"First Defenders" Kraljevo 1941-1942 - Workers of the "Prvi Partizan" factory shot (600+), resistance to the German occupation

"First Defenders" - Workers of the "Prvi Partizan" factory

"Prvi Partizan" - an ammunition factory in Kraljevo (founded 1928).

1941 (April) - the Germans occupy Yugoslavia. They enter Kraljevo.

The Germans take over the "Prvi Partizan" factory:

• The Germans needed ammunition for the Eastern Front (the war against the USSR)
• They order the workers: "Work for us. Produce ammunition."

The workers refuse: "We will not work for the Germans. We will not produce ammunition for the enemy."

Result: The Germans arrest 600+ workers (October 1941) - most shot in the massacre (16-20 October).

"First Defenders" = the name for these workers - they symbolize Serbian resistance to the German occupation.

🏭 The "Prvi Partizan" factory - history

1928 - the Kingdom of Yugoslavia founds an ammunition factory in Kraljevo:

• Name: "State Military Ammunition Factory Kraljevo"
• Products: Ammunition for the army (rifle, artillery)
• Workers: 1,200+ (1941)

1941 (April) - Germany attacks Yugoslavia. King Peter II flees. The Germans occupy Serbia.

May 1941 - the Germans enter the factory in Kraljevo:

• They take over the factory
• They order the workers to continue production (but for the Germans, not for Yugoslavia)
• The ammunition was needed for the Eastern Front (the Germans attacked the USSR on 22 June 1941)

✊ The workers refuse - "We will not work for the Germans"

May-September 1941 - the factory workers are in a spirit of resistance:

• They produce ammunition SLOWLY (sabotage)
• Some workers deliberately break the machines
• Some workers steal ammunition (give it to the partisans)

September 1941 - the Germans notice the sabotage. They arrest 50+ workers (charged with sabotage). Most are shot.

October 1941 - the situation escalates:

• The partisans grow stronger (attacks on German columns)
• The factory workers openly refuse to work
• The Germans arrest ALL the factory workers (600+)

📅 16-20 October 1941 - The workers shot in the massacre

15 October 1941 - partisans attack a German column near Kraljevo (10 Germans killed).

16 October, morning - the Germans seal off Kraljevo. They arrest ALL the men in the town - including 600+ workers of the "Prvi Partizan" factory.

16-20 October - the massacre:

• The factory workers = the largest group of victims (600+ out of a total of 2,000-5,000 shot)
• The Germans shoot the workers in groups (50-100 at a time)
• Near the railway station (a field beside the tracks)

Why did the Germans shoot the workers in particular?

• Reprisal for the sabotage (the workers broke machines, stole ammunition)
• Reprisal for refusing to work (the workers refused to work for the Germans)
• A message: "Whoever does not work for the Germans = an enemy = death"

📋 "First Defenders" - list of the workers who were shot

Memorial plaque (the "Prvi Partizan" factory, Kraljevo) - 612 names of workers shot in October 1941:

These are only 5 names out of 612 workers who were shot.

Youngest worker: 16 years old (an apprentice at the factory).

Oldest worker: 67 years old (a WW1 veteran, worked at the factory since 1928).

✊ "First Defenders" = a symbol of Serbian resistance

After WW2 (1945) - Yugoslavia is free. The factory in Kraljevo continues to operate.

1947 - the factory changes its name:

• Old name: "State Military Ammunition Factory Kraljevo"
• New name: "Prvi Partizan"
• Reason: In honor of the workers shot in 1941 - the "first defenders" against the German occupation

1953 - a memorial plaque is installed (the "Prvi Partizan" factory):

• 612 names of workers who were shot (October 1941)
• Inscription: "To the first defenders - the factory workers shot by the Germans in 1941. We will never forget."

Every year (16 October) - the workers of the "Prvi Partizan" factory come to the memorial plaque:

• Laying of flowers
• Reading of the names (612 names)
• A minute of silence

🏭 The "Prvi Partizan" factory today

"Prvi Partizan" - today a leading ammunition manufacturer in the Balkans:

• Location: Kraljevo, Serbia
• Products: Ammunition (rifle, pistol, hunting)
• Export: 80+ countries (USA, EU, Asia)
• Workers: 1,500+ (2024)

The name "Prvi Partizan" - a reminder of the 612 workers shot in 1941:

• Every box of ammunition bears the "Prvi Partizan" logo
• Every box = a reminder of the sacrifice of the workers who refused to work for the Germans

🇷🇸 The Serbian perspective - "First Defenders" = heroes

For the Serbian people, the "First Defenders" = heroes of Serbian resistance:

• 612 workers shot (October 1941) - they refused to work for the Germans
• Sabotage - they broke machines, stole ammunition (gave it to the partisans)
• The largest group of victims in the Kraljevo massacre (600+ out of 2,000-5,000)
• The "Prvi Partizan" factory - today bears their name (a memorial)
• Memorial plaque - 612 names engraved
• Every year (16 October) - commemoration, laying of flowers
• We will never forget - every name, every story

"'First Defenders' - 612 workers of the 'Prvi Partizan' factory in Kraljevo shot by the Germans (16-20 October 1941). They refused to work for the Germans. They broke machines, stole ammunition (gave it to the partisans). The Germans arrested 600+ workers - most shot in the massacre. The largest group of victims (600+ out of 2,000-5,000). The factory today bears the name 'Prvi Partizan' - a memorial to the workers. Memorial plaque: 612 names engraved. Every year (16 October) - the workers come, lay flowers, read the names. 'First Defenders' = a symbol of Serbian resistance. WE WILL NEVER FORGET."