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The Breakup of Yugoslavia and the 1990s War with Ante Batarelo

The Breakup of Yugoslavia and the 1990s War with Ante Batarelo


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

The Balkans have always been the crossroads of Europe and the playground for bigger powers. The idea of a multi-ethnic Yugoslavia ended in one of the bloodiest European wars in the twentieth century. This conversation will trace the history of the Yugoslavian war, placing these tragic years in the recent context.

We’ll begin by setting the geographical scene as we explore how the former Yugoslav countries lie between Central Europe and the Balkans and between the Mediterranean world and continental Europe. Likewise, they lie on a cultural and religious border of the Eastern Byzantine Christendom, the Latin West, and combined with a large Slavic Muslim concentration. The plethora of nationalities and mentalities truly make this part of the world the crossroads of Europe. We’ll discuss how the fate of these borderlands is such that they precariously shrink and expand over the generations and are trampled on, crossed over, defended, colonized, and abandoned in turn by stronger neighboring powers.

We’ll explore the history of its people, the Slavs, who bear the genetic footprints of countless invaders and settlers and of those shadowy inhabitants before them. Yugoslavia, founded in 1945 was led by its lifetime President Josip Broz Tito and his death in 1980 marked the beginning of its end as in 1990 the Socialist parole of 'Brotherhood & Unity' proved to be a utopia. We’ll discuss how the war spanning over the next decade was one of the bloodiest in Europe and showed the incompetence of many theoreticians and international communities.

Led by an expert who lived through this transition period, Ante Batarelo will chronologically explain the events and key figures who marked these relatively recent historical events. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased knowledge and opinion for this part of the world.

Ante Batarelo was born & raised in Sydney, Australia to Croatian parents. He has a degree from Zagreb University and for the last 30 years has been living in Croatia and happily married with 5 children. He's done an array of jobs from university lecturing, translation, and tour guiding. His other loves are history, the outdoors, and hiking.

Not suitable for children under age 13 (sensitive content).

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 11 reviews
64%
(7)
27%
(3)
9%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
J
John K (Washington, US)
An Informative Presentation of a Complicated History

Mr. Batarelo puts the creation and dissolution of Yugoslavia in the context of other developments in history and makes clear what otherwise is a complicated story of several countries pushed together into one and then separated as the result of a vicious war.

L
Lucy H (Hatfield, GB)
I learned a lot

Very interesting indeed. A lot to squeeze into 90 minutes, but Mr. Batarelo did a great job.
Unfortunately it was let down by poor sound quality - time to invest in a good mic!
But otherwise it was excellent for someone like me with only a hazy idea of the Yugoslav conflict.

A
Anonymous (Morges, CH)
Excellent!

Wonderful presentation. Thank you!

B
Barbara Hill (Stroudsburg, US)
Modern History of Yugoslavia

This is a very complex subject with many moving parts. Mr. Batarelo handled the lecture very capably using numerous maps to help listeners keep the various Yugoslavian republics in order. Because the subject matter was so dense, I found it helpful to listen to the lecture tape a second time.

A
Anonymous (Orinda, US)

Guest did not leave comment

Customer Reviews

Based on 11 reviews
64%
(7)
27%
(3)
9%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
J
John K (Washington, US)
An Informative Presentation of a Complicated History

Mr. Batarelo puts the creation and dissolution of Yugoslavia in the context of other developments in history and makes clear what otherwise is a complicated story of several countries pushed together into one and then separated as the result of a vicious war.

L
Lucy H (Hatfield, GB)
I learned a lot

Very interesting indeed. A lot to squeeze into 90 minutes, but Mr. Batarelo did a great job.
Unfortunately it was let down by poor sound quality - time to invest in a good mic!
But otherwise it was excellent for someone like me with only a hazy idea of the Yugoslav conflict.

A
Anonymous (Morges, CH)
Excellent!

Wonderful presentation. Thank you!

B
Barbara Hill (Stroudsburg, US)
Modern History of Yugoslavia

This is a very complex subject with many moving parts. Mr. Batarelo handled the lecture very capably using numerous maps to help listeners keep the various Yugoslavian republics in order. Because the subject matter was so dense, I found it helpful to listen to the lecture tape a second time.

A
Anonymous (Orinda, US)

Guest did not leave comment