The Destruction of Cultural Property of the Muslim Community during the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to present the process of the destruction of cultural property of the Muslim community during the warfare conducted on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in 1992–1995. The work is based on historical and press sources in Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian. Field research conducted in 2000 and 2022 to obtain information on the number of demolished and restored mosques in BiH also makes an important contribution. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with Slovak soldiers who served in NATO IFOR operations, as well as with representatives of international institutions. Research results indicate that during the war in BiH (1992–1995) the Muslim community suffered the greatest losses of cultural property. 614 mosques were destroyed. Serbian armed troops carried out most of the damage, while Croatian armed troops did less. After the war, no individual was held responsible for the destruction of cultural property. The case of BiH shows that international law still does not protect religious sites.

Keywords

• war
• threat
• law of war
• cultural assets
• religious communities
• conflict