AHS-2017-12-12

Interviewer

Damir Koldzic

Date of Interview

Fall 12-12-2017

Interview Location

St. Louis, MO

Length of Interview

57:04

Date of Birth

1983

Gender

Male

Religion and/or Ethnicity

Muslim

Description

Born in Prijedor in Krajina to parents who both worked before the conflict, Enjoyed playing outside when not attending school, Attended school in Prijedor with brother and remembers a real peaceful time when everyone got along with everyone else, Remembers noticing a chance after March 1992, School became unbearable for himself and brother along with other Muslim children as they were teased and in some occasions beaten by other kids for being Muslim, Stopped going to school out of fear that something worse would happened, Family stayed in a apartment complex on the fifth floor of a building, After the occupation of the city solider would search apartments over and over again looking for weapons, Brother had an accident with Bosnian Serb boy that lend to their father having to beat his brother with a belt in front of the boy’s family, Father still apologizes for this even today, Father was taken away but brought back after Bosnian Serb neighbor got involved in helped, Forced to leave apartment and everything that was left in it after Bosnian Serb man claimed it as his own, Traveled to Croatia via bus with family and arrived at home that held refugees, Bought fake Slovenia passports that allowed them to enter Slovenia at first only himself and mother and later brother and father, Smuggled into Austria and then on to Germany, Lived in Germany with family for 6 years where life was enjoyable and became accustomed to the culture and language, After the Dayton Accords were signed forced to leave Germany and came to St. Louis, First years in the city were very difficult as this was now the third time he had to learn everything in a new country, Enrolled in Roosevelt High School which was very difficult and involved discrimination from other students, Difficult to adjust but after a few years become better and better, Graduating High School and then attended college at Webster completing a BA,MA in Computer Science, Cannot see a reason to return to Prijdedor and still when he thinks of events that happens has a sense of hate in his heart, Wants future generations to know how evil humanity can be and how to learn from Bosnian on what should not happen ever again

Keywords

Prijedor, Germany, St. Louis, Roosevelt High School

Pre-War Residence

Prijedor

Wartime Residence

Prijedor

First Country of Residence

Croatia

First US Residence

St. Louis, MO

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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In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted.