The many stories of the Krivaja

#2 Župa Jelaške

The Župa (parish) of Jelaške is of particular importance to the Catholic and Croatian residents of the entire area, as it is associated with the early writer and theologian Fra Matija Divković (1563–1631). The Franciscan was from Jelaške, a fact that is impossible to overlook in the village of Stojčići: there are information signs, a fountain, and even the parish hall of the Catholic parish is named after him, although the parish is now predominantly Jesuit in character. Fra Matija Divković was active during the Ottoman period, particularly in Olovo, which, with its ancient Marian shrine, remains an important place of pilgrimage for Catholics in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia to this day (more on this in a separate article).

#3 Monastery Udrim

The Orthodox monastery of Udrim, situated in the Gostović Valley in the Tajan Mountains, is currently being restored during my visit in July 2026. It bears a striking resemblance to the nearby monastery of Vozućica (near Vozuća). There are differing accounts of its origins, which – as is so often the case in the region – form part of a dispute over ancient status: who was there first? What rights and claims to ownership can be derived from this? Who is entitled to call the land their own? Whether the monastery was built in the pre-Ottoman Middle Ages under the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty, or between the 16th and 17th centuries – and thus during the Ottoman period – cannot be conclusively proven today on the basis of reliable sources. Regardless of this, it is an important part of the cultural heritage of the Krivaja region, where several religious communities have long lived side by side and in harmony with one another.

#4 The Ottoman Empire

Buildings such as the old mosques in Olovo and Solun (not pictured) date from the Ottoman period. The most significant change during this period was the arrival of Islam, which many Bosnians adopted and which is now the predominant religion in this region. Since then, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries in South-Eastern Europe have been among those parts of Europe where Islam is an established, indigenous religious community. The new mosque pictured here is situated in Zavidovići, right next to the football stadium. Due to its elevated position, it is visible from afar. The history of mosques in Bosnia and Herzegovina (and the rest of Yugoslavia) deserves separate consideration: interestingly, hundreds of new mosques were built in Yugoslavia during the socialist period, a great many of which were deliberately destroyed during the Bosnian War (1992–1995). Some were razed to the ground, down to their foundations, beyond recognition; these included the famous Ferhadija Mosque (Banja Luka), the Arnaudija Mosque (Banja Luka) and the Aladža Mosque (Foča). Most of the historic mosques have since been rebuilt, although this does not mean that large numbers of Muslims now live in these areas again. In the meantime, a great many new mosques have been built in Bosnia, so that their number now far exceeds that which existed before the destruction of the 1990s.

#5 Muslim cemetery

Jelaške is also of particular interest from the perspective of cemetery sociology, as there are three cemeteries here: two Muslim and one Catholic. This smaller Muslim cemetery is situated in the village of Mujezinovići, whilst the larger of the two is in Šarići. There is also a mosque with a minaret (Džamija) there. In Mujezinovići there is a smaller mosque without a minaret (Mesdžid). The photograph shows Nišani, as the Muslim gravestones are known (more on cemeteries in a separate post).

#6 Austria-Hungary

The Austro-Hungarian period is of particular significance from an economic and infrastructural perspective. During this time, there was an increase in the exploitation of timber resources and the construction of the Zavidovići–Olovo–Han Pijesak–Kusače railway line. The railway remained in operation until 1970 and is still remembered today by the valley’s inhabitants by the affectionate nickname Ćiro, the common term for narrow-gauge and forest railways in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through both world wars and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, right into the period of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Ćiro transported timber, other goods and people. Following a full-blown dispute with Sarajevo – where the Ćiro pictured here almost ended up – the residents of Zavidovići managed to ensure that it remained in the town. He is, however, kept behind locked gates in the garden of the Krivaja Villa, the former administrative centre and residence from the Austro-Hungarian era. The villa itself, a landmark of the town, was also clearly in a worrying state during my visit in July 2026, despite having held the official status of a national monument since 2018.

#7 SFRJ

The period of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY, 1943–1992) is often remembered as a time of peace and associated with positive experiences. Josip Broz Tito (JBT), head of state and hero of the partisan war against the fascist occupiers from Germany, Croatia, Italy and their allies, epitomises this era like no other. A meeting point for the mountain rescue service in Kamenica in Tajan is named after him, and my new acquaintances from Zavidovići took me there. I have often heard from Western visitors to Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries of the former Yugoslav bloc that the ‘Tito cult’ makes them feel uneasy, since, after all, he was a dictator. This view fails to recognise what references to Tito signify in Bosnia today: they are a statement in favour of a different political order, one that is understood as positive. Anyone who refers to Tito is opposed to the principles of ethnocentrism and chauvinism and, even with the benefit of hindsight, rejects the wars of the 1990s as illegitimate means. All the Tito supporters I have met in Bosnia are committed to the value of coexistence amidst diversity. Elsewhere, too, there are frequent reminders of the bygone era of brotherhood and unity (bratstvo i jedinstvo). Not only in the capital, Sarajevo, but also in Zavidovići, a main street is named after Tito (Ulica Maršala Tita).

#8 Monument

Spomenik, the word for ‘monument’, is identical in Bosnian (KMS) to the word for ‘gravestone’. In the past, monuments to fallen heroes of the Second World War could be found in many places; today, they are often exposed to severe weathering and, in some cases, have fallen into disrepair. The red star, which here forms the entire monument, used to be a common feature on the gravestones of committed communists, but today it appears to have been removed from some cemeteries, in some cases retrospectively. There are also many places in Bosnia where monuments from the socialist period are being deliberately destroyed for reasons of historical revisionism. As far as Krivaja is concerned, I am not currently aware of any such cases of permanent destruction, although individual commemorative plaques are said to have disappeared. There is a large Partisan memorial in Zavidovići, which is relatively new (erected in 1981) and is situated next to the Hotel Kristal; they can also still be seen in Vijaka, a Catholic village in the municipality of Vareš, or, as shown here in the picture, in Vozuća.

#9 Hotel Kristal

The Hotel Kristal was completed in 1976. It was regarded as the finest establishment in Zavidovići. There are numerous reminiscences, newspaper articles, features and videos online in which locals recall the hotel’s significance. “You couldn’t get in without a tie”, says one artist, recalling the glamour of those days. When I am approached whilst taking photographs and asked whether I work for a television programme (Neka televizija?), tellingly, the war is not the first reason people mention for the building’s disastrous condition. The word Privatizacija (privatisation) sums it all up in the eyes of the woman I’m speaking to, and in the very next moment she goes on to discuss the state of the privatised healthcare system. The decline of the hotel – parts of which have since burnt down – is undoubtedly closely linked to the closure of the Krivaja factory.

#10 War hospital

During the Bosnian War (1992–1995), many people were killed, displaced or left the country for good. Zavidovići, too, found itself in a situation that was at times desperate; the town had to contend with several front lines. When I asked people from Zavidovići who had spent the war there about the severity of the conflict, I was told: “Ovdje ti je bilo: Brat na brat!” – “Here, brothers fought against brothers!”. There were reportedly severe rifts within families: some family members fought outside the city limits, whilst others defended or barricaded themselves inside. Many such scenes also unfolded at the Hotel Kristal, which was soon converted into a military hospital. A woman I met there whilst taking photographs, along with a group of other women, told me she had given birth to her child there.

#11 Krivaja Factory

At present, with few exceptions, the economy is languishing in precariousness. Many inhabitants of the Krivaja continue to seek prosperity abroad. The state of this institutionally fragmented and divided country is perceived by many as dysfunctional. This institutionalised precariousness also enables many global players to set about exploiting the resources and taking over existing industry. This often occurs to the detriment of the more-than-human fabric surrounding the river, as demonstrated by examples such as a British company in Olovo (2023, 2024) or various Australian, Canadian and other companies near Vareš. This interplay of institutionalised precariousness and post-war vulnerability is also the reason why this research project refers to a damaged geography. The site of the Krivaja factory, which has been closed since 2015 and will be the subject of a separate article, is one of the most important historical witnesses to this narrative.