Vukovar

I will admit I came to Croatia with only an elementary understanding of the depth and scope of the war. I wasn't prepared for the everyday impact it has on many Eastern European families-the Tuškan family being one of them.

My host father Tomislav grew up in Vukovar, one of the towns which was under siege for the longest amount of time. Vukovar lies to the far east of Croatia, along the Danube River. The entire town was destroyed by the occupying Serbs. Tomislav's father, Drago, left Vukovar (leaving his wife and other son Dražen) He was unable to get back inside the city, and has lived with Janet and Tomislav ever since. As for Tomislav's mother and brother, (Drago's wife and son,) they are presumed dead, although their bodies were never found.

A man who knew the story of their deaths agreed to meet with Tomislav and his father, but before they were able to meet, he died of cancer. Allegedly, both Dražen and his mother were shot on the side of a road; their bodies thrown somewhere into the unknown.

Years ago Janet and Tomislav went back to Vukovar to see the house Tomislav grew up in. They showed me pictures, and what was once a neigborhood was reduced to a pile of rubble and all sorts of debris. Janet told me the Serbian soldiers took everything of value from each house before torching it. When the visited, they realized eventually that they were standing on top of their former car. The only item they found intact was one of Janet's slippers.

I "read" the newspaper here every morning, and a few weeks ago, I found Tomislav's brother, Dražen Tuskan's name on the front page of the paper. It was a list of the dead from Vukovar. Three of the men responsible for the deaths of countless numbers of people in Vukovar were recently tried for their crimes. One of the generals was given 20 years, another was given 5, and the last was let go.

My host grandfather (Drago) was one of the many of outraged citizens who attended demonstrations against these sentences. The Prime Minister of Croatia traveled to Vukovar in order to try and quell the demonstrations.


Even now, bodies are still being recovered from the area inside and around Vukovar. Many are unidentifiable, but funerals are held for those who were lost years ago. Although being American is both a blessing and curse, we can certainly take a moment to appreciate our safety, something not everyone can give thanks for.