Srebrenica – Chronologie eines Völkermords

29 years have passed since the genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995. Bosnia-Herzegovina, once known as “Yugoslavia in miniature”, was a place where people from different ethnic backgrounds lived together peacefully. Today, however, 29 years after the end of the war, the country is ethnically fragmented. Despite its small population, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s administrative structure resembles that of a large city like Berlin, consisting of various political units such as entities, a district and ten cantons. This complex structure, although it functions without direct acts of war, reflects the conflicts of the 1990s and contributes to their preservation.

Dr. phil. Matthias Fink is a freelance author for ARD radio, the Süddeutsche Zeitung and a retired journalist. He was present as a trial observer at the International Criminal Court during the negotiations on the former Yugoslavia and undertook numerous research trips to Srebrenica and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

In his book “Srebrenica. Chronologie eines Völkermords – oder Was geschah mit Mirnes Osmanović”, he recounts the prehistory and course of the drama of Srebrenica, Europe’s most serious war crime since the end of the Second World War, on the basis of evidence documents and witness statements from the International Criminal Court.

What lessons can be learned from the violent disintegration of the political community in Yugoslavia for today’s Europe? What are the similarities and differences between the polarizing narratives of the disintegrating Yugoslavia and the current social tensions?

Over 100,000 people with a Balkan background live in Munich. They are actively involved in urban life. Their experiences of war, flight and genocide influence their everyday lives, but often remain untold.

What practices of remembrance exist in a society after migration? How do experiences of war and genocide influence different life stories and concepts across generations?

balkaNet e.V. would like to continue researching the topic of remembrance culture and shed light on it through new events in the urban and international discourse.