Anniversary of the death of Emerik Blum: The Sarajevan who introduced Yugoslavia to the world market

Born in 1911 in Sarajevo. He then studied in the Czech Republic, graduated in electrical engineering from the Technical Faculty in Prague, and ultimately returned to Sarajevo.

Emerik Blum will certainly remain inscribed as a historical figure of the city of Sarajevo, after spending most of his life at the helm of Energoinvest – a company that once formed the backbone of Bosnia and Herzegovina's economy, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Shortly after returning from his studies in the Czech Republic (1941) to Sarajevo, Blum was arrested and taken to the Jasenovac camp, where he maintained the power plant as a prisoner-engineer. He escaped from Jasenovac in 1944. Together with Oskar Danon, Meša Selimović, Ismet Mujezinović, and Voja Dimitrijević, he launched the Collegium Artisticum.

After World War II, Emerik Blum served as head of the Ministry of Industry and Mining of Bosnia and Herzegovina, chief engineer of the General Directorate of the Federal Electric Power Industry, general director of the Directorate for Electric Power Industry of the Government of the FNRJ, assistant minister of Electric Power Industry, chairman of the Committee for Electric Power Industry… He was one of the founders of the company Elektroprojekt (1951), from which the regional giant Energoinvest soon emerged, operating worldwide.

He sponsored and educated experts in various technical fields and introduced a permanent practice of specialization for domestic experts in Russia, the USA, Germany, France, England, and other countries.

It is said that Blum never belonged to any party and did not politically expose himself. He created one of the most successful Yugoslav companies, educated and employed thousands of people, opened Yugoslavia to the world and the world to Yugoslavia, and demonstrated how much potential a small country has.

Emerik Blum was mayor during the greatest flourishing of Sarajevo, from 1981 to 1983. He died on June 24, 1984, after completing his final tasks on the committee for organizing the 14th Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo.

One of the streets in Grbavica in Sarajevo today bears his name, and a bust of him has been placed in front of the Energoinvest building, reports NAP.