Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Yugoslavia

  • Slovenia: A young, independent country

    The maps of the world are ever-changing as small principalities grow into mighty empires, which, in their turn, decline and break apart. The Slovenians, ever since their arrival from the Eastern European plains, have been part of several permutations and combinations, eventually belonging to the Habsburg Empire, which itself began as a small territory at…

  • Serbia: History, war, and medicine

    The territory of present-day Serbia has been inhabited since prehistoric times, most notably by the Vinča culture (c. 5700–4500 BCE), one of Europe’s earliest advanced societies. This sophisticated civilization produced early forms of proto-writing and advanced ceramic artistry as well as early medical awareness, including trepanation to treat trauma or neurological conditions. The region later…

  • Studying medicine

    Matko MarusicCroatia The author studied medicine from 1965 to 1970, at the Zagreb University School of Medicine, the capital city of Croatia, in the country that at that time was called Yugoslavia. It was under communist rule (until 1990). The home town of the author is Split, on the Adriatic coast, some 200 miles south…

  • A message

    Mira Talaja Split, Croatia Standing in a clearing on Lake Peruca, I awaited the completion of the negotiations and approval to pass through occupied territory. It was late autumn 1993, and I accompanied the Red Cross medical corps and served as a translator. International forces came to the area to reach a ceasefire agreement, facilitate entry,…