The Monument to the Fallen Krajina Fighters, also known as the Monument on Šehitluci, was erected in memory of the partisan fighters from the Krajina brigades during World War II. The monument was built and unveiled in 1961 and is the work of the sculptor Antun Augustinčić. Augustinčić is also the author of the monument in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York and the monument to Petar Kočić located in the City Park in Banja Luka.
The monument is located on Šehitluci Hill (Banj Brdo) above Banja Luka, about five kilometers from the center. In early June 1941, a regional party meeting was held at this location to discuss preparations for the uprising. According to the author’s concept and artistic expression, the monument symbolizes the strength and unity of the people of Bosanska Krajina.
The monument is built of Brač stone and has more than a hundred different motifs carved into it, mostly of workers and peasants joining the partisan ranks and fighting against the occupiers and traitors. Inside the monument, there was a museum, and the interior walls were painted with motifs from the People’s Liberation War. These works were done by the painter, academic, and partisan fighter Ismet Mujezinović.
The monument thus became not only a historical site from where the liberation of our peoples of Krajina began but also a place for rest. The Šehitluci area is home to numerous springs, picnic spots, and various sports and recreational activities. The monument complex dedicated to the fallen fighters of Krajina has been declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
After the conflicts of the 1990s and the difficult years in Banja Luka, memories of the partisan fighters and internationalism are being forgotten, and the monument has been left to decay. As a result, it has begun to deteriorate and is currently in a dilapidated state, fenced off from access. On several occasions, it has been defaced with nationalist symbols. Recently, an observation deck was built nearby, but it is unclear when the monument’s reconstruction will begin.
