Goodbye, Man, Goodbye, Goran Babić
In the 1980s, many newspapers and magazines were published in the former country. Besides the indispensable Student, Vidik, and Gledište, there were Književne novine, edited by Miodrag Perišić, Pismo by Rašo Livada, Delo edited by Jovica Aćin, Gradac by Branko Kukić, and Književna reč, then edited by Gojko Tešić. Not to forget Književnost, Savremenik, Sociologija, Sociološki pregled, Naše teme, Filozofija…
TL;DR
- Goran Babić was a prolific writer, poet, and editor active in Yugoslavia's literary scene.
- He was of diverse heritage (Croatian, Jewish, Serbian) and identified as a leftist.
- Babić edited the publication 'Oko' in Zagreb and later moved to Belgrade before the last war.
- He participated in a book promotion in Germany for Beata Niman's "My Good Father," discussing it with the author, the daughter of a Gestapo officer.
- Babić worked in difficult conditions in Belgrade, initially in a shed and later in a kiosk, while continuing his literary work.
- He learned about 'Knjigocid – the destruction of books in Croatia in the 1990s' from Anto Lešaja.
- Babić respected Jewish customs regarding the burial of sacred texts, visiting a genizah in Belgrade.
- Despite illness and mobility issues, Babić remained resilient and engaged with his friends and family.