Trinity Monument - Osijek

Osijek

Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia, and the largest city of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia. Osijek is located on the right bank of the Drava River, about 15 miles upstream of its confluence with the Danube. During the war in Croatia from 1991 to 1995, the city avoided heavy destruction (unlike nearby Vukovar), but did sustain moderate damage. Close to one thousand civilians died in the daily shelling of the town.

Drava River in Osijek, spanned by the Franjo Tuđman (Tudjman) bridge. Tudjman was the first president of Croatia after the breakup of Yugoslavia. He is regarded as a war hero, although there have been allegations (some substantiated) of war crimes in what is now Bosnia.

Fortress at Osijek

Osijek city flag over one of the fortress defense towers

Catholic church inside the walls

Osijek city hall

Main town square in Osijek

Trinity statue in main square

Remnants of the fighting with the neighboring Serbians

Click here for more of our photographs of Osijek

Vukovar

Vukovar is a city in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in the country - located at the confluence of the Vuka and Danube rivers. It was essentially destroyed in the 1991 "ethnic cleansing" war between Serbia and Croatia. When Vukovar fell in November 1991, hundreds of soldiers and civilians were massacred by Serb forces and at least 31,000 civilians were deported from the area. Serbian president Slobodan Milošević was indicted for war crimes based partially on the events in Vukovar. I served in Bosnia in the aftermath of this atrocity - it was hard to forget. The water tower is a testament to the violence.

Church - repaired

Monument to the fallen in the war of independence - Serbia is just across the Danube River

Repaired city building

War damage still present

War damage still present

War damage still present

War damage still present

Restored palace - now the city museum

Restored palace - now the city museum

Catholic church

New post office - these institutions had to created after the breakup of Yugoslavia

Local market

Oregon grape

Looking across the Danube to Serbia

Click here for more of our photographs of Vukovar

Storks