Mirjana Markovic

The name Mirjana means peace. But Mirjana Markovic, wife of Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, has never really known any.

She was born in 1942 in a forest when her teenage mother, Vera, was a partisan fighter, and raised there by her mother's comrades. Her father had fought with Tito and her aunt was Tito's secretary and rumoured to be his mistress.

In 1943, Vera was arrested by the Gestapo and tortured. Believing that she had spoken under torture, her own father later ordered her execution by firing squad for treachery. She was taken in by her grandparents.

She met her future husband while both were at high school in Pozarevac and she encouraged his ascent through the communist party. They were so close they were nicknamed Romeo and Juliet II.

Together, they attended the University of Belgrade, where she studied sociology and where they compared themselves to the lovers in Louis Malle's film Les Amants.

She went on to become a professor of Marxism there and is still listed as an academic. Although she rarely attends - being more concerned with building up her political party, the Yugoslav United Left - she is blamed by many for causing the university to be dominated by Milosevic supporters.

Four years ago, she temporarily left Milosevic, accusing him of having an affair, and is believed to be increasing her personal power. Called "the Lady Macbeth of the Balkans" and "Serbia's Mrs Ceausescu", she also shows girlish qualities, such as loving the colour pink and wearing a flower tucked in her hair.

She writes a column in the communist paper Duga, about anything from politics to her family, as well as contributing to women's magazines.

Known in Serbia as the Red Witch, she believes she is clairvoyant, claiming to have predicted the fall of Yugoslavia over ten years ago.

People is edited by Harriet Swain and researched by Lynne Williams.

Send all information to Lynne Williams. The THES Admiral House 66-68 East Smithfield London E1 9XYTel 0171 782 3375