CROWN - Croatian World Network - http://www.croatia.org/crown
Dr. Vesna Bosanac 1949-2022 Croatian hero of the city of Vukovar
http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11374/1/Dr-Vesna-Bosanac-1949-2022-Croatian-hero-of-the-city-of-Vukovar.html
By Nenad N. Bach and Darko Žubrinić
Published on 03/23/2023
 
Dr. Vesna Bosanac was born in 1949 in the city of Subotica, and her family moved to the Borovo Naselje near Vukovar when she was less than 1 year old. Her grandmother was Bunjevci Croatian. Since July 1991, during the Serbian military aggression on Croatia, she was emolyed as the director of the famous Vukovar Hospital. Until the end of 1991, during the most savage bombing and shelling of the city, The Vukovar Hospital took care of about 4000 people. About 2250 people underwent difficult and long term operations. Each day approximately 700 (seven hundred) granades was falling on the building of the hospital.

Director of the Vukovar Hospital since July 1991



Dr. Vesna Bosanac with her colleagues (on the right, Dr. Juraj Njavro) in the Vukovar Hospital in 1991.
Two Vukovar legends: Dr. Vesna Bosanac and Dr. Juraj Njavro,
medical doctors, humanists and patriots.


Dr. Vesna Bosanac

Dr. Vesna Bosanac was born in 1949 in the city of Subotica, and her family moved to the Borovo Naselje near Vukovar when she was less than 1 year old. Her grandmother was Bunjevci Croatian.

She studied medical sciences at the University of Zagreb, specilizing in pediatrcs.

Since July 1991, during the Serbian military aggression on Croatia, she was emolyed as the director of the famous Vukovar Hospital. Until the end of 1991, during the most savage bombing and shelling of the city, The Vukovar Hospital took care of about 4000 people during the Serbian 1991 aggression, until November 20th, 1991.

About 2250 people underwent difficult and long term operations. Each day approximately 700 (seven hundred) granades was falling on the building of the hospital. The work of medicinal staff was going on in extremely difficult conditions, often without necessary equipment, even without electricity, food and water, in the celler and atomic shelter of the hospital, since the building was totally destroyed.

With late Dr. Juraj Njavro, Dr. Vesna Bosanac is the most important person for organizing medical care in Vukovar. Both of them are decorated with the highest Croatian state distinctions.

The Vukovar Hospital in 1991
History of Croatian medicine



Vukovar in November 1991, after three months of continuous Serbian shelling and bombing of this Croatian Baroque City.


At the entrance to the Vukovar Hospital.
From this spot, on 18 November 1991, the ex-Yugoslav Army and Serbian paramilitary
took 261 wounded Vukovar defenders, civilians and members of the hospital staff.
Two hundred of them have been assasinated, contrary to the Geneva Convention.
The destiny of the rest is unknown.
On the photo, Mrs. Verica Thune-Kostelić from Zagreb.



We provide the names of twenty emloyees of the War Vukovar Hospital executed at Ovčara near Vukovar (the mass grave contains more than 200 persons executed by Serbian military):
  1. Jozo Adžaga
  2. Ilija Asađanin
  3. Ivan Banrauch
  4. Tomslav Bosanac
  5. Ivan Buovac
  6. Dragan Gavrić
  7. Zlatko Jarabek
  8. Đuro Knežić
  9. Zlatko Krajnović
  10. Tomislav Mihović
  11. Tomisalv Papp
  12. Tomo Pravdić
  13. Stjepan Šarik
  14. Đuro Šrenk
  15. Zvonko Varenica
  16. Goran Vidoš
  17. Mato Vlaho
  18. Miroslav Vlaho
  19. Josip Zeljko
  20. Mihajlo Zera

Four employees of the Vukovar Hospital that were detained druging the Serbian occupation of the city in 1991, and whose destiny is still not known, are:

  1. Ivan Baranjek
  2. Marko Mandić
  3. Ivan Božak
  4. Zovnko Vulić

Twelve identified employees of the Vukovar Hospital, assasinated or victims of the 1991 aggression:

  1. Vlasta Aleksandar
  2. Karlo Crk
  3. Dušica Jeremić
  4. Ljubica Kojić
  5. Goran Krznarić
  6. Nevenka Matić
  7. Zdenka Miličević
  8. Ljubica Obradović
  9. Ivan Raguž
  10. Marica Stanek
  11. Blanka Stefanjuk
  12. Rudolf Terek

In conclusion, there are altogether thirty two (32) employees of the Vukovar Hospital, victims of the Serbian aggression on the city, and four detained employees whose destiny is unknown.


















More than two hundred and sixty Croats have been transported by the Serbs from the Vukovar hospital to the nearby location of Ovčara, killed there and dumped in a massive grave in one day. Below is the list of victims from the Vukovar Hospital. It should be emphasised that this is just a part of Vukovar's victims: there were 1624 victims of the 1991 Serbian aggression (105 of them were soldiers), 2500 wounded (500 of them invalids), and the destiny of 350 is still unknown. About 8000 people went through Serbian concentration camps, maltreated in various ways, by tortures, psychical exhausting, rapes, etc.




  1. Zvonimir (Ivica) Abramović
  2. Jozo (Ilija) Adžaga
  3. Ismet - Ivo (Marijan) Ahmetović
  4. Vinko (Marko) Andrijanić
  5. Jadranko (Ante) Anić-Antić (nestao)
  6. Krešimir (Alojz) Arnold
  7. Ilija (Jovan) Asađanin
  8. Dražen (Josip) Babić
  9. Ivan (Stjepan) Bainrauch
  10. Tomislav (Franjo) Bajnrauh
  11. Goran (Stojan) Baketa (nestao)
  12. Stjepan (Andrija) Balaš
  13. Dragutin (Josip) Balog
  14. Zvonko (Ivan) Balog
  15. Josip (Dragutin) Balog
  16. Đuro (Andrija) Balvanac
  17. Boris (Đuro) Banožić
  18. Pero (Ratko) Baranjaji
  19. Branko (Jozo) Barbarić (nestao)
  20. Lovro (Ivan) Barbir
  21. Đuka (Đuro) Barić
  22. Željko (Stjepan) Baričević
  23. Franjo (Andrija) Barišić
  24. Anđelko (Ivan) Barta
  25. Josip (Danijel) Batarelo (nestao)
  26. Željko (Ante) Batarelo
  27. Tomislav (Tomislav) Baumgertner
  28. Marko (Ivo) Begčević
  29. Željko (Mato) Begov
  30. Stjepan (Stjepan) Bingula
  31. Ringo (Nikola) Bjelanović
  32. Miroslav (Mijo) Blašković
  33. Zlatko (Zdenko) Blažević
  34. Ante (Marjan) Bodrožić (nestao)
  35. Marko (Jura) Bosak
  36. Dragutin (Vladoslav) Bosanac
  37. Tomislav (Antun) Bosanac
  38. Josip (Ilija) Bošnjakov (nestao)
  39. Ivan (Franjo) Božak (nestao)
  40. Zvonimir (Ivan) Bračić (nestao)
  41. Josip (Šime) Bradarić (nestao)
  42. Josip (Pavo) Brajdić
  43. Ivan (Ilija) Buovac
  44. Zvonko (Stjepan) Bužić (nestao)
  45. Đorđe (Đuro) Bukvić
  46. Ivan (Slavko) Crnjac
  47. Ivica (Blago) Čolak (nestao)
  48. Zvonimir (Nikola) Čaleta
  49. Stanoja (Boško) Čupić
  50. Mladen (Marko) Čupić (nestao)
  51. Tihomir (Zvonko) Dalić
  52. Ivica (Petar) Dolišni
  53. Ivan (Ivan) Došen (nestao)
  54. Martin (Ivan) Došen (nestao)
  55. Tadija (Ivan) Došen (nestao)
  56. Josip (Srećko) Dragun
  57. Stanko (Vladimir) Duvnjak
  58. Saša (Đuro) Đuđar
  59. Vladimir (Ivan) Đukić
  60. Đuro (Vinko) Ebner
  61. Karlo (Ištvan) Fituš (nestao)
  62. Dragutin (Matija) Friščić
  63. Petar (Danko) Furundžija
  64. Robert (Mihajlo) Gajda
  65. Milenko (Mate) Galić
  66. Vedran (Vladimir) Galić
  67. Borislav (Ivan) Garvanović
  68. Dragan (Pavo) Gavrić
  69. Zorislav (Dragutin) Gašpar (nestao)
  70. Siniša (Petar) Glavašević
  71. Joze (Nuo) Gojani (nestao)
  72. Krunoslav (Veljko) Golac
  73. Branislav (Vladimir) Graf
  74. Dragan (Mile) Granić
  75. Milan (Mato) Grejza (nestao)
  76. Zoran (Ilija) Gruber
  77. Drago (Ivan) Gudelj
  78. Tomislav (Franjo) Hegeduš (nestao)
  79. Mario (Dragutin) Hegedušić
  80. Željko (Slavko) Herceg
  81. Ivan (Dragutin) Herman
  82. Stjepan (Antun) Herman
  83. Nedjeljko (Anđelko) Hlevnjak
  84. Nikica (Ivan) Holjevac
  85. Ivica (Josip) Horvat
  86. Viktor (Šimun) Horvat (nestao)
  87. Nedjeljko (Juraj) Husnjak
  88. Zdenko (Zdravko) Iličić (nestao)
  89. Zvonko (Ivan) Ileš
  90. Ivica (Pavla) Imbrišić
  91. Zlatko (Eugen) Ivan (nestao)
  92. Aleksandar (Ivan) Ivezić
  93. Marko (Ivan) Jajalo
  94. Martin (Ivan) Jakubovski
  95. Ljubomir (Antun) Jaloševac
  96. Tomo (Dragutin) Jambor
  97. Mihael (Antun) Janić
  98. Borislav (Ivan) Janjić (nestao)
  99. Boris (Đuro) Jantol
  100. Zlatko (Kamilo) Jarabek
  101. Ivica (Stipa) Jezidžić
  102. Zvonimir (Zlatko) Jovan
  103. Branko (Todor) Jovanović
  104. Oliver (Đuro) Jovanović
  105. Goran (Andrija) Jularić (nestao)
  106. Damir (Tomislav) Jurela
  107. Željko (Božo) Jurela
  108. Drago (Juro) Jurendić
  109. Marko ( Franjo) Jurišić
  110. Pavao (Pavo) Jurišić
  111. Željko ( Rude) Jurišić
  112. Igor (Petar) Kačić
  113. Josip ( Josip) Kapustić
  114. Krešimir ( Ante) Kelava
  115. Goran ( Mitar) Kitić
  116. Đuro ( Franjo) Knežević
  117. Tomislav (Dobroslav) Kolak
  118. Vladimir (Dobroslav) Kolak
  119. Duško (Josip) Kologranić (nestao)
  120. Ivan (Petar) Komorski
  121. Bono (Andrija) Kostenac (nestao)
  122. Borislav (Ante) Kostović
  123. Božidar (Mirko) Košir
  124. Ivan (Mate) Kovač
  125. Mladen (Branko) Kovač (nestao)
  126. Damir (Tomo) Kovačić (nestao)
  127. Zoran (Zlatko) Kovačević
  128. Josip (Frano) Kožul
  129. Ivan (Luka) Krajinović
  130. Zlatko (Ante) Krajinović
  131. Ivan (Petar) Krasić
  132. Ivica (Hrvoje) Krezo
  133. Kazimir (Branko) Krističević
  134. Drago (Jozo) Križan (nestali)
  135. Branimir (Mate) Kruneš
  136. Zvonimir (Filip) Lerotić (nestao)
  137. Tomislav (Branko) Lesić
  138. Mihailo (Đuro) Let
  139. Dragutin (Dragutin) Lili
  140. Tihomir (Đorđe) Lončar (nestao)
  141. Dragutin (Lovre) Lovrić
  142. Jozo (Lovro) Lovrić (nestao)
  143. Joko (Ivo) Lovrić
  144. Marko (Mijat) Lucić
  145. Branko (Ivan) Lukenda (nestao)
  146. Mato (Marko) Lukić
  147. Hrvoje (Luka) Ljubas
  148. Mile (Ivan) Magdić (nestao)
  149. Predrag (Mihajlo) Magoč
  150. Robert (Tvrtko) Majić (nestao)
  151. Željko (Stjepan) Major
  152. Marko (Antun) Mandić (nestao)
  153. Zdenko (Marko) Maričić
  154. Martin (Marko) Marjanović (nestao)
  155. Ivan (Antun) Mažar (nestao)
  156. Ružica (Pero) Markobašić
  157. Andrija (Janko) Međeši
  158. Zoran (Andrija) Međeši
  159. Zoran (Andrija) Međeši
  160. Josip (Valent) Mihalec
  161. Ohran (Muhamed) Merić (nestao)
  162. Tomislav (Gašpar) Mihović
  163. Josip (Stjepan) Mikletić (nestao)
  164. Zdravko (Slavko) Mikulić
  165. Slavko (Mijo) Milić
  166. Zvonimir (Ivan) Miljak (nestao)
  167. Ivan (Marko) Mišić
  168. Mile (Pavo) Mlinarić
  169. Andrija (Stevan) Mokoš
  170. Aleksandar (Stjepan) Molnar
  171. Antun (Antun) Mutvar
  172. Darko (Vladimir) Nađ
  173. Franjo (Franjo) Nađ
  174. Ivan (Milan) Nejašmić
  175. Jean (Michel) Nicollier (nestao)
  176. Mersad (Jusuf) Omerović (nestao)
  177. Mufat (Đemal) Omerović
  178. Vladislav (Stjepan) Oreški
  179. Ivan (Dragutin) Oreški (nestao)
  180. Tomislav (Andrija) Papp
  181. Željko (Nikola) Patarić
  182. Slobodan (Adam) Pavlić
  183. Zlatko (Đuro) Pavlović
  184. Mato (Anto) Perak
  185. Aleksandar (Branko) Perko
  186. Damir (Josip) Perković
  187. Josip (Jure) Perković
  188. Stjepan (Stanko) Petrović
  189. Nikola (Nikola) Pinter
  190. Ivan-Zvonimir (Mato) Plavšić
  191. Janja (Stjepan) Podhorski
  192. Damir (Ivan) Polhert
  193. Branimir (Vojin) Polovina
  194. Vjekoslav (Ignac) Poljak
  195. Stanko (Gustav) Posavec
  196. Tomo (Pero) Pravdić
  197. Tomislav (Milan) Prpić (nestao)
  198. Dmitar (Nikola) Pucar
  199. Ivo (Slavko) Radačić
  200. Ivan (Antun) Raguž
  201. Krešimir (Milan) Ratković
  202. Milan (Franjo) Rašić
  203. Marko (Ivan) Ribičić
  204. Salvador (Slavko) Rimac
  205. Karlo (Antal) Rohaček
  206. Željko (Karlo) Rohaček
  207. Ćeman (Azem) Saiti (nestao)
  208. Damjan (Marko) Samardžić (nestao)
  209. Tihomir (Dragoslav) Savanović (nestao)
  210. Ivan (Martin) Senčić (nestao)
  211. Stipan (Jozo) Sotinac (nestao)
  212. Pavao (Ivan) Spudić
  213. Marko (Mate) Stanić
  214. Željko (Niko) Stanić
  215. Petar (Vasilj) Stefanko
  216. Ivan (Živko) Stojanović
  217. Ljubomir (Vladimir) Stubičar
  218. Davor (Martin) Šajtović
  219. Martin (Adam) Šajtović
  220. Stjepan (Stefan) Šarik (nestao)
  221. Sead ( Hasan) Šaškin
  222. Pero (Marko) Šimunić
  223. Vjekoslav (Vladimir) Šindilj
  224. Đuro (Gabrijel) Šrenk
  225. Dražen (Juraj) Štefulj
  226. Antun (Josip) Tabaček (nestao)
  227. Tadija (Jozo) Tadić
  228. Dujo (Jozo) Tarle (nestao)
  229. Antun (Božidar) Terek
  230. Darko (Tomo) Tišljarić
  231. Ivica (Palvo) Tivanovac
  232. Tihomir (Albin) Tomašić
  233. Željko (Ivan) Tordinac
  234. Tomislav (Eugen) Tot
  235. Tihomir (Petar) Praljić
  236. Petar (Petar) Turk
  237. Miroslav (Antun) Turk
  238. Dane (Jozo) Tustonjić
  239. Dragica (Viktor) Tuškan (nestala)
  240. Dražen (Dragutin) Tuškan (nestao)
  241. Branko (Martin) Ušak
  242. Mirko (Josipa) Vagenhofer
  243. Zvonko (Franjo) Varenica
  244. Vladimir (Josip) Varga
  245. Mikajilo (Đorđe) Vasić
  246. Siniša (Vladimir) Veber
  247. Goran (Mate) Vidoš
  248. Žarko (Jovan) Vilenica
  249. Anton (Antun) Virges
  250. Mate (Drago) Vlaho
  251. Miroslav (Marko) Vlaho
  252. Zlatan (Ljubo) Voloder
  253. Harllan (Dušan) Von Besingger (nestao)
  254. Zlatko (Antun) Vujević
  255. Slaven (Josip) Vukojević
  256. Rudolf (Rudlf) Vuković
  257. Vladimir (Zlatko) Vuković
  258. Zdravko (Nikola) Vuković
  259. Ivan (Ante) Vulić (nestao)
  260. Zvonko (Ivan) Vulić (nestao)
  261. Vid (Vid) Vulić (nestao)
  262. Josip (Danko) Zeljko
  263. Mihajlo (Vasilj) Zera
  264. Dominik (Stjepan) Žeravica (nestao)
  265. Damir (Josip) Živković (nestao)
  266. Goran (Pavao) Živković (nestao)
  267. Borislav (Mato) Žugec

Početkom listopada 1991. na farmi Ovčara, pet kilometara istočno od Vukovara, srpski agresori otvorili su konc logor. Kroz njega je prošlo oko 4000 zatočenika. U ovom logoru ubijeno je 200 zatočenika, a ostali s ovoga popisa još se vode kao nestali.

Many thanks to Mr. Mladen Pavković, Koprivnica, Croatia, for the list.






In 1997 the hospital was reintegrated into the medical system of the Republic of Croatia, and in 1998 its complete renewal was started.


Nenad Bach and Dr. Vesna Bosanac, director of the Vukovar Hospital

December 2016: At the Vukovar water tower - a symbol of freedom. Photo by Vanja Vidakovic.


Vukovar water tower is one of the symbols of the city of Vukovar during the Battle of Vukovar and the Croatian War of Independence, when the water tower and the city itself were largely destroyed by the ex-Yugoslav (i.e., Serbian) forces.


Nenad Bach at the top of the Vukovar water tower. Stop the wars. World Peace in One Hour. Photo by Vanja Vidakovic.



Interview for Vukovarske Novine, December 9, 2016.