Peter’s Reviews > Die Brücke über die Drina > Status Update

With the commencement of the 20th century changes accelerate. Trains shorten to the travel time to Sarajevo from 2 days down to 4 hours, the annexion of Bosnia and the Balkan wars push the border of the Osman empire back to Istambul, newspaper, pupils and students bring new ideas from the big cites. A generation of rebellious angels has grown up. Where will it end? We know it.

After a short break I have return to the Drina. Višegrad enjoys a peaceful live with order, income and security. The inhabitants meet the occupying power with trust and respect. And the representatives of the new power start to blend into the local population. But, national and religious sentiments did not go away. They were only pushed to the background and start fermenting there.

The Austrian-Hungarian empire is replacing the Ottomans. Fortunately the inhabitants of Višegrad are clever enough to renounce any fracas despite the sedition of a Turkish firebrand. Looking at the generally peaceful, sometime friendly cohabitation of Muslim, Serb and Jewish inhabitants in the book I feel sad this no longer is the case. Today Višegrad is predominantly Serbian.

The bridge is finalized shortly before Mehmad Pascha is killed in a terrorist attack. It is beautiful and solid and weathers all the floods that regularly afflict the city.

This was tough, I almost discarded the book (and still might do so). Be braced for violence, when you read this.