Karim Zaimović

Zaimović was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1971, the son of painter Mehmed Zaimović (1938–2011) and his wife Ašida.[4]

A lover of comic books, Zaimović began writing texts about them in his early teens. He started his journalism career at age 15, writing articles for Radio Sarajevo.[5] Zaimović continued to be involved in the Bosnian-Herzegovinian journalism scene, contributing to daily newspapers and magazines like Naši dani, Lica, Vidici, Quorum, Kvadrat, Patak, Slobodna Dalmacija, Nedjeljna Dalmacija, Književna revija, Mladina, Start, Erasmus, Oslobođenje, Večernje novine, Avaz, Ven, Sineast, Fantom slobode, and Dani.[6]

After graduating from high school at Sarajevo's Prva Gimnazija, Zaimović enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo. He later transferred to the University of Philosophy in Sarajevo to study comparative literature.[7]

Before the start of the war, Zaimovic begins working at the magazine "Dani" as editor of the paper's culture section. Later, Zaimovic created the culture magazine "Fantom Slobode" with Semezdin Mehmedinović; there, he served as editor in-chief. He was a regular contributor to "Zid", an independent radio network, and contributed to Sarajevo-based television programs like TV Sarajevo and TV Radio Sarajevo.[8]

During this time, Zaimovic wrote many short stories.[9] One of his notable works, "The Secret of Raspberry Jam", was a critically acclaimed collection of 11 short stories, published posthumously in 1997.

The Belgian comic book artist Hermann Huppen dedicated his 1995 book Sarajevo Tango to Zaimović's memory. The American graphic novel author Joe Kubert has also dedicated his Fax from Sarajevo to Karim Zaimović. Zaimović's "The Secret Of Raspberry Jam" has been adapted for theatre.[10]

Zaimovic left behind a manuscript with two unfinished novels.

• Tajna džema od malina (1995)