Remains of French Volunteer Nicolier Believed Found

The news in Croatian

1. pronaći
   naći nešto što je bilo skriveno ili izgubljeno ↩︎
2. ostatak  (m.)
   ono što ostane nakon što se većina ukloni ili potroši ↩︎
3. pravda  (f.)
   stanje ili kvaliteta biti pravedan; moralna ispravnost ↩︎
4. nestanak  (m.)
   čin ili stanje kada nešto prestane biti vidljivo ili dostupno ↩︎
5. rezultat  (m.)
   ishod ili zaključak do kojeg se dolazi nakon nekog procesa ↩︎
6. važnost  (f.)
   kvaliteta biti važan ili imati značajan utjecaj ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who was Jean-Michel Nicolier?

Question 2: What is currently being awaited to confirm the identity of the remains?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
pronaći	find
ostatak  (m.)	remains
pravda  (f.)	justice
nestanak  (m.)	disappearance
rezultat  (m.)	results
važnost  (f.)	importance

Read the full story

In a significant development regarding the aftermath of the Battle of Vukovar, it is being reported that the remains of Jean-Michel Nicolier, a French volunteer who fought in the Croatian War of Independence, may have been discovered. The remains were allegedly unearthed during a recent exhumation at a mass grave site known as Ovčara, located near Vukovar. While official confirmation from DNA testing remains pending, informal sources suggest that the remains are that of Nicolier, who has been missing for over three decades.

The news, reported by multiple Croatian outlets, has generated considerable attention due to the storied background of Nicolier, who at 25 years old left France to join Croatian forces at the height of the war in 1991. His story is marked by his participation in the defence of Vukovar, one of the war’s most symbolic and harrowing sieges. Nicolier was reportedly captured after the city fell and was last seen alive in the Vukovar hospital shortly before being taken to Ovčara, where prisoners faced brutal executions. Posthumously honoured by Croatia, Nicolier remained a poignant symbol of international solidarity.

The exhumation at the Ovčara site, carried out on 25 September, yielded the discovery of three sets of human remains. A news report indicates that these may include Nicolier’s, rekindling hope for his mother, Lyliane Fournier, who has spent years seeking closure and advocating for the restoration of his memory. Fournier vividly recalls her son’s courageous decision to travel to Croatia to contribute to what he described as a dire humanitarian situation. In heart-wrenching interviews, she shared how he viewed Vukovar as a “slaughterhouse” during his final days before his tragic death.

Official identification results are anticipated at a gathering scheduled for Wednesday in the National Memorial Hospital “Dr. Juraj Njavro” in Vukovar. The event is expected to feature the Croatian Minister for War Veterans, Tomo Medved, a reflection of the profound significance attached to this discovery. The emotional weight of the occasion serves as a testament to Nicolier’s lasting legacy in Croatia, where bridges and memorials have been dedicated to him.

Nicolier’s case also underscores broader efforts to account for missing persons from the war, a painful chapter in Croatian history which left thousands unaccounted for. For communities and families still awaiting answers, every development like the potential identification of Nicolier’s remains serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder of the war’s enduring scars. As the final results of the DNA analysis are awaited, there is cautious optimism that this chapter may soon reach closure.

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