War on the Balkan

Unbelievable for almost everybody: 45 years after the Second World War a New War erupted in the heart of Europa. In the years after long time leader Josip Titos death Nationalism driven by fascists and even religious leaders plunged the former Yugoslavia into chaos. The republics of Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia politically supported by Germany and later the European Community declared independence with catastrophic consequences. The wars in Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Kosovo lead to horrific brutality and costed hundred of thousands of lives.

In a school in Croatia during Balkan War after heavy shelling: And the rift goes through the middle of the map - and the country / Croatia 1991 / © Meinrad Heck
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Frontline at a shelter named "the house of dark" in Zadar during Balkan War / Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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In the mountains near Livno / Bosnia Herzegovina 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Soldier in Gods Name during Balkan War / Croatia 1991 / © Meinrad Heck
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After three weeks of fighting taking a break in a hut / Cincar mountain, Bosnia Hercegovina 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Grenade Fire / Bosnia Herzegovina 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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82 year old Ante lost his leg during a grenade shelling / Zemunik Donji / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Muslim Refugees / Split / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Frontline high up in the mountains / near Livno, Bosnia Hercegovina 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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In the mountains near Livno / Bosnia Herzegovina 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Playing on a tank in Babindub, City of Zadar / Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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City of Zadar during war time / Croatia 1995 / © Meinrad Heck
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Monitoring the frontline in Pokupsko / Croatia 1991 / © Meinrad Heck
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Refugees from Kosovo arriving at the airport / Germany 1998 / © Meinrad Heck
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Refugees from Kosovo arriving at the airport / Germany 1998 / © Meinrad Heck
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Knitting in front of her destroyed home / Croatia 1994 / © Meinrad Heck
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Getting presents and supplies during war time / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Moment of Peace: the famous wild horses of Livno during Balkan War / Bosnia Herzegivina 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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A break from the war near Livno / Bosnia Herzegovina 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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On his destroyed farm in Pokupsko / Croatia 1991 / © Meinrad Heck
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Sniper in Zemunik Donji / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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In a home for disabled Children during War Time / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Psychiatric Clinic on the island of Uglijan during War Time / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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In a home for those who need the most help during War Time / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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German Army Helicopter as member of "Implementation Forces" (IFOR) flying over the Krajina region / Croatia 1996 / © Meinrad Heck
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After shelling east of Zadar / Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Casualties arriving at the Hospital in private cars / Zadar, Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Injured Soldier arriving in the hospital of Zadar after having stepped on a landmine / Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Hospital hit by mortars and spipers ( Zadar / Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Croatian President Franjo Tudjman during a congress of his ruling HDZ party in Zagreb / 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Applauding the President in Zagreb / Croatia 1991 / © Meinrad Heck
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Ustasa Fascist in the croatian army / Zeminik Donji, Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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People escaped during a mortar attack in the stairway to get as much walls as possible between them and the outside / Biograd, Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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A young ladys last meal before she died in an mortar attack in her appartment / Biograd, Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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The morning after heavy shelling a UNPROFOR Colonel negotiated with Croat and Serb military commanders. Afterwards he went out and played soccer with some kids. They knew that UN was in town and that they would be safe to play outside. Zadar, Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Taking cover from serb snipers / Zemunik Dinji, Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Running for cover at the frontline / near Livno, Bosnia Hercegivina 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Beware of mines: an old lady returns for a few minutes to her destroyed house in Rupalji / near Zadar, Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Right wing HOS Militia in Skabrinje during their 44 day long stay before the serbian side re-occupied the legendary village where a serbian massacre costs dozens of people their lives in November 1991 / Skabrinje, Croatia / 27th February 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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German Red Cross Convoi at a military check point / near Zadar, Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Humanitarian Aid by german red cross in Zemunik Donji / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Welcoming ceremony for german Red Cross Members from the mayor for Zadar after their safe arrival / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Waiting for supplies / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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German Red Cross Convoy on one of the most dangerous routes in former Yugoslavia during war time: the Maslenica ponton bridge which was in sight of serb artillery and constantly beeing shelled / Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Tears after getting supplies from german Red Cross / Zadar 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Frontline close to Zadar Airport / Zemunik Donji, Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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A young man. Marko Sestan, lived in this house until a serbian grenade destroyed it. He suvived. Zemunik Donji, Croatia / © Meinrad Heck
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Downtown Zadar / Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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UNPROFOR tanks. The peace keeping mission of the United Nations. In secret memos the people on the ground stated: "There is no peace to keep" / Sector Sputh, Pink Zone, Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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After the shelling / Biograd, Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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After the re-capture of the serbian controlled Kraijina people found the remains of an unknown victim / Lisane, Croatia August 1995 / © Meinrad Heck
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Hit by a tank grenade / Donji Rupalji, Croatia 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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Some minutes of fear: Red Cross Convoy crossing the Maslenica Ponton Bridge knowing that they are in sight of serb militia and their mortars / Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Pokupsko, Croatia 1991 / © Meinrad Heck
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After Operation "Oluja (storm) to regain controll of the serbian controlled Krajina croatians found this dead cattle, killed before Serbs fled their homes / near Benkovac, Croatia, August 1995 / © Meinrad Heck
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During Operation Oluja when croat army re-captured serb controlled Kraijna, some croatian soldiers committed war crimes amongst serbian civilians.To avoid that the croatian army blows up her house, this old croat woman who survived the occupation, painted on her walls "this is a croatian house" / near Benkovac, Kraijina 1995 / © Meinrad Heck
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During the attacks patients in Zadar Hospital have to stay and to be treated in shelters in the cellar / Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Croatian Soldiers visit Germany and tell their fellow people ab out the war in their country / Germany 1991 / © Meinrad Heck
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Serb Militias equiped a train in Benkovac with tons of explosives and sendes it unmanned to the costal town of Zadar. Few kilometres from Zadar it derails in a tunnel and exploded. The massive blast destroyed the tunnel and left this huge crater / Debeljak, Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Serb Militias equiped a train in Benkovac with tons of explosives and sendes it unmanned to the costal town of Zadar. Few kilometres from Zadar it derails in a tunnel and exploded. The massive blast destroyed the tunnel and let a huge crater / Debeljak, Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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In a suburb of Dubrovnik / Croatia 1994 / © Meinrad Heck
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In the mountains of the Hinterland of Dubrovnik / 1994 / © Meinrad Heck
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Collection of horror: shrapnells and mortars put on the roof of a garage / Dracevac-Zadar, Croatia 1993 / © Meinrad Heck
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Maslenica Bridge was blow up in the beginning of the war. This divided Croatia in two parts. Acces to the South only via ferries or months later via a ponton bridge / 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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German Army as part of Implementation Force (IFOR) in Croatia / near Zemunik / 1996
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A serb house in Zadar blown up by croat Ultra Nationalists befor the war started / 1992 / © Meinrad Heck
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