VUKOVAR, CROATIA, 1991 In 1991, the world witnessed one of the worst tragedies of modern Europe. The eastern Croatian town of Vukovar, once a peaceful hub of a multi-ethnic community, turned into a hell on earth. Today, this town stands as a symbol of immense human suffering, war crimes, and genocide.
From August to November 1991, the town of Vukovar was besieged by the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) and Serbian paramilitary units. After 87 days of brutal fighting, the town was literally leveled to the ground. In the ruins of the city, thousands of dead, mutilated, and raped people were left behind. Civilians who survived the bombardment had to face further horrors after the town’s fall.
The darkest chapter of this tragedy was the massacre at Ovčara Farm. After the fall of Vukovar, approximately 260 Croatian civilians and wounded were gathered there. These people, often completely helpless, were brutally beaten or shot, and their bodies were thrown into a mass grave. One of the victims was a young woman in an advanced stage of pregnancy—raped, humiliated, and eventually executed.
Rape became a systematic tool of terror. Serbian units intentionally raped Croatian women, including underage girls, to inflict maximum psychological and physical suffering. Many victims were subsequently executed, while others were forced to live with trauma that haunts them to this day.
Children were not spared the horrors of the conflict. Many died during the shelling, others were executed or perished from hunger and disease. The story of a seven-year-old boy who was shot in front of his mother’s eyes is just one of many horrifying accounts shared by survivors. “They killed my child and forced me to watch. I will never forget his screams,” said one grieving mother.
After the war, dozens of mass graves were discovered around Vukovar. One of the largest contained the bodies of more than 200 people who had been brutally murdered. Exhumations revealed evidence of torture: broken bones, stab wounds, and signs of executions. These findings shook the world, but many victims never saw justice.
Vukovar was rebuilt after the war, but scars remain deep in the hearts of its inhabitants. To this day, the town is divided between Croats and Serbs, who continue to live side by side. Graves of victims, damaged buildings, and memorials serve as reminders of the horrific events of 1991.
The tragedy of Vukovar remains a warning of where hatred and nationalism can lead. But the voices of the victims, their pain and suffering, must never be forgotten.
