Nation-Building in Memory and Space A Case Study of Memorial Sites in the Municipality of Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina Thomas Hammer Peace and Conflict Studies Department of Global Political Studies Bachelor Thesis 12 credits Spring semester 2021 Supervisor: Ivan Gusic Abstract Ethnic nationalism produces conflicts through constructing identities that include certain groups and exclude or marginalize others. This process often continues in post-war periods and hinders inter-ethnic reconciliation. Political actors proceed with constructing ethno-national identities and (re-)writing national narratives in the realm of remembering. This thesis seeks to understand how memorial sites are used for nation-building processes in post-war contexts, based on the municipality of Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This single instrumental case study analyzes two memorial sites through fieldwork, newspaper articles, and archival records. The theoretical framework builds on concepts from nationalism studies, memory studies, as well as cultural and political geography. The analysis demonstrates that the studied memorial sites are used as follows: 1) to depict the nation's objects of identification for demarcating the national Self from the Other; 2) to promote myths of victimization for unifying the group and justifying atrocities; 3) to silence narratives and memories that contradict or challenge those of the own group; and 4) to mark territory as an integral part of the spatial narrative in which public places are transformed into “owned” places. All four practices are closely interrelated and give the memorial sites meaning and authority to convey the Bosnian-Serbian nation-building project. Key words: Nationalism, Identity, Memorial sites, Space, Post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina Words: 13.998 i List of Abbreviations BiH Bosnia and Herzegovina BIRN Balkan Investigative Reporting Network CNA Center for Nonviolent Action FBiH Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina ICTY International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia IRMTC International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals RS Republika Srpska UN United Nations VRS Army of Republika Srpska (Vojska Republike Srpske) ii List of Figures Figure 1: Monument “For the Honorable Cross” in the city center of Prijedor .... 28 Figure 2: Chapel next to the monument “For the Honorable Cross” ..................... 29 Figure 3: Memorial “Memorial to fallen RS soldiers from Trnopolje” in front of the former Trnopolje camp .................................................................................... 30 Figure 4: Detail view of the monument “For the Honorable Cross” (front side) .. 32 Figure 5: Serbian Cross on coat of arms ................................................................ 32 Figure 6: The Serbian Cross used at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Prijedor .. 32 Figure 7: Culture Center in Miska Glava with nearby memorial .......................... 39 Figure 8: Memorial plaque in Stari Kevljani ......................................................... 40 Figure 9: Memorial complex at Kevljani Cemetery .............................................. 40 Figure 10: Hoisted RS flag at the border of the RS, at the entrance to the city of Prijedor, and in front of the city hall in Prijedor .................................................... 42 Figure 11: Memorial “Mining Park Composition” ................................................ 46 Figure 12: Stickers on the memorial “Mining Park Composition” ....................... 47 Figure 13: Chalk painting on the monument’s pedestal ........................................ 47 Figure 14: Pollution on the monument .................................................................. 47 Figure 15: Rusted chain fence and flagpoles at the memorial site in Trnopolje ... 48 Figure 16: Back view of the monument “For the Honorable Cross” ..................... 61 Figure 17: Monument “For the Honorable Cross” with chapel ............................. 61 Figure 18: Detail view of the depicted men on the monument .............................. 62 Figure 19: City fountain “Jereza” with the lighted monument and chapel ............ 62 Figure 20: Chapel with inscription plaque next to the monument ......................... 63 Figure 21: Detail view of the inscription on the outside wall of the chapel .......... 63 Figure 22: Inside view of the chapel ...................................................................... 64 Figure 23: Detail view of the inscription plaque on the left in the chapel ............. 64 Figure 24: Detail view of the inscription plaque on the right in the chapel .......... 64 Figure 25: Memorial “Memorial to the fallen RS soldiers from Trnopolje” ......... 65 Figure 26: Detail view of the memorial in Trnopolje ............................................ 65 iii Figure 27: Detail view of the inscription plaques on the memorial in Trnopolje .. 66 Figure 28: Memorial plaque in front of the former detention camp Keraterm ...... 67 Figure 29: Detail view of the inscription at the former Keraterm camp ................ 67 Figure 30: Kozarac Central Memorial ................................................................... 68 Figure 31: Memorial plaque in Stari Kevljani ....................................................... 69 Figure 32: Memorial complex with stone plaques at Kevljani Cemetery ............. 70 Figure 33: Memorial site at Kamičani-Kozarac Shahid Cemetery ........................ 70 Figure 34: Unmarked atrocity site: Public security station in Prijedor .................. 71 Figure 35: Unmarked atrocity site: Former detention camp Trnopolje ................. 71 Figure 36: Unmarked atrocity site: Culture Center in Miska Glava ...................... 72 Figure 37: Unmarked atrocity site: Ljubija Football Stadium ............................... 72 Figure 38: Memorial “Mining Park Composition” in Prijedor .............................. 73 Figure 39: “Memorial wall” of the memorial “Mining Park Composition” .......... 73 Figure 40: Memorial plaque on the memorial “Mining Park Composition” ......... 74 Figure 41: Memorial “Mining Park Composition” with inscription plaque .......... 74 Figure 42: Museum of Kozara ............................................................................... 75 Figure 43: Church of the Holy Trinity in Prijedor. ................................................ 75 Figure 44: Statue of Mladen Stojanović at the Liberation Square ......................... 76 Figure 45: Busts near the monument in Prijedor ................................................... 76 Figure 46: The flag of RS at the borders of RS and the city of Prijedor ............... 77 Figure 47: The flag of BiH in FBiH ...................................................................... 77 Figure 48: Serbian Cross at memorial sites ........................................................... 78 Figure 49: School next to former detention camp Trnopolje ................................. 78 iv List of Maps Map 1: Immediate surrounding of the monument “For the Honorable Cross” in the city center of Prijedor ....................................................................................... 44 Map 2: Locations of memorial sites visited during fieldwork and of former detention camps ..................................................................................................... 60 v Table of Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................. 1 1.1. Research Problem ............................................................................ 2 1.2. Aim and Research Question ............................................................ 2 1.3. Relevance to Peace and Conflict Studies ........................................ 3 1.4. Outline of the Thesis ....................................................................... 4 2. Previous Research ........................................................................ 6 2.1. Nationalism and the Construction of National Consciousness ....... 6 2.2. Memory and Memorial Sites in Post-war Contexts ........................ 7 2.3. Spatiality in Peace Research ........................................................... 8 2.4. Positioning this Thesis .................................................................... 9 3. Theoretical Framework ............................................................ 10 3.1. Nation and Nationalism ................................................................. 10 3.1.1. Defining Nation and Nationalism .................................................... 10 3.1.2. The Nation and its Boundaries ........................................................ 11 3.1.3. Heroism and Victimization .............................................................. 12 3.1.4. Operationalization of the Nation’s Boundaries and Victimization .. 13 3.2. Memorial Sites .............................................................................. 13 3.2.1. Collective Memory and Sites of Memory ....................................... 13 3.2.2. Memorialization and the Role of Memorial Sites ............................ 14 3.2.3. Counter-Memory ............................................................................. 15 3.2.4. Operationalization of Remembering and Forgetting ....................... 16 3.3. Spatiality........................................................................................ 16 3.3.1. Territoriality and the Politics of Place ............................................. 16 3.3.2. The Production