Božo Kokan: “Znakovi pobjednika – monografija crteža hrvatskih ratnih vojnih znakova”, Školska knjiga, Zagreb, 2006.
A monography by Božo Kokan titled “Znakovi pobjednika – monografija crteža hrvatskih ratnih vojnih znakova” (The Symbols of the Winners – a monography of Croatian war military symbols) was published by “Školska knjiga”. On 195 pages there are shown designer’s work of this author who from the very begging of the Homeland War develops successfully the identity of the Croatian military symbols.
Beside the publisher’s foreword and the introduction by Dubravka Peić Čaldarović, that are available in Croatian, English, German and French, the book presents the symbols of the Croatian Armed Forces that are worn on uniforms – headgear symbols, signs of command duties and ranks, symbols of military units (colloquially known as “coats of arms”) and other signs designed in the last 15 years by Božo Kokan.
This represents roughly a half of the total of military symbols designed by this author, so we hope that in near future we may expect a new book containing the other designs. Božo Kokan is an architect, and he joined the struggle in the Homeland War at the very beginnings as a member of the 150th Brigade of the Croatian Army. Kokan’s military symbols are based on the Croatian national and military history and for the basic inspiration he used the artworks from the period of the Croatian national rulers, mostly from 11th century – some of which are illustrated in the book, as well. Although the Croatian military symbols in itself are not directly a subject of heraldic and vexillological studies, some heraldic principles used in the design, as well as the fact that the units symbols are regularly to be found on their flags, make them interesting issues for the Croatian heraldry and vexillology nevertheless.
The hardcopy book may be obtained in most of the Croatian bookshops (on-line, as well) for roughly 190 HRK (ca. 25 EUR).
CIGH