The Guardian UK has a fantastic article up about Radovan Karadzic’s days in hiding in Belgrade. Apparently he posed as a weird mystic beardo who spent a lot of time at a local bar called The Madhouse. Filled with photos of old icons of Serb nationalism and dudes singing Serbian songs, it sounds kind of like what the Rainbow on the Sunset Strip is to hair metal.
And speaking of metal, apparently Karadzic would rock out there on occasion!
There were many stories being told yesterday about the man the locals knew as Doctor David, psychiatrist holistic health guru and mystic. But one winter’s night in particular was passing speedily into folklore.
That night, there was a jamming session on the gusle, the one-string fiddle played across the Balkans to accompany epic poetry. Dabic turned up to listen and was eventually persuaded to join in. Those present that night shook their heads yesterday in disbelief at the memory. There was Radovan Karadzic, their hero and icon, playing the gusle for them under his own portrait, and no one had a clue who he was. It was the stuff of legend.
Reading about Karadzic’s interest in weird new-age spiritualism, pseudo-science, and folk art, I see the parallels between Karadzic and Hitler becoming all the clearer. I wonder, after he’s put to death in the Hague, if somebody will print some fake Karadzic Diaries.
Here’s a clip of some kid rocking out on the gusle, if you wanna see how it’s done.