Hrvatski Bog Mars
The short story collection Croatian god Mars by Miroslav Krleža is one of the most important anti-war works of Croatian literature. It was first issued in 1922, then in 1933, and took its final form in 1947.
Through nine novels, Krleža realistically and brutally describes the horrors of the First World War, exposing the senselessness of war suffering and the fate of ordinary soldiers, mostly conscripted Croatian peasants and workers, in the Austro-Hungarian army. The author shows the cruelty of the military machine, the hierarchy that stifles individuality, and the hypocrisy of political and military structures.
Krleža's characters are people without a choice, pushed into a conflict they don't understand, condemned to suffering, death or moral decay. His language is rich, expressive and often full of irony, while the tone of the work is pessimistic and rebellious. The novella Baraka Pet Be stands out in particular, which describes the agony of wounded soldiers left to their fate. With this work, Krleža not only criticizes the war, but also points to the broader social and political context that shapes the destinies of individuals.
One copy is available
