Ex-Yugoslavia region... (July 2014: TRANSFORMERS in Podgorica)

[Mladen]

While I was talking to a friend of mine from USA couple of days ago, he told me that I should understand the Western perspective on Balkans, and how people percieves us. Since I lived most of my life outside the country I was born in, and I met variety of people with this and that opinion, but now I wanted to know what you guys think of Ex-Yugoslavia countries.

Feel free to say anything, opinions you have or had, and what changed them, prejudices you had, myths or lies you once believed or still believe, funny stories, possible visits to the region...

So, without any restrains, what do you think of the 6 republics of Ex-Yu?

[thecryptile]

Ex-Yugo states make some great guns, like the Springfield XD pistols, known as the HS2000 in their homeland (Croatia) and the new Mitchell's Mausers K98k rifles (Serbia). The old Yugoslav SKS was one of the better variants of that venerable rifle as well.

[Kobayashi Maru]

Nice. You red my mind, Mladen. I heard many opinions that varied from "you are all war criminals" to "all of your women are beautiful"... Most people I come across these days haven't even heard about it and usually confuse Serbia with Siberia.

[a wooden chair]

When I hear Balkans I think of the whole WW1 "Balken Powder Keg" thing being drilled into my head during schooling. Also a Yugoslavian man tried to sell me a gold ring that he took out of his mouth in Amsterdam. It seemed sketchy so I turned him down.

Don't really know much else but I'll be watching this thread for interesting facts!

[Robin Of House Hill]

They produce some good movie actors.

[WinterKing]

In Brazil most people are neutral about it.The older generation has troubles remembering the names of the new countries.WW1 is what comes to my mind when I think about the Balkans.

[thecryptile]

They produce some good movie actors.

No snark intended here, just genuine curiosity: Like who?

[Top Notch Balanter]

The great Goran Pandev is a Macedonian

Niko Belic from GTA IV was likely from a former Yugoslav country

Wasn't the Black Hand Gang a Yugoslavian organisation albeit before Yugoslavia existed?

[Lightning Lord]

I've been considering traveling through the region next spring, starting from non-Yugo Greece (just to see some Boarders that shall remain nameless). Then I'd just kind of go where the train/bus/hitching schedules take me from day to day. I've heard everything from "They're all super gorgeous!" to "They're going to kill you!" I generally disbelieve the latter. Nobody wants to kill a panda on holiday.

[Robin Of House Hill]

No snark intended here, just genuine curiosity: Like who?

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0784884/?ref_=tt_cl_t3

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0411964/?ref_=tt_cl_t8

[Lightning Lord]

Ooh, I think a Serbian invented electricity! Though wiki tells me he was Austrian/Croatian/American, as well as Serbian.

[thecryptile]

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0784884/?ref_=tt_cl_t3

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0411964/?ref_=tt_cl_t8

Ah, those are some pretty good actors. I loved Rade Serbedzija in "Snatch". I never would have known who you were talking about if you'd just said his name though. He'll always be "Boris the Blade" to me, lol.

[straits]

Ooh, I think a Serbian invented electricity! Though wiki tells me he was Austrian/Croatian/American, as well as Serbian.

Tesla. Serbo-Croatian. He invented the polyphase induction motor.

This is a stab at a poster, isn't it?

:bang:

[Alcibiades]

One of my best friends from college is from Sarajevo. I know she used to hate all Serbs. But, one of her best friends in college ended up being a Serb who also emigrated to the United States. That helped her mellow out on her dislike of Serbs. Because she and I are so close, I feel things like the Srebrenica massacre, while other foreign atrocities are just abstract dates and events to me.

Like others have mentioned, in school here in the states it's often refereed to as the powder keg for it's propensity to start conflict thanks to the mishmash of ethnic groups and religious sects. In college, I had a course that covered the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, so I think that gave me a decent factual basis for what happened there during the nineties.

I also read "How Soccer Explains the World" by Franklin Foer. It includes a chapter about the fans of Red Star Belgrade. As I recall, some of the worst hooligans were sort of converted a paramilitary force during the war. The leader of the group went on to prop up the soccer club Obilic during the late nineties, by pumping money into them and threatening referees and players. I found this fascinating.

Because of my friend, and because I don't regard her as an adequate fan (lol), I've taken an interest in the Bosnian soccer team. It was a real thrill to see them play the United States for the first time ever a couple weeks ago. How sweet would a Yugoslavia team be these days though? With some of those Bosnian attackers and Serb defenders!

[Darzin]

when I think of the balklands, I think of people who all hate each other, and argue constantly over who lived where at what time. Also beautiful countryside and villages.

[Mladen]

Ooh, I think a Serbian invented electricity! Though wiki tells me he was Austrian/Croatian/American, as well as Serbian.

How in God's name Tesla became American? He lived and worked in America, but as far as I know, he was indeed a Serb

Tesla. Serbo-Croatian. He invented the polyphase induction motor.

This is a stab at a poster, isn't it?

:bang:

He died before the term Serbo-Croatian started to be use...

I also read "How Soccer Explains the World" by Franklin Foer. It includes a chapter about the fans of Red Star Belgrade. As I recall, some of the worst hooligans were sort of converted a paramilitary force during the war. The leader of the group went on to prop up the soccer club Obilic during the late nineties, by pumping money into them and threatening referees and players. I found this fascinating.

Because of my friend, and because I don't regard her as an adequate fan (lol), I've taken an interest in the Bosnian soccer team. It was a real thrill to see them play the United States for the first time ever a couple weeks ago. How sweet would a Yugoslavia team be these days though? With some of those Bosnian attackers and Serb defenders!

Ahh, yes, football fans (I am European after all :))... The worst of the worst... From Belgrade to Split and Zagreb, and Podgorica... There's a reason why I haven't visited the stadium in a really long time...

But, interesting thing about sports. When you see how great national teams are, you have to wonder whether the united national teams would lose from anybody.

They produce some good movie actors.

And directors too... Emir Kusturica and Srdjan Dragojevic...

[Lightning Lord]

Wikipedia claims he was a naturalized American citizen from 1891 until his death in 1943 *shrug*

[Mladen]

Wikipedia claims he was a naturalized American citizen from 1891 until his death in 1943 *shrug*

He was naturalized yes, but his etnicity is Serbian... I could be citizen of USA, and still be a Serb...

[Pero the first of His name]

Wikipedia claims he was a naturalized American citizen from 1891 until his death in 1943 *shrug*

Tesla was pretty asocial and not motivated by gain (thus not minding all the thievery from Edison and others that much).

But he never failed to extend certain courtasies wether he cared for these things or not:

To Serbs and Croatians talking about the country he was born in and his family origins.

To Americans by accepting another nationality.

To religion because the people around him and his parents.

Lets talk fun now.

It is said that in his last years he was obsessed with the number three.

Was it something concerning forces of nature? Did he go Rhaegar-mode about some prophercy telling about the only hope for human race?

Did he use those pidgeons he fed to carry secret mesagges guided by electromagnetism?

Is GRRM his grandson?

[bbstark]

Tesla. Serbo-Croatian. He invented the polyphase induction motor.

This is a stab at a poster, isn't it?

:bang:

well Tesla was born to Serbian (Eastern Orthodox) parents, in Smiljan, which has always been Croatia, but at the time was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. He also attended Uni in Vienna, so that's maybe where the Austrian nationality misconception comes from?

According to his biographer Marc J. Seifer, he considered himself both serbian and croatian :)

He also had a number of patents that allowed Marconi to come up with radio, he had the first idea for radar, apparently discovered xrays, and built the first hydroelectric plant (in Niagra falls)... oh yeah, and alternating current ;)

Though usually people don't want to hear all that history, everyone wants to just know "what's gonna be on the test", and that's all covered here :P

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=3gOR91oentQ

eta. Seifer also claims "Many years before pigeons, Tesla showered his affections on the family cat, Macak" aww, what a nice guy!