Geographies of loss

Abstract

At first glance, the 20-minute drive from the Nikola Tesla airport into Belgrade, the cosmopolitan capital of Serbia, seems typical. The fields and buildings you pass on your way into the city are no different than those you find near other airports in the region. So, when you catch sight of an exit on the highway that reads “Batajnica”, there is no reason to give it any more thought than any other exit. As you enter the city limits, Belgrade carries on with its daily tasks. Locals are walking in the streets on a cold November morning, smoking in the cafes, catching up with their friends. There are clear signs of post-socialist capitalism everywhere as the main shopping street, Knez Mihailova, is filled with Western brands. The American “Black Friday” is advertised in several window shops. Belgrade is a place looking toward the future rather than the past. A first-time visitor may never find out, need never know, about the crime scene that lies fallow between the airport and the city center.