Missing Lives
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/0d2744b28925c1d125684d34ff02f2d5-001_textbild-29446050-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/69b7374336b5e58c77bdf43c779b15ce-001_bild-29443176-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/7324b15e1375ba60e50ca31a7f5c762b-002_textbild-29443196-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/dd4e8bd7cf99a3882b7fc1323ef7f6ee-002_bild-29443234-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/0d9b3a7ae06c9ff8a56b9b509a6865f0-003_textbild-29443268-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/2e664134f07b4af0dc11d840c36c6f75-003_bild-29443300-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/c66774176b36de7edce3d8d5916a7b99-004_textbild-29443322-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/249282453e111a0cd58da1d2cf5a2d7b-004_bild-29443340-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/e0ade280ec6b9e80eb63ebf89876424c-006_textbild-29443386-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/22e1c4a1cff5309620f092309b599d03-005_textbild-29443418-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/e1a495414c2c94937ff8cdacdf4e49ca-007_textbild-29443436-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/22679511ea2810ca014d34e56280c8a1-005_bild-29443448-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/6814e1bbc607cf849e5aa68017501398-008_textbild-29443478-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/b588776c91ee6beaae6ccea2b906fa16-006_bild-29443492-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/b190d027b8a7ca6afbcdb5e368609c6a-009_textbild-29443510-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/038b3b203f669bc3d75808e8f92ce78f-007_bild-29443526-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/3d84895d3307057e7de16c106a529782-010_textbild-29443538-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/4c555c537d18139733e7b25066025a7c-008_bild-29443564-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/35ad2d1b12c291a247ac58fecf3541e6-011_textbild-29443630-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/44c7c788a6ee5b5b54af5d9a8a231a61-009_bild-29443602-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/01177530959292335296e1c833bb6c59-012_textbild-29443674-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/141f33ccc6f1952eb0f74ced455cacb7-010_bild-29443652-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/62cebf66259eab7f7898a0d5c9ce8544-013_textbild-29443686-data.jpg)
![](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2011/02/c4d53203916638936fc736665b5aa8f6-011_bild-29443698-data.jpg)
For the first time DNA has been used to match blood and bone to identify war victims.
This content was published on
During the Balkan wars, tens of thousands of people vanished. In almost every case, the missing had been murdered. For their families, the torment of not knowing has been drawn out – and for many it continues today. Thanks to science though, survivors can now find closure. (Photography by Nick Danziger, text by Rory MacLean)
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.