Vukovar – The Hero City That Stood Against an Army
- Teo Drinkovic
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
The true story of Vukovar city, courage, sacrifice, and the 87-day siege that changed Croatia forever. How one small town altered the course of a nation
Introduction
Vukovar is a small, quiet town resting on the banks of the Danube River in eastern Croatia, right on the border with Serbia. A place that might never have become known to the world if not for the Homeland War.
Tragically, its name is tied to a fate marked by devastation and sorrow, a fate in which the destiny of Croatia itself was decided. The weight of history fell on this town, choosing it as the place where the aggressor’s most powerful military offensive would break.
Soon it will be the 34th anniversary of the fall of Vukovar, as on November 18, 1991, after 87 days of relentless siege, the town was forced to surrender. That day remains the saddest date on the Croatian calendar, the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Homeland War and the Remembrance Day for Vukovar and Škabrnja.
The city of Vukovar during the war in 1991.
A Brief History of Vukovar Before the War
Vukovar’s roots stretch back more than five thousand years. Archaeological findings reveal traces of Vučedol, Vinča, and Starčevo cultures. In Roman times, settlements like Cornacum (today’s Sotin) testified to the strategic importance of the region along the Danube.
During the Middle Ages, Vukovar first appeared in written documents, and by the 13th century, it was known as “Volko.” Later, it became a free royal town. In the 18th century, the noble Eltz family built the now-famous Eltz Manor, turning Vukovar into the center of a powerful estate. Through centuries, the town grew into a key trading and transit hub, positioned on the strategic high banks of the Danube.
Its heritage includes the birthplace of Nobel laureate Lavoslav Ružička, baroque churches, and a Franciscan monastery. But the strongest symbol of the town, the symbol of its defiance and its suffering, is the Vukovar Water Tower, once a functional structure, today a memorial museum. wikipedia
Vukovar During the Homeland War
Tensions between Croatian and Serbian residents in eastern Slavonia escalated in early 1991. Smaller clashes erupted, including the ambush in Borovo Selo, where 12 Croatian police officers were killed by Serbian paramilitary groups refusing to recognize Croatian authority.
The true escalation came on August 25, 1991, the day recognized as the beginning of the full siege of Vukovar. The Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), along with Serbian paramilitary formations, launched a coordinated attack that marked the start of 87 days of brutal urban warfare.
The occupying forces consisted of the JNA, Serbian Territorial Defense units, and various paramilitary groups
The occupying forces consisted of the JNA, Serbian Territorial Defense units, and various paramilitary groups. Defending the city were Croatian soldiers, police, volunteers, HOS units, and the Croatian National Guard. The imbalance was absurd: roughly 1,800–2,000 Croatian defenders, mostly with infantry weapons, against around 30,000 enemy soldiers supported by 1,600 tanks and armored vehicles, nearly a thousand artillery pieces, and the full strength of the JNA Air Force. wikipedia
Defensive commanders included Mile Dedaković “Jastreb,” Blago Zadro, and Branko Borković “Mladi Jastreb.” On the opposing side were generals Života Panić and Mladen Bratić.
Daily bombardments reached up to 11,000 shells. The scale of destruction led many historians to compare the battle to Stalingrad, though Vukovar was far smaller and far more outnumbered.
Trpinjska Road – The Tank Graveyard
Despite the devastation and the eventual fall of the city, Vukovar became the birthplace of unforgettable stories of courage. Blago Zadro, commander of the Borovo Naselje and Trpinjska Road sector, remains one of the most iconic figures. hrvatski-vojnik.hr
A destroyed tank on the Trpinjska Road in Vukovar, 1991.
Trpinjska Road earned the nickname “the tank graveyard” because Croatian defenders destroyed dozens of enemy tanks and armored vehicles there, often at extreme risk.
Around 30 tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed on that single stretch of road.
These were the heroes who led the anti-armor defense:
Marko Babić — legendary commander on Trpinjska Road, credited with destroying 14 tanks.
Blago Zadro — commander of the entire sector, whose units (“Yellow Ants,” “Turbo Unit”) destroyed numerous armored vehicles.
Andrija Marić — commander within the anti-armor teams operating on Trpinjska Road.
Ante Jurić — credited with destroying the very first tank on the road.
Marinko Antunović – “Bosanac” — another fighter known for taking down enemy armor.
The battle on Trpinjska Road in Vukovar, 1991.
The Vukovar Hospital and the Tragedy of Ovčara
The Vukovar Hospital became the heart of the city during the siege. Led by Dr. Vesna Bosanac, with Dr. Juraj Njavro overseeing medical operations, the staff worked under impossible conditions, without electricity, without supplies, and constantly under bombardment, treating more than 3,500 wounded.
Despite the Red Cross markings on the roof, the hospital was repeatedly targeted.
The Vukovar Hospital in Vukovar, 1991.
As the city’s fall became inevitable, an international agreement was made to ensure the safe evacuation of the wounded under Red Cross supervision. The JNA violated that agreement. On November 20, 1991, they removed hundreds of patients and civilians from the hospital and transported them to Ovčara.
The Vukovar Hospital in Vukovar, 1991.
There, under the supervision of Veselin Šljivančanin, they were tortured, beaten, and executed. Around 200 bodies were later found in a mass grave, with others still missing. Ovčara is now a memorial center, a stark reminder of the atrocity committed. irmct.org
Jean-Michel Nicolier – A French Volunteer, Vukovar Defender
Jean-Michel Nicolier, a French volunteer who joined Croatia out of conviction rather than profit, was taken from the hospital on Šljivančanin’s orders, tortured, and executed at Ovčara. He never received a single cent for fighting; he joined simply because he recognized injustice.
His mother searched for him for 34 years. His remains were recently found and, according to her wish, buried at the Vukovar Memorial Cemetery alongside Croatian defenders. The man who murdered him is known but has never been held accountable, protected by Serbian authorities as a “protected witness.”
The Indestructible Water Tower
The Vukovar Water Tower, hit around 640 times during the siege, remained standing.
Every day, under sniper fire and shelling, Croatian defenders climbed the tower to raise the Croatian flag, a message to the world that the city had not yet fallen wikipedia
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Today, it has been reinforced and restored, standing as one of the most powerful symbols of Croatia’s resistance.
The Vukovar Water Tower, hit around 640 times during the siege
Although Vukovar Fell, Its Defense Changed Croatia’s Fate
Although Vukovar ultimately fell, its 87-day defense gave Croatia’s army the crucial time it needed to arm itself and prepare for further resistance. In the battle for the city, the occupying forces burned through their best troops and armored machinery, and the massive force that was supposed to crush Croatia all the way to the capital, Zagreb, was permanently broken.
The brave defenders, despite enormous losses, managed to stop an enemy that was ten times stronger. They bought precious time for the defense of the state and proved that true strength doesn’t lie in weapons but in the heart of a person defending their home. For their sacrifice, the homeland and its people are eternally grateful.
How Croatia Marks the Vukovar Remembrance Day
Every November 18, thousands of people walk in a memorial procession from the Vukovar Hospital to the Memorial Cemetery. Families of fallen defenders, veterans, citizens, and officials participate, placing wreaths and honoring the victims.
Across Croatia, candles glow on windowsills, creating a symbolic “chain of light.” In Vukovar, candles are lit at every key memorial site, the cemetery, the hospital memorial, and Ovčara. journals.openedition.org
Memorial cemeteries in Vukovar
Source: Google.com
Vukovar Today
Vukovar is a rebuilt city, with most of its displaced residents returned. It works on strengthening tourism, industry, agriculture, and reconciliation.
Huge progress has been made, but for many families, especially mothers still searching for their sons 34 years later, the wounds remain open.
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