In this paper, the author analyzes several selected literary works that can potentially be linked with the teaching of history in secondary schools, more precisely in gymnasiums. The aim of this paper is to offer new ways in which literature can be introduced into high school history teaching. As the starting point of the work, two major topics of contemporary history were chosen - the Second World War, more precisely the Holocaust and the period of the nineties in the territory of ex Yugoslavia with an emphasis on the Croatian Homeland War. The initial part of this thesis describes subject History, contemporary teaching and the purpose of teaching history in modern times education. Then, a multi-perspective approach is presented, which includes the teaching of interpretations, which is the basis for including literature in History classes. After that, the paper presents possible ways of connecting literary and historical content in History classes, which is the integration of History and the Croatian language classes and the use of literature as historical source. The central part of the paper includes a presentation of the literature of testimony and changes of narrative about the Holocaust and the Second World War in the Yugoslav territories. Then, this paper presents examples of connecting literary texts and historical content in high school history lessons, which include the following topics: Holocaust through the perspective of the concentration camp inmates, Unsung heroine of the Second World War, Second World War through the perspective of a child, Siniša Glavašević as a symbol of Croatian war journalism and the defense of Vukovar, Perspective of a man who stands for peace and War from a woman's perspective (Slavenka Drakulić, Dubravka Ugrešić). In the final part of the paper the author presents concluding considerations on dealing with the past of the 20th century in high school History classes through literature.