OSLOBODENJE (LIBERATION) NEWSPAPER BUILDING

Oslobodenje (before) Avaz (after)

The Oslobodenje newspaper, founded during WWII as a anti-Nazi, anti-fascist news source. During the Bosnian war, because of it's close proximity to the front lines and the fact that it represented a anti-fascist multi-cultural Bosnia made it one of the first buildings targeted during the Bosnian war. The newspapers 10 story building was shelled relentlessly and the printing presses were moved into the long body of the building and they continued to print throughout the war, never missing a day except for one, when fuel couldn't be supplied.Sometimes circulation went down to just a few copies, when fuel or paper was in short supply. It was awarded the Sakharov prize for freedom of thought and was named newspaper of the year in 1993. Over 25 member of the staff were wounded while trying to get to and from work and 5 were killed. The building was to be left in this condition as a monument to the inhumanity of war and the savagery of the war in Bosnia.

Paddy Ashdown High representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina eventually convinced Bosnian authorities that if they wanted to change the image of Bosnia the first thing a visitor to Sarajevo sees when leaving the airport and driving downtown, shouldn't be the skeleton of this newspaper building. Eventually the building was sold, the upper portion of the building was replaced by the Avaz Business Center.

It's a bizarre sight, the old communist long body with this new building attached at the head.

I liked it better before they "fixed" it...