Between Trieste and Istanbul

The dramatic history of the Balkan nations in the 20th century is traced in this book by Czech and Bulgarian historians, led by Jan Rychlík. Geographically, the book's scope is captured by the two cities in its title, Trieste on the western edge of the Balkans and Istanbul, the former metropolis of the Ottoman Empire, which became the capital of the newly formed Turkish Republic in the 20th century. The first half of the book consists of the intertwined destinies of the nations of the former Yugoslavia, including the dramas of the Second World War and the conflicts that erupted after Yugoslavia's dissolution. The book progressively presents the histories of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia (now officially North Macedonia), and Kosovo. Subsequent chapters cover Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. A common thread running through the entire book is the difficult legacy of the multinational Ottoman Empire, which, in an era of competing nationalisms, meant suffering for many national minorities. The book follows on from a similarly focused title, Between Vienna and Constantinople (Vyšehrad 2009), which was dedicated to the Balkan nations from the 16th century to the First World War.