Memory and Justice: www.memoryandjustice.org

Discussion of Sarajevo Roses

By maintaining these poignant reminders of the siege, the people of Sarajevo have continued to rebuild their city without forgetting their past. The memorials are an uncontroversial and apolitical demonstration of the havoc of the war and the scars that it leaves on survivors. Unlike many monuments in Bosnia, the Sarajevo Roses do not provide any personal information about the victims––including, most significantly, their national group, whether Serb, Croat, or Muslim. Nor do most of the Roses offer a particular interpretation of the victims’ suffering. Instead, a simple scar delivers a powerful message. Some of the Roses are accompanied by explanatory plaques, but these are arguably less effective, because they tell passersby what to think.

In a multi-national city like Sarajevo, which is trying to recover from one of the most contentious national conflicts of modern times, these transparent testaments to the destruction of war serve to honor those who died while also reconciling them with those who remain.

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