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Association "JASENOVAC-DONJA GRADINA"

BANJA LUKA

NDH NDH

AGAINST THE SERBS,

JEWS AND ROMA

IN HERZEGOVINA

1941-1945

ATROCITIES

PROCEEDINGS

(INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA)

NDH ATROCITIES AGAINST THE SERBS, JEWS AND ROMA IN HERZEGOVINA 1941-1945

Publisher: Association "Jasenovac-Donja Gradina" Banja Luka

For publisher:

Vladimir Lukic, Ph. D.

Editor in Chief: Vladimir Lukic, Ph. D.

Organising Committee:

Slavko anjevi, Vladimir Luki, Novica Telebak,

Boko Buha, Manojlo uk

Janko Velimirovi

Photos: Milan Dai and archive by authors

Translation:

Dejan Milinovi, Duko Popovi, Slobodan Keleman and Svetlana Mitic

Prepress and Design:

Janko Velimirovic

Printed by: Grafomark, Laktai

For the printing: Svetozar erketa

Circulation: 500 copies

(INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA)

Association "Jasenovac-Donja Gradina" Banja Luka

ATROCITIES AGAINST THE SERBS,

JEWS AND ROMA IN HERZEGOVINA

1941-1945PROCEEDINGS Rund Table, Trebinje, September 28th, 2013

Banja Luka, May 2014

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCE .............................................................................................. 9

SLAVKO ANJEVIGREAT HELP FROM THE JASENOVAC DONJA GRADINA ASSOCIATION ......................................................................................... 17

PROF. VLADIMIR LUKI, PHDEVEN THE ITALIANS WERE APPALED ............................................. 19

PAPERS..................................................................................................... 25

JOVAN MIRKOVI, MUSEUM CURATOR

HERZEGOVINA-BORN VICTIMS OF THE 1941-1945 WAR ............. 27SRBOLJUB IVANOVI

CRIMES OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HERZEGOVINA AGAINST THE SERBS, JEWS AND ROMA PEOPLE ........................................................................................ 75

SAVO SKOKO, PHDGENOCIDE CRIMES OF THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA AND THE GERMAN AGRESSOR IN GACKO FROM 1941 TO 1944

DRAGA MASTILOVI, MA .......................................................................... 111THE ROLE OF MUSLIMS IN THE GENOCIDE AGAINST SERBS IN EASTERN HERZEGOVINA IN 1941/1942 ........................ 111

BOKO BUHANDH ATROCITIES AGAINST THE SERBS, JEWS AND ROMA IN NEVESINJE COUNTY 1941-1945 ...................................... 127

PROCEEDINGS Rund Table, Trebinje, September 28th, 2013

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BOIDAR N. UKOVITHE KILLING OF THE SERBS IN THE AREA OF LJUBINJE MUNICIPALITY 1941-1945 BY THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA (NDH)

SLAVKO ANJEVI ...................................................................................... 217THE PERSECUTION OF ORTHODOX PRIESTS IN THE DIOCESE OF ZAHUMLJE-HERZEGOVINA INFLICTED BY THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA 1941-1945 ................................................................................................ 217

MANOJLO UKJAGODNJAA PIT CAVE IN RANI DO THE SITE OF THE USTASHA ATROCITIES AGAINST THE SERBS OF POPOVO POLJE AND SURROUNDINGS ........................................... 239

MILENKO JAHURATHE KILLING OF SOUTHERN HERZEGOVINA SERBS IN THE GENOCIDE OF THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA 1941-45 .................................................................................................... 271

MILENKO KOJOVILET IT NOT BE FORGOTTEN NDH ATROCITIES AGAINST THE SERBIAN PEOPLE IN THE PERIOD 1941-1945 IN THE TERRITORY OF THE MUNICIPALITY BERKOVII ........................................................................................... 313

BOIDAR N. UKOVITHE PERSECUTION OF SERBS IN THE REGION OF TREBINJE BY THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA 1941-1945 ................................................................................................ 325

MILORAD NOSOVI, SON OF OBRADTHE CRIMES OF THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA AGAINST SERBS, JEWS AND GYPSIES 1941-1945 IN THE BILEA MUNICIPALITY ............................................................ 367

NOVICA TELEBAKTHE PERSECUTION OF THE SERBS OF MOSTAR .......................... 401

ARKO KUINARTHE SUFFERINGS OF ONE FAMILY ON 26TH JUNE 1941 ............ 421

ARKO KUINARTHE CRIME IN GAVRANICA .............................................................. 427


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SLAVKO ANJEVITHROWN ALIVE INTO PITS ............................................................... 429

WITNESS ACCOUNTS ........................................................................ 431

ZDRAVKO AKOTI

THE USTASHAS ATTACK BIJELA GORA ON 20TH JUNE 1941 ... 433JOVAN AROVI

YOUTH ENCHAINED ........................................................................... 445

PERSECUTION OF THE KUINARS, 26TH JUNE 1941 IN VILLAGES PROKAZII, BURMAZI AND STOLAC .................... 455

MILENA KUNDAINA

RED SOCKS ........................................................................................... 467MIRA KUNDAINA

LOST IN THE WILDERNESS ............................................................... 471

CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................... 477

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INTRODUCE

A LARGE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

On 28th September 2013, a round table was held at The Leotar Hotel in Trebinje, organised by the Banja Luka-based Association Jasenovac Donja Gradina and the Organising Board formed specially for the purpose of the organisation of the event. The subject of the round table was the persecution of the Serbs, Jews and Roma by the Independent State of Croatia and its troops in Herzegovina in the period from 1941 to 1945. The interest in this conference was great, and more than 70 participants took part in its proceedings academicians, university professors, PhDs, PhD stu-dents, writers, representatives of the Zahumlje-Herzegovina and Maritime Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, prefects, deputy prefects and mayors of Eastern Herzegovinian municipalities, lawyers investigating war crimes and genocide, directors of companies and institutions, media repre-sentatives, National Liberation War (NOR) veterans, survivors of the atroci-ties committed on the territory of Herzegovina in the Second World War, their descendants and family members, and many others. Both the presented papers, written analytically and supported by irrefutable and verifiable evidence, and the survivor and witness accounts heard, pointed out that major atrocities were committed in Eastern Herzegovina between 1941 and 1945. Herzegovina is a vast area of execution, with a myriad indi-vidual sites where crimes were done, the River Neretva and its one-hundred-kilometre-long banks being among the gravest ones. The presenters particu-larly stressed the cruelty with which the crimes were committed. Responsible for all those atrocities is the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), which it committed in collaboration with its fascist-Nazi followers and with the sup-port and assistance of the Catholic Church. Next-door neighbours, members of the Croatian people and Muslims, were especially prominent in the reck-less liquidation of innocent Serbs, Jews and Roma, as stressed by the round table participants. Genocidal crimes were mostly committed against helpless victims the elderly, children, pregnant women, even unborn children, who were forcefully removed from their mothers stomachs, only because they be-longed to another nation and another religion.


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It was particularly stressed that all crimes must be investigated and must not be forgotten, and that we must cherish the memory of the innocent victims and mark accordingly all places of persecution. It is very important to document all victims of the atrocities, as well as the perpetrators of those heinous acts. Just as the victims had identities of their own, so did those who committed those bestial crimes. In the end, it was concluded that such round tables must be organised in the future.


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Slavko anjevi

GREAT HELP FROM THE JASENOVAC DONJA

GRADINA ASSOCIATION

I hereby open the first round table in Trebinje on The Suffering of Serbs, Jews and Roma People by the Independent State of Croatia and its Troops from 1941 to 1945 in Herzegovina. For this round table to function competently and efficiently, I propose the following working chairpersons: Prof. Vladimir Luki, PhD, president of the JasenovacDonja Gradina Association; Saa Ai, LL.B., from Banja Luka, Boko Buha, a history teacher from Nevesinje; journalist Manojlo uk from Trebinje, and Slavko anjevi. Let me greet the clergy of the The Eparchy of Zahumlje, Herzegovina and the Littoral, the mayor of Trebinje, mayors of municipalities of Eastern Herze-govina, deputy mayors and chairmen of municipal assemblies of municipali-ties of Eastern Herzegovina, directors of working organisations, the dean of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Mr. Velimir Lojovi, Acad-emician Srboljub ivanovi, president of the International Commission for the Truth on Jasenovac, and Jovan Mirkovi, museum curator at the Museum of Genocide Victims in Belgrade. I would like to give special regard to the members of the Executive Commit-tee of the Jasenovac Donja Gradina Association, headed by Prof. Vladi-mir Luki, PhD, who have immeasurably helped us in organising this first round table, as well as all contributors who have prepared papers on this sub-ject, who I will not name at this moment because they will be well introduced when they present their contributions. May we also greet the witnesses and all media representatives who are pre-sent, Mira Jovanovi, a PhD student from the University of Zurich, Prof.


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Drago Mastilovi, PhD, from the University of East Sarajevo, the delegation of the Federation of Veterans Associations of the Peoples Liberation War of Yugoslavia, Milenko Jahura, LL.B., member of the Management Board of the Prebilovci Serbian National Society from Belgrade, distinguished guests and all other visitors. I propose that we form a delegation to go tomorrow for a visit and lay flowers on the grave of Milan Bulaji, in the village of Vilusi in the Republic of Montenegro. I wish you successful work, a pleasant stay in Trebinje and Herzegovina have the desire to make this a new beginning, and that such events, in memory of our innocent suffered, be still. I invite Mr. Professor Dr. Vladimir Lukic, who gave unselfish contribution to meet here today to speak to us.

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Prof. Vladimir Luki, PhD

EVEN THE ITALIANS WERE APPALED

Greetings to all present parties, especially those who will present their papers and testimonies. Since we have been trying to organise this assembly in Trebinje for more than five years, first and foremost I would like to thank Mr Slavko anjevi, as well as Prof. Lojevi who discovered him. Having in mind that places of mass execution from the Second World War have been more or less neglected and forgotten, we, the deans and professors of the University of Banja Luka, including Prof. Zdravko Marijanac, launched discussions about renovating Donja Gradina and founding the Jasenovac Donja Gradina Association, as well as about adopting a more active ap-proach to holding international conferences and turning the attention of nu-merous countries, institutions and individuals in the worlds to the crimes against Serbs, Jews and Roma people that have been committed in WWII by the Independent State of Croatia. We have also concluded that Donja Gradina has remained unexplored, un-maintained and undeveloped. Perhaps the state of this place of execution was best described in a paper by the Babi brothers from Kozarska Dubica, which they sent in 1998.

How to renovate the Donja Gradina Memorial Site Donja Gradina is more of a testimony of our dereliction and ne-glect than it is a monument worthy of those who found eternal rest there... The whole project should be aimed at charting what is probably our largest necropolis and yes, it is the largest into the worlds maps... The Serbian people have their Holy Mountain [Mount Athos in Greece, t/n], but that beacon of ours has never become a place of


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mass pilgrimage for us, our Mecca. In the true sense of the word, we have no Mecca of our own. We have no Wailing Wall, no Yad Vashem. Can it be Gradina, where the atrocity was on a larger than even at the Skull Tower? Our answer is that yes, it can! Donja Gradina should be renovated in such a way that it becomes a place where not only Serbs gather, but also Jews and Roma peo-ple, a place of their pilgrimage as well.

Considering there were proposals to also build a monastery at Donja Gradina, the publicist Branislav Boi and I talked with the Bishop of Banja Luka Je-frem [Ephraim], which was another reason to direct more of our activities towards renovating Donja Gradina. The renovation program for Donja Gradina found was on the agenda of the Fourth International Conference on Jasenovac, held in Banja Luka in 2007. The Executive Committee decided to have all the material from previous con-ferences (Washington 1997, Banja Luka 2000, Jerusalem 2002) printed in the form of proceedings in Serbian and English and sent out all over the world along with the proceedings from the Fourth International Conference. After this conference we concluded that a significant number of our guests from all over the world, and even our own citizens, are getting the impression that in WWII there werent any crimes in many municipalities and villages across the Independent State of Croatia, which is absolutely not true. This is why we proposed and helped with the organisation of round tables: First and Second Round Table unjar 1941 in Otra Luka in 2008 and 2010 (5,500 Serbs and 50 Jews killed) and the First Round Table Garavice 1941, held in Banja Luka in 2010 (12,000 Serbs and Jews killed). The proceedings from these round tables were printed in Serbian and English and were sent out into insti-tutions of many world countries, primarily in countries of ex-Yugoslavia, then to Israel, Russia, USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Italy etc. Apart from these listed here, we have had: the First Round Table on the crimes on Mount Kozara and the surrounding area, where 51,750 Serbs and 377 Jews had been killed; the First Round Table on atrocities in Glamo, Duvno (Tomislavgrad), Livno, Grahovo and Kupres) in 2012, with 8267 Serbs and 25 Jews killed; the Third Round Table unjar 1941, held in Otra Luka in 2013; and the First Round Table in Trebinje in 2013. The preparation of the proceedings from these round tables is undergoing.


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The Fifth International Conference, held in Banja Luka in 2011, yielded, among other things, the Declaration on Genocide of the NDH against Serbs, Jews and Roma people during the Second World War. The Sixth International Conference on Jasenovac will be held in the second half of May, 2014. The plan is to post all places of execution in the NDH to Google. ...... (I would like to ask Saa Ai, secretary of the Executive Committee and member of the International Commission for the Truth on Jasenovac, to read the letter from an Italian General to Mussolini about the slaughter of Serbs in Prebilovci, i.e. in the Independent State of Croatia, as reported by Dr Her-mann Neubacher.) Paveli and his state are no better described in the extant Italian documents. On 25th April 1941, the then Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Ga-leazzo Ciano, wrote in his diary: I see Paveli, surrounded by his ruffians. The Italians were revolted at the Croatian crimes in WWII, leaving a signifi-cant number of documents on that topic. One of the most heart-rending Italian documents on Croatian genocide against the Serbs is a letter from General Alessandro Luzano to Mussolini. We print the letter here:

Duce! I hope that my infinite devotion to you gives me the right to dis-regard strict military protocol in this one matter. It is for this rea-son that I am in a hurry to describe an event that I myself have witnessed in the past three weeks. In my tour of the counties of Stolac, apljina and Ljubinje (be-tween 60 and 130 kilometres north of Dubrovnik), I learned from our intelligence officers that Pavelis Ustashas had on the previ-ous day committed a crime in one of the villages (Prebilovci), and that once the word is out the Serbs in the region will be stirred. I am at a loss for words to describe what I have seen there. In a large school classroom, I found a teacher and 120 of her pupils, all slaughtered! None of the children were over 12 years of age!


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The word crime is a gross understatement it was beyond all madness! Many of the bodies had been decapitated and the heads were lined up on the classroom desks. Some of them were disem-bowelled, and the entrails stretched out across the room, nailed to the walls! Swarms of flies and unbearable stench made it impos-sible for us to stay there for long. I noticed an opened bag of salt in a corner and was appalled when I realised that the victims throats had been slit slowly, while being sprayed with salt! And just as we were leaving we heard a childs gurgle in the back row. I ordered two soldiers to look into it. They brought out a pupil, still alive, breathing with his throat half-slit! I transported the poor child in my car to our army hospital, where he regained con-science and told us the whole truth about the tragedy. The crimi-nals had first taken turns raping the Serb teacher (her name was Jasmina Arnautovi) and then killed her in front of the children. They even raped eight-year-old girls. All the while, a Gypsy band was forced to play their instruments. To the eternal shame of our Roman church, a man of God, a pas-tor, took part in the whole thing! The boy we rescued quickly re-covered. And as soon as the wound healed, he used a moment of our recklessness and escaped from the hospital to his village, to look for his relatives. We sent a squad to retrieve him, to no avail they found him at his doorstep with his throat slit! The thousand plus souls in the village had all perished! On the same day of the school massacre (which we only discovered later on) the Ustashas captured another 700 villagers of Prebilovci, threw them into a pit or savagely killed them on the way to the pit. Only around 300 men managed to survive they were the only ones who managed to break through the Ustasha troops and escape into the moun-tains! These 300 survivors are more powerful than Pavelis most elite division! They had lost all that could be lost! Children, wives, sisters, homes, property. They were even cured of the fear of death. The only purpose of their lives has become revenge, where in a way they feel disgrace in surviving! And there are many vil-lages such as Prebilovci all across Herzegovina, Bosnia, Lika, and Dalmatia. Slaughters against Serbs have reached such proportions that many water springs are contaminated. In Popovo Polje I personally wit-nessed reddish water spouting from a spring, which was near a pit


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where 4,000 Serbs had been dispatched! There will be a perma-nent stain on the conscience of Italy and our culture, unless we distance ourselves from the Ustashas lest the insanity be ascribed to us as well!

.......... When Hitlers special envoy for the Balkans, Dr Hermann Neubacher, delved deeper into the issue of the Serbs, he first attempted to put an end to Croatian crimes. In his memoirs, Neubacher describes the Croatian slaughter: The slaughter of Serbs by Croats must be the most atrocious act of mass murder in the history of the world. I have heard Ustasha leaders boast about slitting the throats of a million Serbs, including nurselings, children, women and the elderly. From the reports he had at his disposal, Neubacher estimates the number of slaughtered defenceless people to 750,000. .......... The genocide in Herzegovina was carried out in around 110 places of execu-tion, most of which were bottomless pits in the Independent State of Croatia, the butcher of the Serbian people 1941-...?, as was written by Dane Lastavica in his book of the same title. Many bottomless pits in Herzegovina were full of dead, wounded, and in many cases living Serbs, and most of those pits were filled with concrete.

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PAPERS

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Jovan Mirkovi, museum curator

HERZEGOVINA-BORN VICTIMS OF THE 1941-

1945 WAR

according to the revised 1964 Census, with a special focus on the suffering of children and the elderly

Abstract: Analyses based on the Victims of the 1941-1945 War database and the extent to which the victims of the war have been recorded in the region of 16 municipalities of Herzegovina at the time of the 1964 Census, broken down in categories with an emphasis on civilian victims and a focus on victims that are characteristic to crimes of genocide (children, women, the elderly), have shown that the NDH had committed not only war crimes, but also crimes of genocide against its Serb residents. What is characteristic for Herzegovina is that there were mass killings of Serbs in places where they were a relative or absolute minority, which means that the crimes were most often committed by residents of the same or surrounding communities of different ethnicity and religion, where the majority of the crimes were committed in the early days of the war, i.e. before any organised resistance movement, which is a testament to the character of that state and the ideology it was based on. Keywords: crimes of genocide, war victims, civilian victims, suffering of children and the elderly. The mass atrocities of the executive, judicial, army and police institutions and troops of the Independent State of Croatia,1 as well as Ustasha organisations and party troops, from the first day of this establishment, were aimed

1 The term so-called NDH is not used, since it in fact relativises the responsibility of the Croatian state, because the NDH had all the characteristics of a state: territory, people, mili-tary and police force.


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primarily at the Serb ethnic space, in efforts to discontinue and disperse the Serbian ethnic fibre by eliminating its physical manifestation.

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF HERCEGOVINA IN NDH

The Large district (Velika upa) HUM (Mostar)

The COUNTIES: Konjic [municipalities: Konjic, Ostroan]; Ljubuki [municipalities: Drinovci, Ljubuki, Ostroac]; Mostar [optina Bijelo Polje (Potoci), Blagaj, Donje Brotnjo (itluk),

Gornje Bratonjo (erin), Koerin, Mostar sela (Mostar), Mostarsko Blato (Ljuti Dolac) iroki Brijeg, itomisli];

Nevesinje [municipalities: Fojnica, Kifino Selo, Kruevljani, Nevesinje, Nevesinje sela (Nevesinje), Ulog-Borak (Ulog);

Posuje: [municipalities: Posuje, Rakitno (Podkleani), Vir]; The Town (Grad) Mostar

The Large district (Velika upa) Dubrava (Dubrovnik) The COUNTIES: Bilea [municipalities: Bilea, Divin, Ljubomir, Plana, Zavoe (Skrbotno)]; apljina [municipalities: apljina, Hutovo]; Gacko [municipalities: Avtovac, Gacko]; Ravno [municipalities: Ljubinje, Popovo Polje (Ravno)]; Stolac [municipalities: Aladinii, Berkovii, Burmazi, Stolac]; Trebinje [municipalities: Brda (Begovi kula-Trnovac), Divar (Aleksina

Mea), Lastva, uma (Dui), Trebinje. Zupci (Grab)]; The Large district (Velika upa) Pliva-Rama (Jajce)

The COUNTIES: Prozor [municipalities: Gornja Rama (it), Prozor];


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This analysis surveys the area of Herzegovina as comprising 16 municipalities which span across 9,616 sq. km, accounting for 18.78% of the area of B&H2 i.e. 9.75% of the area of the NDH.3 According to the 1921 Census the observed area was home to 265,330 residents, while the 1931 Census says it was 320,343 residents. Out of that, 30.67% were Orthodox Christians (33.21% in 1931), 45.80% were Catholic (42.94% in 1931), 23.43% were Muslims (23.08% in 1931) and 0.10% were of other religions (0.27% in 1931). According to demographic estimates, the total number of residents in B&H would have increased by about 22% between 1931 and 1941. If this were applied to the observed area, it would have had 384.412 residents in 1941, or 6.12% of the entire population of the NDH.4 HERZEGOVINA(municipalitiesobservedaccordingto1964administrativedivision)

MunicipalityNumberofsettlements

Numberofsettlementswithwarcasualties

MunicipalityNumberofsettlements

Numberofsettlementswithwarcasualties

Bilea 61 59 Ljubinje 21 21apljina5 58 52 Ljubuki 35 34itluk 21 19 Mostar 56 55Gacko6 72 72 Nevesinje 57 56Grude 11 11 Posuje 17 15Jablanica 27 27 Prozor 55 52Konjic 147 118 Stolac7 36 35Litica 31 31 Trebinje8 182 171

Out of 887 settlements in these 16 municipalities only in 59 (6.65%) were there no war casualties recorded, while the victims who were recorded were in 828 (93.35%) places in this region.

2 Bilea, apljina, itluk, Gacko, Grude, Jablanica, Konjic, Litica, Ljubinje, Ljubiki, Mo-star, Nevesinje, Posuje, Prozor, Stolac, Trebinje. Dragan Cvetkovi, Bosna i Hercegovina numeriko odreivanje ljudskih gubitaka u Drugom svetskom ratu, in: Prilozi istraivanju zloina genocida i ratnih zloina, Beograd 2009, 79-156, on p. 82 lists 15 municipalities (without the municipality of Prozor) with an area of 9,139 sq. km 3 According to the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the area of the NDH takes up 98,572 sq. km (Jovan Marjanovi, Ustanak i narodnooslobodilaki pokret u Srbiji 1941, Beograd 1963, p.22). Dragoje Luki, Bili su samo deca, Jasenovac grobnica 19.432 devoj-ice i deaka, Laktai-Beograd 2000, I, p.24. He states that the area of the NDH amounts to 102,000 sq. km. 4 Compare: Marjanovi, n.d., p.22. 5 Including of later municipality Neum. 6 Including parts of ex municitality Ulog 7 Including areas of later municipality Berkovii. 8 Including ex municipality Ravno.


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The first post-war census was held in 1948. Unfortunately the census of war victims was not carried out at the same time. When comparing the 1948 Census to the projections for the number of residents of a certain area we see how many residents the area has lost: real or direct losses from the war (soldiers and civilians killed during the war, succumbing during and immediately after the war to gunshot wounds, illnesses and other difficult conditions resulting from the war), decreased birth rate immediately prior to the war, during and after the war, and the negative migration balance caused by emigration.9 Herzegovinapopulationaccordingto1931and1948Censusesandpopulationestimatefor1941,dividedbyreligion/ethnicity10Religion/ethnicity 1931Censusac

cordingtoreligionEstimatedpopulationin1941

1948Censusaccordingtoethnicity

Total 320.343 384.412 330.864OrthodoxChristian/Serbs 98.253 117.604 94.590RomanCatholic/Croats 146.718 176.061 163.750Muslim/unaffiliatedMuslims 75.068 90.082 71.102Others 304 365 1.422

9 Duan Vruini, Demografski gubici Srbije prouzrokovani ratovima u XX veku, Beograd, 2007, pp. 9-10. On demographic and real losses based on statistical method calculation, see: Jovan Mirkovi, Objavljeni izvori i literatura o jasenovakim logorima, Banja Luka-Beo-grad, 2000, pp. 212-222 10 According to the 1931 Census, a small part of the observed area belonged to the Zeta Ba-novina, while the bulk of it belonged to the Littoral Banovina. Present-day administrative units do not match the units at the time of the Census of War Victims in 1964, or units from earlier censuses, so they must be observed in the contextof the administrative division at that time.

30.67

45.8

23.43

0.10

10

20

30

40

50 1931Censusaccordingtoreligion percentageoftotalpopulation

rtodox RomanCatholic Muslim Others


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28.59

49.49

21.49

0.430

10

20

30

40

50

60

1948Censusaccordingtoethnicity percentageoftotalpopulation

Serbs Croats unaffiliatedMuslims Others

30.67

45.8

23.43

0.1

28.59

49.49

21.49

0.430

10

20

30

40

50

60

./ ../ ./..

Herzegovinapopulationaccordingto1931and1948Censusesandpopulationestimate

for1941,dividedbyreligion/ethnicity

1931 1948


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The table and charts above view the different categories from censuses of 1931 (religion) and 1948 (ethnicity) as the same, considering that in the observed region such an equalisation is possible since within the individual ethnic groups there were no other religious professions than those listed here. According to the 1931 Census, the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina was 2,323,555, of whom 1,028,139 were Orthodox Christians (44.25%), 547,949 were Roman Catholics (23.58%), 718,079 were Muslims (30.91%) and 29,390 were of other religions (1.26%). Demographers calculated that between 1931 and 1941 the total population of Bosnia and Herzegovina increased by around 22% (2,834,737),11 while it should be noted that the population growth rate varies for different religious/ethnic groups.12

11 Vladimir erjavi, Gubici stanovnitva Jugoslavije u drugom svjetskom ratu, Zagreb 1989, p.12, calculated that the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1931 (census was carried out across the banovinas, according to religion and mother tongue) was 2,321,502, and that by 1941 it would have been 2,850,396 (p. 12), i.e. 2,825,000 (p. 18). Bogoljub Ko-ovi, rtve drugog svetskog rata u Jugoslaviji, London 1985, states on page 69 that the population in 1941 would be 2,814,000 people. CD-Popis 1991 calculates that in 1921 Bos-nia and Herzegovina would have had 1,890,440 residents, and 2,323,555 in 1931. See also: Definitivni rezultati popisa 1931 i Prethodni rezultati popisa 1921). 12 Koovi, n. d., p.69, states that Serbs had the highest growth rate between 1931 and 1941, followed by Muslims and then Croats, while in later periods Muslims claim the high-est increment.

44%

24%

31%

1%

1931Censusaccordingtoreligion percentageoftotalpopulation

Ortodox

RomaCatholicsMuslims

Others


33

The actual losses in the Second World War in the area of Yugoslavia were determined in censuses in 1946,13 195014 and 1964,15 while each census, as well as the material of the Reparation Commission on Human and Material Losses,16 has failed to provide a definitive answer on the actual number of casualties in the Second World War in the area of Yugoslavia, and subsequently the NDH..

13 The Statistics Division of the State Commission came up with 505,182 fatalities in the war other than members of armed forces. See: Jovan Mirkovi, Hronologija zloina (april avgust 1941- godine) prilog dokazima o genocidnom karakteru Nezavisne Drave Hrvat-ske, in: Prilozi istraivanju zloina genocida i ratnih zloina, Beograd 2009, pp.11-78, on page 65; Miodrag Zeevi Jovan P. Popovi, Dokumenti iz istorije Jugoslavije, Dravna komisija za utvrivanje zloina okupatora i njihovih pomagaa iz Drugog svetskog rata (I), Beograd 1996, p.42. 14 The 1950 Census, allegedly organised by SUBNOR (t/n: Federation of Associations of Veterans of the National Liberation War), is only mentioned in relevant literature as having been held, but with no results published, hence not even the highest state institutions of the SFRY were sure of its existance, let alone authenticity. They state: "according to available information (sic!) in 1950 the SUBNOR of Yugoslavia carried out a census of all fighters who were killed and of victims of fascism, the results of which are unknown to this day". (Predsednitvo SFRJ, Beograd, 21. januar 1992, Informacija o otvorenim pitanjima utvri-vanja odgovornosti za genocid i druga teka krivina dela koja se vre nad pripadnicima srpske i drugih nacionalnosti u oruanim sukobima u Republici Hrvatskoj, in: Zloin je zlo-in preutati, Izbor dokumenata najviih dravnih organa Jugoslavije o ratnim i zloinima genocida i drugim stradanjima srpskog naroda u Hrvatskoj i Bosni i Hercegovini (1991-1992), Novi Sad, 1993, pp.178-189. In relevant literature we only find information from the joint charts for Croatia, listing 155,142, i.e. 156,226 victims (Mate Rupi, Popis rtava Drugog svjetskog rata u Hrvatskoj iz 1950. godine, in: Dijalog povjesniara/istoriara 4, Zagreb 2001, p.544). 15 rtve rata 1941-1945. Popis iz 1964. godine. Knjiga 1-16. Beograd, Savezni zavod za statistiku, 1992, (kompjuterski printing), p. 10 881. The first book was in fact a phototype edition of the internal publication of the Federal Statistics Department with a Report on the census: rtve rata 1941-1945. Popis iz 1964. godine. Reprint: rtve rata 1941-1945. (Re-zultati popisa), Savezni zavod za statistiku Beograd, 1966, (za internu upotrebu) and Izve-taj o izvrenom popisu rtava rata 1941-1945. Savezne komisije za popis rtava rata 1941-1945. Beograd, Savezni zavod za statistiku, 1992, 85+XV; Also see: Jovan Mirkovi, Predgovor = Forward, in: Zloini u logoru Jasenovac= Crimes in the Jasenovac Camp, Banja Luka 2000, XIX i XXI. 16 Ljudske i materijalne rtve Jugoslavije u ratnom naporu 1941-1945. godine, Beograd, Reparaciona komisija pri Vladi FNRJ, 1946.


34

IDENTIFIED VICTIMS OF THE 1941-1945 WAR IN YUGOSLAVIA ACCORDING TO REVISED

1964 CENSUS

Based on the 1964 Census, The Museum of Genocide Victims formed the Victims of the 1941-1945 War database with identification by name, which is regularly updated by sifting through the data, adding information from filled out questionnaires about the victims of the war,, archive material, data published in relevant literature etc. And so far a total of 660,002 people have been identified for the area of ex-Yugoslavia (which accounts for 60% of actual war losses according to relevant demographic calculations): Serbs are a majority of 392,897 people (59.6%), other Yugoslavian peoples are at 140,815 (21.3%), Jews are at 52,321, while others and unknown are at 73,559 (11.1%).

According to a report of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, drafted by senior advisor von Schmeiden under orders from J. von Ribbentrop, in 1941 the NDH had a total population of 6,285,000 (3,300,000 Croats, 1,925,000 Serbs, 700,000 Muslims, 150,000 Germans, 75,000 Hungarians, 65,000 Czechs and Slovaks, 40,000 Jews and 30,000 Slovenians, with no record for the Roma people).17 This information is closer to actual numbers than Pekis data which was given with in accordance with Ustasha policy of undervaluing the Serb population and overvaluing the number of Croats, further increasing it with the number of Muslims: total population of 6,439,331; 4,868,831 17 Marjanovi, n.d., p. 22.

59.60%

21.30%

8.00%

11.10%

Identifiedvictimsofthe19411945warinYugoslaviaaccordingtorevised1964Census

Serbs

OtherYUpoeplesJews

Othersandunknown


35

Croats, 1,250,000 Serbs, 320,500 others and no record for Jews and Roma people. 1819 The Victims of the 1941-1945 War database for the area of the NDH so far

lists 455,973 fatalities (accounting for 7.25% of the estimated population of the NDH): 291,356 Serbs (63.9%, while their percentage in the total population was 30.6%), 79,329 Croats (17.4%, while their percentage in the total population was 52.4%), 32,714 Muslims (7.2%, while their percentage in the total population was 11.1%), 28,497 Jews (6.3%, while their percentage in the total population was 0.6%), 12,240 Roma people (2.7%, while their estimated percentage in the total population was 0.3%), and 11,837 others or unknown (2.6%, while their percentage in the total population was 5.0%). Victims of the 1941-1945 War in the NDH so far identified NDH 455,973

Serbs 291,356 Croats 79,329 Muslims 32,714 Jews 28,497 Roma 12,240 Others and unknown 11,837

18 P. Peki, Postanak Nezavisne Drave Hrvatske, Zagreb, 1942, p. 97 19 Marjanovi, n.d., 22.

52.5

30.63

11.142.39 1.19 1.03 0.64 0.48

0

100

NDHpopulation,1941(6,285.000).Source:GermanMinistryofForeignAffairs(6,285.000)19

1)Croats3,300.000 2)Serbs1,925.0003)Muslims700.000 4)Germanies150.0005)Hungaries75.000 6)CezcsandSlovaks65.0007Jews 8)Slovenians30.0009)Romenodata


36

63.90%

17.40% 7.20%

6.20%

2.70%2.60%

WarVictimsinNDH

Serbs

Croats

Muslims

Jews

Roma

Others

52.5

30.6

11.1

0.6 0.35.2

17.4

63.9

7.2 6.22.7 2.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

CROATS SERBS MUSLIMS JEWS ROMA OTHERSANDN/A

Percentageoftotalpopulationcomparedtopercentageofvictims

intheNDH

population Warvictim


37

HERZEGOVINA-BORN VICTIMS OF THE 1941-1945 WAR

In the area of Herzegovina (which is, again, 18.78% of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or 9.75% of the area of the NDH), a total of 17,638 fatalities were recorded, which is 8.35% of the total recorded number of victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. 3.87% of victims recorded in the NDH, and 4.59% of the estimated population of Herzegovina in 1941.

Victims of the 1941-1945 war in the area of Herzegovina, by gender

According to gender, 77.98% of the victims in the observed area were male, and 22.02% female, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina there were 71.70% male victims, 27.98% female victims and 0.32% victims of unknown gender.

20 The 1964 Census of War Victims included the municipalities of Neum apljina, BerkoviiStolac and Ravno Trebinje..

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,bygenderNo. Bornin Total %ofWar

victimsM % F %

Hercegovina20 17638 100 13754 77.98 3884 22,021 Bilea 1574 8,92 1216 77,2 358 22,742 apljina/Neum 2189 12,41 1504 68,71 685 31,293 itluk 89 0,51 79 88,76 10 11,244 Gacko 2069 11,73 1393 67,33 676 32,675 Grude 117 0,66 99 84,62 18 15,386 Jablanica 355 2.01 314 88,45 41 11,557 Konjic 1000 5,67 835 83,50 165 16,508 Litica 226 1,28 183 80,97 43 19,039 Ljubinje 574 3,25 445 77,53 129 22,4710 Ljubuki 427 2,42 382 89,46 45 10,5411 Mostar 2719 15,42 2285 84,04 434 15,9612 Nevesinje 1424 8,07 1138 79,92 286 20,0913 Posuje 134 0,76 116 86,57 18 13,4314 Prozor 844 4,79 793 93,96 51 6,0415 Stolac/Berkovii 1686 9,56 1204 71,41 482 28,5916 Trebinje/Ravno 2211 12,54 1768 79,96 443 20,04


38

We see that in the observed area the percentage of female victims is lower than the average for the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Among the municipalities, apljina, Gacko and Stolac deviate in this category with a higher percentage of female victims above the average for Herzegovina, as well as the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina.

BosniaandHerzegovinabornvictimsofthe19411945war,bygenderTotal Male Female n/a212384 152285(71,70%) 59419(27,98%) 680(0,32%)

77.98%

22.02%

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,bygender

Male

Female

71.70%

27.98%

0.32%

BosniaandHerzegovinabornvictimsofthe19411945war,bygender

Male

Female

n/a


39

Victims of the 1941-1945 war, born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by ethnicity

71.7

27.98

0.35

77.98

22.02

0

MALE FEMALE N/A

Comparisonofvictimsofthe19411945war,bygender

B&H Herzegovina

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,accordingtoethnicity

No.Bornin Total Serbs Croats Muslims Jews Roma OthersHercegovina 17638 11691 2369 3332 85 21 140% 100 66,28 13,44 18,89 0,48 0,12 0,79

1 Bilea 1574 1056 10 482 3 5 182 apljina 2189 1777 241 164 1 63 itluk 89 27 53 8 14 Gacko 2069 1753 10 288 3 155 Grude 117 5 111 16 Jablanica 355 43 86 219 1 67 Konjic 1000 404 161 399 15 218 Litica 226 14 211 1 9 Ljubinje 574 489 12 71 210 Ljubuki 427 82 266 69 1011 Mostar 2719 1709 344 574 71 2112 Nevesinje 1424 1277 16 122 4 513 Posuje 134 6 125 2 114 Prozor 844 10 466 363 2 315 Stolac 1686 1122 170 387 716 Trebinje 2211 1917 87 183 1 23


40

21 others 15,056; out of which: Jews 11,821 5.57%, Roma people 1,017 0.48%, others 2,218 1.04% (other Yugoslavian peoples 336, other known 62 and others 1,820)

66.28%

13.44%

18.89%

0.48%

0.12%

0.79%

Victimsofthe19411945WarintheareaofHerzegovina,

byethnicity

Serbs

Croats

Muslims

Jews

Roma

Others

Victimsofthe19411945war,borninBosniaandHerzegovina,byethnicityTotal Serbs Croats Muslims Others21212384 157640(74,22%) 7790(3,67%) 31896(15,02%) 15056(7,09%)

74.22%

3.67% 15.02%

7.09%

Victimsofthe19411945war,borninBosniaandHerzegovina,

byethnicitySerbs

Croats

Muslims

Others


41

Out of 17,638 war victims born in Herzegovina, who were recorded in the Victims of the 1941-1945 War database, 11,691 or 66.28% were Serbs (who were 30.67% of the total population), 2,369 or 3.44% were Croats (45.80% of the total population), 3,332 or 18.89% were Muslims (23.43% of the total population) and 24622 or 1.39% were others (0.10% of total population).

22 Jews 85, Roma people 21 and others 140.

30.67

45.8

23.43

0.1

66.28

13.4418.89

1.390

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

SERBS CROATS MUSLIMS OTHERS

Percentageoftotalpopulationcomparedtopercentage

ofwarvictims

POPULATION VICTIMS

44.25

74.22

30.67

66.28

23.58

3.67

45.8

13.44

30.91

15.0223.43

18.89

1.267.09

0.1 1.390

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

B&H P B&H V OBSERV.AREA P OBSERV.AREA V

Populationpercentagecomparedto19411945warvictimsbyethnicityforBosniaandHerzegovinaandtheobservedarea

P=populationsV=victims

Serbs Croats Mulims Others


42

In relation to the estimated number of residents in 1941 the recorded victims account for 4.59% (7.49% for Bosnia and Herzegovina), i.e. 9.92% among the Serbs (12.57% for Bosnia and Herzegovina), 1.35% for Croats (1.66% for Bosnia and Herzegovina) and 3.70% for Muslims (3.64% for Bosnia and Herzegovina), or if we are to look at the Croatian and Muslim population together, since they together constituted the Croatian political people in the NDH, i.e. were regarded as a single nation, then the recorded victims account for 2.14% of the estimated population (2.57% for Bosnia and Herzegovina). There are no records for Jews and the Roma people in the observed area in the 1931 Census, nor consequently in the 1941 estimated numbers. In proportion, the Jewish ethnic/religious population had the largest losses in Bosnia and Herzegovina: compared to the 1931 Census the recorded casualties are 78.21%, and if we applied the same criteria to the estimated numbers the losses would be 64.12%. In victim analysis according to ethnicity, it is important to point out the ratio of percentage in the total population to the percentage among the victims. If we compare losses among ethnicities, the ratio of Croatian to Serb victims is 1:4.9 (while the same ratio is 1:0.67 in total population); the ratio of Muslims to Serbs is 1:3.5 (1:1.31 in total population); and the ratio of Croats and Muslims together to Serbs is 1:2.05 (1:0.44 in total population).

Victims of the 1941-1945 War in the area of Herzegovina, by year of death

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,accordingtoyearofdeath

No.Bornin Total

Year1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

Hercegovina 17638 6617 3257 3168 2633 1963% 100 37,52 8,47 17,96 14,92 11,13

1 Bilea 1574 687 195 282 273 1372 apljina 2189 1542 110 156 234 1473 itluk 89 12 24 16 11 264 Gacko 2069 573 563 607 203 1235 Grude 117 7 7 34 32 376 Jablanica 355 11 146 106 39 537 Konjic 1000 189 123 327 159 2028 Litica 226 22 43 24 52 859 Ljubinje 574 320 68 91 57 3810 Ljubuki 427 74 48 57 116 13211 Mostar 2719 1051 334 422 517 39512 Nevesinje 1424 408 306 307 213 19013 Posuje 134 5 39 42 23 2514 Prozor 844 16 611 127 64 2615 Stolac 1686 912 253 223 185 11316 Trebinje 2211 788 387 347 455 234


43

37.52%

18.47%17.96%

14.92%

11.13%

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,accordingtoyearofdeath

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

24.82%

36.48%

19.01%

13.30%6.39%

BosniaandHerzegovinabornvictimsofthe19411945war,byyearofdeath

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

BosniaandHerzegovinabornvictimsofthe19411945war,byyearofdeathTotal Year

1941. 1942. 1943. 1944. 1945.212384 52706(24,82) 77470(36,48) 40380(19,01) 28250(13,30) 13574(6,39)


44

According to the year of death, the largest number of victims were killed in 1941 (37.52%), while the numbers are similar for 1942 (18.47%) and 1943 (17.96%), as for 1944 (14,92%) and 1945 (11.13%). Relative to the total number of war victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to year of death, this area is specific for having a significantly larger percentage of casualties in the first year of the war 37.52% victims in 16% of the duration of the war, i.e. in less than eight months of the war the monthly average was more than double of the number of victims in the remaining 84% of the duration of the war. Although most of the civilian victims (victims of direct violence) during the war in the area of the NDH can be deemed as victims of the genocidal policies of the NDH, it especially goes for victims from the first year of the war, when there was no armed resistance provoked by mass crimes, which was the formal motive. Direct mass crimes were formally justified as retribution and cleansing, i.e. pacification of the territory. Of course, the composition of the civilian victims (gender or age-wise), as well as the time of execution clearly indicate real intentions, i.e. the implementation of genocidal policies.

24.82

36.48

19.01

13.3

6.39

37.52

18.47 17.9614.92

11.13

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

Comparisonofdataonvictimsofthe19411945war

forBosniaandHerzegovinaandtheobservedarea,byyearofdeath

B&H Observerarea


45

Victims of the 1941-1945 war in the area of Herzegovina, by manner of death

Militaryandcivilianvictims,accordingtocategoryTotal Military

victimsCivilianvictims

Stateinstitutions

Directviolence

Othercategories

Otherandunknown

17638 4110 13528 2151 8943 1124 1310100,00% 23,30 76,70 12,20 50,70 6,37 7,43%odCV 100,00 15,90 66,11 8,31 9,68

23 Camps, prisons, deportation, forced labour, shelters for children 24 Direct violence, mass slaughter, at home, on the run, thrown in a pit, thrown in a well, thrown in a river, German offensive, in a church. 25 As a civilian, in combat, from bombings, in refuge, in the People's Liberation War (PLW) 26 Military victims 4,110 or 23.30%, civilian victims 13,528 or 76.70%

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovinaaccordingtomannerofdeath

No.

Bornin TotalFRYA

PLW

Statein

situtio

ns23

Directvio

lence

(ath

ome)

24

Otherca

te

gorie

s25

Other

Unkno

wn

Hercegov. 17638 214 3896 2151 8943 1124 1171 139% 100 1,21 22,0926 12,20 50,70 6,37 6,64 0,79

1 Bilea 1574 22 490 113 677 64 200 82 apljina 2189 6 222 179 1657 64 51 103 itluk 89 5 32 13 28 9 24 Gacko 2069 21 396 145 1136 171 191 95 Grude 117 3 46 5 26 26 11 6 Jablanica 355 3 117 15 176 20 24 7 Konjic 1000 9 294 85 431 138 37 68 Litica 226 13 33 10 79 55 28 89 Ljubinje 574 12 106 107 312 18 17 210 Ljubuki 427 11 146 65 115 60 18 1211 Mostar 2719 32 540 763 1071 185 100 2812 Nevesinje 1424 31 425 157 574 109 109 1913 Posuje 134 5 40 3 57 15 12 214 Prozor 844 4 111 27 628 43 29 215 Stolac 1686 9 295 196 1000 37 137 1216 Trebinje 2211 28 603 268 976 110 207 19


46

BosniaandHerzegovinabornvictimsofthe19411945War,bycategoryTotal Military

victims27Civilianvictims

Stateinstitutions28

Directviolence29

Othercategories30

Otherandunknown31

212384 39501 172883 53664 89626 10042 19551100,00% 18,60 81,40 25,27 42,20 4,73 9,20%odCV 100,00 31,04 51,84 5,81 11,31

27 Former Yugoslav Royal Army 1,628: imprisoned members 909, members killed during the April War 719; PLW: imprisoned members of the PLA and PDY (Peoples Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia) 572, members killed during the PLW and in allied formations 37,301. 28 State institutions: camps 47,197, prison 3,744, deportation 2,270, forced labour 259, shel-ters for children 194. 29 Direct violence (at home): Direct vilence 58,517, from bombings 469, thrown in a pit 1,730, in a church 188, mass slaughter 12,752, at home 12,191, on the run 3,454, thrown in a well 7, thrown in a river 110, in refuge 208. 30 The German offensive 2553, TheGermanlanding 95, in fightings 542, in YU WW 457, as civilian 6350, revenge 45. 31 Total 19,551 (9.20% of total war victims; 11.31% of civilian victims): category of oth-ers 17,939 (8.44% of total war victims; 10.38% of civilian victims), category unknown 63 (0.76% of total war victims; 0.93% of civilian victims).

1.21%

22.09%

12.20%50.70%

6.37%

7.43%

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovinaaccordingtomannerofdeath

FRYPLW

StateInst.Dir.ViolenceOTHERS

Othersandunknown


47

23.30%

76.70%

Militaryandcivilianvictims,accordingtocategory

MILITARY

CIVILIANS

31.04

51.84

5.8111.31

15.9

66.11

8.31 9.68

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

STATEINST. DIRECTVIOLENCE

OTHERSCAT. OTHERANDUNKNOWN

Comparisonofmilitaryandcivilianvictimsofthe19411945War

forB&Handtheobservedareainrelationtonumberofcivilianvictims

B&H Observ.Area


48

25.27

42.2

4.739.2

12.2

50.7

6.37 7.43

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

STATEINST. DIR.VIOLENCE OTHERSCAT. OTHERSANDUNKNOWN

Comparisonofmilitaryandcivilianvictimsofthe19411945War

forB&Handtheobservedareainrelationtonumberofvictims

B&H Observ.Area

18.6

81.4

23.3

76.7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

MILITARYVICTIMS CIVILIANSVICTIMS

Comparisonofcivilianvictimsofthe19411945WarforB&H

andtheobservedareainrelationtototalnumberofvictims

B&H Observ.Area


49

According to the category or manner of death there were 4,110 or 23.30% military victims (members of the former Yugoslav Royal Army 1.21%, members of the PLA 22.09%), 13,528 or 76.70% civilian victims: state institutions (camps, prisons, deportation and forced labour) 2,151 or 12.20%; from direct violence (mass and individual murders) 8,943 or 50.70%; other categories 1,124 or 6.37%; others and unknown 1,310 or 7.43%. . In relation to the total number of civilian victims in the observed area the percentages are: state institutions 12.20% (in Bosnia and Herzegovina 31.04%), direct violence 66.11% (in Bosnia and Herzegovina 51.84%), other categories 6.37% (in Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.81%), others and unknown 7.43 (in Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.31%). The area of Herzegovina is characterised by a smaller share of the total category of state institutions (camps, prisons, deportation, forced labour) in the percentage of total victims and civilian victims relative to the average for Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also a significantly higher percentage of victims of direct violence.

Victims of the 1941-1945 War in the area of Herzegovina by perpetrators

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,byperpetrators

No.Bornin

Total

Perpetrators

Croatia

ntroo

ps32

Germ

ans3

3

Chetniks

Italians

Others

Unknown

Herzegovina 17638 4683 526 796 221 129 11283% 100 26,55 2,98 4,51 1,25 0,74 63,97

1 Bilea 1574 237 41 179 10 2834 10792 apljina 2189 917 43 14 4 2 12093 itluk 89 11 1 1 764 Gacko 2069 4835 77 92 45 2436 10835 Grude 117 5 1 1 1106 Jablanica 355 108 13 14 220

32 Ustashas, Croatian Home Guard, Gendarmerie, police, including Croatian legionar unit, Croatian and Muslim militia and SS units comprised of citizens of the NDH (Muslims and Croats. 33 Including members of the 7th SS Division Prinz Eugen comprised of Yugoslav citizens (Volksdeutsche). 34 Partisan 14 35 Ustashes 573, Muslims 175 36 Partisans 9


50

7 Konjic 1000 19037 43 33 5 3 7268 Litica 226 14 4 8 7 1939 Ljubinje 574 199 24 10 3 4 33410 Ljubuki 427 60 6 2 5 35411 Mostar 2719 815 89 34 39 41 170112 Nevesinje 1424 249 42 14 38 5 107613 Posuje 134 16 1 11714 Prozor 844 13 16 235 2 57815 Stolac 1686 48438 32 125 6 2 103716 Trebinje 2211 617 94 38 57 15 1390

37 Ustashas 141, Muslims 49 38 Ustashas 444, Muslims 40 39 The database lists as executioners: Ustashas 69,581 and Muslims 3,033. 40 Including victims of other formations under German command, such as Cossacks, 45. 41 Italians 594, PLA 4, Partisans 79, Allies 103, rebels 50, others 208.

26.55%2.98%

4.51%1.25%

0.74%

63.97%

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,byperpetrators

CroatianstroopsGermans

Chetniks

Italians

Others

Unknown

BosniaandHerzegovinabornvictimsofthe19411945warbyperpetratorsTotal Perpetrators

Croat.troops39 Germans40 Chetniks Others41 Unknown212384 72614(34,19%) 11493(5,41%) 6431(3,02%) 1038(0,49%) 120808(56,88%)


51

According to perpetrators, out of the total number of recorded victims (17,638), the largest part (11,283) and percentage is in the unknown group (63.97%), which is more a reflection of the contemporary ideological and political attitudes in the Socialist Yugoslavia about brotherhood and unity and not reopening old wounds rather than the perpetrators being unknown (e.g. there is data about persons who died in NDH camps, where the culprits were not listed, or in mass slaughters committed by Croatian troops, without listing the culprit). The data for the observed area correspond with the data for the general area of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The largest number and percentage relative to unknown culprits is in the category of Croatian troops (4,683, i.e. 26.55%),42 Germans are listed as responsible for 526 victims or 42 Both in the Victims of the 1941-1945 War database and in relevant literature the cul-prits are mainly listed to be the Ustashas, as if other formations took no part in the crimes, when the crimes were committed by members of all armed forces of the Croatian state. When identifying guilty parties for crimes it is usual to say German, Italian, Bulgarian, Hungarian and others crimes (aggressor forces are implied); however, they are almost never listed as Croatian, not implying the Croatian people but the Croatian state and its armed forces, whether legitimate or paramilitary. This is also the result of the policy of brotherhood and unity, to keep anyone from thinking that by any chance re-sponsibility lies in a wider body than the Ustasha party organisation and their armed forces. If anybody did mention the responsibility of the Croatian state in Croatian historiographical opinion journalism, it is so labelled to place the genocidal blame onto the entire Croatian people, which is false of course, because this sort of categorisation is then done by those who comment that any emphasis on the responsibility of the Croatian state is an expression of the outspoken responsibility of the Croatian people.

34.19%

5.41%3.02%

0.49%

56.89%

BosniaandHerzegovinabornvictimsofthe19411945war

byperpetrators

CroatiantroopsGermans

Chetniks

Others

Unknown


52

2.98%, Chetniks (not only members of the JVUO [Yugoslav Homeland Army, troops commanded by Serbian General Draa Mihailovi 1942-1944, t/n] but also local groups beyond the scope of the JVUO chain of command) for 796 or 4.51%, while the rest of the identified culprits are responsible for 350 victims or 1.99% (221 of which belong to Italians). The expression Croatian troops is used purposefully because it both fits into the Croatian language, and also encompasses all military and paramilitary formations, police and parapolice forces not only the Ustashas as a political organisation with their own armed forces, whose ideology was the basis of the newly-founded government and state organisation, but the responsibility of the Croatian sate is emphasised as well.43

43 Crimes, especially from the first year of the war, if mentioned at all, were, in order to conceal the true agitators and organisers of the massacre, imputed to the so-called rogue Ustashas local unorganised formations of Croatian and Muslim militias that were be-yond state control. These formations were not beyond control, nor were they executing un-planned operations in a spontaneous revolutionary zeal, but on the contrary, their actions were well-prepared and ideologically primed massacres on religious and ethnic bases.

34.19

5.41 3.02 0.49

56.88

26.55

2.98 4.51 1.99

63.97

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

CROATIANTROOPS

GERMANS CHETNIKS OTHERS UNKNOWN

Comparisonofdataonvictimsofthe19411945warforB&H

andtheobservedarea,byperpetrators

B&H Observerarea


53

Victims of the 1941-1945 war in the area of Herzegovina, by cause of death

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,bycauseofdeath

No.

Bornin TotalCauseofdeathExecuted Killedin

actionExecuted Missing

Herzegovina 17638 12028 4835 508 267% 100 68,19 27,41 2,88 1,52

1 Bilea 1574 939 543 74 182 apljina 2189 1886 256 23 243 itluk 89 44 42 1 24 Gacko 2069 1474 502 72 215 Grude 117 34 71 11 16 Jablanica 355 222 128 4 17 Konjic 1000 529 414 36 218 Litica 226 88 116 7 159 Ljubinje 574 426 129 14 510 Ljubuki 427 200 187 24 1611 Mostar 2719 1862 735 70 5212 Nevesinje 1424 801 550 47 2613 Posuje 134 81 39 4 1014 Prozor 844 694 132 15 315 Stolac 1686 133944 302 27 1816 Trebinje 2211 1409 689 79 34

44 Burned in fire 49

68.19%

27.41%2.88%

1.52%

WarvictimsintheareaofHerzegovina,bycauseofdeath

xetudedKilledinactionDied

Missing


54

Comparisonofdataonvictimsofthe19411945warforBosniaandHerzegovinaandtheobservedarea,accordingtocauseofdeath

Total CauseofdeathExecuted Killedinaction Died Missing

212384 158683(74,72) 43179(20,33) 7415(3,49) 3107(1,46)

Analysis according to cause of death shows the following: 12,028 people executed45 (68.19%), 4,835 killed in action46 (27.41%), 508 died47 (2.88%) and 267 missing (1.52%), which corresponds to the analysis of victims by category, since civilian victims were mainly in the executed group, while military victims in the killed in action group. The percentage of people killed in action (27.41%) is only slightly higher than the percentage of military victims (23.30%) because of more people being killed in bombings and during battles. In relation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, 45 Includes: murdered, shot, slaughtered, burned alive, hung, drowned, poisoned. 46 Killed in action mainly means military victims (23.30%), but also the category of killed by a lingering explosive device, which usually means civilian victims (but which are statistically insignificant). 47 Died, succumbed to gunshot wounds, illness, hunger, cold.

74.72

20.33

3.49 1.46

68.19

27.41

2.88 1.520

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

EXETUDED KILLEDINACTION DIED MISSING

Comparisonofdataonvictimsofthe19411945warforB&H andtheobservedarea,accordingto

causeofdeath

B&H Observ.Area


55

the percentage of executed victims is smaller (74.72% for Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the percentage of casualties killed in action is larger (20.33% for Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Victims of the 1941-1945 War in the area of Herzegovina, by occupation

Analysis of war victims according to occupation shows that the highest percentage is that of agricultural workers (41.01%), followed by dependants (women, children, pupils, students, the elderly) with 34.04%. This structure in the observed area differs from the data for Bosnia and Herzegovina due to

48 Out of which children born dugin the war 166: Bilea 13, itluk 1, Gacko 33, Grude -, Jablanica 5, Konjic 12, Litica 1, Ljubinje 9, Mostar 16, Nevesinje 13, Posuje -, Prozor 4, Stolac 12, Trebinje 21.

War victims in the area of Herzegovina, by occupation

No.

BorninTotal

Farm

er

Indu

strywo

rker,

craftsman,

Labo

urer

Officialan

dexpert,

teache

rand

professor,

Depe

ndant48

Otheroc

cupatio

ns

Une

mployedan

dun

know

n

Herzegovina 17638 7560 823 1877 978 5369 505 526% 100 42,86 4,67 10,64 5,54 30,44 2,87 2,98

1 Bilea 1574 732 66 119 52 522 58 252 apljina 2189 883 44 219 102 779 31 1313 itluk 89 43 2 11 8 19 4 24 Gacko 2069 783 48 102 103 974 42 175 Grude 117 73 1 14 5 21 3 6 Jablanica 355 213 5 47 5 80 4 17 Konjic 1000 492 35 111 58 271 23 108 Litica 226 118 8 29 3 65 2 19 Ljubinje 574 262 32 55 26 166 20 1310 Ljubuki 427 169 32 76 40 89 18 311 Mostar 2719 748 254 495 317 727 112 6612 Nevesinje 1424 687 62 176 73 373 36 1713 Posuje 134 89 3 13 2 22 4 114 Prozor 844 701 26 27 9 72 3 615 Stolac 1686 664 102 124 56 640 46 5416 Trebinje 2211 903 103 259 119 549 99 179


56

larger percentages in the observed area in the categories of agricultural workers, industrial workers, craftsmen, tradesmen and labourers, officials and experts, and less in categories of dependants, unemployed people and unknown.

HERZEGOVINA-BORN CHILDREN AS VICTIMS OF THE 1941-1945 WAR

Children49 represent the frailest category of population during war. The treatment of children, crimes against them and the ratio of children in war casualties give a true image of the ideological and political nature of the persons who commit crimes against children. The total number of children up to 14 years of age in the area of the NDH is 74,762, which is 16.40% of all war victims recorded so far in the area of the NDH, 60,234 of which were executed and 14,528 are listed as war victims (killed in action, died, missing). In terms of ethnicity, there were 42,791 Serb children, 5,737 Roma children, 5,434 Muslim children, 3,710 Jewish children, 2,289 Croatian children and 273 of others and unknown.50

49 The category of children includes war victims of up to 14 years of age, meaning that it includes persons who were born in 1927 and died in 1041, born in 1928 and died in 1941 and 1942, born in 1929 and died in 1941, 1942 and 1943, born in 1930 and died from 1941 to 1944, and all those born in 1931 and onwards. 50 Research by Dragoje Luki: Dragoje Luki, Deca na lomai rata u NDH 1941-1945, Imenoslovnik 74.762 rtve mlae od 14 godina, knjiga 2, rukopis, Beograd 1998 (hereinaf-ter: Luki, Deca na lomai rata), Archive of the Museum of Genocide Victims, personal

42.86

4.6710.64

5.54

30.44

5.85

0

50B&Hbornvictims

ofthe19411945war,byoccupation

FarmersIndustrialworkersLabourersOfficialsandexperts,teachersDependantsUnemployedandunknown


57

Analysis of the suffering of children born in the area of Herzegovina, according to the extent to which the victims of the war were recorded in the aforementioned revision of the Census, shows that out of 17,638 casualties there were 2,235 (12.67%) children up to 14 years of age (for Bosnia and Herzegovina the percentage of children victims is 19.55%), and out of 13,228 civilian victims children make up 16.90% (for Bosnia and Herzegovina the percentage of children victims in the total number of civilian casualties is 24.03%). Children victims in the observed area account for 5.38% of all children casualties in Bosnia and Herzegovina and, speaking of the total number of victims, that percentage for the observed area in relation to Bosnia and Herzegovina is 8.35%.

fund: Dragoje Luki (LF DL); Dragoje Luki, Bili su samo deca, Jasenovac grobnica 19.432 devojice i deaka, Laktai Beograd 2000, I, p.24.

Herzegovinachildrenwarvictimsbygender

No.Bornin Total Children Male FemaleHerzegovina 17,638 2,235 1,205 1,030% 100 12,67 93,91 46,09

1 Bilea 1,574 225 116 1092 apljina 2,189 447 199 2483 itluk 89 2 2 4 Gacko 2,069 441 216 2255 Grude 117 13 6 76 Jablanica 355 35 28 77 Konjic 1,000 131 88 438 Litica 226 28 23 59 Ljubinje 574 67 36 3110 Ljubuki 427 22 16 611 Mostar 2,719 197 117 8012 Nevesinje 1424 114 65 4913 Posuje 134 13 8 514 Prozor 844 35 26 915 Stolac 1686 299 159 14016 Trebinje 2211 166 100 66

ChildrenwarvictimsborninHerzegovinaNo. Bornin Total Children %ofHerzegovina 17,638 2,235 12.671 Bilea 1,574 225 14.292 apljina 2,189 447 20.423 itluk 89 2 2.254 Gacko 2,069 441 21.315 Grude 117 13 11.116 Jablanica 355 35 9.86


58

17638

13754

38842235

1205 10300

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

TOTAL MALE FEMALE

ComparisonofdataforwarvictimsinHerzegovinabygender:total/children

TotalWarVictims TotalChildrenWarVictims

7 Konjic 1,000 131 13.108 Litica 226 28 12.399 Ljubinje 574 67 11.6710 Ljubuki 427 22 5.1511 Mostar 2,719 197 7.2512 Nevesinje 1,424 114 8.0113 Posuje 134 13 9.7014 Prozor 844 35 4.1515 Stolac 1,686 299 17.7316 Trebinje 2,211 166 7.51

53.91%

46.09%

Herzegovinachildrenwarvictimsbygender

Male

Female


59

According to analyses of the figures: in female children casualties born in Herzegovina, 46.09% are female (in the total number of victims of this area, 22.02% are female casualties), and 53.91% are male (in the total number of victims 77.98% are male). Out of the total number of male war victims children account for 8.76%, while out of the total number of female victims 22.52% are children.

51 8 of which were Jewish and 9 were Roma children..

ChildrenwarvictimsinHerzegovina,byethnicity

No.Bornin Total Serbs Croats Muslims OthersHerzegovina 17638 1463 179 559 3451% 100 65,46 8,01 25,01 1,52

1 Bilea 225 53 167 52 apljina 447 426 15 6 3 itluk 2 2 4 Gacko 441 357 83 15 Grude 13 1 12 6 Jablanica 35 6 7 21 17 Konjic 131 50 23 41 178 Litica 28 28 9 Ljubinje 67 56 1 10 10 Ljubuki 22 4 9 9 11 Mostar 197 107 35 47 812 Nevesinje 114 99 13 213 Posuje 13 2 10 1 14 Prozor 35 16 19 15 Stolac 299 147 22 130 16 Trebinje 166 153 1 12

65.46

8.010 1.52

0

20

40

60

80ChildrenwarvictimsinHerzegovina,

byethnicity

Serbs Croats Muslims Others


60

30.67

45.8

23.43

0.1

66.28

13.44 18.89

1.39

65.46

8.01

25.01

1.520

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


Percentagechildrenintotalpopulationandwarvictims

POPULATION WARVICTIMS

66.28

13.4418.89

1.39

65.46

8.01

25.01

1.520

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


Comparisonofdataforvictimsofthe19411945war

byethnicity:total/children

Total Children


61

ChildrenwarvictimsinHerzegovina,byyearofdeath

No.Bornin Children

Year1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

Herzegovina 2235 944 370 543 289 89% 100 42,24 16,55 24,30 12,93 3,98

1 Bilea 225 167 18 22 14 42 apljina 447 348 10 19 64 63 itluk 2 1 1 4 Gacko 441 64 158 210 8 15 Grude 13 11 2 6 Jablanica 35 9 15 9 27 Konjic 131 20 12 75 13 118 Litica 28 2 12 149 Ljubinje 67 38 11 16 1 110 Ljubuki 22 3 1 4 4 1011 Mostar 197 21 30 33 95 1812 Nevesinje 114 5 32 47 20 1013 Posuje 13 5 6 1 114 Prozor 35 25 7 3 15 Stolac 299 197 38 51 12 116 Trebinje 166 78 20 27 31 10

WV Childrenaged14andbelowaswarvictimsinB&H,byyearofdeath194145 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

212384 41515(19,55%) 8676 19169 8957 3829 886%fromWV4145100 20,90 46,17 21,58 9,22 2,13

42.24%

17%24%

13%4%

ChildrenwarvictimsinHerzegovina,byyearofdeath

19411942194319441945


62

According to ethnicity, 65.46% were Serb children (in the total number of victims in this area Serbs account for 66.28%), 8.01% Croatian children (13.44 Croats in the total number of victims), 25.01% Muslim children (18.89% Muslims in the total number of victims) and 1.52% were children of other ethnicities (the percentage of others in the total victims is 1.39%).

Children aged 14 and below as war victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by year of death

The highest death toll of children was in 1941, whose ratio was higher than for the total victim count that year, and double the ratio of child casualties in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The percentage of children war victims in the observed area is significantly smaller than the total for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1942. For the rest of the war years, the percentages are quite similar for both children casualties and total casualties in this area, as well as for children casualties in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

37.52

18.47 17.9614.92

11.13

42.24

16.55

24.3

12.93

3.98

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

Comparisonofdataforvictimsofthe19411945warbyyear

ofdeath:total/children

Total Children


63

Children war victims in Herzegovina, by perpetrators

62.68%

3.09% 19.37%

2.51%1.39%

10.96%

ChildrenwarvictimsinHerzegovina,byperpetrators

CroatiantroopsGermans

Chetniks

Italians

Others

Unknown

20.9

46.17

21.5

9.22

2.13

42.24

16.55

24.3

12.93

3.98

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

ComparisonofdataonchildreninB&H andtheobservedarea,

byyearofdeath

B&H Observerarea


64

The perpetrators were listed as Croatian troops for 62.68% of children victims, while they are held responsible for 26.55% of the total victims; Germans were listed for 3.09% of the children, opposed to 2.98% for total victims; Chetniks were responsible for 19.37% of the deaths of children and 4.51% of the total victims; Italians were responsible for 2.51% of the deaths of children and 1.25% for the total victims; other known perpetrators were responsible for 1.39% children and 0.74% for total victims, and 10.96% perpetrators were unknown for children, while the percentage is 63.97% for total victims. What is notable for the 1964 Census for the observed area is that the majority of perpetrators for children were listed, while for the total victims the percentage of unknown perpetrators is significantly higher.

VICTIMS OF THE 1941-1945 WAR, BORN IN THE AREA OF HERZEGOVINA, OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE

Next to children, executions of the elderly during a war, i.e. persons who are mostly not able to work or fight, as a rule represents a crime of genocide or a war crime. The largest number of recorded fatalities among civilians in this area were persons of working age (13,791 or 78.19%).

26.55

2.98 4.51 1.25 0.74

63.9762.68

3.09

19.37

2.51 1.10.96

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

CROATIANTROOPS

GERMAN CHETNIKS ITALIANS OTHERS UNKNOWN

Comparisonofwarvictimsbyperpetrators:total/children

Total Children


65

Herzegovinabornwarvictimsover60yearsofage52

No. BorninTotal

Children

%ofwarvictims

Warvictimsover60yearsofage

%ofwarvictims

Herzegovina 17,638 2,235 12.67 1,612 9.141 Bilea 1,574 225 14.29 124 7.882 apljina 2,189 447 20.42 186 8.503 itluk 89 2 2.25 1 1.124 Gacko 2,069 441 21.31 227 10.975 Grude 117 13 11.11 9 7.696 Jablanica 355 35 6.86 22 6.207 Konjic 1,000 131 13.10 71 7.108 Litica 226 28 12.40 14 6.199 Ljubinje 574 67 11.67 24 8.7110 Ljubuki 427 22 5.15 209 5.6211 Mostar 2,719 197 7.25 132 7.6912 Nevesinje 1,424 114 8.01 4 9.2713 Posuje 134 13 9.70 70 2.9814 Prozor 844 35 4.15 219 8.2915 Stolac 1,686 299 17.73 250 12.9916 Trebinje 2,211 166 7.51 24 11.31

52 Comprising persons born in 1885 and killed in 1945, born in 1884 and killed between 1944 and 1945, born in 1883 and killed between 1943 and 1945, born in 1882 and killed between 1942 and 1945, and all persons born in 1881 and earlier.

37.52

18.47 17.9614.92

11.13

48.32

23.1416.38

7.824.34

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

Comparisonofdataforwarvictims:Total/over60yearsofage

Total Over60yearsofage


66

17638

2235 1612

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

Comparisonofvictimsofthe19411945warbyyearofdeath:total/victimsover60yearsofage

otalwarvictims Childrenwarvictims Over60yearsofage

17638

1612

Comparisonofdataforwarvictims:Total/over60yearsofage

Total

Over60yearsofage


67

In the observed area the number of war victims over 60 years of age is 1,612, accounting for 9.14% of total victims. The highest rate of death was in 1941 48.32%, which is significantly higher than in total victims (35.53%), although in total victims the same year has the highest rate of deaths as well. Also, the percentage of victims in this category is higher than in total victims. Although statistical methods in historiography may seem dehumanised, one should bear in mind that each number represents one person, with all their innermost feelings, troubles and joys of life, individual pasts and plans for the future. And when that person is a child, then those plans for the future are as immeasurable as the grief of their families, as well as of the nation.

37.52

18.47

17.9614.92

11.13

42.24

16.55

24.3

12.93

3.98

48.32

23.14

16.38

7.82 4.34

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

Comparisonofvictimsofthe19411945Waraccordingto

yearofdeath:total/children/victimsover60yearsofage

Total Children Over60yearofage


68

SUMMARY

This analysis surveys the area of Herzegovina as comprising 16 municipalities, which span 9,616 sq. km, accounting for 18.78% of the area of Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. 9.75% of the area of the NDH. The municipalities analysed are: Bilea, apljina, itluk, Gacko, Grude, Jablanica, Konjic, Litica, Ljubinje, Ljubuki, Mostar, Nevesinje, Posuje, Prozor, Stolac, and Trebinje. According to the 1931 Census, the population of the observed area was 320,343 people, 30.67% of which were Orthodox Christians, 45.80% were Roman Catholic, 23.43% were Muslims and 0.10% was of other religions. According to demographic calculations in 1941, the population of the observed area would be 384,412, which amounts to 6.12% of the population of the NDH. In this area a total of 17,638 fatalities were recorded, which is 8.30% of the total recorded number of victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. 3.87% of victims recorded in the NDH, and 4.59% (7.49% in Bosnia and Herzegovina) of the estimated population of the observed area in 1941. The percentage of victims born in the area of Herzegovina in relation to the estimated population is lower than the average for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Analysis of victims in Herzegovina according to the various categories yields the following results: - by gender: 77.98% of the victims were male and 22.02% were female (27.98% in Bosnia and Herzegovina); when only looking at children, 46.09% were female, and 53.91% were male; - by ethnicity: 66.28% of the victims were Serbs (who were 30.67% of the population), 13.44% were Croats (45.80% of the population), 18.89% were Muslims (23.43% of the population); in relation to the estimated number of residents in 1941 the recorded victims account for 9.92% among the Serbs (12.57% for Bosnia and Herzegovina), 1.35% for Croats (1.66% for Bosnia and Herzegovina) and 3.70% for Muslims (3.64% for Bosnia and Herzegovina), or if we are to look at the Croatian and Muslim population together, since they together constituted the Croatian political people in the NDH, i.e. were regarded as a single nation, then the recorded victims account for 2.14% of the estimated population (2.57% for Bosnia and Herzegovina);


69

for children, 65.46% were Serb children, 8.01 were Croatian children and 25.01% Muslim children; - relative to the total number of war victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina according to year of death, this area is specific for having a significantly larger percentage of casualties in the first year of the war 37.52% victims in 16% of the duration of the war, while the average for certain units of time was more than double of the number of victims in the remaining period of the war; nearly half of the lives of children (42.24%) perished in 1941; - by perpetrators, Croatian troops take up 26.65%, Germans 2.98%, Chetniks 4.51%, Italians 1.25%, other known 0.74% and unknown 63.97%.; for children victims the perpetrators were listed as Croatian troops for 62.68% of the victims, Germans for 3.09%, Chetniks for 19.37%, Italians for 2.51%, other known 1.39% and unknown 10.96%; - by category: military victims 23.30%, civilian victims 76.70%; (state institutions: camps, prisons, deportation and forced labour 12.20%, from direct violence 50.70%, other causes 6.37%, other and unknown 7.43%); the area of Herzegovina is characterised by a smaller share of the total category of state institutions in the percentage of total victims and civilian victims relative to the average for Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also a significantly higher percentage of victims of direct violence; - by cause of death: 68.19% executed, 21.41% killed in action, 2.88% died and 1.52% missing; - by occupation, relative to the average in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the percentages in the observed area is larger in the categories of agricultural workers, industrial workers, craftsmen, tradesmen and labourers, officials and experts, and smaller in categories of dependants, unemployed people and unknown; categories of agricultural workers and dependants account for almost 2/3 of all victims; Analysis of the suffering of children born in Herzegovina, according to the extent to which the victims of the war have been recorded in the aforementioned revision of the Census, shows that out of 17,638 casualties there were 2,235 (12.67%) children up to 14 years of age, and out of 13,228 civilian victims children make up 16.90%. Next to children, executions of the elderly during a war, i.e. persons who are mostly not able to work or fight, as a rule represents a crime of genocide or a war crime. In the observed area the number of war victims over 60 years of age is 1,612, accounting for 9.14% of total victims. The highest rate of death


70

was in 1941 48.32%, which is significantly higher than in total victims (35.53%). Although statistical methods in historiography may seem dehumanised, one should bear in mind that each number represents one person, with all its innermost feelings, troubles and joys of life, individual pasts and plans for the future. And when that person is a child, then those plans for the future are as immeasurable as the grief of their families, as well as of the nation.

References

Antoni, Zdravko, Dokumenta o genocidu nad Srbima u Bosni i Hercegovini od aprila do avgusta 1941, Banja Luka Srpsko Sarajevo, 2001. Antoni, Zdravko, Srpski narod u Bosni i Hercegovini 1941. izmeu genocida i borbe za slobodu, u: Drugi svjetski rat - 50 godina kasnije, pp. 643-653. Baza podataka, Muzeja rtava genocida, rtve rata 1941-1945. Bandovi, Safet, Demografska kretanja stanovnitva u Bosni i Hercegovini 1941-1945, magistarski rad na Filozofskom fakultetu u Beogradu, 1988. Belovi Anelko B., Pali za slobodu, Borci NOR-a i rtve faistikog terora stolakog kraja 1941-1945. godine, Stolac u borbi za slobodu i socijalizam, Mostar, 1989, p. 485. Bzik, Mijo, Ustaka pobjeda u danima ustanka i osloboenja, Zagreb, Naklada Glavnog Ustakog Stana, 1942. Vojinovi Novica, Genocid hrvatskih kleroustaa nad Srbima u Hercegovini, Beograd 1991. Vojinovi Novica V., Srpske jame u Prebilovcima, Titograd 1991, pp. 472+8. Greueltaten und Verwstungen der Aufrjrer im Unabhngigen Staate Kroatien in den ersten Lebensmonaten des Kroatischen Nationalstaates; Bearbeitet und herausgegeben im Auftrage des Ministeriums des usseren auf Grund von Beweismaterial; Im Auftrage des Ministeriums des ussern zusammengestelt und bearbeitet von Matija Kovai, Ministerialrat im Aussenministerium, Verlag Des kroatischen Bibliographischen Institutes, Druk Der kroatischen Staatsdruckerei in Zagreb, Zagreb, im Juni 1942, 144+XXVI. (izdanje na hrvatskom: Odmetnika zvjerstva i pustoenja u Nezavisnoj Dravi Hrvatskoj u prvim mjesecima ivota hrvatske narodne drave, Obraeno i izdano po nalogu Ministarstva vanjskih poslova na osnovu dokaznog gradiva, Sastavio: Matija Kovaevi, savjetnik ministarstva, Naklada Hrvatskog izdavalakog bibliografskog zavoda, Tisak Hrvatske dravne tiskare u Zagrebu, Zagreb, u lipnju 1942, 122+XXV.) Dabi Radovan Rako i Milan Papi, Nevesinjci pali u borbi za slobodu 1941-1945, Beograd 1984.


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Dedijer, Vladimir, Vatikan i Jasenovac, Dokumenti, Beograd, Rad, 1987, p. 788. Dedijer Vladimir i Mileti, Antun, Genocid nad Muslimanima, Zbornik dokumenatat i svjedoenja, Sarajevo, 1990, p. 551. Dedijer, Vladimir i Mileti, Antun, Proterivanje Srba sa ognjita 1941-1944, Beograd, 1989. Dedijer, Vladimir i Mileti, Antun, Protiv zaborava i tabua (Jasenovac 1941-1991), Sarajevo, Beograd - Sarajevo, 1991, p. 535. Definitivni rezultati popisa stanovnitva od 31. marta 1931 godine, Knjiga I: Prisutno stanovnitvo, broj kua i domainstava i Knjiga II: Prisutno stanovnitvo po veroispovesti, Opta dravna statistika, tampa: Dravna tamparija, Beograd, 1938. orevi ivotije, Gubici stanovnitva Jugoslavije u Drugom svetskom ratu, Beograd, 1997, 256 s graf.prik. i geogr. kart. Ekmei uro, Prebilovci neprebolna rana srpska, Beograd, 1994. erjavi Vladimir, Gubici stanovnitva Jugoslavije u drugom svjetskom ratu, Zagreb, 1989. ivkovi Nikola i Petar Kaavenda, Srbi u Nezavisnoj Dravi Hrvatskoj, Izabrana dokumenta, Beograd, 1998. rtve rata 1941-1945. Popis iz 1964. godine, knjiga 1-15. Beograd, Savezni zavod za statistiku, 1992, str. 10 881 (kompjuterski ispis - print): i knjiga 16: rtve rata 1941-1945. (Rezultati popisa). Savezni zavod

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