Boris Dežulović
A sharp-witted Croatian satirist whose magazine Feral Tribune used humor as a scalpel to dissect nationalism and political corruption.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Croatian journalist, writer and columnist·Birthday: November 20·Baby Boomers
Biography
Boris Dežulović emerged as a defining voice in the chaotic aftermath of Yugoslavia's collapse, wielding satire not as mere comedy but as a form of moral resistance. As a co-founder and columnist for the Split-based weekly *Feral Tribune*, he helped craft a publication that was fearless, absurd, and lethally accurate. During the 1990s, when Croatia was forged in war and nationalist fervor, *Feral* mocked the powerful—from President Franjo Tuđman to the Catholic Church—with a blend of surreal collage and biting prose. Dežulović's writing, often personal and darkly humorous, dissected the pathologies of post-communist transition, crime, and the absurdities of daily life in a fractured state. The magazine faced lawsuits, financial pressure, and political hostility, but it became a beacon for independent journalism. After *Feral*'s closure, Dežulović continued as a columnist and author, his voice remaining a necessary irritant, reminding readers of the power of laughter to confront uncomfortable truths.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Boris was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Boris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Boris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the satirical news magazine *Feral Tribune*, an iconic symbol of anti-nationalist and anti-authoritarian critique in the 1990s.
- Authored several books of essays and travelogues, including 'Balkanski Rapsod' and 'Dnevnik jednog nomada.'
- His journalism with *Feral Tribune* was recognized with the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists in 1996.
- Maintained a widely read column for *Jutarnji list* and other publications after *Feral* ceased publication.
Did You Know?
Before *Feral Tribune*, he was a bass guitarist in a rock band.
Dežulović was born in Split, a city with a strong tradition of sardonic humor.
He served as a soldier in the Croatian War of Independence.
His writing style is often described as combining personal narrative with sharp political and social commentary.
“I write with a knife, not a pen, to carve out the tumor of nationalism.”
