Blog 284 – Dubrovnik After the Siege Part 1 – 21 June 2025

My purpose is to give hope to those who have lost hope. Without hope, we remain lost in the Shadow Lands.

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Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and a ferocious war broke out.  The Yugoslav Army tried to crush Croatia’s independence.  Dubrovnik was subjected to a terrible siege which lasted from 1991 until June 1992.  Although Dubrovnik is a recognised World Heritage site, the Yugoslav Army tried to destroy it and its people.

The Croatian War of Independence finally finished in 1995.  Croatia owes its independence to the unfailing courage of its people.  They refused to surrender hope for a better future.

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More reminders of the savage War for Independence that flung death from the tops of the mountains down onto Dubrovnik below.  

John Hankin photos taken in Dubrovnik, 26 September 2013.

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Sunset over Dubrovnik on 26 September 2013.

John Hankin photo taken in Dubrovnik, 26 September 2013.

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The ancient castle walls that protect the old city of Dubrovnik.  They were greatly needed during the War of Independence.

John Hankin photo taken in Dubrovnik, 27 September 2013.

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A more modern section of the Dubrovnik city walls.

John Hankin photo taken in Dubrovnik, 27 September 2013.

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Dubrovnik old city as seen from the city walls on 27 September 2013.

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Help yourself to heal Help others heal Give Love Always

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The wisdom of the living as well as the ghosts of the dead should always be listened to.  The living and the dead are beautiful people.  The wisdom of the living as well as the ghosts of the dead are everywhere in Dubrovnik.

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Entry Made at 6:00 pm on Friday 27 September 2013 Another entry written on the balcony at Nicky's guest House.  The sun is sinking but daylight probably has about an hour to go.  The breeze is blowing and it has again been a gentle, sunny day. Today we walked to the Old City.  It is about 45 minutes walking each way.  We bought tickets that let us walk along the top of the still intact city walls.  It took us about 1 hour 10 minutes to complete the circumference of the walls.  The walls completely surround the old city and there is no motor vehicle access to the old city.  Although the tourist "season" has ended, there were thousands of people walking the walls.  It is not an easy walk because it is necessary to go up and down many hundreds of steps. After lunch in a restaurant where we had excellent fish, we did a tour of the town within the walls.  Then we walked back to the guest house.  Walking here is hard work out because there are so many hills.

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Dubrovnik Part 2 (Friday 27 September 2013 at 6:15 pm) Nicky says that during the siege, the Serbian Army launched about 4,000 shells per day. Some of them might have hit the sea, Yet surely even these "wasted" shells still matter just as much as the ones that hit land. The house we are staying in was built by Nicky's grandfather. The house next door was built by the brother of Nicky's grandfather. In this context, the word "built" means personally built. Built with two hands and two legs by two brothers. Nicky says that when these two houses were built, The remainder of the hill was just steep slope; Devoid of other houses. Now this slope - and all the adjoining slopes - is packed with houses; Packed with apartment blocks; Packed with people and the things that accompany people. With 4,000 shells per day falling like a crazy thunderstorm from the sky, This house was completely destroyed. While the war still raged, the ground floor was made liveable. Nicky's family, Like all of the families in Dubrovnik, Sought refuge in the earth itself. Those who moved above the earth Received a welcome of hot metal from the Serbian Army. Anyone moving in this town was Croatian. All Croatians were the enemy. All Croatians deserved death. So a hail of sniper fire joined the shells. Death from above. After nine months, the siege was lifted. After 4 years, the war finally ended. It was 1995. Nicky's house was finally rebuilt in 2002. It was rebuilt with human hands and human feet. The balcony on the house has a metal railing. It winds its way along the whole length of the balcony. Elegant curved vertical struts join the top and bottom rails. Like the house itself, This is a fine piece of workmanship. Nicky's father built the balcony railing. Nicky's father helped to rebuild the house. Nicky's father fought throughout the siege of Dubrovnik. He was part of a volunteer people's army. He was defending the home of his family; Defending the homes of his neighbours. Now there are few signs of the war. Thousands of tourists admire the physical beauty of Dubrovnik. What permits this to happen? The people of Dubrovnik permit this to happen. The same people who saw their homes reduced to rubble.; In a war that should never have been. The same people who rebuilt their homes; Rebuilt their city. After a war they never wanted, had been won.

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Courage is the only way that we can ever create the Paradise that should be here on Earth.

Hatred only perpetuates the Hell we have already made on this planet. 

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The photos in this Blog were all taken by me in Dubrovnik.  When I visited Dubrovnik in 2013, it had mostly covered up the physical scars left by the War of Independence.  The mental scars were much harder to heal.

Why would anyone want to stop the Croatians – or any other people – from governing themselves?  There is only one eternal answer – because of greed and stupidity.  No other answer fits all of the facts.