Jean-Michel Nicolier, a member of the HOS military unit.

He showed all of us how to love freedom, justice and truth.

Jean-Michel Nicolier was born on July 1, 1966 in the French town of Vesoul, where he completed primary and secondary school. Jean-Michel watched everything that was happening in Croatia on television in France and decided to travel to Croatia and make his contribution to the Homeland War and the defense against the greatserbian fascist aggression.

In July 1991, he came to Zagreb by train from France, completely alone. He was one of 481 foreign volunteers from 35 countries who defended Croatia. Their sacrifice for the freedom of Croatia is immeasurable. 72 of them died and 88 were wounded. He joins the Croatian Defense Forces (HOS) on the battlefield near Karlovac. Later, he voluntarily went to defend Vukovar with them.

He fought at the Vukovar Fairground, where he was wounded on November 9, and had to stay in the hospital due to his wounds. After the fall of the city, Jean-Michel was taken from the hospital to Ovčara together with other wounded, sick, civilians and hospital staff. There, on the night of November 20-21, 1991, after being beaten by the Chetniks, he was killed by a bullet in the head. Thanks to surviving witnesses, his killer is known. This is Spasoje Petković called Štuka. He confessed to his crime in court in Belgrade, but he is still free and Serbia refuses to hand him over to the Croatian judiciary.

Due to his outstanding merits in the Homeland War, former President of the Republic Ivo Josipović posthumously awarded Jean-Michel Nicolier with the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski. His mother Lyliane Fournier received the award.

We could say a lot more about Jean-Michel Nicolier and we would not be able to touch on his real greatness.
His words speak the most about him.

 When leaving for Croatia,
he said to his mother:
"I want to help these people, they need me. I have to go, but I'll be back. You know I'm a wild grass that never goes away"

In the basement of the Vukovar hospital, a few hours before his death, he made a statement to French journalists who wanted to get him out of the hell of Vukovar:
"I've lost too many friends, I've seen too many people cry, too much suffering. They suggested to me several times to leave Vukovar and return to France, but I stayed. We lost. I knew it would be difficult, but I didn't think it would be so terrible, especially for civilians. I came to Vukovar as a volunteer. It's my choice, for better or for worse."

Why as a volunteer?
"Because I think they should be helped. That's why I chose their side."

To the question "What does Vukovar actually symbolize for you?" he answered:
 "A slaughterhouse. Slaughterhouse."

Jean-Michel Nicolier had a rare ability to perceive universal human and collective values such as freedom, justice, truth, solidarity, empathy, altruism and selfless helping those in need. He was not only aware of these values, but also felt an unstoppable need to act according to these principles. Only great people can do that and they must be role models for all of us.

That is why it is our duty to keep the memory of this great man in our hearts and pass it on to future generations that come after us.

 His family, mother Lyliane Fournier and brothers Pierre and Paul live in the hope that the remains of Jean-Michel will be found so that they can give him a dignified burial, but also that his killer will be brought to justice.