As of 2019, Croatia has a new national holiday celebrated on November 18. It is called Dan sjećanja na žrtve Domovinskog rata i Dan sjećanja na žrtvu Vukovara i Škabrnje. This literally translates to the Day of Remembering the Victims of the Croatia War of Independence and the Day of Remembering the Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja. It is a state holiday, so all government offices are closed.

This national holiday commemorates the memory of all the military and civilian victims of the Domovinski rat, officially called the Croatian War of Independence. On November 18, 1991, both Vukovar and Škabrnja were attacked and defeated by the Jugoslavenska narodna armija – JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) and Serbian army.

In this post, we cover:

• Battle of Vukovar
• Škabrnja Massacre
• Holiday tradition

The facts are these…

Day of Remembering the Victims of Croatia War of Independence and Day of Remembering Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja

Battle of Vukovar

Bitka za Vukovar (Battle of Vukovar) was the biggest battle in the Croatian War of Independence. Supported by the Serbian paramilitary forces, JNA laid siege to the city for 3 months.

Vukovar (view map) was defeated on November 18, 1991. The city was completely destroyed and almost razed to the ground. The destruction of Vukovar was the largest in Europe since World War II.

During these 3 months, more than 2.500 people died, including both Croatian military forces and civilians. People were also forced to leave their homes and the city. Some ended up in prison camps in Serbia.

Vukovar commemorates this holiday with a parade through the city that ends at Memorijalno groblje žrtava iz Domovinskog rata (Vukovar Memorial Cemetery). This cemetery is the largest mass grave both in Croatia and Europe since World War II. In 1998, the 938 bodies in the mass grave were exhumed and replaced with 938 white crosses.

Škabrnja Massacre

In addition, on November 18, 1991, Škabrnja (view map) in northern Dalmatia was targeted. This event is called Pokolj u Škabrnji, which means Škabrnja Massacre.

JNA, the Serbian army, and local Serbian insurgents attacked Škabrnja on the morning of November 18, 1991. Croatian soldiers were poorly armed and ultimately defeated.

Women, children, and elderly people were brutally expelled from their homes and basements. More than 60 people died, both civilians and members of the military. Most of them were also tortured and abused. Massacres and persecutions continued for several days.

The purpose of this attack was to intimidate Croats and eliminate the idea of Croatia as an independent country. Before the massacre, Škarbnja was a village without Serbian nationals and one of the richest villages in the area.

How the holiday is recognized in Croatia?

Even though this day only became a Croatian holiday in 2019, memorials and traditions have been in place long before.

As we already mentioned, there is a big gathering and a commemorative program in Vukovar every year. A parade called Kolona sjećanja (Parade of memories) passes through the city and ends at the Memorijalno groblje (Memorial cemetery).

This event is attended by prominent Croatian politicians, Croatian war veterans, citizens, and journalists. The event is usually visited by more than 65.000 people. Kolona sjećanja is also organized in Škabrnja.

Across the country, there is a tradition of lighting lanterns in memory and respect for the victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja. Croatians also lay wreaths beside the monuments to Croatian war veterans wherever they live.

Memory parades are also organized in other Croatian cities, including Pula, Zagreb, and Vodice. After all the parades and memorials, people usually attend mass to further honor those that were lost.

View our other Croatian national holidays

• All Saint’s Day (Dan svih svetih) in Croatia
• Anti-Fascist Struggle Day (Dan antifašističke borbe)
• Corpus Christi (Tijelovo)
• Day of Remembering the Victims of Croatia War of Independence and Day of Remembering Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja
• Epiphany (Bogojavljenje, Sveta tri kralja) in Croatia
• How Croatia celebrates Easter‌
• Međunarodni praznik rada (Labor Day)
• Nikolinje – Saint Nicholas’ Day
• Silvestrovo and New Year’s Eve in Croatia
• St. Lucy’s Day (Sveta Lucija)
• St. Martin’s Day (Martinje)
• Statehood Day (Dan državnosti)
• Sveti Stjepan, Štefanje (St. Stephen’s Day)
• Velika Gospa (Assumption of Mary)
• Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day (Dan pobjede i domovinske zahvalnosti)

A full list of Croatian holidays is available here.

Sources:
Bitka za Vukovar – 26. obljetnica stradanja Vukovara i Škabrnje
opcina-skabrnja.hr
Memorijalno groblje žrtava iz Domovinskog rata by vukovarnadlanu.com