Statue of Franjo Tuđman

The Statue of Franjo Tuđman in Glina honours the first president of independent Croatia, a leader of Croatia’s independence, who led the country through the war of the 1990s and the establishment of the modern Croatian state. It stands in a public space in the centre of Glina, a small town in the Banovina region of central Croatia, and it is one of several monuments in Glina’s centre that recall the recent past, and Tuđman’s name is known across the country.

Tuđman was born in 1922 in Veliko Trgovišće, a village in Zagorje, and lived a varied life. He fought with the Partisans in the Second World War, became a general in the Yugoslav army, and later turned to history, working as a scholar and writer. His views on Croatian national questions led to conflict with the communist authorities, and he was imprisoned in the 1970s. In 1989 he founded the Croatian Democratic Union, a political party that won the first multi-party elections in 1990, and he became president of Croatia. When Croatia declared independence in 1991 and war followed, he led the country through the conflict, and he remained in office until his death in 1999. Glina, which lay in the area that was outside government control for several years during the war, returned to Croatian authority in 1995, and a statue in the town reflects the way many local people view this chapter.

Tuđman is a figure of both national pride and debate. For many Croatians he is the father of the nation, the leader who achieved independence, while others criticise aspects of his rule, including his handling of political opponents, the economy and wartime events. Monuments to him in towns and cities across the country therefore carry different meanings for different people, and a statue is as much a statement about memory as a work of art. Whatever one’s view, the statue invites reflection on how recent history is commemorated.

The monument is in an open public space, easy to find, and often included in walking tours of the town. Close to it you can find the Memorial Bust of Josip Runjanin, who composed the melody of the national anthem, and the Gordan Lederer Memorial, which honours a Croatian soldier. The Stari Most, the old bridge over the river Glina, and the Church of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist are other places on the same route, so a short walk can cover several of the town’s sights.

There are no entry fees or set visiting hours, so you can stop at your own pace. A visit takes only a few minutes. It suits visitors interested in Croatian history and politics and those exploring the Banovina region, and it is best treated as a starting point for conversation and further reading.