Sarajevo: The City and the Siege

It’s the city where East meets West. On Ferhadija street in the heart of Sarajevo, the grand Austro-Hungarian architecture of Christian Europe suddenly gives way to the low roofs and timber frames of the Muslim Ottoman Empire. For centuries, this was the multicultural epicenter of Europe, a city where Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and Orthodox Christians all rubbed shoulders.
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Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Morris M.
Producer - Jennifer Da Silva
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
Business inquiries to [e-mail]
Source/Further reading:
www.britannica.com/place/Sara...
www.lonelyplanet.com/bosnia-a...
Ottoman Sarajevo: visitsarajevo.ba/sarajevo-in-o...
Origin of name: www.sarajevotimes.com/read-ho...
Austrian rule and Franz Ferdinand assassination: www.ft.com/content/293938b2-a...
visitsarajevo.ba/sarajevo-in-a...
Bosnian Crisis of 1908: www.britannica.com/event/Bosn...
Jews of Sarajevo: www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/...
Sarajevo in WWII: sarajevo.travel/en/text/april...
History of ethnic tensions in Yugoslavia: www.ricksteves.com/watch-read...
Siege: owlcation.com/humanities/The-...
Siege images: www.rferl.org/a/twenty-five-y...
Some siege numbers, and a lack of justice even in 2019: balkaninsight.com/2019/03/11/...
Tito Nostalgia in Sarajevo: balkaninsight.com/2017/03/13/...
Franjo Tudjman: balkaninsight.com/2017/10/11/...
Interactive Demographic map of Bosnia today: www.popis.gov.ba/popis2013/map...
(Timeline): sarajevo.ba/sarajevo-through-h...

[@geographicstravel]

Have you checked out my latest channel Business Blaze? It's interesting business stories with a dose of ridiculousness thrown in. Check it out here: kzbin.info/door/YY5GWf7MHFJ6DZeHreoXgw

[@drewdurant3835]

Geographics your a funny man Simon.

[@shaneg9081]

Grab some water bottles, I want to see that 27 hour version. :)

[@ruwiki]

thank you

[@LancasterResponding]

*Slaps Balkan Peninsula* “This bad boy can fit so much ethnic conflict in it”

[@iamwhoiam8486]

Sadly, yes, and even more unfortunate it was primarily among the same larger ethnic group just prosecuting each other over religion or what tribe they primarily originated from.

[@LancasterResponding]

@@iamwhoiam8486 the parents of a guy I knew in high school escaped Bosnia in ‘92 and came to the states. He said his parents never talked about Bosnia.

[@HK-do9dl]

**Slaps Balkan Peninsula** - falls apart into 32024 different countries all based around slightly different cultural practices amongst villages

[@FOJE22]

I am from Sarajevo, and this video is beautiful. Thanks, Simon.

[@geographicstravel]

Thank you :)

[@sandrastreifel6452]

Good to hear from Sarajevo, about this video.

[@Ella-qw6yj]

Odlicno, nisam jedina :D Nazalost mi "stare sarajlije" smo postali PDV jer jedva 17% nas ima jos u Sarajevu koji pra pra djedovi i babe su rođeni i zivjeli kroz generacije u Sarajevu.

[@jeremydennard8362]

The place looks beautiful i bet there are some awesome places to swim there pretty rivers

[@holdadoor722]

Thank you for watching! I learn everyday here and his other channels.

[@gunner678]

I served here in Sarajevo with the British Army (I lived in the derelict conference centre next to the Holiday Inn). Sniper ally was a terrible thing and the mortar attack on the market was awful. The proliferation of mines in every piece of unmettled ground was extremely scary. I will never forget the makeshift cemetery around zetra stadium, stretching off into the distance with fresh white grave pickets visible over the distant hills, extremely moving. The destruction was difficult to fathom, considering how the brave inhabitants just carried on with their lives. I was lucky enough to be there for the transition also when violence turned to threats, but slowly peace took hold, albeit tenuous. I wish them the very best! It lives on in my heart as do the people, liana, butso, elana and the rest!

[@tilsr2556]

did you occupy this country?

[@heatherfromcheshire7392]

@@tilsr2556 You know fully-well that the British Army did not 'occupy' the country, but was deployed in a peace-keeping capacity to provide support and protection to the humanitarian organisations working there, and many British soldiers were killed and injured as a result. Troll.

[@comabatcameraman]

Hello mate. Cheers for your service. I was in Bosnia and Sarajevo from '92-95 as a news cameraman. Married a local girl and brought her family to London. Never seen a situation like Sarajevo. Where you can be in a cafe having a conversation about Gary Larson over a beer, step out and you are in Stalingrad.... stay safe.

[@Michaelation08]

@@tilsr2556 lol you're a fool. 🤡 🤡

[@jacobthayer236]

@@comabatcameraman I just read some of you're story online. Thank you for getting people's stories out there and helping to tell the world of the atrocities and brutality of war.

[@StaticImage]

I have a Bosnian friend. Her last memory of home is her home being hit by a shell. She woke up briefly and men with guns were coming in through the windows. Then she woke up in Germany. She was hurt pretty bad. A lot of her friends and family died in that blast. She doesn't know which side the soldiers were on. That is a hell I can not imagine.

[@Untrus]

If you give me her ethnicity (Bosniak, Croat, Serb) and what region of Bosnia she’s from I can tell u who the soldiers were

[@tasiatyler4662]

My adopted boys are from Bosnia and so is the oldest ones wife. The boys were smuggled out just a month before the end. My daughter in law came here in mid 1996. I cry when they talk about what they remember. They were just kids. They didn't understand and couldn't believe what was going on. My daughter in law saw her father and all the other men and boys of all ages, even babies, rounded up, shoved into a church and the church set on fire. She watched as her father burned alive. So sad. Such hatred. I just love them all as much as I can and tell them how happy I am that they are mine! Thank you Geo for such a compassionate telling of this horrible time in history!

[@betterknownasjen]

Oh my... : (

[@mrfozz3742]

@Tasia Tyler...You cry when your family recount what happened...It was emotional reading what you wrote... Unless they were there, nobody can even begin to imagine or understand what it must have been like... Absolutely horrible and heartbreaking when you hear what in the Former Yugoslav States

[@ravennevermore853]

How terribly sad! I'm sorry they experienced that.

[@Ella-qw6yj]

i'm so sorry, i was a child in the war, in Sarajevo. was only 4 years old when Sarajevo was acupated and war began here. I was out with friends out there on a "hidden" part of street ( hidden for snipers) Tepebašina, playing with a grenade and then I saw a girl just 3 years older than me dying while our parents ran to help us. Was only 6 years old and saw how a man was shut from a sniper in Kranjceviceva. Have one scar near my ear from from shell grenade , we were waiting for the water tank to come from shell grenades, and the other under my eye i have got before that from the "grenade day", when in one day fell over 3700 grenades. I also remember when an old grandmother was killed by soldiers because they knew she was Serbian, in the in the steps of the building, and I was on the first floor playing with baby doll. The war left scars on, only for me but for everybody who lost and seen so many terrible things. But what is more shocking, that nationalism is still here, and without the real weapons, the war is still here.

[@tasiatyler4662]

E lla my heart goes out to you! I wish I could say or so something to make it better. You’re amazing to come thru all of that and still be so strong and so confident. Yes it’s sad how things don’t really change much especially after so many sacrificed their lives. I will keep you close in my heart and pray that you remain so beautiful and wonderful! Take care my dear!!

[@schnitzelblitz96]

My grandfather and my uncle who were both Croats lived in Sarajevo for a while and both agreed that it was the greatest City in all of Titos Yugoslavia. The multiculturalism, architecture and natural beauty and the cultured lifestyle must have been extremely alluring. Finally a few years ago I was able to visit and even though it is basically a „Bosniak“ city today you still feel how this is a city that embraces all kinds of peoples and influences. The Balkans are full of great cities worth visiting (Belgrade, Split, Ljubljana, Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Mostar, Plovdiv etc etc.) but Sarajevo is really special. The food, the people, the Geography, the culture, the music and the sense of history... I highly recommend visiting it before it moves up even further on the tourist bucket list.

[@ithemba]

absolutely can stress that recommendation. It's a beautiful city, been there twice and would go there again in the blink of an eye, no brainer.

[@ZeroCool-vn9bd]

I know my grandfather was from Croatia, before moving to Denmark, then the US. I have photo's of him and my grandmother in Yugoslavia. It looks much more beautiful then the island of Fyn in Denmark where I live now. What is the best time of year to visit the region?

[@schnitzelblitz96]

Eric Prosch-Jensen June or September. You get mostly dry and warm weather but without the extreme heat and tourist masses of July/August. June is best for Sightseeing bc days are longer, September is great for swimming because sea temperatures are usually almost as high as in August. For Sightseeing or Hiking May and October are also fine but it can get cold at night.

[@tariqcolakovic4556]

@@ZeroCool-vn9bd Either summer or winter, because in the summer the weather is nice, while in the winter you can ski.

[@ZeroCool-vn9bd]

@@schnitzelblitz96 Thanks so much for such a detailed answer! I love history and have studied the Bosnian war or I suppose more people refer to as the collapse(break up of) of Yugoslavia is maybe more accurate. From talking to Croatians, serbs, and Montenegrins everyone seems super nice, but I don't think a majority of the people I have talked to were very old when things got, well, we know what happened. Not good for anyone. Still it is such a beautiful place, so tragic all the things happened there to people who lived in peace for so long before.

[@benjaminhasanovic7863]

As native Sarajevan I feel graditude for making this video. Sarajevo should be on everyones bucket list. Bujrum which means welcome

[@billrentz]

Deployed there as a young military medic. the sights, sounds, and smells still haunt me. What horrors men can do to other men.

[@09764312468]

As a Bosnian, I'd be curious to hear about your experiences. If you'd rather not bring back those memories to yourself, that's fine too. Cheers.

[@billrentz]

I mainly provided medical treatment and immunizations and had a translator. We had no socialization time at all. We also took part as needed in obtaining information on the deceased. Although I thankfully only had to do this a few times. We assisted the forensics team and noted various biometrics such as height, weight, body structure, hair color, DNA sampling, etc. The team tried to document the cause of death and also documented any obvious signs of torture, rape, and/or starvation. Identification of the individuals was also very important therefore any clothing or belongings found with them had to be examined and documented. It was all very by-the-book in order to meet the rules of evidence for possible prosecutions. IMO, the worse job was for our forensic dental team who did exams took x-rays for identification and evidence.

[@theflanman420420]

William Rentz sorry you had to experience the worst of humanity

[@donaldbowen1889]

I was there. 96-97 2ACR

[@gunner678]

When we're you there? I was there towards the end of the siege and the start of the IFOR mission. I lived in the Holiday Inn conference centre.

[@nickbenton3545]

I mean I’m torn: I’d love a 27 hour stream of Geographics but I don’t want a dead Simon?

[@stephjovi]

Maybe a 27 hour business blaze video. Than Simon can break character drink sit down even take a potty break 😂. Or 27 hour brain food podcast so he can take a break while Daven takes over

[@jakehansen3418]

They got like 4 Simons in the cloning tanks that's how he has so many channels so it's goodm

[@rgeorgek42]

With so many channels, I already thought he was working 27 hours at a time. Or as Bender once said, “Clone? Robot? Or long-lost twin?”

[@stephjovi]

@@jakehansen3418 oh that makes sense. Then they gotta make a 5th so the original can make some vlogs again

[@Jehosaphet]

How disappointing...a video about 4+ years of civilians enduring hardship and death the likes most of us can't even begin to imagine, the very first comment some kind of cutesy remark about the host. Kind of proves the point of just how disconnected we are when a story like this doesn't even move the needle.

[@yespls4184]

Sarajevo is an absolutely amazing city. I'm American and I had my doubts, but I was blown away by the city when I finally visited. It is a stunning blend of culture, safer than American cities, walkable, cosmopolitan, full of history, friendly, etc. The people are very friendly and there is much to do there. I'm a lover of history and this city will certainly satisfy you if you're interested in that. It has a night life too, and it's absolutely not "conservative" in the way that many people will wrongly assume it is. I dream of having a chance to return to this beautiful city.

[@masond7573]

That's great to hear, I'm also American and will be in Sarajevo for a couple weeks this summer. Looking forward to it.

[@AHK206]

I am Malaysian who visited Sarajevo in 2015. Such beautiful city with beautiful people. Everyone is full of smiles. I miss Sarajevo.

[@randomdude4482]

Malaysian government built school in my town of gornji vakuf. thank you ,thank you Malaysian people ❤

[@kales003]

That's the city I'm from. And I was there as a 14 year old. You've really done your homework on it. It is always so hard to explain the situation of Sarajevo. You nailed it. Thank you for that. Truly a Grate Video! ❤️

[@sandrastreifel6452]

Salvatore Lesic: Good to know from a native of Sarajevo!

[@emirhodzic3430]

Greatings from Visoko

[@kikiriki7437]

He really did it well and unbiased. The politics and details behind it are disgusting and with a lot of controversy still today. Cheers

[@yespls4184]

I love your city so much ❤️ got to go in 2018. There's something very special about it

[@boris1387]

At last, a video on my favourite country. Sadly I served there with the British army. A stunning beautiful country. With brave wonderful people on all sides. Still makes me sad today when I think of what they went through. The things I saw I can never forget.

[@boris1387]

@@vladimirgrillmaster I met many good people on all sides and these people as proud as they are did not want conflict.

[@Damirdamirdamir09]

Tnx for ur sevice, god bless u, cheers

[@gunner678]

Me too! I was there in 95 to 96/97.

[@boris1387]

@@gunner678 91/95👍

[@tariqcolakovic4556]

Why is Bosnia your favorite country? I'm from Sarajevo and this is awesome to hear.

[@oilrig834]

FACT : Bruce Dickinson held concert in Sarajevo in 1994 while town was still under siege.

[@stefanhenneken5415]

Visited in Sarajevo (and Mostar) in last month. Absolutely love it (and whole Bosnia I Herzegovina). Beautiful landscape and tasty food. Planning to buy a small house with small piece of land near the Sarajevo where I can spend my Summers and later my retirement ages if I live long enough. Wish all good to BiH and warm regards from Finland 💖🇫🇮🇧🇦💖

[@hnjahnjah]

It's always difficult to tell the history of the balkans, but in a summary you did a great job. I myself come from Dubrovnik who was laid siege upon by serb forces,although I was too young to remember that. But all in all, we younger generations mostly are taught of the good times in Tito's Yugoslavia and that we should strive to be better than to give in to petty nationalism and ethnic hatred. Still, some are taught the other way around which worries us all that another conflict like the one almost 30 years ago would come again... Very touching video. I visited Mostar with my family and even there you could still see bullet holes in the side of buildings so I can't even imagine what those people in Sarajevo have gone through other than Hell itself.

[@brianmichaelseymour6913]

I think this has become my favorite Simon video. Growing up in the 90s, watching the news, wasn't even a half story. The song "Christmas Eve Sarajevo" will sound quite different to me, come Christmas time.

[@markgolden1418]

I absolutely love these deep looks into eastern Europe and European history. It helps me understand my friends and their backgrounds and their countries history.

[@mersihahadzic2365]

Sauth East it's mediteran country

[@danielduncan6806]

I was in high school when our government got involved. I remember seeing their roads around the area on television, with bodies strewn along the roadside in the drainage ditches. I spoke to a man about 15 years ago who was from around that area, he was about my same age, which means he would have also been in high school at the time, or at least still young, as I was at that time, and all he remembered was the bombs we dropped. And I quote him, "So many bombs, so so so many bombs.", he said this very solemnly.

[@ragnokmc]

How else could he itterate the madness of mongrels with no sense nor morality,yet a blind weapon in there hand😣

[@danielduncan6806]

@@ragnokmc He was talking about OUR bombs. Fool. When we got involved we bombed the entire area to oblivion, it was days of bombs.

[@semirsemir7016]

@@danielduncan6806 those bombs, shod come 3 years beforee. Lot of kids will be today live if those bombs falen 3years before

[@planescaped]

@@semirsemir7016 Really is ridiculous how long UN intervention took considering how brutal the Serbian invasion was.

[@semirsemir7016]

@@planescaped sam say they waithed becouse false iformation( no facebok, 5G, no tviter etc), that rusia/china try to stop it, religion shit bastards, and there was more hot spots in world in that time, and that they waited for others to deal it

[@hndrwn]

THIS WAR OF MINE is masterful work that bring me to emphatize deeply with this story of Sarajevo

[@Timurv1234]

Well, I'm from Sarajevo, and I can say this video is amazing! It was a rollercoaster of feelings, from extreme pride to such sadness, all those killed walked the streets I walk today, amazing what ideology can make people do. So thank you for this beautiful video, I'm honored you found my city worthy of your time. I hope you come and enjoy all the spectacular beauties we have, that have been overshadowed by hate and conflict. Also, the "field around the palace" etymology of the name is incorrect, Sarajevo comes from "saraj", which does mean palace, and "-evo" which is a possessive suffix in serbo-croatian (or whatever name you might give it). There are many examples of this type of name creation in the region, like Smederevo, Kreševo... The field around the palace definition is a folk etymology, made up some years ago in some tourist brochure.

[@Timur21]

Vozdra Timure

[@semaj_5022]

So something more along the lines of "Palace's land" in a "land belonging to the palace" kind of sense? Thanks for the info, though!

[@almasarajlic2306]

You had a shot of my house in there. My beloved niece was killed in it in 1994, right in front of me. She was 9. God rest her sweet soul.

[@tariq667]

I’ve lived through my childhood during the war in Sarajevo. Don’t like to remember those times much. This description of history as well as conflicts and postwar situation is unbelievably accurate and objective. Good work Simon! Thank you!

[@haristhebosniaklion8584]

You do know that thousands and thousands of Bosniak women and young girls were very unlucky during that aggression on Bosnia,right? ( RAPED )How would they feel if we Bosniaks did this to Serbian women and young girls?? Bosnia. 1992-1995.

[@resileaf9501]

This cannot have been an easy subject to research, or narrate. The human misery that happened in Sarajevo is heartbreaking. So many lives lost, all for no reason. Thank you for sharing the city's story here.

[@Gman_88]

As Sarajevo citizen I’m touched and thankful to you this really means something. It has awaken some long distance memories I was 4 when war started at 1992. So thank you again for this video!

[@dasmitch161]

It's a great city. I loved it there and will go back one day. Aside from bullet holes there are also 'Sarajevo Roses' , places where mortars/shells landed, look out for those when your there

[@ilmazeric9239]

yup, and they're called roses because they were later filled in with red resin

[@peterjackson1977]

I have a tattoo based on the Sarajevo roses, the scroll reds "Sarajevo mon amour".

[@adisokolovic]

As someone born and still living in Sarajevo, thank you!!! I never thought that you would make one about my home city.

[@phyllisdicks9830]

Most engaging Geographics video thus far, IMO. Great job on this, as usual.

[@axisofjustice50]

I have met a bosnian family forced to canada because of the war. The brother is now my brother his sister my wife and their parents now grandparents our children. Beautiful people who saved me in many ways. For the people of Bosnia I am sorry for your loss and thank you for the beautiful people who have found me.

[@DavidMiras]

Geographics is a great addition to the line-up, it would however be much enhanced by the use of maps to help support the superb narration...

[@fireforger9192]

Was with the UN in 94 visited Sarajevo briefly struck by despite the shelling and snipers, most of the people retained their humanity. It was a beautiful country but struck by a small minority who couldn't live with each other. Hopefully the future is better, good video Simon & team keep up the good work.

[@sandrastreifel6452]

Jason Broomfield: Civilians always suffer the most from wars, even despite modern laws of war.

[@Untrus]

@@sandrastreifel6452is was a war against civilians

[@abinashbhallaa3433]

WWI was going to happen no matter what. Ferdinand was just the excuse.

[@planescaped]

It had to happen. People at that point were still operating under Napoleonic and even Elizabethan ways of thinking... but weapons technology had far surpassed societies growth. The cost of waging modern war had to be found out.

[@felixparadis691]

The "Bagdad Ban" pipeline was the real cause.

[@promeneuzivotu117]

Yeap

[@NM-wd7kx]

@@planescaped that's the thing, the observers of the Russo-Japanese and American civil wars knew what was coming

[@jeffwilson3527]

Agreed. It would have been Just a matter of time if franz Ferdinand hadn’t been killed. Eventually a war would have happened.

[@ragnokmc]

Simon & your team,I can not express my gratitude highly enough. Your depth of research & honesty has become a rare beacon in a planet of darkness. Thank you & your team for your time & efforts,they are more appreciated than most could ever imagine 😪

[@marlondelibasic]

As a Yugo from Bosnia and Herzegovina I must admit your research is so freaking good. Love this video, really good job. 👌👍

[@moodook4040]

As always, you've all put together an amazing presentation. Loving the new channel. Can't wait for the next video.

[@jacajaca7109]

Thank you for this video, I‘m from Sarajevo born and raised, survived the siege, I was 12 years old, father was in a Bosnian army, mother worked in hospital, hard times but makes you stronger, when you survive something like that you can survive everything. Sarajevo is a beautiful city, that’s why everyone around wants it, maybe it is better to be different and not so popular

[@theredreaperz]

Hey, I'm from Sarajevo! Anybody else? Sorry, I don't really want to watch this video... (Hope you understand). But at least some other people will learn about the history of our city, so thank you for making this video.

[@revanbh]

Not Sarajevo. Zenica. Video is good. It spells the history of the city from the Ottoman times to the present. Most importantly, there are no graphic images from the war years, but there are descriptions.

[@theredreaperz]

@@revanbh Okay. In that case, I will probably watch the video later.

[@blacksoko566]

Iz Tuzle sam.

[@juricaidzanovic7638]

Iz jajca sam ja

[@germaninvasion121]

Tz here too. Grew up in Germany and now In the USA. Good video, this guy is good in digging out good facts. Recommend.

[@natalierose1072]

I love this channel! I watch TopTenz and Biographics so when you said y'all had this one too I of course headed right over and subscribed 🙆🏽‍♀️ Doh, forget to mention Today I Found Out as well lol

[@saadqasim4348]

I like you so much Simon. You speak in a very simple, cute & interesting manner. I never miss any of your videos. Regards from Baghdad

[@MrOuchiez]

Agreed 100%, couldn't have said it better myself. I hope things are bountiful in your home and in your beautiful city amid these crazy times. Warm regards from Milwaukee, sir!

[@andrzejkrzych905]

You're videos are great. Love them. Makes me wanna visit all those places on my own to see how they are. Do Warsaw as well - it has the same kind of sad, but also inspiring history about "never giving up". Keep up the good work mate.

[@fahim113]

I've travelled alot but this os the single most beautiful place on earth. Visiting it bought tears to my eyes and was very uncomfortable at times. The best and worst of humanity in a few square kilometers.

[@gizzymeows5847]

Thanks for sharing this important part of history as well as the unfortunate side of human nature. What a world we could have when we stop trying to rule over each other. Big hugs, you have a wonderful gift of narration. 👍🤗

[@Kieran_Martin]

Thanks for the video, learned a lot, I can tell it hit a part of you when you were talking about the main seige towards the end of the video as did the same for me. I think the thing I like the most about your channels is I know that you will give factual information and you present it very well. Also, the Business Blaz is one of my new favorites thank you for the comedy and facts in that channel, keep up the great work!

[@paultremaine9209]

I returned from a 5 day visit just yesterday. Sarajevo is truly amazing these days! So much to see and experience and so many friendly people. Many have stories of the terrible war and it’s important for visitors to try to understand the horror of those times. But also, as the locals do, enjoy your days there! The city has a real buzz about it and feels totally safe now, even at night. I was very sad to leave but am already planning a return trip next year and will take my family to share this great place. See you soon Sarajevo!

[@Mrgunsngear]

great macro overview

[@markmcevoy8480]

This man @mrgunsandgear is an icon, it’s cool your so active on so many accounts.

[@col.cottonhill6655]

@@markmcevoy8480 I get excited when I see his comments

[@henrygonzalez360]

Mike what are you doing here?

[@supercarnitas]

@@col.cottonhill6655 I see you a lot colonel

[@col.cottonhill6655]

@@supercarnitas I've tried to make a presence through my avatar paying respects to the character from King of the Hill. My favorite show. It's really popular. I also try to get my comments in early when I can. Look at my subscriber count. I don't even have any videos. Not bad I think if you get hundreds of subs when you have 0 uploads is impressive.

[@revanbh]

Thank you so much for making this video Simon. Greetings from Bosnia. Love all of your channels. Biographics, Geographics, TopTenz, Visual.

[@Deanekels]

Thank you. Great piece.

[@AleksandarGospic]

Excellent research and presentation on the subject so instant subscription followed! :) You just appeared in my recommendations and from what I can see in the thumbs I like the topics you covered so far so I'm looking forward to see them all!

[@SaintNarcissa]

Why didn't you talk about the Bosniak mass graves? You talked about the number of deaths, the snipers, the siege and the over all horror, but the mass graves are also worth mentioning. I was only 10 when the fighting stopped, so I don't remember much, but I do remember mass graves and it sticks with me still today.

[@fhdk227]

Visited it back in 2017 still one of my best trips definitely going back after few years

[@777melpomena]

Thank you for this video!

[@rxmclaren7]

i am loving these videos...i love to travel and these videos allow me to see the history of places i may one day go...keep up the great work!!

[@Callisto-vy7vx]

I wondered if you'd do the video about Sarajevo when you started the Geographics channel. You did such a wonderful job including details and tidbits not a lot of people know. Fun fact: Haggadah, one of the oldest Sephardic Haggadahs in the world was hidden in a mosque during the World war II. It is now on display in the museum in Sarajevo. The Jewish community in Sarajevo helped a great deal during the 90s war, be it with money or helping the refugees. It all made full circle. Thank you, Simon. :)

[@cpoppyfin6751]

I was stationed in the area in the mid 2000's. The city itself had recovered a lot by then but I remember the persistent hazard of landmines everywhere in the country side. Also all the wounds of war still visible in the buildings. The old olympic Stadium being turned into a graveyard.

[@danimhouston]

Great job Simon! thank you

[@klausalan]

Excellent work as always.

[@Revanchist]

I only wish that you included the concert that was done by Bruce Dickinson during the war. Except that this video touched me still altough I'm from Bosnia and I know this story too well.

[@necko2529]

Thank you Simon. I'm Bosnian, left in 99 after it was all over...

[@morkusmorkus6040]

Great timing lol

[@wilhelmbittrich88]

Should have stayed to help rebuild your city. Coward.

[@rorosp5443]

I thoroughly enjoy your videos! Very informative and easy to follow. It helps that you have a great voice 🙂

[@geographicstravel]

Thanks :)

[@lazarnik3007]

Very well researched video. Bravo

[@Mychannel81736]

Late 90s /early 2000s I spent many years working in a diagnostic lab with a soldier/ survivor of that conflict. He grew up and lived in Sarejevo. He faught the Serbs but wasnt Muslim. Many many enclaves of other ethnic identities in that city. The stories he told me were right out of the heart of darkness. He opened up to me because I was the only American he had met here that knew anything about his land and war just years earlier

[@Mychannel81736]

He spoke of this was a continuation of their grandfathers war. Revenge from the turks and muslims that conquered them during the ottoman empire. Most in the city felt the coming war a couple years before it happened.

[@MrTortureandtorment]

Excellent review of SARAJEVO. Got more info about it than in the history books.

[@holdadoor722]

Thank you! I learn everyday from you and wish more would.

[@Lilraider00l]

Recently found this channel and I just want to say Simon's narrating is phenomenal and Ill be binge watching the rest of the channels videos 11/10 keep up the amazing work.

[@geographicstravel]

Thank you! :). Glad you're enjoying it.

[@Samm815]

My college astronomy teacher was from Yugoslavia. When I asked which "tribe" he was from he said "Yugoslavian."

[@Samm815]

@@eazyemco He didn't want to tell me. He left while Tito was in power.

[@Samm815]

@@eazyemco I don't know what you're telling me, I'm just repeating what he said. I might have gotten the details mixed up. It was long time ago and it was a night class.

[@srky19]

My parents always felt the same way, even after the war was over.

[@jubi3137]

Some of us still declare as Yugoslav

[@jubi3137]

@@arkankruger1956 probably.. ☺

[@garykubodera9528]

As a young man I saw a story about a US diplmat's wife...she and her husband attended a formal state dinner with Tito before he died. She leaned over and asked Tito, "what will happen to Yugoslavia after you are gone?" He responded "you don't understand, there will be no Yugoslavia after I'm gone..." He knew what would happen and it came very quickly afterward. The siege and Yugoslavian conflict were the final battles and the result of what happened in WWII. Hopefully they can find a new future after all the horrors and the blood that has been spilt.

[@nothingspecial3364]

I'm also from Sarajevo...Fantastic video very well researched story telling and information. Brilliant video as ever. I'm also a follower of biographics your other channel. The video about Josip Broz Tito is amazing

[@BrandonKellyYT]

really appreciate it thank you!!

[@blacksoko566]

Do one on Tuzla, another Bosnian city, first mentioned in 950 by a Byzantian emperor in De Administrando Imperio. And it was the biggest liberated city in Europe during ww2 in october 1943.

[@eazyemco]

"Liberated"

[@nepherdwen]

i was a toddler when the siege started and my parents had the dumb look to be visiting my grandparents in a nearby town the day it started. Our flat was in a building near where the attack started. Like most of the residents, they had no idea what was coming, everyone was caught off guard. We left everything behind, even my pet bird Peggy

[@dshe8637]

3:00 Well put. Much appreciated

[@sexysergioscotland6133]

Absolutely brilliant video always so interesting and easy to understand. Simon is right on level with Sir David attenburgh love it 😁 Give this man an OBE

[@eatenbyghouls1849]

Maybe this is a hint to do a biographics on Bruce dickinson Who was smuggled into the city to perform a concert there

[@russianarkadiy]

Wow. I did not know that! Yes, please do a biographics on Bruce, and also... On Fast Eddie Clarke, from Motorhead. Most people know of Lemmy, but Clarke was the musical genius (in my humble opinion, best sounding guitarist who's specialty was awesome, musically cohesive string bends) 😎

[@neoamaru]

hahahha glad to see fellow maiden fans on this channel :) i made a few comments about them

[@boxogoxo3899]

Or a biographics on alija izetbegovic

[@christophermerlot3366]

There's a documentary about that called 'Scream for Me Sarajevo.'' Bruce was recently named an honourary citizen of the city for the concert.

[@user-ue4nq3kc3j]

@@christophermerlot3366 Yes, he was also a guest at a Sarajevan night club where he played during the war. I stood less than 5 meters away from him.

[@digapygmy70]

I just barely remember being a child and learning the name Sarajevo for the first time. I thought it sounded like the name of a beautiful woman, not the place of bullets and mortar shells. It's tragic that a century of violence and prejudice has permanently changed an ancient and once almost idyllic city.

[@TheLegoboss]

digapygmy70 wow that’s beautiful. Fortunately almost everything that was destroyed has been rebuilt.

[@sandrastreifel6452]

I was older, but I had the same experience!

[@mirzaagic7020]

It hurt sooo many people since it was the heart of brotherhood and unity people lived for centuries...and still do...some. Like me. I see people just as doing good or bad deeds. Or sometimes both at the same time, like we all do. The war makes no difference: bad people will again do bad things until they reap what they sow. Good people will again do good, no matter what you impose upon them. No matter what religion or nationality they claim. My best man is from Bournemouth and he came in the middle of the war to Sarajevo, just like that. Married a Bosnian lady in the wartime, having a son. The most honest person I know, and I am proud of having an Englishman as my best man. His name is Christofer Owen Hughes

[@misterbosnian6229]

Thank you for this great documentary

[@ahmedelghamoudi5035]

I had arrived in Sarajevo on June 28th, 2022. I could simply say I fell captive to the beauty and resilience of this city. I will definitely visit it again, hoping there will be no more tragic events in the horizon. Ps: make sure to visit the museum of crimes against humanity. Such an eye opener 💯

[@newgabe09]

I've just been to Sarajevo, and as you say, it's disarmingly normai, despite bullet holes and shrapnel scars. Every traveller/backpacker I met there was deeply affected though- it was a place of 'real' conversations about values,resilience and privilege. Every local I spoke to wanted to point out what happened where. What is stunning is how small the town is. How close those armed hills and sniper occupied buildings were. Thanks for the video, it's a good one (though interesting you didn't mention to UN presence and how some food did get in...xxx

[@EzrealOver9000]

Maaan, i really wish you touched upon the bosnian kingdom 1377-1463 just a bit more to give the viewers a bit of context that bosnia is not just some country that emerged from the quarrel between bosniaks, serbs and croats. It was actually "officially" created by the first King, Tvrtko who called himself a bosnian. But Bosnia goes back even further with the bosnian banate from 1154-1377.

[@MegaMateo]

amazing video

[@jake1411]

Amazing explanation of the issues in that region, I was 15 in 1991 from England when these troubles started and I was always upset and disgusted as the west stood by and watched these troubles happen. I’ve always had an interest in this subject due to being touched by it as a 15 year old and this video is a brilliant explanation of what’s gone on over the centuries. I am so happy the region has found some peace and wish all the people in this region affected by this conflict peace and happiness. Even though we are all different and believe in different things we should all respect peoples different views and beliefs. Love from England

[@borisstanar1]

11:08 The name of the group was not Black Hand "Crna Ruka" it was Young Bosnia "Mlada Bosna". Young Bosnia got their weapons form Black Hand

[@enemyfilly5254]

risbo111 if I’m not mistaken Princip had ties to both and that is why the two are often conflated.

[@nikola_tomic]

@Ernest Hemingway Crna ruka je tajna organizacija dela oficira srpske vojske, nastali su pocetkom 20. veka, kao zaverenicka grupa sa ciljem da zbaci Aleksandra Obrenovica sa vlasti. Za vreme okupacije Bosne od strane Austro Ugarske, stupaju u kontakt sa mladom bosnom. Apis je bio protiv toga u pocetku, jer nije mislio da su oni sposobni za to. Kada su ga ubedili, pre svega Vojinovic, dopremili su im oruzje, i obucili ih da pucaju. To su istorijske cinjenice, a crna ruka jeste bila nacionalisticka organizacija. Istoriju treba gledati onako kakva jeste, a ne onako kako tebi odgovara.

[@nikola_tomic]

@Ernest Hemingway ja tebi doslovno navodim cinjenice, a ti meni svoje subjektivno misljenje. Cilj Mlade Bosne nije bio stvaranje velike Srbije, taj koncept je budalastina i zloba crne ruke i njima slicnima, to ti kazem kao Srbin. Cilj Mlade Bosne je bio nasilno svrgavanje, nasilno uspostavljene vlasti i konacno stvaranje zajednicke drzave juznih slovena.

[@nikola_tomic]

@Ernest Hemingway kakav pecat, kakav dokument????? Pa nisu oni osnivali kulturno umetnicko drustvo, ves su se tajno sastajali, studirali su zajedno, ovi koji su ucestvovali u atentatu su samo jedan deo, mnogo je bilo simpatizera, ali nekoliko je bilo ekstremista. O kakvom ti to Srpskom nacionalizmu govoris, u Srbiji se od uvek ucilo da je crna ruka bila kriminalna i zaverenicka organizacija koja je za cilj uvek imala ostvarenje pre svega svojih licnih interesa. Gacinovic je jedini iz mlade bosne postao clan crne ruke, on je u pocetku i bio veza. Ako ne verujes, proveri. Mozes naci udzbenike iz istorije koristene u Srbiji od raspada Jugoslavije do danas, u svakoj pise isto. Kod nas istoriju nisu pisali nacionalisti, iako ih ima kao svuda, vec na srecu razumni ljudi, sve sto sam naucio proveravao sam kasnije, jer volim istoriju i to se poklapa sa generalnim stavom

[@bigmcdick4916]

4:46 They tried to lay siege to Vienna but then the Winged Hussars arrived!

[@satanbritannia5210]

Coming down the mountain side

[@tinanicic1307]

Nikola Šubić Zrinjski defended Vienna from Sigetwar

[@shanegrimes3455]

Sabaton 🎶

[@abinashbhallaa3433]

Todays Sarayevo is monoreligion ethnicly cleansed place slowly introducing sharia law. Most European fighters of ISIS are coming from Sarayevo.

[@AndrewArminRyan]

@@abinashbhallaa3433 Shh, we are not meant to notice these changes.

[@adohajro406]

Thank you Simon :)

[@Dessienewshoes]

How different the world would be if Franz Ferdinand had bothered to not get shot

[@AB8511]

If you honestly review events before start of WWI - Bosnian crisis, Agadir crisis, Fashoda incident etc. you have to come to conclusion, that war was inevitable sooner or later. Politics was simply done in different way, it was age of nationalism, pride, national honour and similar nonsense.

[@Jehosaphet]

And how strange that he basically had to go out of his way, defy all common sense and reasoning, in order to do so. Like, WWI was going to happen, all logic be damned.

[@ArmedPoverty]

WWI was going to happen no matter what. Ferdinand was just the excuse. The kettle was already boiling over

[@NB-kq7lm]

It would be all the same. They shoud not ocupied our land bosnia in first and to parade in our holliday. Glory to Prncip and Obilic who killed murat in kosovo 1389. Bosnia is ocupied again but its full of serbian blood and we will be united once again.

[@Dessienewshoes]

@@NB-kq7lm u wot m8?

[@DatAsuna]

Before this I had only ever heard the serbian side of the story from someone and suffice to say they skimped on the details of the siege a lot.

[@FM_GOBi]

Love the video! Greetings from Sarajevo!

[@stefanschleps8758]

Again I am compelled to send you my thanks. You have, Simon, now twice conveyed a history. A history whose complexity I've felt mind-numbing. Thank you indeed. I remember this all too vividly. I wondered silently, and aloud, how was it possible for the whole world to watch and do nothing. Liberia, Tibet, Sudan. And so many other times where humanities apathy outweighed any semblence of civility we pretend to be possessed of. Thank you. To you and yours. Prosperity and Peace in 2020.

[@geographicstravel]

Thank you :). And to you as well.

[@wickedjesterDC]

One of the first memories I have is being 5 and watching shells hit the apartment building across this bridge next to my house I remember living in a cellar and giving names to the different cannons we’d hear and not being allowed to go outside ever ever

[@srky19]

I was twelve-sixteen then. Different city, same siege. Even today I can name every piece of artillery (and shell) by the sound in my head. Favorite pastime in basement was counting how many seconds passes from firing to actually hearing howitzer grenade whizzing over somewhere above the building... detonation... and then shrapnel raining down on rooftops almost a minute after. Mortar was the worst as you could never hear it. I remember thinking: wow, this is unlike anything I've seen so far in Chuck Norris's movies. Weren't soldiers supposed to fight other soldiers? And like... NOT kill my friends and old people? You had to grow up pretty darn fast then.

[@anarchyantz1564]

Game of Thrones : Behold my complicated and intricate plot of backstabbing, politics gone mad and genocide on a grand scale: Sarajevo: Hold my beer!

[@ember-evergarden]

GoT is shit lmao

[@darkdefender6384]

Great video! Very informative

[@Fulkerguy]

I love this new channel, and while I don't want it to just be maps, it wouldn't hurt to have a few to reference some of the events and the places you are talking about.

[@funguykel]

Very well done. Love the history lesson. Don't think the siege could ever happen again. Pretty sure the Bosniaks learned a lesson. To be strong you need to be well armed. For defensive purposes. And for those who call for peace, remember the saying. If you want peace then prepare for war.

[@carljohnson7342]

The siege lasted for 1425 days, that says everything about EU and it’s care for the human rights. Sarajevo was like 500km eastern of EU at that time.

[@djsonicc]

EU/Nato were there just to count the bodies

[@markbrisec3972]

If it wasn't for Clinton who knows how would all these wars end up. His order of bombing Serbia after the 4th war Serbs started in former Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia). The last one where the Serbs massacred the people of Kosovo was a line in the sand. Fun fact... Serbia is the only country in history that capitulated and signed a peace treaty without a single foreign soldier stepping on their soil. The whole war was waged from the air. NATO air power crushed Serbia and for the first time in history there was no need to put soldiers in danger when all was done from the air.

[@nightfall745]

@@markbrisec3972 that war was started by KLA tho

[@joe.does.adventures]

Thank you for this video. Hope you'll visit one day.

[@sweetLemonist]

You did a great job Simon

[@TheOis1984]

to immerse yourselves in the Sarajevo conflict, there is a game called This War of Mine. the game creator experienced the conflict firsthand when he was a boy and he brought his memory in creating the game. You can find it in Steam

[@hndrwn]

Up, up, and fly away capt.

[@charliemanson4808]

Simon, I'm really enjoying these Geographics and this was an excellent version of a historically complicated area. But...... I'd like if I may to add a personal note on the siege. You see, as a member of the British Military I was in and around Sarajevo during the conflict, admittedly it was for very short periods as I was mostly deployed to the other major historical city of Mostar. You said the international community did nothing...the politicians dithered and wavered true, but the men and women in country certainly did not, there where many of us. Each did their best to keep areas as safe as possible to provide food fuel security and an element of hope. Look into the Canadians who went into Sarajevo. Thanks for the great channel, and maybe a Geographics on Mostar and the story of Stari Most? Peace Charlie 🇬🇧

[@greenlightning6971]

Ty for mentioning this and thank you for service. I've made a comment just minutes ago about same things but from different angle. I was young back then and I can't remember of all things but , unit of British armored forces was stationed few weeks in my city.... they shared their own food with us. So I'm forever grateful and I'll never forget that. 🇬🇧

[@charliemanson4808]

@@greenlightning6971 thank you for remembering them... I was in my mid 20's and had two young kids at home, so it hit hard at times. I sometimes wonder what became of individuals I met and hope that some at least made it through. I was often in rural areas and dealing with the Militias not the form military units. The militia where the truly evil ones committing the genocide ahead and behind of the army units. Sad times, sad times indeed. It's good to meet a survivor who remembers the troops in a positive way. White armour, snow and mud was the backdrop to many memories ohh and the cold, the bitter, bitter cold. Peace to you my friend Charlie 🇬🇧

[@danielkamentsky7243]

Love the new channel Simon

[@nijagaradavidson7834]

You explained very well this complex situation.