5 - The Autumn of Radovan’s Rage

Summary

“We have entered a phase of inebriation with the nation. That’s why we are far removed from civilization, reason, and prosperity.”

Mustafa Šehović, Social Democrat delegate in the Bosnian Parliament, October 14, 1991

Sometime before September 1991, Karadžić underwent a personal and political metamorphosis. Evidence of this transformation emerged in his speech, imaginings, and actions during September as he became enraged by confrontations with rivals. As he grew increasingly frustrated by his inability to dictate the course of events, he adopted distorted interpretations of events and became deeply cynical of his rivals’ intentions. He indulged in fantasies of Bosniaks disappearing en masse, revealing a callous indifference toward the lives of non-Serbs. His dark, cynical imaginings would have profound implications for Bosnia’s future, particularly for the Bosniaks.

Sarajevo Enigma

Sarajevo, Karadžić’s adopted home, is a city of seasonal rhythms. In a ritual that seems as ancient as the hills around the city, many of Sarajevo’s residents return each September from languorous Adriatic Coast vacations to restore the city’s throbbing energy. As adults resume their workaday routines and children return to school, cool continental breezes drive the oppressive Mediterranean summer heat from the valley. Autumnal rains transform Sarajevo’s Miljacka River from a placid trickle into a roaring brown torrent, carrying mud and debris from thousands of upland peasant plots. Sarajevans, among the world’s most vocal hypochondriacs even in the best of times, turn from lamenting summer heat to complaining of “changes in pressure” and “unstable weather.” They move their conversations indoors to cramped, smoke-filled cafés and reminisce about their idyllic days of leisure in the summer sun. When one of the few clear, sun-filled autumn days falls on a weekend, they trek by the tens of thousands through the surrounding hills, pausing at outdoor cafes to enjoy a cup of coffee or a robust shot of plum brandy.