Blog 07: The Bosnian "Safe Havens": Sarajevo
The Bosnian "Safe Havens": Sarajevo
During our trip
we stayed several days in Sarajevo, which was besieged nearly 1,500 days during
the war. The Siege of Sarajevo was
the longest of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. After being
initially besieged by the forces of the Yugoslav People's Army, Sarajevo was completely
besieged by the Bosnia Serbs (VRS) from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 (1,425
days). The siege lasted three times longer than the Battle of Stalingrad and
more than a year longer than the Siege of Leningrad. A total of 13,952 people
were killed during the siege.
Today's Sarejevo has still many war carves. Many building are signed with the traces of bullets and grenades. During the siege of Sarajevo 1992-95 the city was continuously bombarded by the Bosnian Serbs. An average of over 300 shells hit the city every day with a devastating peak of 3,777 shells hitting the city on 22nd July 1993. Over 35,000 had been completely destroyed.
Today a lot of buildings have signs of war
Today a lot of buildings have signs of war
Craters left by fatal mortar strikes have been filled with red resin to remember those lost during the Siege of Sarajevo.
One of the best
short movies about Sarajevo can be seen in the following link. Not all people
will like the music I assume and some parts can be seen as shocking.
Childrens Square
Destroying of the Library during the war (below)
Today a location that evokes a lot of emotion is the Children Square
where most of the 521 killed children of the war are buried. On the cilinders the names are
engraved of all the deadly young victims.
Sniper Alley
"Sniper Alley" was the informal name primarily for streets Zmaja od Bosne Street and Meša Selimović Boulevard, the main boulevard trough Sarajevo.
The road connects the new part of the city and Sarajevo airport to the Old Town. Surrounded by high buildings and the mountains it was easy to snipe innocent civilians.
Although the city was under constant Serb siege, the Sarajevo people still had to move about the city in order to survive but also routinely risking their lives. People would either run fast across the street or would wait for United Nations armored vehicles and walk behind them, using them as shields. During the war the snipers wounded 1,030 people and killed 225. During our visit of Sarajevo we personally met several people who were hit by snipers but survived.
"Sniper Alley" was the informal name primarily for streets Zmaja od Bosne Street and Meša Selimović Boulevard, the main boulevard trough Sarajevo.
The road connects the new part of the city and Sarajevo airport to the Old Town. Surrounded by high buildings and the mountains it was easy to snipe innocent civilians.
Although the city was under constant Serb siege, the Sarajevo people still had to move about the city in order to survive but also routinely risking their lives. People would either run fast across the street or would wait for United Nations armored vehicles and walk behind them, using them as shields. During the war the snipers wounded 1,030 people and killed 225. During our visit of Sarajevo we personally met several people who were hit by snipers but survived.
Sniper alley during the war
The twin towers during the war
Same location in 2018
Parlement building during the war
The twin towers during the war
Sniper alley during the war (Holiday hotel is yellow building on the left and parlement building at right)
Same location 2018
Holiday Inn hotel
During our stay in Sarajevo we stayed in the Holiday Inn hotel, which is located at the former Sniper Alley. The 1st shootings of the Bosnian war were around this hotel, which was the former command center of the Serbian leader Karadzic.
Vijećnica (Library - City Hall)
The Sarajevo City Hall, built in 1894, was one of the famous buildings of Sarajevo and was completely destroyed by the Serbian shellings of Sarajevo. Before the attack on 25th Augustus 1992 , the library held 1.5 million books and manuscripts including over 155,000 rare books and manuscripts. After years of restoration, the building was reopened on 9th May 2014.
The Sarajevo City Hall, built in 1894, was one of the famous buildings of Sarajevo and was completely destroyed by the Serbian shellings of Sarajevo. Before the attack on 25th Augustus 1992 , the library held 1.5 million books and manuscripts including over 155,000 rare books and manuscripts. After years of restoration, the building was reopened on 9th May 2014.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria arrives at the building—at this time the city hall—between the first and second attempts on his life in 1914 (Below)
Destroying of the Library during the war (below)
Vijećnica in 2018
The Jewish Cemetery on Trebevic Mountain
The cemetery, established by Sephardic Jews during the Ottoman period, on the slopes of Mount Trebevic is one of the biggest in Europa and was in use till 1966.
From this cemetery the Serbs could easily setup sniper positions during the war on the slopes of the mountain and in the cemetery. The Jewish Cemetery was on the front line during the war and was also used as an artillery position by Bosnian Serbs. It was severely damaged by bullets and explosions and it was also heavily mined but was completely cleared in 1996.
The cemetery, established by Sephardic Jews during the Ottoman period, on the slopes of Mount Trebevic is one of the biggest in Europa and was in use till 1966.
From this cemetery the Serbs could easily setup sniper positions during the war on the slopes of the mountain and in the cemetery. The Jewish Cemetery was on the front line during the war and was also used as an artillery position by Bosnian Serbs. It was severely damaged by bullets and explosions and it was also heavily mined but was completely cleared in 1996.
Present view from the Jewish cemetery to the city center of Sarajevo.
We also visit the former Serbia command centre and sniper nest located in the former hotel 8. From this sniper nest many citizen from Sarajevo have been injured of killed.
The views from former sniper nest hotel 8 shows how easily the Sarajevo citizens could be hit.
The location was heavily hit by NATO bombings in 1995 and is still a ruin.
Tunnel of Hope
Tunnel of Hope, which was the major "blood line" for heavily sieged and destroyed city during the war and was constructed between March and June 1993. The tunnels was constructed 24hrs a day and the workers have been paid with one package of cigarettes per day, which was a high value good. The tunnel consisted of covered trenches connected by a real tunnel underneath the airport of Sarajevo. Through the tunnel a oil pipeline was installed together with communication cables and a 12 MW high voltage cable to feed Sarajevo with oil and electricity. Also a small railway track was installed to optimize the logistics and daily up to 3000 people and 30 tons of various goods passed through the tunnel in both directions. Today house and the cellar which contains the entrance of the tunnel are a museum which is one of the most visited locations of Sarajevo.
Location of the tunnel (Red area's were the Serbian controlled during the war)
Tunnel of Hope, which was the major "blood line" for heavily sieged and destroyed city during the war and was constructed between March and June 1993. The tunnels was constructed 24hrs a day and the workers have been paid with one package of cigarettes per day, which was a high value good. The tunnel consisted of covered trenches connected by a real tunnel underneath the airport of Sarajevo. Through the tunnel a oil pipeline was installed together with communication cables and a 12 MW high voltage cable to feed Sarajevo with oil and electricity. Also a small railway track was installed to optimize the logistics and daily up to 3000 people and 30 tons of various goods passed through the tunnel in both directions. Today house and the cellar which contains the entrance of the tunnel are a museum which is one of the most visited locations of Sarajevo.
Location of the tunnel (Red area's were the Serbian controlled during the war)
The present museum
Figures of the Attackers (Serbs) versus the Defenders (Bosnians) during the war
Inside the tunnel
Familie Kunar, the owner of the house which covered the entrance of the tunnel
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