Have you ever heard of the ‘Spomeniks of Yugoslavia’? Hidden across the war-torn landscape of the dismantled Yugoslav states, formerly called the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), I’ve found hundreds of overgrown and forgotten relics scattered everywhere. What were once space-age triumphs, more appropriate on the set of Transformers rather than lamenting Nazi tragedies, are now bitter-sweet testaments to a broken country’s unrealized future.
Built from 1960-1990 as a network of monuments (nicknamed ‘Spomeniks’) and intended to be universalist symbols for a new Yugoslav utopia, their now ghostly presence still seems to scream out “Ahead! Forward!” Yet now, their cries go unheard as the future they speak of is already past, and the audience they spoke to are no longer listening.
Their context is all but invisible now, with their stories all but forgotten by many. These relics sit not only neglected or abandoned but also destroyed and even bombed in some case. Through my new website, the SpomenikDatabase, I hope to bring these sculptural marvels to the attention of the world once again.
However, as I do this, I fight against others who are struggling to ensure these symbols and their history are forever wiped from the world’s memory.
Here are Some of the Spomeniks of Yugoslavia
Monument to the Uprising
Petrova Gora, Croatia (Vojin Stojić, 1981)
This 37m tall stainless-steel behemoth is perched atop Petrova Gora mountain. It originally commemorated the victims of a brutal slaying of hundreds of ethnic-Serb peasants by Axis soldiers during WWII. In its prime, was a fantastic memorial complex which contained a grand theater and museum. However, since the wars of the 1990s, it has been looted and destroyed.
Thieves strip its stainless-steel exterior, while governments squabble of who it even belongs to. Some want it torn down, others want it restored. In the meantime, the only people it seems to attract are vandals. For more info, visit its SpomenikDatabase profile page HERE.
Monument to the Fallen Soldiers