Mehmedova crkva (Mehmed’s church) is the name of a small church in the woods of Kozara in Kozarac, a small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Interestingly, it is named after a Muslim man, but the story is much deeper. 
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Austro-Hungarian contractor Karl Schmutzer, traveling to Banja Luka, stopped by in these ends and upon seeing the forests of Kozara decided to create a sawmill here, which today is known as “Stara Pilana” (old sawmill).
His daughter, Maria, fell in love with a handsome young sevdah musician named Mehmed Kulasic. Their love was forbidden but Maria gave birth to a child. The child was abandoned and found dead. Maria was exiled back to Austria, while Mehmed was left weeping.
As a sign of penance Karl ordered the construction of a small Catholic chapel, how he would, according to tradition, repay his sins and the sins of his darling child Maria. The chapel was built in 1903 on a hill overlooking the former mill.
Mehmed never left his house anymore. Only sometimes he would take the saz or accordion or guitar and hum the sevdalinka ”Voljelo se dvoje mladih“ (Two young ones loved each other). The locals began calling the chapel after him and their lost love.
