FBU-2013-11-08

Date of Interview

11-8-2013

Interview Location

St. Louis, MO

Length of Interview

101:58

Date of Birth

1963

Gender

Female

Religion and/or Ethnicity

Muslim

Description

Born in Bosnia, was married at seventeen, after marriage she was working from home, had 2 children to girls. Husband worked at large timber company. Was married for 12 years. was 29 when the war started. They would go to the city on Fridays during 1992 they started noticing things changing. They first started seeing the flyers of the chetniks around town, Noticed men from Serbia in town with Chetnik garb. They were scared to go to sleep at night because they were waiting for someone to come kill them. They only told Muslims to start protecting themselves with guns. Her brother in law was the first to be taken. The Chetnik soldiers would hide in the woods with guns and take Bosnian Muslims to camps, this is how he was taken. They started catching people that were educated first doctors, lawyers, etc. They started sleeping in the woods to stay safe, they would go home to change in the woods. Suddenly they started hearing bullets and signs of war. They started trying to kill us in every possible way. She told her husband that her husband he had to go away. Then one day they were told they had to leave there their heads with hand on their heads, When they exited the house they discovered the house of their neighbors were emptied. Outside they separated the kids from the parents. Taken with her children to a military hanger now known as the Sušica Concentration camp, Held there for 8 days with daughters, Constantly told by Bosnian Serb guards that they were to be killed and they did not deserve to live. Witnessed many beatings of men and the disappearance of others. Young girls and women were taken away and raped while some returned others did not. After 8th day was take via truck to Luka close to Bosnian territory and found by Bosnian forces, Found by Bosnian forces and taken to Tuzla. Began life there and enrolled daughters in school while attempting to find her husband, Received news of his death but did not know where, While waiting for paper to move to the United States husbands remains were discovered with the help of a Serbian man, Buried husband and then moved to the United States, Hard to adjust to new life but everyone was extremely helpful and it became easier, Still has flashbacks and thinks about her husband and her 8 days in the camp

Keywords

Vlasenica, Tuzla, St. Louis [MO], United States, Sušica camp, Mass graves, Concentration camp, Parent during the war, Family grave, remains, Adapting to new life

Pre-War Residence

Vlasenica (Pustoše)

Wartime Residence

Vlasenica,Tuzla

First Country of Residence

United States

First US Residence

St. Louis, MO

Document Type

Oral History

Collection

Fontbonne University

Digital Format

MP3, MP4

Digital Publisher

Center for Bosnian Studies

City

St. Louis, MO

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