The History Beneath My Feet | The Hidden Story of Čardačani

An Englishman in the Balkans is a weekly podcast about the people, places and everyday life of Bosnia and Herzegovina, told by David Bailey, who has lived here for more than 25 years. New episodes arrive every Tuesday.

I have lived in the village of Čardačani, just outside Laktaši in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, for almost twenty-four years.

I know its lanes, fields and changing seasons. I have watched the River Turjanica shrink during periods of drought and listened to the sounds of the Vrbas Valley waking at dawn.

But recently, I realised that I knew remarkably little about the history beneath my own feet.

In this episode, I begin exploring the hidden story of the village I call home. It is a story that may stretch back to ancient routes through the Vrbas Valley and the Ottoman origins of the name Čardačani.

I look at how the surrounding area changed after the Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878, when Italian, German, Polish, Ukrainian and other families settled across nearby Lijevče polje.

I also explore the difficult history of the Second World War, when the bridge at Klašnica became strategically important and fighting between Partisan, Chetnik, Home Guard and German-supported forces came remarkably close to the village.

There are still unanswered questions: the precise location of the old school, the houses connected with wartime events and the memories that may still survive among local families.

This episode is therefore not the final history of Čardačani. It is the beginning of a longer journey.

If your family has photographs, documents or memories connected with Čardačani, Klašnica or the surrounding villages, I would genuinely love to hear from you.

Sometimes the most fascinating history is not found in famous cities or grand museums. Sometimes it is waiting quietly beneath our own feet.

Thanks for listening. If this episode was worth your time, the best thing you can do is pass it on to someone who'd enjoy it.

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