A gentle soul in cruel times
- If only I could shoot flowers at the enemy from my machine gun. – a hero who didn't hate anyone, but loved his homeland.
Dražen was born in the small town of Kozarevac in Podravina. His friend and comrade Ivica Šafarić shared that Dražen was such that he "wouldn't step on an ant", and yet he was among the first to volunteer to participate in the defense of our homeland.
He was twenty-one years old when he voluntarily reported himself to the police station in Đurđevac. It was already in April 1991. Then he goes to Vinica for training and becomes a member of the Special Purpose Unit. Dražen did not hate anyone. On the contrary, right at that time, he fell in love with a girl of the Orthodox faith. Ivica said about him: "It didn't matter to him who you were, where you came from or what you looked like. It was important to him that you were human."
He proved to be an agile and dexterous fighter, so he soon went to the first field in Erdut. There, together with his comrades, he secured local settlements and the border. He experienced his first battle a month later, when the enemy attacked the policemen in the village of Borovo.
He was soon transferred to Zagreb, to the Trstenik base, where he was offered to join the National Guard Corps. Dražen did not hesitate. Out of love for the Motherland, he became a member of the First Unit of the Second Guards Brigade, the so-called "Black Mamba", with which he went to Ljubovo.
His comrades remember how Dražen participated bravely and combatively in all actions in Lika. He selflessly helped his comrades who were ambushed. Soon, therefore, they sent him to Bania, in Viduševac. There, Dražen continued to conscientiously defend his country, also appearing for many voluntary actions.
In addition to his exceptional bravery, his comrades also remember him for his mild and friendly disposition. "Knowing Dražen Horvat meant being rich in life, because he radiated so much positivity, kindness and many, many virtues!" shared Ivica.
His comrades were most inspired by Dražen's gentleness, which surfaced even in the most difficult moments. "After many difficult situations in the war, watching wounded comrades dying and dying from too many injuries, he once in enemy positions, and during the action itself, declared: - If only I could fire flowers at the enemy from my machine gun. –“
During the defense of the city of Petrinja, Dražen gained the exceptional trust of the commander, which is why he was assigned the position of commander of the tenth. After the occupation of the city, he was sent to secure civilians and soldiers in Pokupsko. By completing that task, he goes to the field in Dumače. There his unit captured Farkašić. Dražen made a significant contribution to the magnificent defense of the town.
On October 22, 1991, Dražen and his unit launched an attack on enemy positions. They successfully liberated several Croatian villages, after which, in the evening, they came into direct combat with the enemy.
In a fierce and difficult battle, Dražen left this world forever.
In honor of the Kozareva hero, the local Community Center was named after Dražen. In front of him stands a monument to the gentle but brave Croatian hero to whom we owe our freedom.
Source: Tulić, L. 2018. Testimonies of Croatian soldiers: "Dražen Horvat was a positive of war events; he had a smile for everyone, and most of all for people". "Crne mamba.hr".
