Start (Yugoslav magazine)

Start was a weekly popular and entertainment magazine targeting men, in circulation between 1969 and 1991 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. The magazine is known for its unique position in a Socialist country featuring both erotic and pornographic content and quality articles on current affairs with detailed analyses.

Start was established in 1969 as a successor to the Moto magazin.^[1][2] The first issue of Start appeared in January that year.^[1] It was headquartered in Zagreb^[3] and was published by Vjesnik which was a well-known publishing house in the country.^[1] The first issue described it as "a magazine for every family, and for each of our citizens."^[2] However, it was also added in the same issue that the magazine content included all topics "that interests a modern man."^[1] The magazine came out weekly.^[4]

In the initial phase Start was designed based on Playboy, Lui and Penthouse.^[1] During this period its cover pages featured nude photographs of women, one of which was the French actress Maria Schneider.^[5] Following the change of its editor-in-chief in 1973 Start was redesigned becoming a political and cultural magazine^[4] which was modeled on the German magazine Stern.^[1]

Start contained erotic and pornographic materials in addition to the critical and comprehensive analyses on current affairs, science and art.^[2] The latter became dominant from 1973.^[4] One of its most significant sections was the interviews which featured both interviews with Yugoslavian leading figures and translations of the interviews from foreign magazines.^[2] It also published literary works most which were the examples of a genre called "jeans-prose".^[2] Later its focus was exclusively on current affairs.^[1] Start frequently published materials from Ms., an American magazine, and contained articles on feminism most of which were written by Jasenka Kodrnja and Maja Miles.^[4] Vesna Kesić and Slavenka Drakulić were other contributors of the magazine.^[4]

Mladen Pleša was appointed editor-in-chief of Start in 1980 and then, the magazine began to target young readers featuring articles on rock music, modern art and fashion.^[4]

As of 1984 Start sold 200,000 copies half of which were bought by the Serbians.^[6] The magazine enjoyed higher levels of circulation during its run.^[2] Start folded in 1991.^[2]