Advanced Search

Giesbrecht, John Albert: my Canadian Forces recollections (March 9, 2011)

Downloadable Content


Download audio

ABSTRACT: 00:00 – 00:47 – Statement of names, dates and places. Giesbrecht’s permission obtained for the interview. Description of the content of the interview. 00:47 - 01:50 – Giesbrecht provides a synopsis of his pre-Yugoslavia experiences with the RCMP, wherein he spent much of his service working with plain-clothes units, such as narcotics squads in BC. 01:50 - 05:20 – Giesbrecht discusses how his service helped to prepare for his deployment. Emphasis on people skills, prior service experience and personal attributes such as personal fitness. 05:20 - 07:03 – Reasons for volunteering for UNCIVPOL 07:03 - 08:43 – Further discussion of how background helped prepare for Bosnia, experience gained over a lifetime such as, observation skills, report writing, interviewing skills, people skills. Discussion of how policing is radically different from other careers. 08:43 - 12:12 – Specific training received by RCMP prior to going to Bosnia. 2 Weeks briefings in Ottawa: Mine Awareness; Cultural awareness training. Canadian Forces – CIVPOL cooperation excellent and provided protection. Further discussion of the briefings received in Ottawa. 12:12- 13:29 – No special equipment given out except blue helmet and flak vest (Never worn). Discussion of wearing uniform in Bosnia (RCMP standard). Mention of how national contingents wore their own national uniforms. 13:29- 17:15 – Discussion of working with other police contingents, special praise for the European contingents. Issues of working with contingents from third world countries who were poorly motivated and poorly trained (Lack of driving and report training). Discussion of some of the factors that contributed to these problems. 17:15- 18:05 – Discussion of the sort of Canadians who would go on CIVPOL missions, most of who were experienced police officers. Western Canadians with a diversity of backgrounds. 18:05 – 22:23 – Discussion of working along side UNPROFOR. Language and writing skills would help people get higher positions in CIVPOL. Discussion of CIVPOL duties (Report writing, patrols). Mentions being deployed to Beli Manastir (N.B Transliteration of name was checked on internet search engine). Discussion of Croat woman being helped. 22:23 – 31:55 – Discussion of challenges of policing in Former Yugoslavia. Lack of a well defined legal system. Different system of policing. No due process. Mentions presence of black market and issues of corruption. Mention of professional ethics in this situation. Discussion of why these due processes were not present. Discussion of high predominance of firearms. Mention of some of the dangers involved. Local practices discussed (Corruption, Slivovitz). Discussion of how CIVPOL lived and their accommodations. Discussion of Croatian-Canadians in Croatia. 31:55 – 37:49 – Further discussion by Giesbrecht of ethnic relations. So-called “suicide” in Beli Manastir. Discussion of how CIVPOL could not make arrests or order investigation. Discussion of how CIVPOL could intervene when they witnessed certain types of behaviour (Observation and reporting). Mention of frustrations that could come out of not seeing action taken from report. Discussion of interaction with other UN people. Good relations with the military, other UN agencies had minimal respect from some of the CIVPOL personnel. 37:50 – 40:39 – Discussion of how CIVPOL interacted with the civilian population. CIVPOL conducted foot and vehicle patrols. Friendly local population who wanted to practice their English, often locals would want to be able to move to Canada. Interpreters were from highly educated backgrounds. 40:39 – 48:19 – relations with local military and paramilitary groups. Police described as cordial, but always searching UN vehicles. Giesbrecht made personal decision to allow searches in order to save time. Croatians were concerned about black market and weapons smuggling. Interpreters could be at UN checkpoints. Discussion of personal reputation (Impartial “square shooter”). Discussion of Croatian police, who were very much a paramilitary structure, with specialised units for investigations. Croatians described as much harsher than Canadian police. Croatians described as overall quite disciplined but quite different from Canadian police. Further discussion of how the Former Yugoslavia had a very different court system. Some cooperation with specialised investigative units. Mention of how personal relationships were very important to working with Croatian police. At roughly 47:00 Giesbrecht confirms being stationed in three places during his tour [Beli Manastir, Zagreb and Nova Gradiska (Spelling unconfirmed – RP)]. Mentions cordial relations with police. 47:50, Giesbrecht discusses how many people with high amounts of education could not get good jobs due to war. 48:20-52:04 - Discussion of interaction with military and paramilitary units. Giesbrecht never encountered any during his time with UNCIVPOL. Mentions that Arkan and the Tigers had been through the area around Beli Manastir. Paramilitary groups had a reputation as criminals (“Our good luck that we never ran into them”). Locals were afraid of paramilitary groups, danger of any non-official armed group. Giesbrecht returns to a discussion of how gracious the local people were. Would even offer food, despite their not having much themselves. Discussion of armed population and threat to UNCIVPOL. No threat to Giesbrecht, best way to deal with bravado (IE pointing weapons at CIVPOL to show off) was simply say “Hi” and carry on. Many RCMP also gave away their own winter kit to people on the ground, since it would be replaced in Canada. Giesbrecht also discusses some of the refugee camps he patrolled in. Many refugees he encountered were ethnic Croats who came from Serbian areas. 53:44 – 58:48 – Discussion of role of memories on inter-ethnic relations in the Former Yugoslavia (“You could say they were still fighting the Second World War to some extent”). Second World War carried over to day-to-day relations. Serbs would use Second World War terms sometimes. Fine-tuned to ethnic and cultural differences. Very strong group identities, Giesbrecht discusses being located in Serbian Krajina where Medak pocket engagements occurred. Discussion of ethnic cleansing, and the obvious signs (EG Burned out houses) and subtle intimidation. 58:48 – 60:44 – Giesbrecht denies that working in Bosnia had an effect on his later life, both personal and professional. Return to Canada meant landing in Ottawa, drinking Tim Hortons and going back home. Giesbrecht then went on to work in commercial crimes until the end of his career. After this, he retired to Victoria and subsequently joined the Canadian Forces. 60:44-61:57 – End of interview, confirmation of interview release and thanking.

Interviewee: Giesbrecht, John Albert, b. 1953

An interview/narrative of John Albert Giesbrecht's experiences in the former Yugoslavia. Interview took place on March 9, 2011.

Interviewer: Porta, Rowan

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic Coverage Coordinates
  • 44, 19.75
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (WMA) also available.
Physical Repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • GJA_694
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • March 10, 2011
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 128 kbps and 44 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2011. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
Rights
  • This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
DOI
Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Actions
file details SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail
file details Giesbrecht_J_0694_01.mp3