Nedeljko “Neđo” Galić

In memoriam

NEDELJKO NEĐO GALIĆ - BOSNIAN SCHINDLER FROM LJUBUŠKI (1949-17.10.2010) Neđo Galić was a protagonist in a time when it was difficult to be a man, when it was difficult to be brave: during the war he saved known and unknown Bosniaks from Ljubuški who had fallen into the Mostar heliport camp. Neđo Galić (1949–2010), a man from the town of Ljubuški (BiH), became a hero during the Bosnian War for his acts of selflessness and courage. Born into a partisan family, Neđo was always progressive, open-minded, and deeply humanist in his values. He was a mechanic by profession, but his talents extended to music, poetry, photography, and radio communication. In 1981, he married Štefica, and they built a beautiful life together, raising three children and running a photography shop called Foto 88. When the Bosnian War began, the Galić family's peaceful life was turned upside down. As ethnic tensions escalated, many Bosniaks from Ljubuški, who had been disarmed by the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), were arrested and taken to a camp at the Mostar heliport. Neđo, who could not stand to see such injustice, began helping these Bosniaks, providing them with refuge and forging guarantee letters to help them escape the camp. His house became a sanctuary for those in need, while others turned away. Neđo and Štefica worked tirelessly, night and day, to save as many lives as they could. People from nearby towns, like Čapljina and Stolac, also sought their help. Despite the risk, they never hesitated, even when it meant sacrificing their own safety. As the situation worsened, they faced isolation from their own community. Their shop went bankrupt, and their neighbors ignored them. But Neđo believed that he couldn't live with the shame of doing nothing. In 1994, the Galićs left Ljubuški and moved to Prague at the invitation of a friend. For a brief period, they found peace, but Neđo soon became nostalgic for his home. They returned to Ljubuški, but life there was hard. Their health and finances suffered, and they were still shunned by the community. Neđo's health deteriorated, and he was diagnosed with a serious illness. Despite undergoing surgery and receiving chemotherapy, his condition worsened. Neđo's life was filled with pain, not just from his illness but from the emotional toll of his isolation. He passed away in 2001, at the age of 52, after a long battle with his health. His death left a profound emptiness in the lives of those who knew him, but his legacy of bravery and compassion lives on. Neđo Galić will always be remembered as a man who chose to act in the face of danger, a true hero who never turned his back on those in need.

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