AHS-2016-12-12

Interviewer

Aladin Kudic

Date of Interview

Winter 12-12-2016

Interview Location

St. Louis, MO

Length of Interview

1900-01-00

Date of Birth

1976

Gender

Male

Religion and/or Ethnicity

Muslim

Description

Grew up in the city of Velika Kladusa which was the city of his birth, Attended school and played with friends which were all Bosnian since the town only had a population of Bosnian Muslims, Grew up playing outside a lot with such games as soccer and cowboys or war, Noticed a change in the city when soldiers with weapons began to show up, At first eh children of the city saw it as something new and exciting, After the conflict began and the shooting and killing started that changed to fear, Running form bullets began being a normal thing that you no longer even thought about it but just ran, Left Bosnia in 1995 for a refugee camp in Šibenik, Croatia, The camp was for people who were single while there was other camps for married couples and their families, Stayed in the camp for 2 years while attempting to get a visa to go anywhere that was safe, Cousin living in Fort Wayne, Indiana sent sponsorship paperwork to Croatia, After interview process that consisted of multiple interviews and a medical examination left for the United States, First landed in New York where was confused as the image of the United States from the media was not what he saw in New York, Shocked at the conditions that were in front of him, Traveled to Fort Wayne and lived with cousin for a few months after which he moved to St. Louis and met future wife, After getting married moved to Salt Lake City and lived there for a few months but moved back to St. Louis due to wife’s family living there, Started his own family with two children being born in the city, Could not speak English and it was difficult to adjust, Multiple times during this period he packed his stuff to go back to Bosnia but never did, Thinks that the common people of Bosnia did not hate each other but that the media and politicians caused the war and with war the hate followed later, Hopes that what happened in Bosnia does not happen again anywhere, War has no winners as in war everyone is a loser.

Keywords

Velika Kladuša, Šibenik, Bihac Pocket, Fort Wayne

Pre-War Residence

Velika Kladuša

Wartime Residence

Velika Kladuša,Croatia

First Country of Residence

Croatia

First US Residence

Fort Wayne, IN

Document Type

Oral History

Collection

Affton High School

Digital Format

MP4

Digital Publisher

Center for Bosnian Studies

City

St. Louis, MO

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