Tag Archives: Yugoslavia
A Divorce between the Peaks of the Balkans
Zur deutschen Fassung. The client wants a divorce. She has been separated for more than 15 years. Back then, the husband disappeared. No contact ever since. “Somewhere in the Balkans,” she says, “Kosovo, Montenegro, around there. He is making damn … Continue reading
The Secret Space Program of Yugoslavia
Zur deutschen Fassung. After my brother and I unexpectedly and rather accidentally discovered a secret Yugoslav submarine port in Montenegro (please read that story first, otherwise this one won’t make any sense), we were still completely excited and out of … Continue reading
Montenegro, where Laziness is Olympic
Zur deutschen Fassung. In Yugoslavia, there are certain prejudices about each of the republics, most, if not all of which are now independent countries: Slovenes, they say, are so snobbish that they don’t even consider themselves part of the Balkans. … Continue reading
One Hundred Years Ago, Countries were established that have been all but forgotten – August 1921: Baranya-Baja and Tannu-Tuva
Zur deutschen Fassung. Attentive readers of this series know that the maps of Europe and the Middle East were shaped in the years following World War I. For some states, however, you needed a magnifying glass to even find them … Continue reading
One Hundred Years Ago, Christmas was still Exciting – December 1920: Bloody Christmas
Zur deutschen Fassung. I find it perfectly fitting that some states have declared a state of emergency for Christmas. Because for me, Christmas has always been a disaster to be avoided. Usually, I escaped by traveling to countries as devoid … Continue reading
The Iron Curtain and Freedom of Travel
When I was in Transnistria, I had to go to the immigration office to obtain a tourism permit that would allow me to stay in the country beyond the 48-hour visa that I had picked up at the train station. … Continue reading
For my readers in Yugoslavia
There are countries where I am received with car bombs and threatening phone calls (Malta), and then there are countries where I am received with hospitality and curiosity, leading to newspaper articles and invitations to speak at TEDx conferences (Romania). … Continue reading
How Social Media saved Yemen
Two countries walk into a bar, because there was an offer for any couple whose names start with the same letter. Says Yugoslavia: “I was so unlucky that my wars already took place in the early 1990s. A few years … Continue reading
The Millionaire Translators of Montenegro
Zur deutschen Fassung dieser Geschichte. Tivat is different from the rest of Montenegro: more glitzy, more shiny, more expensive, more show-off. All the things I don’t like. I only go there regularly because I am trying to visit the Maritime … Continue reading
Film review: “Balkanski špijun” (“Balkan Spy”)
I was only looking for a spy film from Yugoslavia to practice some Serbo-Croatian, and I found a true gem! Balkanski špijun (Balkan Spy) was released in 1984 and is a comedy about an elderly gentleman who is asked to come … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 