Croatia’s Fascist-Saluting Summer
Fans of Croatian folk-rock star Marko Perković, nicknamed Thompson, have long greeted his concerts with nationalist chanting and fascist salutes. The problem is, now there are hundreds of thousands of them — including ministers in the current government.
For over two decades, Marko Perković Thompson’s concerts have served as massive political rallies, marked by provocative messages, sloganeering, and banners. (Damir Sencar / AFP via Getty Images)
We used to have a slaughterhouse in the town of Čapljina /
Many Serb bodies were washed away by the river Neretva.
This summer, an unexpected series of events ignited a nationwide debate in Croatia about the country’s history, its political culture, and, most crucially, its future. Two massive far-right concerts (the first reportedly drawing half a million people), a military parade, and several traditional celebrations — together with strikingly inflammatory statements from government officials — left many questioning whether Croatia had lurched to the right virtually overnight.
This is not merely an exaggerated interpretation coming from a few left-wing “snowflakes.” Even one of Croatia’s major TV stations aired a special program about the events, which opened with the statement: “Half of Croatia views July 5 as the start of something beautiful, while the other half sees it as the beginning of something troubling.”
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.