Departments and collections

Department of Modern History since the Establishment of the Republic of Croatia in 1991

The Department of Modern History since the Establishment of the Republic of Croatia is the newest department of the Karlovac City Museum. It was founded with the aim of collecting, studying and presenting items that document the turbulent 1990s, the first democratic elections in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its breakup, creation of a free and independent Republic of Croatia, with special emphasis on the Homeland War from 1991 to 1995.  The structural features of the Department are determined by the most significant function of the material it handles – education of beneficiaries, particularly school-aged youth. Systematic collection of material commenced in 1992. The museum material collected by 2007 was distributed among the existing collections of the History Department of the Karlovac City Museum. In order to allow for more efficient processing, protection and presentation of this heterogeneous material, a special department was founded. Due to its thematic diversity and the sheer number of collected items, the material was divided into five collections: collection of weapons, collection of uniforms and military equipment, collection of documents, collection of films and videos, and collection of everyday items. A particularity of each of these units is their authenticity and uniqueness of specimens.

 

Ružica Stjepanović, senior curator
Phone: +385 47 659 094
e-mail: ruzica.stjepanovic@mgk.hr

Juraj Horvatin, curator
Phone: +385 47 659 093
e-mail: juraj.horvatin@mgk.hr

The material in the Collection of Documents from the Homeland War follows the period from the 1990s to the proclamation of independence of the Republic of Croatia, defense against aggression in the Homeland War, and the post-war period, with an emphasis on the wider Karlovac region. The collection contains heterogeneous items: diverse printed and documentary materials, illustrative materials – posters, flyers and slogans, personal identification documents, photographs, maps. These items testify of the important political and military events and the everyday life in those times. A part of the material speaks of the activities of JNA and Serbian paramilitary units in the aggression against the Republic of Croatia, and of the actions of the authorities of the Republic of Srpska Krajina on the occupied territories.

HDZ pre-election campaign poster, Zagreb 1990

HDZ pre-election campaign poster
Zagreb, 1990

Electoral program of the League of Communists of Croatia – Party of Democratic Changes, Karlovac 1990

Electoral program of the League of Communists of Croatia – Party of Democratic Changes
Karlovac, 1990

Bulletin of the 110th ZNG Brigade, Karlovac 1991

Bulletin of the 110th ZNG Brigade
Karlovac, 1991

First aid manual for soldiers, Zagreb 1991

First aid manual for soldiers
Zagreb, 1991

Soldier‘s prayer book, 1991

Soldier‘s prayer book
1991

Promotional flyer of the Croatian People‘s Party, Zagreb 1992

Promotional flyer of the Croatian People‘s Party
Zagreb, 1992

Frankopan magazine, issue no. 4, Karlovac 1992

Frankopan magazine, issue no. 4
Karlovac, 1992

Poster – 1st Sports Meeting of the Croatian MP, Karlovac 1992

Poster – 1st Sports Meeting of the Croatian MP
Karlovac, 1992

ID card for the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) of Krajina, Knin 1990s

ID card for the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) of Krajina
Knin, 1990s

The collection is a donation by Goran Vranić, photographer and volunteer of the Homeland War. The photographs in the collection belong to the series titled Defenders’ Portraits and Pride of Croatian Warriors. The majority of photographs were taken in the fall-winter 1991/92 on the battle locations in the Generalski Stol municipality, and feature members of the 150th HV Brigade Zagreb Črnomerec, of which the photographer himself was a member. In addition to the photographs, the collection also comprises a war uniform and the photographic equipment used to take the photos.

Goran Vranić, Victor’s flag, Generalski Stol, 1992

Goran Vranić
Victor’s flag
Generalski Stol, 1992

Goran Vranić, Smile, Generalski Stol, 1992

Goran Vranić
Smile
Generalski Stol, 1992

Goran Vranić, Mr Mustache, Generalski Stol, 1992

Goran Vranić
Mr Mustache
Generalski Stol, 1992

Goran Vranić, Volvo on a meadow, Generalski Stol, 1991

Goran Vranić
Volvo on a meadow
Generalski Stol, 1991

Goran Vranić, War geometry,  september 1991

Goran Vranić
War geometry
rujan 1991

Pentax photographic camera, Japan, 2nd half of the 20th century

Pentax photographic camera
Japan, 2nd half of the 20th century

The Collection of Uniforms and Military Equipment from the Homeland War, the most numerous among the department’s collections, features uniforms, parts of uniforms and equipment used in the Homeland War by the members of the Croatian Army, Ministry of the Interior, National Protection, and the enemy forces of JNA and Serbian paramilitary units. The most valuable items in the collection are the uniforms and items gifted by the volunteers, Croatian defenders who were the first to set out to defend Karlovac and Croatia in the Homeland War.

Flag of the Republic of Croatia, Turanj 1991-1993

Flag of the Republic of Croatia
Turanj 1991-1993

Uniform of the Croatian Army

Uniform of the Croatian Army

M59/85 combat helmet, Karlovac 1991

M59/85 combat helmet
Karlovac 1991

Shoulder sleeve insignia of the Slunj Battalion, Oštarije, 1992

Shoulder sleeve insignia of the Slunj Battalion
Oštarije, 1992

Vest of the war uniform of a member of the 2nd Company, 110th HV Brigade, Karlovac 1991

Vest of the war uniform of a member of the 2nd Company, 110th HV Brigade
Karlovac 1991

Uniform of the JNA major Aleksandar Petrović, SFRY 1980s

Uniform of the JNA major Aleksandar Petrović
SFRY 1980s

Water flask, 1990s

Water flask
1990s

Box – HV 12 daily ration pack

Box – HV 12 daily ration pack

Signboard, PETROVA GORA ARMY BARRACKS, Karlovac, 1991

Signboard, PETROVA GORA ARMY BARRACKS
Karlovac, 1991

The collection testifies to how Croatia was created and defended, and paints a vivid picture of the weapons and strength of the aggressor forces. The emerging Croatian Army had small quantities of infantry weapons procured in the first half of 1991, and a few armored personnel carriers as part of the Ministry of the Interior. Some of the weapons were captured in the JNA’s army barracks and warehouses, while a part of the artillery weapons, armored vehicles and light infantry weapons was manufactured in Croatian factories and workshops. Infantry weapons represent the backbone of the collection, and we also possess interesting samples of artillery items, armored combat vehicles and airplanes.

Handmade pistol, Lađevačke Dubrave 1991

Handmade pistol
Lađevačke Dubrave 1991

M91 Zagi submachine gun, Zagreb 1991

M91 Zagi submachine gun
Zagreb 1991

Sv. Juraj (St. George) armored combat truck, Karlovac 1991

Sv. Juraj (St. George) armored combat truck
Karlovac 1991

MiG 21 figther aircraft, USSR, 2nd half of the 20th century

MiG 21 figther aircraft
USSR, 2nd half of the 20th century

M4A3 Sherman IV tank, USA 1943

M4A3 Sherman IV tank
USA 1943

Telescopic launching tube of the M80 Zolja hand-held rocket launcher, SFRY 1980s

Telescopic launching tube of the M80 - Zolja hand-held rocket launcher
SFRY 1980s

M59/66 semi-automatic rifle, SFRY, 2nd half of the 20th century

M59/66 semi-automatic rifle
SFRY, 2nd half of the 20th century

The collection is very heterogeneous, containing items related to the civil life in Karlovac on the eve of the Homeland War, during the war and afterwards. Of special interest are items from the shelters of Karlovac, lives of displaced persons, as well as items testifying to the solidarity of people from all around the world and the aid they collected for Croatia.

Signboard HILFE FUR KROATIEN, 1990s

Signboard HILFE FUR KROATIEN
1990s

Igor Tonkli’s jeans and T-shirt, Karlovac, 1991

Igor Tonkli’s jeans and T-shirt
Karlovac, 1991

Wooden cable reel, Karlovac, 1991

Wooden cable reel
Karlovac, 1991

UNPROFOR – CIVIL POLICE signboard, Croatia, 1990s

UNPROFOR – CIVIL POLICE signboard
Croatia, 1990s

Box of aid supplies for Croatia, France 1993

Box of aid supplies for Croatia
France 1993