Spomenik Database
Analysis & Exploration
This section of the Spomenik Database Digital Library contains a collection of books which analyze and explore the history and heritage of the WWII antifascist monuments of the former Yugoslavia. These books come from many angles and perspectives, but all examine on various levels the history of memorial creation in the Yugoslav region.
Digital Library
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Monumenti – Promenljivo lice sećanja (Daniel Brumund) [2012]
This book, whose title roughly translates into English as, "Monumenti: the Changing Face of Remembrance", is a collection of the proceedings from a conference of the Center for Cultural Decontamination in Belgrade, Serbia on the topic of monuments of the former and post Yugoslav regions. The publication, which is in both Serbian and English, explores dozens of culturally significant monuments, explaining each one in detail from its inception to the present day, accompanied by modern color photos of each site. The book also includes several introductory essays from various scholars on the historical legacy of monuments in each of the former Yugoslav republics. [🔽Download: 100 pages, 5Mb PDF file, courtesy of Dealing with the Past]
Razvoj slovenske kiparske misli (Matena Bassin) [2017]
This book, whose title translates into English as "The Development of Slovenian Sculptural Thought", is an examination of sculptural movements and ideas in Slovenia, from the early days of it being one of the Yugoslav Socialist Republics to its inception as an independent nation up until present. Many of the artists and sculptors showcased in this book are among those who created some of the most well known monumental works of the Yugoslav era, such as Slavko Tihec and Drago Tršar. In addition to a wide array of vivid color photos, this publication, which is in both English and Slovenian, also includes several essays which discuss topics of the evolution of sculptural movements in Slovenia. [🔽Download: 64 pages, 2Mb PDF file, courtesy of the University of Ljubljana]
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MOSTARSKA Hurqualya : (ne)zaboravljeni grad (Barišić, Murtić & Burzić) [2017]
This book, whose title translates into English as "Mostar's Hurqualya : the (un)forgotten city", is a fascinating new publication which explores the work of Bogdan Bogdanović as a case study through one of his most famous works, the Partisan Cemetery at Mostar, Bosnia. Written in both English and Bosnian, this book contains a unique combination of historic photos, personal portraits, storytelling and interviews from 14 local individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, which all aims to create a "dialogue with fragments of the past, present and future". This is a unique publication and one of the most original approaches to the study of this particular monument and the work of Bogdanović. [🔽Download: 132 pages, 16Mb PDF file, courtesy of Nezaboravljeni Grad.
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Mesta stradanja i antifašističke borbe u Beogradu, 1941–44 (Pisari & Redle) [2013]
This book, whose title translates into English as "Places of Terror and Anti-Fascist Struggle in Belgrade, 1941-44", is a substantial publication which explores in great detail the human history what was endured by the people of Begrade, Serbia during the Axis occupation of World War II. Written in Serbian, the book surveys not only the destruction of Belgrade, but also the executions which occurred and concentration camps that existed during the war (all with a wide range of historic photos). In addition, the book also explores a number of the most significant WWII monuments in the Belgrade city and region built during the Yugoslav era, most notably the sites at Sajmište, Jabuka, Jajinci and Dorćol. [🔽Download: 312 pages, 7Mb PDF file, courtesy of StaroSajmište.info]
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"City & Death - Student Work Exhibition", (Univ. of Belgrade) [2011]
This publication is a part of an exhibition work of students from the Architecture Faculty of the University of Belgrade which examines the life and work of the Belgrade architect, urbanist, sculptor and designer Bogdan Bogdanović, who himself attended and taught at this very university. Presented in both the Serbian and English languages, this book takes the reader on a journey exploring unique interpretations of Bogdanović's work, while also exploring its deep symbolism and how it relates to the modern world. Furthermore, the book also takes a look at his life, and his philosophy towards architecture. [🌐Online Viewing: 140 pages, courtesy of Public Art & Public Space via Issuu]