The olympic mountain Bjelašnica is located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On its highest peak, at an altitude of 2067m, there is a meteorological station (Observatory), the highest permanently inhabited point in Bosnia and Herzegovina, built in 1894.
The Croatian Mountaineering Society HPD “Bjelašnica 1923” Sarajevo is one of the oldest and most active mountaineering associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1919, the Croatian Sports Association founded the Mountaineering Section, which on April 21, 1923 was founded as HPD “Bjelašnica”. At the founding Assembly, professor Milan Leinert was elected as the first president. The constituent Assembly was held on June 8, 1923. Apart from the mentioned first president Milan Leinert, from 1923 until the war in 1941, the presidents were: dr. Dragan Turković, dr. Vjekoslav Kušan, prof. dr. Josip Fleger and prof. Anto Martinović.
The Society is very active, especially the youth, photo and ski section, which had a ski lodge in Kasov-dol (1934). Special mention should be made of the construction of the still famous “Josip trail” on Bjelašnica (1934), the mountain lodge on Bukovik (1935) and the highest mountain lodge – the house on Čvrsnica – Vilinac (1938).
HPD “Bjelašnica 1923” renewed its work on December 12, 1998 in Sarajevo and is a constitutive part of the Sports Association “Napredak” within the large family of associations of the Croatian cultural society “Napredak” Sarajevo. The Society raises awareness of the need to engage in mountaineering, which develops different traits: resourcefulness, friendliness, sense of understanding of man and nature, patriotism… Mountaineering promotes and has undeniable beneficial effects on health. Since the restoration of the Society’s work in 1998 until today, the presidents of the Society were: Tomislav Batinić, Davorin Čubak, Anton Jekauc, Drago Bozja, Mladen Rudež and Ivan Žilić.
(Željka Šaravanja)
