Vukovar Lays Rest Hero Jean-Michel Nicolier

The news in Croatian

1. pripremiti
   Obavljati potrebne radnje da nešto bude spremno. ↩︎
2. pokop  (m.)
   Svečani ukop preminule osobe, sprovod. ↩︎
3. dobrovoljac  (m.)
   Osoba koja svojevoljno pristupila nekom poslu ili aktivnosti. ↩︎
4. ostaci  (m.)
   Dijelovi preminule osobe nakon što je tijelo bilo potpuno propalo. ↩︎
5. udruga  (f.)
   Organizacija ljudi s zajedničkim ciljem ili interesom. ↩︎
6. hrabrost  (f.)
   Sposobnost suočavanja s opasnostima i strahovima. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who is Jean-Michel Nicolier?

Question 2: What does Lyliane, Jean-Michel’s mother, ask for instead of flowers?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
pripremiti	prepare
pokop  (m.)	burial
dobrovoljac  (m.)	volunteer
ostaci  (m.)	remains
udruga  (f.)	association
hrabrost  (f.)	courage

Read the full story

The city of Vukovar, situated in Croatia, is preparing to honor one of its heroes, Jean-Michel Nicolier, with a long-awaited burial. The French volunteer, who fought and died during the Homeland War, became a lasting symbol of courage for Croatians. His remains were only recently identified, over three decades after his death in 1991, allowing for a poignant closure for his mother, Lyliane Fournier.

Fournier, reflecting on the profound mix of relief and sadness, openly shared her emotions about finally being able to bury her son. She expressed gratitude towards those who have supported her over these many years, emphasizing the duality of being overwhelmed by the massive public support while longing for a more private farewell. Despite her sorrow, she expressed her hope that all those attending will offer a moment of dignity and quiet reflection during the ceremony.

The burial, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to attract thousands. Among them will be Jean-Michel’s comrades and admirers from across Croatia, highlighting the broad respect he continues to command. Fournier has appealed for donations to the local charity, Udruga Sveti Bono, in lieu of flowers, underlining her son’s enduring connection to the Vukovar community.

In recent days, confusion arose around Fournier’s wishes regarding the display of flags. Initially, it was reported she did not want any symbols from military groups present. However, she later clarified, welcoming the presence of flags from battle units such as HOS, acknowledging her son’s connections and friendships within these ranks.

The ceremony also marks the continuation of official efforts to identify the victims of the Homeland War. Alongside Nicolier, remains of other victims, previously buried in mass graves, have been identified, demonstrating Croatia’s commitment to honoring all victims and the sacrifices made during the conflict.

Looking ahead, Fournier expressed a wish for the ongoing search and identification efforts to provide similar closure to other families still yearning for news of their loved ones. Her focus remains on the future, with plans to stay in Croatia to remain near her son’s final resting place in a country he called home.

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