[eric_bullington]

Yes.

As someone who at one time spoke fluent Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, I can confirm that "spomenik" can be (and sometimes is!) translated as "memorial". Indeed, the root of the word is a verb that in its archaic sense can mean "to remember", as does the verbal root of "memorial". Furthermore, "spomenik" can also be translated as "monument".

So while the word often is used in the context of the WWII socialist memorials, the word in fact just means "monument" or "memorial". For example, here's an article using the term for a memorial to veterans ("defenders"), specifically those who died, from the 1991-1995 Croatian War for Independence: https://pakrackilist.hr/spomenik-hrvatskim-braniteljima-dovr...

I don't completely disagree with the author's idea to use the original term to add some local color, but it's not a special term, just one of the general terms used for memorials and monuments. A related term, "spomenica", is also frequently used, but I'm not sure about the nuances between these two terms.

I'm sure a native speaker could fill us in.

[CodeMage]

"Spomenik" definitely means "monument" or "memorial". In a specific context, it also means "tombstone".

"Spomenica" is much less used. I'm a native speaker -- born and raised in Belgrade -- and I've only heard it in very specialized and rare occasions, so I'm having a hard time translating it correctly. In the context I've heard it used, it's an award or recognition, usually in the form of a scroll or a medal.

I like the authors use of the native word "spomenik" to talk about this specific style, but it's definitely just the author's artistic choice.

[babuskov]

Native speaker here.

Spomenik comes from "spomen", which translates to "recalling /remembering someone dead or some event from the past". It's basically a memorial that should invoke the viewer to recall the events past and/or people who were involved.

While spomenik is used for all monuments around the world, when someone just says "spomenik" the first thing that comes to my mind are those post-WWII spomeniks - probably because there's so many of them.

I feel like monument isn't a right translation. Do you call Eiffel Tower a monument? If yes, I can tell you that Eiffel Tower is definitely not a spomenik. If that is the case, "memorial" is the proper translation for spomenik.