My visit to the biggest Croatian party abroad

by croatiaweek
January 7, 2024
in Entertainment

(Photo: Private album)

Hrvatska noć was held in front of 13,000 Croats in Frankfurt Germany. The biggest Croatian music festival outside of Croatia

By: Jozo Kolakušić

Jan 7, 2024 – On Saturday the 9^th of December 2023, the “Hrvatska Noć” (Croatian Night) was held in Frankfurt, Germany. This was an event I wanted to visit for over 10 years since I first heard about it from a good friend from Sydney, Australia.

Finally, I had the honour of being a guest of this event myself, having flown over from Croatia to Germany for the weekend, after I was invited by a friend that lives and works in Germany. I can comfortably say that this was definitely the best Croatian music festival I’ve ever been to.

(Photo: Private album)

With over 10 consecutive hours of Croatian music from the best performers from the Croatian music scene, were present in front of a full indoor stadium of over 13,000 people! Whilst the organisers had only expected 10,000 people. This was one of the biggest Hrvatske Noći to date, as it was the first one in 4 years since the COVID crisis began.

Before the event, we had the pleasure of visiting two Bundesliga matches, firstly Hoffenheim-Bochum, with our Vatreni team member Andrej Kramarić scoring in a 4-1 win for his home side. Then on the Saturday before the music festival, attending the Eintracht Frankfurt-Bayern Munich game, with the home side from Frankfurt also featuring two Croatian players in Kristijan Jakić and Hrvoje Smolčić.

As we arrived at the well-known Fraport Arena, known as the home of the Hrvatska Noć and also other major Croatian concerts held in Germany. As we entered the arena on this cold, rainy night in Frankfurt. We could not believe how many people had gathered in this arena, overflowing with people excited to be back together after so many years apart post the pandemic years for what was to definitely be the show of the year on the Croatian calendar in Germany.

(Photo: Private album)

The proceedings began with Miroslav Škoro being one of the first artists to take the stage in front of this packed arena, both in the grandstands and on the floor. Singing his popular Slavonian hits in front of an over-enthusiastic crowd.

The next artist was Mladen Grdović after that who lit the atmosphere up and set the precedent for the rest of the night, singing a setlist his iconic own Dalmatian songs and Croatian patriotic tunes. Which had the entire stadium singing songs like his iconic “Nije u šoldima sve” which remains forever in the hearts of all Croats after it became the unofficial hymn of the Croatian national team at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Finishing up with well known Croatian patriotic song “Marjane, Marjane” which when sung in full voice by the entire crowd, was sure to give goosebumps to all present in the crowd. A sight that seems unimaginable in Croatia and reminded me of how special Croatian events in the diaspora can be, where you can feel that zest and yearning for the homeland. A feeling I had missed, as it only appears when the Croatian national team plays and in moments of crisis in Croatia, such as earthquakes, floods and war.

With both young and old waving flags with the inscriptions of the towns and cities they originate from all across Croatia, as well as with scarves and flags of the clubs they support in Croatia. Side by side, in perfect unity. What a beautiful sight it was for your author to see.

The next singer up on the stage was a true showman and party started, Jole who had further added to the flame of the fire lit in the crowd. With his well known hits such as “Zove, Zove, Jole, Jole” , “Duša od papira”, “Kada žene tulumare and “Nosi mi se bijela boja” leaving the entire crowd in raptures and having the crowd up on their feet and both singing and dancing from both the grandstands to the dance floor.

As hours went by, more and more guests arrived. Free space became a luxury inside the arena, however nobody was complaining. Everyone was just happy to see each other again at this most important day of the year for Croatians in Germany. The gemišt and pelinkovac flowed at all the bars and so too did the crowds waiting in line, to quench their thirst and rehydrate as the atmosphere and temperature inside the arena was increasing by the hour. A real festive atmosphere of enthusiasm and positivity could be felt wherever you turned and with whoever you spoke with in the crowd.

After Jole came the famous Sarajevo band with a Zagreb address, Crvena Jabuka. By that time the crowd was already in a festive and cheerful atmosphere. So the lead singer Žera’s job was made easier as the crowd was very responsive and enthusiastic in singing the band’s evergreen hits “Da nije ljubavi”, “Dirlija” and “Bježi kišo s prozora” to name a few.

The crowd was ripe and ready for the next major acts which were still to come and were in overwhelming supply. One really could not believe how many quality artists had been gathered in the one place from Croatia and in of all places, in Germany.

Next was the Dalmatian sensation from Split, Petar Grašo. Much to the ecstatic excitement of the female half of the crowd in particular, but of the men as well as it was another iconic musical artist on the repertoire.

(Photo: Private album)

Opening with an ode to the late great Oliver Dragojević, with the immortal song “Cesarica” which both Grašo and the crowd sang in unity in a heartfelt tribute to the Croatian Dalmatian chanson for all ages. With Grašo as his successor for future generations, came his own hits which featured “’92 godina”, “Volim i postojim”, “Hej dušo ko nam brani” and the like. Once more all in the crowd were in unity with their voices and dancing the night away.

After Grašo came another icon of the Croatian music scene and of songs about his region of Hercegovina, Mate Bulić. As he was introduced to the crowd by the warm and cheerful MC of the evening Dalibor Petko from the Croatian Music Channel (CMC) in Croatia.

The “king of the Croatian diaspora” himself and one of the key founders of this event, along with the main organiser and coordinator Robert Martinović when it started over a decade ago. Which every year brought the best Croatian artists all in the same place, on the same day in Germany. After having battled serious health issues related to covid, having come back on stage for one of the first times after his miraculous recovery. He was warmly greeted by the crowd who were already warmed up and were there to motivate and lift the spirits of Bulić himself as performed his iconic local patriotic songs such as “Narodno veselje”, “Moja Hercegovina” and “Tiho teče Neretva”.

During this performance, a special guest was introduced to the crowd. As the current coach of the Croatian national football team and its most successful coach of all time, Zlatko Dalić walked out onto the stage along Dalibor Petko and Mate Bulić who was singing.

(Photo: Private album)

To the overwheling delight of the audience, which broke into a spontaneous sing song from the crowd itself. With songs like “Oj Hrvatska mati” reverberating throughout the stadium as Dalić was to provide a speech to all in attendance.

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A post shared by Zlatko Dalic (@daliczlatko)

Thanking all those in the crowd for their support of the Croatian national team and of our integral values which included faith, family values and love of the homeland.

And expressed his enthusiasm to see everyone present in the crowd at the Euro 2024 football championships, which was just 7 months away and will be held in Germany as well. Guaranteeing for a home crowd advantage for our Vatreni when they take to the pitch in June 2024 at the stadiums in Berlin, Hamburg and Leipzig.

The next on the repertoire was Croatia’s most popular and well known rock band, Prljavo Kazalište. Taking to the stage in an arena which was reaching boiling point in both the atmosphere and the rising temperature. The rockers from the suburb of Dubrava in Zagreb, knew how to pull at the heartstrings of the crowd. Opening with their all-time classic hits as “Crno bijeli svijet”, “Marina”, “Kiše jesenje”, and the patriotic hymns which marked Croatia’s years of gaining independence “Lupi petama” and “Mojoj majci”.

(Photo: Private album)

As the crowd in full voice sang along with the band their iconic hits which have stood the test of time and will be sung by Croats of all generations for many generations to come. It was an atmosphere of unity, love and happiness which could be felt in the crowd as the lyrics of these songs were sung word for word by everyone in attendance.

Next up was another artist from Split, popular former lead singer of the band Magazin and later solo act – Jelena Rozga. She continued to lift the atmosphere, with her iconic pop hits from the 1990’s and 2000’s such as “Opijum”, “Minut srca tvog” and “Ti si želja mog života” to more recent hits such as “Bižuterija” and “Nirvana.

In this overwhelming cast of Croatia’s top artists, next on the stage was the iconic rocker and folk rock singer, an icon amongst young Croats in recent decades. A singer with a song for every taste and a little known song composer for many of Croatia’s top artists. Siniša Vuco was welcomed to the stage.

(Photo: Private album)

To the excitement of the crowd which was still on their feet after several hours of top quality musical performances. A born performer and reader of the crowd, he opened with his hits “Podigla me iz pepela”, “Crna ženo”, “Nek sam pijan” which had the loyal crowd and fans of Vuco in raptures. Belting out hit after hit in a performance which just showed his quality has lasted the test of time. Finishing with “Volim piti i ljubiti”, a hit popular amongst all generations. And as you might have noticed, a personal favourite of myself the author of this article.

The final artist of the 10 hour long Croatian music extravaganza, at 3am was popular folk singer, Zlatko Pejaković. It was 3am already, yet there were still thousands of people in the crowd there for the last act of the evening. Singing his all time classic hits, such as the fittingly appropriate song “Nećemo noćas doma, nećemo do zore”, to “Ako odem prijatelji” and “Tamburica I mandolina” amongst other of his popular hits.

Both myself and my friend who had invited me to this concert were in positive awe, leaving the concert arena. We could not believe that we had experienced such an amazing Croatian music festival, in of all places in Frankfurt in Germany. Amongst so many fellow compatriots who live and work in Germany. It was an event which filled the heart with positivity and enthusiasm.

(Photo: Private album)

A real refreshment when in the homeland of Croatia where I live, musicians with strange names and even more questionable musical quality fill Arena’s across the country. A reflection of today’s society in Croatia, where we are under complete media occupation and blockade. Where everything that is positive and uplifting is suppressed, whilst everything that is negative is overexaggerated and pushed to the fore and made front page news. It was nice to see this pure, unspoilt love and longing for the homeland of Croatia among the Croatian people present at this evening.

Despite the difficult lives and jobs they have to do, living thousands of kilometres away from their hometowns to feed themselves and provide a better material future for their children. I realised that for not for the first time in history, this concert was proof that the hopes of the Croatian nation are once more in the hands of emigration. I can only hope that many of them decide to make the same move back to Croatia, such as myself. So that our homeland can have a brighter and more positive future, thanks to their enthusiasm and sheer love for the homeland of their parents and grandparents.

Thanks to my friend for inviting me to this special event, which it was an honour to attend and for making it possible for me to experience something as phenomenal this. I am still under positive impression, and I have brought this renewed enthusiasm with me as I returned to the homeland. Where an event that was advertised that evening is coming up in Zagreb in Croatia, “Domu mom” a patriotic Croatian music extravaganza which will be held at the Arena Zagreb stadium on Saturday the 13^th of January at 8pm.