Jasenovac — the largest death camp in the Independent State of Croatia, where the Ustaše systematically murdered Serbs, Jews, Roma, and anti-fascists.
The Jasenovac concentration camp was the largest death camp in the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) and one of the largest camps in Europe during the Second World War.
The camp system
The Jasenovac camp system comprised several sites: Jasenovac I (Krapje), Jasenovac II (Bročica), Jasenovac III (Ciglana — the main camp), Jasenovac IV (Kozara), Jasenovac V (Stara Gradiška), as well as the children's camp at Jastrebarsko and the camps at Sisak.
Methods of killing
Unlike the Nazi camps that used gas chambers, at Jasenovac the Ustaše used the most brutal methods: throat-cutting with a knife (the so-called "srbosjek"), killing with a mallet, throwing living children into fire, hanging, and burial alive.
Number of victims
It is estimated that between 83,000 (according to the Museum of Genocide Victims) and over 700,000 people (according to earlier Yugoslav sources) were killed in the Jasenovac camp system. The victims were predominantly Serbs, but also Jews, Roma, anti-fascists, and others.
The breakout of 22 April 1945
On 22 April 1945, the remaining inmates attempted a breakout. Of the roughly 1,000 inmates who tried to escape, only 89 survived.
"Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it." — Ivo Andrić
Sources
Jad Vašem - baza podataka
Antun Miletić: Koncentracioni logor Jasenovac
Svedočanstva preživelih
Location
Spomen-područje Jasenovac
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