On the occasion of the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm, the Homeland War Museum Dubrovnik has traditionally organized a thematic exhibition entitled “Operation Storm in Banovina, 1995”, authored by Varina Jurica Turk, as part of its highly successful long-term museum project “Croatian War Photography.”
The exhibition presents a selection of photographs by the distinguished Croatian war photographer Željko Gašparović, taken in the Banovina region during Operation Storm. By donating these photographs to the Homeland War Museum Dubrovnik, the author made the realization of this exhibition possible.
From his remarkable wartime oeuvre, regarded as one of the finest achievements of Croatian documentary photography created during the Homeland War, Željko Gašparović also donated photographs taken in 1992 on the Southern Front, where he accompanied members of the Croatian Army’s 1st Guards Brigade “Tigers” during the military and police operation “Liberation of Southern Croatia.”
Through this exhibition, documentary war photography once again affirms its role as one of the cornerstones of Croatia’s visual memory, an invaluable museum object, and a primary historical source that vividly conveys the atmosphere and significance of key events from the Homeland War. Its fundamental purpose is to preserve an authentic record of people, places, and events, safeguarding the truth from oblivion. In this context, the role of the photographer as an eyewitness is of paramount importance. Through the camera lens, the war photographer records reality as it unfolds, creating an enduring visual testimony for future generations. Željko Gašparović is unquestionably one of those photographers whose work possesses lasting documentary and historical value.
The exhibition “Operation Storm in Banovina, 1995” is divided into two chronological and thematic sections.
The first section, through a carefully selected series of documentary photographs by Željko Gašparović, follows the victorious advance of the 125th Home Guard Regiment from Novska across the Banovina region, the successful crossing of the Sava River near Krapje, the liberation of Hrvatska Dubica and Hrvatska Kostajnica, and concludes with the ceremonial welcome and parade of the 125th Home Guard Regiment in Kutina upon its return from Operation Storm.
The second section presents a variety of scenes from the Banovina region photographed during and immediately after the conclusion of Operation Storm in August 1995. These images portray the liberated landscape, the consequences of war, and the gradual return of everyday life to the newly liberated areas.
The photographs are accompanied by an overview of the course of military operations that led to the liberation of the Banovina region during Operation Storm. The exhibition is further enriched by the video presentation “Operation Storm – The 125th Home Guard Regiment, Novska,” featuring photographs by Željko Gašparović, generously provided by the Local Heritage Museum Collection of the Town of Novska for the purposes of this exhibition.