Dubrovnik (HRV) the Second - Encounter with War

When I remember my primary school years, I had some classmates from Kosovo and Bosnia. I knew that their families had fled, but I didn't know the details. On my journey through ex-Yugoslavia, I encounter the history of war over and over again - it's unbelievable how physically and temporally close these events happened.

Yesterday, we were in Dubrovnik at a gallery - War Photo Limited. Goosebumps already at the sight of the first war photo. The exhibition is supposed to show 'what war really is: cruel, corrupt and frightening, because both innocent people and fighters become victims of injustice' (lonely planet - Croatia, 2017).

We have read a lot to understand. But it's difficult to grasp. Independence war, militias, paramilitary, Muslims, Bosnian Croats, Bosnian Serbs, Yugoslav People's Army, Croats, Serbs and everything again and more. A jumble in my head, but also a bit more clarity.

When the Croatian Parliament proclaimed the independence of Croatia in 1991, war broke out between Croats and Serbs. Dubrovnik also came under fire. Seeing pictures of this beautiful city with houses in flames is extremely contradictory to how I got to know Dubrovnik. Fascinating. Thank you Dubrovnik. History hasn't been so present for me in a long time.