History Being Erased (not the US)

There is an interesting article in Balkan Insight about how the country of Croatia is trying to erase the country of Yugoslavia from their history. It is an odd affair, given that Croatians were part of the driving economic and cultural voices of Yugoslavia.

The example of their story is the opening of the Zagreb National and University Library. In particular how the officials refused to acknowledge the work of the architect, who was a Croatian, but started the Library when Yugoslavia was still a country. It was only just finished due to the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the intervening war with Serbia.

But, as the article states it goes further. Croatia was a key part of Yugoslavia (originally named the Kingdom of Serbs Croats and Slovenes) - Yugoslavia mean "Southern Slavs" when the people are identified with each other. But Croatian politicians are trying very hard to erase the memory of Yugoslavia.

In 1992 that hatred of "the other" included blowing up this gorgeous monument, the largest Stainless Steel art and the largest post-modern sculpture in the world at the time. This monument as erected as a tribute to the Slavonians in World War II who fought against the Nazi's. It is now on the "wrong" side of history because the Croatians had a fascist puppet government under the Nazis, and Slavonia was a Croatian region that fought against the Fascists.

But this work of art and history was designed and built by Croatians. It was in Croatian territory. The Croatian Army blew it up in 1992 (it took 5 attempts).

Croatia would rather associate with their Fascist past, rather than remember that they were once part of a multinational, ethnically diverse federation that was a leader in the world. Confederacy much?