Beer for Wili; war story.
It was a long time ago. 15 years.
May 17, 1992, student dormitory 'Sava' in Zagreb, Croatia.
How is it when they kill someone who gave you his place in the student dormitory? In Croatia, then freshly recognised country after break-up of Yugoslavia, student dormitories were financed by government, and if you managed to get the place, you could live much cheaper than renting an apartment. Criteria were good degrees. I had too bad ones and did not get my place in the year 1991/1992, but friend of a friend, Wili, 5th year of Veterinary study, obtained it.
My friend's girlfriend was a refugee from Dalj, and Wili gave place to me, that we would make place for her.
Wili could sell his place, it was common to do, for some 700DM. Zagreb was full of refugees, and dormitories were very popular hiding places for young people from Croatia and Bosnia, no problem to sell the place. But he gave it to me, we agreed I treat him with beer "when chance". Wili was a Jew, one of 2000 small community in Croatia, please do not tell me jokes about money-greed of Jews.
Wili had to come every month to personally pay the rent of the room, as it was a demand by dormitory rules, to avoid manipulations. For him, who was spending most time in Austria then, where his family sent him away from everyday bombing of Osijek, his city (he was the single child in family), it was a burden to come. But he did it regularly, and no problems for us.
Then his father in Osijek died of heart infarct. Not hard to happen, with almost everyday bombardments of the city.
And Wili came to fathers funeral. When he went, by bike, to buy apaurine pills for his distressed mother, bombshell found him, and they had to scratch him down from the walls of his house.
We would say: "this was the one with his signature on it. If it is your fate, you can't escape it, hide in Austria or on Mars, it will find you."
Irony: it was 2 days AFTER the last (20th) truce was signed in Sarajewo between Yugoslavian army and Croatia. May 17th 1992 is considered as end of the war in Croatia. Wili was one of last victims.
It gives a weird feeling to think about this now, in this "normal" world. Our "normality" then obviously was something completely different.
And I have to drink a beer every May 17th, for Wili. As I never managed to go with Wili to treat him for the place he gave to me. It is as lighting a candel.
Thanks for the place then, Wili.
May 17, 1992, student dormitory 'Sava' in Zagreb, Croatia.
How is it when they kill someone who gave you his place in the student dormitory? In Croatia, then freshly recognised country after break-up of Yugoslavia, student dormitories were financed by government, and if you managed to get the place, you could live much cheaper than renting an apartment. Criteria were good degrees. I had too bad ones and did not get my place in the year 1991/1992, but friend of a friend, Wili, 5th year of Veterinary study, obtained it.
My friend's girlfriend was a refugee from Dalj, and Wili gave place to me, that we would make place for her.
Wili could sell his place, it was common to do, for some 700DM. Zagreb was full of refugees, and dormitories were very popular hiding places for young people from Croatia and Bosnia, no problem to sell the place. But he gave it to me, we agreed I treat him with beer "when chance". Wili was a Jew, one of 2000 small community in Croatia, please do not tell me jokes about money-greed of Jews.
Wili had to come every month to personally pay the rent of the room, as it was a demand by dormitory rules, to avoid manipulations. For him, who was spending most time in Austria then, where his family sent him away from everyday bombing of Osijek, his city (he was the single child in family), it was a burden to come. But he did it regularly, and no problems for us.
Then his father in Osijek died of heart infarct. Not hard to happen, with almost everyday bombardments of the city.
And Wili came to fathers funeral. When he went, by bike, to buy apaurine pills for his distressed mother, bombshell found him, and they had to scratch him down from the walls of his house.
We would say: "this was the one with his signature on it. If it is your fate, you can't escape it, hide in Austria or on Mars, it will find you."
Irony: it was 2 days AFTER the last (20th) truce was signed in Sarajewo between Yugoslavian army and Croatia. May 17th 1992 is considered as end of the war in Croatia. Wili was one of last victims.
It gives a weird feeling to think about this now, in this "normal" world. Our "normality" then obviously was something completely different.
And I have to drink a beer every May 17th, for Wili. As I never managed to go with Wili to treat him for the place he gave to me. It is as lighting a candel.
Thanks for the place then, Wili.
posted by mikidkolan at 11:44 AM
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