Culpability (who, to what degree, supported Nazi
Germany) - Who was responsible for purges (Serbs, Gypsies,
Jews)?
30Groups
- Role of Cetniks (Chetniks) (Serb monarchists)
- Role of Ustae (Ustashe, Ustasha) (Nationalists)
- Role of Partisans (Communists)
- Roles of Father Stepinac, Tito
31After the War
- The Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia,
1945-90 - Six republics, two autonomous regions
- Nationalities related to ethnic origins
- Serbs, Croats, Macedonians, Slovenians,
Montenegrins, and Muslims - Two autonomous regions, Vojvodina (Hungarian
links) and Kosovo (Albanian links)
32Tito (Josip Broz) 1892-1980
33Biography
- Croat CP work after WWI
- Imprisoned 1928-34
- Formed Yugoslav Partisan force against Germans
and Croatian allies - Also fought against Serbian Cetniks
- Took control of country after WWII
34Post-war years
- For, then against Stalin
- Alternative Marxism, nonalignment movement
- President for life in 1974
- Associated with nonalignment during Cold War,
communist pluralism - Responsibility for civil war in 90s?
- Repressed Albanians
- Encouraged Serb nationalism
35Issues lingering today
- WWII relationship with Nazi Germany
- Ustashe collaboration with Nazis under Pavelic
- Who did what then?
- Communism under Tito equilibrium, but
36Albanian Blood Feuds
- Mountain peoples
- Generational chains of violence
- Not just the Balkans
- White Faces asking sincere forgiveness
- Breaking the cycle
37History
- Importance of WWII
- Nazi occupation
- Ustashe
- Jesenovac massacre
- Importance of Tito
- Post-Tito developments