Six thousand gather to celebrate birthday of Yugoslavian leader Josip Broz Tito

June 2, 2005

On May 20th in Kumrovec, Croatia, six thousand people gathered to celebrate the birthday of Josip Broz Tito and the 60th year since the victory over fascism. The day was celebrated as "Youth Day" in SFRY by the young crowd. Kumrovec is the birthplace of Tito.

People gathered not only from Croatia, but from Slovenia, Bosnia and even Serbia.

People shouted phrases like "Druže Tito, ljubičice bijela" [Comrade Tito, (you) white flower (ljubičice is a flower in several colours)] and "Od Vardara pa do Triglava" [From Vardara to Triglava]. All were common phrases in songs and public gatherings during Tito's rule.

Foreign observers might have believed they were thrown back several decades, said several newspapers. The crowd, upon gathering, started singing "Ljepe nase" [All our beloved] while the Croatian national anthem goes "Ljepa nasa" [Our loved one].

On Wednesday of the next week in Sarajevo, ceremonies were held where hundreds gathered beside the External Fire and later moved and met more observers at Tito’s statue at former the barracks of Marshal Tito. Flowers were laid at the foot Tito's statue by FBiH Vice-presidents, Sahbaz Dzihanovic and Desnica Radivojevic, and members of other groups.

Hundreds also visited Tito's grave in Belgrade, at the site former greenhouse known as the House of Flowers. Tito is interred under a large marble slab that marks his grave.