Battle of Neretva 1943
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Battle of Neretva 1943 – Bitka na Neretvi
The Jablanica bridge in WWII is one of the most striking historical sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina, closely tied to the dramatic events of the Battle of the Neretva (1943) during the Second World War.
Located in the town of Jablanica, the famous railway bridge once spanned the turquoise waters of the Neretva River. During the German-led Axis offensive, Yugoslav Partisan forces found themselves cornered. In a bold tactical move, they destroyed the bridge themselves to mislead enemy forces into believing they would not attempt a river crossing there. This act became one of the most iconic moments of the entire campaign known as the Battle of Neretva.
Today, the remains of the bridge are preserved as a powerful open-air memorial. Visitors can walk right up to the twisted steel structure resting above the river gorge and imagine the intensity of the wartime struggle. The surrounding landscape is dramatic—steep mountains, fast water, and quiet valleys that contrast sharply with the site’s violent history.
For tourists, it offers both a scenic viewpoint and a deeply emotional reminder of resistance, sacrifice, and survival during World War II in the Balkans.
Movie
Battle of Neretva is a 1969 Yugoslav war film directed by Veljko Bulajić that depicts the famous WWII Battle of the Neretva (1943), when Yugoslav Partisan forces broke through an Axis encirclement in occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The film is one of the most expensive and ambitious productions in Yugoslav cinema history. It features large-scale battle scenes, international actors such as Yul Brynner, Orson Welles, and Franco Nero, and focuses on themes of resistance, survival, and sacrifice during World War II.
It is especially known for its dramatic reconstruction of the Partisan retreat and the destruction of the Neretva bridge, which became one of the most iconic moments in Balkan war cinema.
The film Battle of Neretva was indeed nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 42nd Academy Awards (1970).
- Ceremony: 1970 (films from 1969)
- Category: Best Foreign Language Film
- Result: It was nominated but did not win