New York Giants offensive tackle, David Diehl, stepped foot on Croatian soil for the first time on 1st July 2011. David is trying to retrace his roots as his maternal grandfather, Ante Bekavac, is from Lovreć, while his grandmother is from Krk. “It is a great honor to come here. This is my first time in Croatia, searching for my roots. I was in Lovreč, here I am in Split, now I go around to meet my motherland. It was an incredible experience for me, I see where I came from, where my roots are from. I am delighted and proud that I came to Croatia.”
Author: Nenad N. Bach and Darko Žubrinić
Operation "Storm" 1995 prevented genocide in Bihać area of BiH and liberated occupied parts of Croatia
Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia (MORH – Ministarstvo obrane Republike Hrvatske) provided a short 5min video about the operation “Storm”, and a photogallery. The operation started on 5th August 1995, which is celebrated as the Victory Day and as the Day of Croatian Defenders throughout of Croatia. On the photo Croatian president Tuđman and Croatian defense minister Gojko Šušak on the fortress above the town of Knin just a few days after the start of operation “Storm”.
Visnja Anic's 1991 letters from Croatia to M. Thatcher, H-D. Genscher, H. Kohl, and A. Mock
The letters by Višnja Anić, professor of English and German, Zagreb, illustrate some of endeavours of Croatian intellectuals in the defense of Croatia from Serbian aggression that started in 1991. She was then employed at the Foreign Languages School in Zagreb. She is also a talented artist, who introduced the concept of “painting with the sea” with her husband.
Croatian Viewpoint website of Jean & Ante Marinovic husband and wife team in Melbourne
Croatian Viewpoint’s mission is to bring the Croatian ‘journey to freedom’ to an English-speaking audience.‘Viewpoint’ presents an analysis of key Croatian issues from a human rights perspective, and the ‘Virtual Policnik Museum’ interprets the Croatian history of the Zadar hinterland from an ethnographic viewpoint. Croatian Viewpoint’s hosts are Ante Marinovic and Jean Lunt Marinovic, a husband & wife team, who voluntarily contribute to this independent project. Jean is the principal author and she gets her support from her husband Ante and their family, and she gets her inspiration from the courage and optimism of Croatian people.
Luka Sorkocevic 1734-1789 distinguished Croatian composer born 22 years before Mozart
Luka Sorkočević 1734-1789, one of the best European pre-Classical composers, was born in Croatian city of Dubrovnik. His two sisters were the first women-composers in Croatia.
Croatian lace proclaimed the most beautiful at international lace contest in Russia 2011
At the first International Lace festival in Vologda in Russia the Croatian lace from the town of Lepoglava was declared the most beautiful in competition with 10 countries and 36 Russian areas. On photo is Croatian lace from the island of Pag, a famous Paška čipka – Pag lace, a part of typical national costume.
Homeland defense is a right, not a crime
It is time to judge the judges.
Pope Benedict XVI in Croatia's capital Zagreb 4 and 5 June 2011
“I offer my most cordial greetings to the beloved land of Croatia!” Here I would like to introduce the main topic of my brief reflection: the theme of conscience . This cuts across all the different fields in which you are engaged and it is fundamental for a free and just society, both at national and supranational levels. Truly, the great achievements of the modern age – the recognition and guarantee of freedom of conscience, of human rights, of the freedom of science and hence of a free society – should be confirmed and developed while keeping reason and freedom open to their transcendent foundation, so as to ensure that these achievements are not undone, as unfortunately happens in not a few cases.
Pope Benedict XVI on his apostolic visit to Croatia 4 and 5 June 2011
Croatia will soon host pope Benedict XVI on 4 and 5 June 2011, which is the National Day of Croatian Families. The slogan of his visit is “Together in Christ”. For that occasion a very nice song has been composed, in which about 30 Croatian singers participate. The first international recognition of Croatia came in 879 from Pope John VIII, ie. 1132 years ago!
Songbooks of Bozidar Kunc Croatian composer now available
Croatian composer Božidar Kunc was born in 1903 in Zagreb and died 1964 in Detroit. His sister Zinka Kunc Milanov was a famous opera singer. Recently Ivana Kunc, his daughter, has issued the first CD containing his music. In 2006 Ivana Kunc gave a concert of her father’s vocal pieces at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. She has since released a studio recording of these songs entitled “Music of Božidar Kunc.” Much of the music on this CD is being presented for the first time.
“Painting with the Sea” photo art conceived in Croatia by Visnja & Marijan Anic
Višnja and Marijan Anić from Croatia’s capital Zagreb concevied a new photo art based on an intricate interplay between sea surface, light and the bottom of the sea. Dazzling sceneries discover a new world of amazing shapes and colors, captured through fascinating photos. This art is the art of nature of breathtaking beauty. Croatian coast with its very clean sea and exceptionally rich archipelago is ideal place for creating real masterpieces in this art.
Dr. Slobodan Lang: "Storm" was humanitarian operation that prevented genocide
Dr. Slobodan Lang, distinguished Croatian scholar and humanist, gave interview for the readers of the CROWN on 25 April 2011 concerning the 1995 operation “Storm”: “… This Court never heared me speaking! It is too strongly afraid of its own shameful history. And that’s why it will be a Court of shame! There will be nothing that will be remembered of it, because it did not start from anything. And that’s why it is a failure. …”
Joseph Mikulec Croatian globetrotter appearing in a silent movie 1922
Message from Angelina E. Payne, Canada: “Hello, I happened upon the name of Joseph Mikulec while watching old silent films by the National Film Preservation Foundation. It’s from 1922 and I thought that perhaps it might interest you. … I, too, would love to know what became of this interesting fellow as well as his book.” Josip Mikulec met the American president Theodore Roosevelt three times. Mikulec made thousands of kilometers on foot in the USA, China, Japan, India, South America, …
Statement by the Croatian Conference of Bishops on The Hague's Verdict
The formulation “joint criminal enterprise” is an unfounded and grave insult to the Croatian people, and to justice in general. This is also how we feel about the verdict against the Croatian state leadership at that time and the generals who led campaigns to liberate territory during the war. We believe that these judgments could provide dangerous and indirect support for new violence, as well as a source of further injustice in the world.
Blessed Easter to Mr. Gotovina, Mr. Markac, Mr. Praljak, Mr. Kordic and their families
Happy and blessed Easter to Mr. Ante Gotovina, Mr. Mladen Markac, Mr. Slobodan Praljak, Mr. Darijo Kordić, and their families from Nenad Bach, Darko Žubrinić, CROWN Team and from the readers of the CROWN. Happy and blessed Easter to all the people of good will.
Croatian generals are not guilty
The monograph [ PDF ], published in English by the Croatian Cultural Council, contains contributed articles by Milan Vuković, Josip Jurčević, Robin Harris, Mile Bogović, Miroslav Tuđman, Hrvoje Kačić (on the photo), Josip Pečarić etc. From the introducton by Hrvoje Hitrec: “In August, 1995, the Croatian Army liberated large sections of its territory, which had been occupied by the Serbs for many years. This operation is known as Operation Storm (Oluja). In Dalmatia, the most critical part of the operation was headed by Croatian general Ante Gotovina.”
Slobodan Praljak: The truth about Croatia
Slobodan Praljak: Who destroyed the bridges in Mostar and the water pipelines which connected the sources (right coast of Neretva) and the eastern part of the town? The Old Bridge was destroyed on 9th November 1993. The started investigation about the tank crew which fired on the Old Bridge, in spite of my requests was never completed by any authority of BIH or Federation of BIH. A perpetrator was produced and a lie became the “truth”.
Please help Japan
Japan has been struck by the tragedy of Biblical proportions. Pray for Japan.
Max Emanuel Cencic Croatian singing prodigy
Max Emanuel Cenčić, born in Zagreb, Croatia, is gifted with the most beautiful countertenor voice of our time. He was a member of the Vienna Boys’ Choir, subsequently pursuing a solo career. He was awarded as the best new singer of the year 2003 by “Opernwelt” magazine. His performance of Andromeda Liberata in Tokyo was named the best concert of the year 2005 in Japan. Since 2007 Max EmanueI Cencic is recording with the top-label EMI/Virgin Classics.
Andrija Buvina's 13th century Christams message Split, Croatia
The world famous portal of the Cathedral of Sv. Dujam in the city of Split had been finished in c. 1214. It is ranked among the most beautiful pieces of art in the medieval Europe. The height of the Buvina wooden doors is 5.3 m. It contains 28 scenes from the life of Jesus Christ.