They were effective and brutal at the same time. They tortured, murdered, raped and stolen. In the civil war in the former Yugoslavia, football fans played an unprecedented role. They were headed by Željko Ražnatović, a Serbian criminal and warlord.
On Sunday, May 13, 1990, eleven of the local Dinamo and the Belgrade Crvena zvezda rushed to the pitch of the Maksimir stadium in Zagreb. For many years, the meetings of these teams have electrified fans and provided emotions - not only in sports. The then Prva league in which that game was played was the highest league football league in Yugoslavia, a multinational conglomerate that perfectly reflected the mood of the divided country.
The Match That Started the War
A few days before the meeting, the first free parliamentary elections were held in Croatia, won by the Croatian Democratic Community. Its leader Franjo Tuđman, known for his nationalist views, did not hide his aspirations for independence. In the media, he defended the Ustashe, who were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Serbs during World War II.
Croats liked this rhetoric, and his choice became an impulse and a chance to create their own state. The post-election opportunity to demonstrate support for Tuđman was the match with the hated, associated with everything that is bad and Serbian, Crvena zvezda . In May 1990, Dinamo Zagreb was not only the club of the few, it was the representative of all Croatians.
Football stadiums have always been the site of political demonstrations. The Yugoslav ones too. Clashes between Serbian and Croatian fans had a long tradition. For example, in 1974 in Split, fans of the local Hajduk fought with soldiers supporting Crvenie zvezda, and the powerful brawl was managed only after the military was taken out of the stadium. Such battles have always been non-sporting and symbolic in nature. Only supporters of the opposing teams did not clash in them. Nations clashed.
A mural depicting Željko Ražnatović Arkan.
Before the mentioned game in Zagreb, there was something in the air. Before the first whistle, the Belgrade guests checked into their sector and immediately launched a verbal attack:they shouted at the host's fans that they would "kill Tuđman". They did not remain indebted, and the stones - prepared in advance - were in motion . Then, with the help of hydrochloric acid, the Croats crossed the fence and attacked the Serbs. A great battle began and it quickly spilled over to the pitch.
The police, mainly made up of Serb officials, tried to get the situation under control. She did it ineffectively and provocatively, as she directed most of her violence against Zagreb fans. Aggression has spawned aggression. For example, TV cameras recorded how Zvonimir Boban, the captain of Dinam, ran up to a policeman hitting a fan of his team with a truncheon and gave him a juicy kick. That event made the footballer for the Croatians an instant national hero, and for the Serbs - an enemy. Years later, in one of the interviews, Boban recalled:
I saw the police treating our fans badly, and I became increasingly frustrated with all the injustices done to people over the years, to fans and also to us footballers.
The fight lasted several dozen minutes. Helicopters appeared over the Maksimir stadium to evacuate the players, staff and activists of Crvena zvezdy Belgrade. The coach of the visiting team was protected by a man in a tasteful, gray suit almost until the end of his presence on the pitch. The name of the bodyguard was Željko Ražnatović. For Delije (Junak) - a radical group of Belgrade fans - he was the boss, idol and benefactor. They called him "The Ark".
"Arcana Tigers"
The civil war that broke out in the former Yugoslavia in 1991 is one of the most tragic conflicts in recent world history. The hatred between the nations that made up the state grew to sky-high, and its consequences were expulsions, mutilation, rape, murder and genocide . The fans played an important role in this "Balkan cauldron". A year after the events in Zagreb, the feuding groups took the opposite side of the barricade.
In the first weeks of the conflict, the Serbs had a big problem with the size of their army. Healthy and strong men, despite media information about the outrageous treatment of their compatriots by Croats, did not want to go to the front. Avoidance of military service was a common phenomenon. Faced with such a situation, Serbian leaders asked for help from Željko Ražnatović, who did not refuse. As the head of "Delije", thanks to his position, he organized paramilitary units called "Junaks" or "Tigers" composed of fans.
Serbian leaders asked for help from Željko Ražnatović, who did not refuse. He organized - composed of fans - paramilitary units called "Junaks" or "Tigers".
Crvena zvezda fans, fascinated by the person of "Arkana", willingly joined his army. They owed him a lot. At the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, the stands in Belgrade were politically divided. Some sectors were supported by Slobodan Milošević, others by Vuk Draszkovic or Vojislav Šešelj. Ražnatović at the request of, among others militia met with representatives of all options and united them. From then on, they jointly supported Milošević.
Around the person of "Arkana" a forest of stories grew, which only strengthened the image of a proud, brave and almost indestructible man. He was born in the small Slovenian town of Brezice on April 17, 1952. He entered the path of crime very early; he was only 17 when he was arrested for theft women's handbag.
In the early 1970s he left for the West. He specialized in bank robberies, but he was also no stranger to robberies and murder attempts. He was active all over Europe. From 1977, it was elusive for law enforcement. He escaped from the Belgian, Dutch, Austrian and German police. He later appeared in one of the Swedish courts where his associate, Calr Fabian, was being tried. Željko took two pistols into the room; one aimed at the judge and the other threw at his companion. They both jumped out of the window and they were seen so much. This spectacular action brought him fame and respect among fans. They wanted to work with him and for him.
Ražnatović loved Serbia and its lavish life, although it is not known what more. He enjoyed the privileges that came with the support of the most important Serbian politicians. He could drive a pink Cadillac around Belgrade, posed for photos with a baby tiger on his shoulder, and his wedding with singer Ceca was broadcast on state television. Arkan could afford all of this, because he and the people he recruited became the armed base of Milošević and the company. The dirty work group.
War, wealth and death
During the war in the former Yugoslavia, Željko Ražnatović's army numbered over 5,000 well-trained soldiers. The first mortars carried out at the base in Erdut were to separate the men from the boys. Prepare for inhuman actions, because the brutality that characterized "Tigers" is difficult to describe. In Vukovar, Croatia and Kosovo, they carried out executions of civilians. They murdered Muslims in Bijelin. They tortured local journalists that they would call on their Bosnian countrymen to lay down their arms. They raped women, and one of them after many years claimed that even Ražnatović himself did it:
"Arkana" came for the first time in the night, grabbed my hair and took me to my apartment. He used me there. Then he brought him back half-alive. He did the same the next day.
For Željko, the war became another opportunity to increase his wealth. His people plundered occupied houses, shops, offices and banks. They stole everything that had any material value:from an ordinary radio to gold. In return for these "favors", the boss sent them on vacation. Most often to famous Mediterranean resorts. Additionally, each soldier could count on a monthly salary - the lowest one was nearly 2,500 marks. Much for those times and circumstances.
Arkana's Tomb
Even after the end of the war, "Arkan" did not give up his criminal activities. He also never stopped loving football. In 1996, after the management of Crvena zvezda refused to sell him the club, he decided to invest in Obilić Belgrade - a small, semi-professional team from the neighborhood. Two years later, the team won the national championship and a chance to play in the Champions League. UEFA, however, blocked him from playing in qualifying. The activists of the European federation knew the past of the club's owner. They knew that he was blackmailing and threatening football referees and players of the opposing teams. Interestingly, almost immediately after the purchase of Obilić, new fans appeared at his stadium - members of the "Tigers".
On January 15, 2000, Željko Ražnatović was shot at the InterContinental Hotel in Belgrade. He died in the hospital. To this day, it is not known who was behind the attack. There are several theories for this. One of them says that the murder was ordered by the Montenegrin mafia, for which "Arkan" was a business competitor (he traded in fuel and tobacco) . According to the second hypothesis, his former friend Slobodan Milošević or his son was to be responsible for the death of the boss of the "Tigers". Apparently, the politician was afraid that Ražnatović would betray him and testify against him before the Hague tribunal. Some also argue that the murder of "Arkana" was a warning that political opponents directed at Milošević. Still others, that his doppelganger was actually shot and he changed his identity and hid somewhere.
The death of Željko Ražnatović caused a great stir among the fans of Crvena zvezda. They made pilgrimages to the coffin, which was displayed to the public. Their leader and idol passed away. Even now, in the red part of Belgrade, some people remember him with great fondness. For others, it is a symbol of cruelty, death and a terrible war.