Tag Archives: Yugoslavia

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

Posted in Bosnia–Herzegovina, Cinema, Croatia, History, Military, Montenegro, Technology, USA | Tagged , | 8 Comments

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

Posted in Montenegro, Sports | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

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

Posted in History, Hungary, Politics, Ukraine | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

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

Posted in Croatia, History, Italy, Politics, World War I | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

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

Posted in Cold War, History, Transnistria, Travel | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

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

Posted in Montenegro, Travel | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

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

Posted in Military, Politics, Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in History, Language, Montenegro, Photography, Politics, Travel | Tagged , , , | 94 Comments

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

Posted in Cinema, Politics | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Red Star

“OK, we’ll tear down the old houses, put up a high-rise building and sell expensive apartments. Long live capitalism! But don’t touch the monument with the Red Star, comrades!” (Photographed in Tivat, Montenegro.)

Posted in Economics, Montenegro, Photography | Tagged , , | 1 Comment