Nachricht Nummer : 541 Übertragungszeit : 3 min 27 sec Nachricht von : WAM@ZAMIR-ZG.ztn.zer.de (Wam) Antworten an : wam@zamir-zg.ztn.zer.de Betrifft : Zagreb Diary 11 November 1994 Kopienempfänger : /REG/NEWS/DIARY/WAM, /APC/YUGO/ANTIWAR, /CL/EUROPA/BALKAN, /SOC/CULTURE/BOSNA-HERZGVNA, /SOC/CULTURE/CROATIA, /SOC/CULTURE/YUGOSLAVIA Erstellungsdatum : 11.11.1994 00:20:00 W+1 Zagreb Diary, 11 November, 1994 Dobar Dan, I knew I forgot some thing to write a few days ago, or rather one day ago. The 9th was the birthday of my youngest brother (indeed two in a row), but also one year after the bridge from Mostar. That is already a full year ago, they are busy rebuilding the symbols again already. And more over how I can forget Kristalnacht, when Apartheid is Dutch word world-wide known, than kristalnacht is it German counterpart. In Zagreb already for some days posters were hanging of different remembering parties or is that the wrong impression. I think that "Kristalnacht" is still one of the best German rock songs ever been made. A classic one like Scorpion's "Wind of changes". But both songs are of much younger age. The real Kristalnacht is already 55 years old, not so swinging anymore. Although invited I didn't went to the "party" in the European House here in Zagreb, actually forgot all about till I passed it by this morning. I had much better things to do. But I can imagine how it must have been. On such moments I rather am not Jewish. I don't know, next year it is 50 years ago that the second world war was finished. Also a big thing. But here "war" and "after the war "don't mean already for some years not any longer the *big war*, it means here and now. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean that it shouldn't be remembered anymore and it is a lot better to remember than to live it again. And in the last 4 years Europe has noticed that the *big war* is by far not over yet. The Balkans is just one extreme example, hopefully from what is happening all over Europe, and probebly all over the world. The search for a new identity. The search for security. Maybe a similar search as those Nazis had in their Kristalnacht and later a bit more, or at least the imago of security for those people who believed in it. People like the guy we met today who was selling books at the beginning of the square where Ban Jalicic is fighting the Hungarian at the place where now RSK is laying. And from which even a study book for foreigners who want to learn Croatian (New Croatian !) still says that it call Trg Republika, like most people in Zagreb. Extra funny is that this was a state publication and all the other "wrong" words where needy changed (probebly his wordprocessor replacer skip a few of the most normal phrases). Anyway this guy was selling his books and passing by I heard him saying something like "Anti Ratna" (Against War). And that ofcourse attracts my attention. The guy ad been fighting in the war in the third brigade north of Split in the mountains. Back in Split he started to think and wrote a book full of quotes against the war. Ever philosopher, every rockstar is quoted. He went since he was sure that he was fighting for the good thing, but some how his believe didn't hold. And this is a bit outspoken, but he is not the first former soldier who writes a book full of criticism and probebly not the last either. You notice the unrest and feeling of being betrayed more and more reflecting from peoples reactions. "Something is happening and you don't know what it is, do you mister Jones". That is the ARKzin movement which slowly is finding their identity. Aren't we all. Zagreb is becoming a more and more normal west European city. First of all I like to protest strongly against all people who say that the fall of communist and socialism has been bad for artist in those country and especially for modern art. In Zagreb however on one of the main streets since a few months about twenty sculptures are placed which are truly modern and participation art. The twenty iron trees, in which people hang plastic bags, tin can, or what ever, and participate to make to town more colourful this way in the fall, when the normal trees die, were ones accompanied by the same amount of old fashion lightpole's or whatever you call them. At least I think they were twenty. Thanks to the creative inspiration of Zagreb by night the amount has been limited a bit and the rest is laying a little bit uncoordinated in the street. It may have been a try to do something with those iron trees and I am happy that those wires which so nicely stick out, have been yet connected to the electricity grid. Although the effect of this artwork would be even more shocking (you never know around here). But that is one other thing makes clearly it statement that Zagreb is European and rich in many ways. Namely the appearance from the first north Latin American Indian musicians on the main square. They appeared in Praha just about three months before the velvet revolution. And some people told me that they are also playing on the red square in Moscow. Back in Sittard a lot of those groups arrived and stayed the first days in Europe at a friends place. Six or seven of them in a Volkswagen on tour in Europe. And they only play there where there is money to made. I swear it was the same band or rather one of the same bands I saw two weeks ago in Copenhagen. But in Budapest I was also ones sure that those musicians had slept at our place a week before and they didn't even came from the same valley as the others. After the Bata, and a few more multi nationals which have taking over the look of the main square now the real sound of the modern western city has taken over all kind of original ethnically inter cultural music, maybe a bit like Croatian punk bands in Amsterdam or so.. Mir za somewhere in or around Hrvatska, Wam --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zagreb Diary can be found on a lot of different electronic networks, it is copyright free and can be ported to any network or other means of communication you like, but please drop my a line, you can reach by sending a message to WAM@ZAMIR- ZG.ztn.zer.de. Zagreb Diary is dedicated to Tyche, Pjort and Rik, so that they found out what there father have been doing all that time in Zagreb. ## CrossPoint v3.02 ##