top of page
Search
  • Writer's pictureattrillhelen

Tjentiste: a journey

Updated: Dec 14, 2019

After regretting not visiting the Makedonium at Kruscevo, Macedonia, I forked out more money online for a private tour than I had for food and accommodation for the past fortnight to ensure I didn’t miss viewing firsthand one of the most spectacular spomeniks in the Balkans, the fractally sculptural War Memorial at Tjentiste. Tjentiste is a small town in the Sutjeska National Forest and to access it you need to drive a narrow two way road around mountains, approximately two and a half hours from Sarajevo.


The Wings of Victory of the Tjentiste memorial

The memorial, featuring two large walls that the visitor walks between was built in 1971 to remember Operation Fall Schwarz, otherwise known as the Battle of the Sutjeska, which occurred during World War II. This battle between the Nazis and Yugoslavian forces saw most of the Yugoslav forces able to escape, including their leader, foiling the Nazis’ plan. However, over 7,000 people including civilians were killed. The memorial therefore commemorates both victory and the tragic loss of life. Like many spomeniks of this time, it was constructed in grey cement using abstract shapes. The main sculptures represent ‘wings of victory’.


side view of Tjentiste memorial

Behind the museum is a rainforest which would be a hiker’s delight and adjacent to the museum are two very different museum buildings.


Rainforest behind the Tjentiste memorial

Like the Partisan Cemetery in Mostar, During the Bosnian siege between 1992-1995, all three were partially destroyed and the museum looted; the monument was only saved through lack of sufficient explosive by the Bosnian Serbs. Then in 2018 a landslide came close to destroying it didn’t quite reach the memorial.


The walkway up to the Tjentiste memorial

Having paid for a private tour (the only choice as there were no group tours on offer) I sought to maximise the chance to talk to a real Bosnian. My guide Emina was a local in Sarajevo and was 12 years old during the siege and more than happy to talk about her experiences and opinions. As we drove up the steep hills out of the city, we came across road works occurring on heavily damaged roads. ‘See, this is the first time these roads have been attended to since the siege’, she pointed out, her frustration at being forced to slow down showing. As we drove towards Tjentiste she pointed out the different flags and regions within Bosnia and discussed the complicated system of government which includes having three presidents reflecting the three main ethnicities in the country. Bosnia is predominantly Bosniak (Muslims) and Croat (Catholics), while the Republika Srpska is Serb (Orthodox). Then there are the minorities of the Roma and Jewish communities.

It was when we enjoyed a coffee together in the café below the Tjentiste memorial that our conversation deviated from the history of the memorial – in fact she didn’t tell me much about it at all, to be about drinking and smoking. She was of the firm belief that alcohol does more harm than cigarettes, citing news items of crimes committed in Bosnia when men were under the influence of alcohol. When she asked if there was any corruption in Australia, I answered that there is always some sort of corruption within governments, but nothing I discussed was going to hold her interest given what she had to discuss about her life during the siege. Throwing all my trumps on the table, I bravely mentioned the Cardinal Pell case, at this point not knowing what her religious affiliation was, and this led to a discussion on religion and her affiliation with Islam, and how she did indeed pray to God, but didn’t wear a veil/ hijab even though many of her friends do, citing that they are relieved to not be stared at by men. Lighting her third cigarette and with her guttural Arabic accent, with rolled r’s that added syllables to each word, she stated ‘My friend used to say ‘cigarettes are your friends.’’

After coffee, I decided it was time to ascend the many steps up to the memorial and leave Emina to her cigarettes and text messaging. On the way a small snake slid through the holes in the pathway.

a small visitor to Tjentiste memorial

It had been raining on the way but this had conveniently stopped in time for my visit which also meant that I could do a mini hike in the lush forest in behind the memorial, my hiking boots and Kathmandu raincoat coming in handy. A photographer’s delight, the memorials capture any light possible and on this day, I had the dramatic backdrop of the foggy mountains the background as contrast.

Memorial House of Battle of Sutjesca with the Tjentiste memorial in the background

After exhausting every possible angle of view photographing the memorials, I remembered that I had purchased a ticket to the museum so ventured over to what I thought was a museum. I walked past a heavy triangular Brutalist building but found the front doors chain locked with a red sign; although not in English, I assumed this meant it was closed.

Memorial House of Battle of Sutjesca side view

Two elderly men sat outside the much more modern museum further on and guided me in to the side door when I arrived and waved my ticket, as they spoke no English. This little museum, entitled the Battle Museum of Sutjeska was a single room display, apparently re-opened in late 2018. I was initially shocked to see it full of Nazi memorabilia, given that that Nazis were the enemy. When I told Emina about this, she added that she actually collects this memorabilia (antiques she said) and sells it on EBay. Australians are her biggest audience, apparently –eek! She had no qualms about profiting from the situation.

Entry to the Battle Museum of Sutjesks is through the side door.

After due walking around (I was the only visitor and was being supervised by the one attendant), I made my way out, but the attendant gestured that we could also go to the other building and he guided me there and unlocked it, again just for me – hooray!

Nazi memorabilia inside the Battle Museum of Sutjeska

This building is known as Memorial House of Battle of Sutjesca and was built in 1971, opened in 1975 and is devoted to the battle of Sutjeska led by Partisans against invade German forces in 1943. The angular interior with natural light is filled with pretty grim but well painted frescos by Krsto Hegedusic and these have been recently restored. Although the attendant spoke no English, he was still able to excitedly point out ‘Tito’ on the mural which was probably a good idea, given that it was a somewhat glorified picture of the Yugoslavian leader, depicting him in handsome and heroic stance.

Inside Memorial House of Battle of Sutjesca with Tito mural, by Krsto Hegedusic recently rsestored

Mural inside the Memorial House of Battle of Sutjesca

Mural inside the Memorial House of Battle of Sutjesca

Grim mural inside the Memorial House of Battle of Sutjesca

This complex shows what can be achieved with a bit of care and restoration. “It will definitely be the best museum in former Yugoslavia, with extraordinary location”, said Dean Pavliovic, director of the national park in the Balkan news.

On the way back, Emina escalated her driving speed and, with the skills of a Grand Prix driver, she spiralled around tight corners on the narrow roads that hugged the canyons and mountains, phone in one hand, checking messages.

Changing the subject from walk to small talk, I enquired of Emina what was the most popular sport in Bosnia; football was the reply, however, she said she likes playing it but not watching it but really her favourite sport is car racing (the penny dropped!). She said that she found it interesting when the cars crash seeing what help was given and if the driver got out of the crash. She also used to do Taikwondo. She enquired whether I drove a manual car to which I agreed; she asserted that manual is best or else you can’t overtake cars like you have to do in Bosnia, and she subsequently down the gear for extra grunt and overtook a slower driver with a nano-second before the oncoming car passed.

Emina lost many friends; many are in hospital with mental health issues. Education was held in basements but it was optional to attend She has experienced rationing. This has influenced her attitude to food. Food was for survival, and she can now eat anything. When discussing sport, she concluded that she is only interested in sports where there is danger; anything else is boring when you have lived through a war.

32 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page