Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/doi.org/10.52328/t.9.1.1
Snipers in Croatian Cities in 1991: The Real Consequences of a Phantom Threat
Marko Faber
; MA in Geography and Contemporary History, Zagreb
Abstract
In the summer and autumn of 1991, Croatian cities were flooded with stories of hidden snipers – members of the so-called “fifth column”, whose violent actions were supposedly intended to intimidate the local population. This paper approaches the phenomenon of alleged “snipers” from several angles. The first chapter describes the role of print media in spreading the narrative about snipers and an armed “fifth column”. The second chapter is dedicated to the analysis of the archival fond of the Operational Headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, in order to establish the facts about the existence and alleged activities of snipers in Croatian cities. The third part analyzes the impact of sniper hysteria on proscribed social groups in Croatian urban centers in the autumn of 1991 – primarily Serbs, Yugoslavs and families of retired and active Yugoslav People's Army officers. Finally, the paper also explores the motives that encouraged certain media and public figures to spread the narrative about the omnipresence of urban “snipers”. The paper deals with the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia, with a focus on the cities of Osijek, Zagreb, Varaždin and Šibenik.
Keywords
snipers; War in Croatia; media; fifth column; Serbs of Croatia
Hrčak ID:
347381
URI
Publication date:
25.5.2026.
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