Ivica Granić: Mass Graves in Slovenia, but a Performance in Zagreb, Actual Exhumation of the Executed or Symbolic Exhumation of Conscience
The article discusses a significant new book on hidden mass graves of Croats in Slovenia, while exploring the broader implications of the topic within Croatian society.
The article by Ivica Granić reviews a comprehensive book titled 'Hidden Mass Graves of Croats in Slovenia' authored by Mitja Ferenc and Uroš Košir. Despite initial perceptions that the book does not introduce new information, it emerges as a critical scholarly work with over seven hundred pages, accompanied by more than a thousand photographs and over a hundred maps. It systematically details fourteen grave sites from which exhumations have occurred, alongside thirty-two confirmed locations of approximately seven hundred and fifty documented hidden killing sites in Slovenia. The authors, both esteemed Slovenian experts, utilize archival research, field investigations, forensic data, and testimonies to present a meticulously curated academic synthesis.
Furthermore, the article highlights the importance of approaching such sensitive topics with analytical rigor and a refusal to mask uncomfortable truths with ideological biases. It prompts a reflection on the complexities surrounding the remembrance and acknowledgment of historical atrocities, drawing connections to current societal challenges in Croatia. Granić raises questions about whether present-day memorial activities and discussions are genuinely responsive to the past or merely symbolic gestures aimed at appeasing collective conscience. This exploration serves to illuminate deeper societal issues that persist in the context of memory, justice, and reconciliation in the region.