The following is a list of massacres and mass executions that occurred in Yugoslavia during World War II. Areas once part of Yugoslavia that are now parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro; see the lists of massacres in those countries for more details.
The majority of massacres were committed by Yugoslav factions during the civil war, while a number were committed by invading Axis forces.
See also: Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia.
After the invasion of Yugoslavia, puppet-state Independent State of Croatia (NDH) was created by Axis powers in the areas of most of modern-day Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.[1] The Ustaše sought to create an ethnically clean state by eradicating Serbs, Jews and Romani through genocidal policies. According to Ustaše officials, the creation of an ethnically pure Greater Croatian state would ensure the safety of the Croats from the Serbs.[2] From the data calculated by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the creation of the state the population of Serbs was approximately 1,925,000. The Ustaše's largest genocidal massacres were carried out in Bosanska Krajina and in places in Croatia where Serbs constituted a large proportion of the population including Banija, Kordun, Lika, and northern Dalmatia. Between 300 000– 350 000 Serbs were killed in massacres and in concentration camps like Jasenovac and Jadovno. Some 100,000 Serbs, Jews, and anti-fascist Croat were killed at Jasenovac alone.[3] [4]
See also: Chetnik war crimes in World War II.
The Chetniks wanted to forge an ethnically pure Greater Serbia claiming it was to ensure the survival of Serbs in Axis/Ustaše-controlled areas by violently "cleansing" these areas of Croats and Muslims.[5] Several historians view Chetnik actions against Muslim and Croats as constituting genocide. Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the Chetniks in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina range from 50,000 to 68,000, while more than 5,000 victims are registered in the region of Sandžak.[6] About 300 villages and small towns were destroyed, along with a large number of mosques and Catholic churches. Chetnik massacres of the Bosniak population took place in eastern Bosnia which, according to historian Marko Attila Hoare, had been "relatively untouched" by the Ustaše until the spring of 1942. Bosnian historian Enver Redžić has a different opinion and claims that eastern Bosnia was not in relative peace at all during the period 1941–1942. He writes that in the summer of 1941, killings of Serbs had already started and acquired broader proportions in eastern Bosnia and that anti-Serb propaganda by Ustaše, by that time, had success among local Muslim and Croats.[7] Bosniak Muslims, particularly in Eastern Bosnia, comprised a large contingent of Ustashe units in the region and played a large role in the genocide of ethnic Serbs in the area that began in 1941. Bosniaks, later in the war, also joined the Waffen SS units that were notorious for their cruelty to the Serbian population. The Serbian population in the Podrina region (Eastern Bosnia) declined significantly as a result of these massacres and ethnic cleansing. Hoare argues that the latter-referenced massacres were not acts of revenge, but "an expression of the genocidal policy and ideology of the Chetnik movement."
Yugoslav Partisans committed various massacres, notably as part of the so-called "leftist errors" against ideological opponents and suspected collaborators. At the end of the war, the Partisans "purged" in Serbia (1944–45), and massacred tens of thousands of suspected collaborators during the Bleiburg repatriations at the end and immediate aftermath of the war. Ethnic minorities, such as Italians (namely Istrian Italians and Dalmatian Italians), were persecuted during the Foibe massacres in Julian March, Kvarner and Dalmatia, while ethnic Germans were also massacred during the Flight and expulsion of Germans in Yugoslavia.
German, Italian, Hungarian and Bulgarian occupying forces engaged in atrocities against the Yugoslavian population, in the form of mass-killings of civilians and hostages in retaliation for Partisan attacks and resistance. Infamous examples include the Kragujevac massacre, committed by German forces, as did the Albanian Waffen-SS units, which murdered more than 400 Orthodox Christian civilians at Andrijevica, the Novi Sad raid, committed by Hungarian forces and crimes committed by Italian forces, such as in Podhum.
Name | Date | Location | Deaths | Perpetrator(s) | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alibunar and Selište massacre | April 1941 | Alibunar and Selište | 254 | Massacre of Royal Yugoslav Army POWs and civilians by the 2nd SS Panzer Division in Alibunar and the nearby settlement of Selište. | |
Sušica massacre | April 1941 | Sušica, North Macedonia | 7 | Kingdom of Bulgaria | Seven Turkish civilians were executed. The victims' houses were burned down and some women were raped.[8] |
Donji Mosti massacre | 10 April 1941 | Donji Mosti | 11 | Croat civilians killed by the cavalry regiment "Car Dušan Silni" of the Royal Yugoslav Army in response to a Croat fifth column insurrection in Bjelovar.[9] | |
Derventa massacre | 11–13 April 1941 | Derventa | 17 | Croat civilians killed by retreating Royal Yugoslav Army soldiers. | |
Slavonska Požega executions | 19–23 April 1941 | Slavonska Požega | 38 | Executions of Serbs by Ustaše.[10] | |
Kacenštajn executions | 1941–1945 | Kacenštajn Castle, Begunje na Gorenjskem | 849 | Mass-executions of Slovene hostages by the Gestapo throughout World War II.[11] | |
Dotrščina executions | 1941–1945 | Dotrščina, Zagreb | 7,000 | Mass-executions of Serbs, Jews, Roma and Croat Anti-fascist hostages (including 2,000 members of the KPJ and the SKOJ) during the Ustaše occupation of Zagreb.[12] About 90% (6,300) of those executed were Croat civilians and Anti-fascists, due to the fact that most of Zagreb's Serbian, Jewish and Roma populations had either been killed or deported to Jasenovac or Auschwitz by 1942.[13] | |
Mijajlova Jama massacres | 1941–1945 | Mijajlova Jama, near Ravna Reka | 1,000+ | Chetniks, led by Mihailo Čačić, executed more than 1,000 people in killings throughout the occupation in the Mijajlova Jama (Mijail's pit). The victims included captured Partisans, local civilians accused of collaborating with Partisans, captured Allied pilots and civilian prisoners of various nationalities (Russians, Greeks, Poles, Czechs, Italians) who had escaped from nearby German labour camps.[14] [15] | |
Pančevo executions | 21–22 April 1941 | Pančevo, Vojvodina | 36 | Execution of Serbs by Wehrmacht and Volksdeutsche.[16] | |
Gudovac massacre | 28 April 1941 | Gudovac near Bjelovar, Croatia proper | 184–196 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Kosinj massacre | 30 April 1941 | Kosinj, Lika | 600 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Dubrovnik executions | May-December 1941 | Dubrovnik | 58 | Execution of captives, primarily Serbs, by subordinates under Ivo Rojnica including 13 who were killed on 1 July 1941.[17] | |
Sanski Most executions | 9 May 1941 | Sanski Most | 27 | Shooting of Serbs by Germans following a revolt. | |
9 May 1941 | Blagaj, Croatia proper | 400 | Massacre of Serbs from Veljun and surroundings by Ustaše. | ||
Glina massacre | 11–13 May 1941 | Glina | 260–417 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Otočac massacre | May 1941 | Otočac | 331 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Nevesinje massacre | late May–June 1941 | Nevesinje, Herzegovina | 173 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Doljani massacre | June 1941-1942 | Doljani | 1,186 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[18] | |
Gacko massacre | 3 June 1941 | Korita | 133–180 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše; corpses thrown into the Koritska Jama pit. | |
Knin massacre | 15 June 1941 | Knin | 60 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Rašića Gaj massacres | 22 June–20 July 1941 | Rašića Gaj, Vlasenica | 70–200 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše Muslim militia.[19] [20] | |
Popovo Polje massacre | 23 June 1941 | Popovo Polje, Ljubinje, Herzegovina | 140-164 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše in the villages of Popovo Polje in the district of Ljubinje. | |
Metković massacre | 25 June 1941 | Metković | 280 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Dračevo massacre | 25 June 1941 | Dračevo | 70 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[21] | |
Avtovac massacre | 28 June 1941 | Avtovac | 47 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks.[22] | |
Bileća massacre | June 1941 | Bileća, Herzegovina | 600 | Serb rebels | Massacre of Muslims by Serb rebels. |
Kostajnica massacre | 29 June - July 1941 | Hrvatska Kostajnica | 280 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Ličko Petrovo Selo and Melinovac massacre | June - August 1941 | Ličko Petrovo Selo and Melinovac | 890 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Pecka massacre | July 1941 | Pecka | 250 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Perna massacre | July 1941-1942 | Perna | 427 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Rakovica massacre | July 1941-1942 | Rakovica | 2,019 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Vojnić massacre | July 1941-1942 | Vojnić | 3,849 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Čelebić massacre (1941) | July 1941 | Čelebić | 104 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Garavice massacre | July – September 1941 | Garavice, near Bihac | 10,000-12,000[23] | Massacre of Serbs, Jews and Roma by Ustaše. | |
"Leftist error" massacres | July 1941 – early 1942 | Mostly areas of Serbia, Montenegro and East Herzegovina | 1,000+ | Partisan massacres of suspected enemy collaborators, political opponents, "class enemies" and other "fifth columnists".[24] | |
Kerestinec prisoner escape massacre | 9–13 July 1941 | Kerestinec prison | 75 | A group of political prisoners (mostly Croatian communists and other anti-fascists) were to be executed in retaliation for Partisan attacks. On 9 July 1941, the first group, including Božidar Adžija, Otokar Keršovani and Ognjen Prica, was executed. The KPH and local Partisans responded by organising a mass-escape on the 13 July 1941, the escape failed and most prisoners were either shot whilst escaping or were recaptured and executed.[25] | |
Banski Grabovac massacre | 24–25 July 1941 | Grabovac, near Petrinja | 1,200 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Drvar massacre | 27 July 1941 | Drvar | 550 | and Serb rebels | Massacre of 350 Croats and 200 Muslims after the capture of Drvar.[26] [27] |
Brotnja massacre | 27 July 1941 | Brotnja | 37 | Massacre of 37 Croats in the village of Brotnja by Chetniks during the Srb uprising. | |
Bosansko Grahovo massacre | 27 July 1941 | Bosansko Grahovo | 100 | and Serb rebels | Massacre of Croats in Bosansko Grahovo by Chetniks and other Serb rebels, led by Branko Bogunović, during the Srb uprising.[28] [29] |
Obljaj massacre | 27 July 1941 | Obljaj, Korita, Luka, Ugarci and Crni Lug | 250+ | Chetnik massacre of Croats across several villages near Bosansko Grahovo during the Srb uprising.[30] [31] | |
Trubar massacre | 27 July 1941 | , Bosanska Krajina | 200+ | Serb rebels | Massacre of Croats, members of a Catholic pilgrimage, who were ambushed near Drvar by Serb rebels. |
Ličko Petrovo Selo massacre | 27 July 1941 | Ličko Petrovo Selo | 313 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše in Ličko Petrovo Selo. | |
Velika Kladuša massacre | 29 July 1941 | Velika Kladuša and surroundings | 4,000 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše near Velika Kladuša, under the Ičungar Hill.[32] | |
Glina massacre | 30 July–3 August 1941 | Glina | 1,200–2,000 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[33] | |
Gospić massacre (1941) | Late July - Early August 1941 | District of Gospić | 3,000 | Large-scale massacres of Serbs by Ustaše in the district of Gospić.[34] | |
Boričevac massacre | 2 August 1941 | Boričevac | 179 | Massacre of Croats in the village of Boričevac by Chetniks during the Srb uprising[35] | |
Kruščica camp massacre | 5 August 1941 | Kruščica concentration camp | 74 | Massacre of Serbs from Pale at the Kruščica concentration camp by Ustaše.[36] [37] | |
Višegrad massacre (1941) | July–August 1941 | Višegrad, Herzegovina | 500 | Serb villagers | Massacre of Muslims by Bosnian Serbs at Višegrad and environs. |
Divoselo massacre | 2 August 1941 | Near Divoselo | 170 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše, including 120 children. | |
Sanski Most massacre | 2-3 August 1941 | Sanski Most and surrounding areas | 2,862-5,500 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Prebilovci massacre | 4–6 August 1941 | Prebilovci | 650 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[38] | |
Mlakva massacre | 6 August 1941 | Mlakva | 280 | massacre of Serbs by Ustaše, including 191 children. | |
Slunj massacre | 4 August 1941 | Slunj | 800 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Krnjeuša massacre | 9–10 August 1941 | Krnjeuša | 240 | Massacre of Croat civilians in the parish of Krnjeuša by Chetniks.[39] | |
Lastve and Zelinovac massacre | 9–10 August 1941 | Lastve and Zelinovac | 130 | Massacre of Croats by Chetniks.[40] | |
Vrtoče massacre | 9–10 August 1941 | Vrtoče, near Bosanski Petrovac | 70 | Massacre of Croats by Chetniks.[41] | |
Bosanska Dubica massacre | 20–21 August 1941 | Bosanska Dubica | 300 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[42] | |
Čitluk and Strigova massacres | 22 August 1941 | Čitluk and Strigova | 26 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[43] | |
Berkovići massacre | 26–28 August 1941 | Berkovići | 200–300 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks. | |
Novoselci massacre | Early August 1941 | Novoselci | 31 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše at Novoselci. | |
Zaklopača massacre | August 1941 | Srebrenica | 81 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks under the command of Jezdimir Dangić; a group of Muslims barricaded in a local mekteb (Muslim religious school) at Zaklopača which was then set alight. | |
Plana massacre | 3 September 1941 | Plana | 425 | Muslims massacred by Chetniks in Plana and surrounding villages.[44] | |
Varcar Vakuf massacre | 5 September 1941 | Varcar Vakuf | 56 | Massacre of 44 Muslims and 12 Croats by Chetniks. | |
Kulen Vakuf massacre | 5–8 September 1941 | Kulen Vakuf | 1,000-3,000 | , local Serb rebels, | Massacre of Muslims and Croats by the Partisan Drvar Brigade, Chetniks and local Serb peasants at Kulen Vakuf. |
Jošan massacre | 1941 | Jošan | 338 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[45] | |
Javor massacre | 1941 | Javor | 100+ | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše at Javor, near Srebrenica and Ozren. | |
Kruševac executions | 23 September 1941 – 12 June 1944 | Slobodište, near Kruševac | 1,642 | Mass-shootings of Chetnik and Partisan POWs and local civilians by German forces.[46] | |
Mačva massacres | 24 September – 9 October 1941 | Mačva region | 6,000 | Serbian civilians killed in reprisals during anti-Partisan operations led by German, Ustaše and Hungarian forces. | |
Ibarski Kolašin massacre | 30 September 1941 | Ibarski Kolašin | 150 | Albanians | Massacre of Serbs civilians by Albanian Vulnetari commanded by Shaban Polluzha.[47] [48] |
Dvor massacre | September 1941 | Dvor | 1,556 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Grubišno Polje massacre | September 1941 | Grubišno Polje | 1,486 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Rogatica massacre | October 1941–January 1942 | Rogatica district | 2,000 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks after the capture of the town. | |
Extraordinary Tribunal for Dalmatia | 11 October-13 November 1941 | Zadar, Šibenik, Kotor, Vodice | 500+ | Established by Italian governor Giuseppe Bastianini on 11 October 1941, it held four trials, against alleged Communists (mostly Croats), suspected of responsibility for recent Partisan attacks. The trials were characterized by a hasty procedure without any guarantee for the accused, imposing forty-eight death sentences, of which thirty-five were executed, as well as thirty-seven prison sentences of different lengths.[49] [50] [51] [52] On 24 October 1941, the Extraordinary Tribunal was replaced with the Special Court for Dalmatia, under these courts, another 500 death sentences were imposed until 13 November 1941.[53] | |
Draginac massacre | 14 October 1941 | Draginac, near Loznica | 2,950 | Massacre of Suspected Serb partisan sympathizers, Roma and Jewish civilians in reprisals.[54] | |
Kraljevo massacre | 15-20 October 1941 | Kraljevo | 1,755 | Wehrmacht murder almost 1,800 civilians in reprisal shootings. | |
Kragujevac massacre | 20–21 October 1941 | Kragujevac | 2,778 | More than 2,000 Serb, Roma and Jewish civilians arrested and killed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal shootings. | |
Prača massacre | mid-November 1941 | Prača and surrounding villages | 63 | Chetniks massacred Muslim civilians in the Prača area. | |
Valjevo executions | 27 November 1941 | Valjevo | 300 | Execution of at least 261 out of 365 Partisan POWs by Wehrmacht and Serbian collaborators. The Partisans were handed over to Germans by Mihailović's Chetniks with Pećanac Chetniks serving as intermediary. | |
Koraj massacre | 28 November 1941 | Koraj, near Brčko | 100+ | Massacre of Muslim peasants by Chetniks. The massacre was in response to the 1941 anti-Communist Tuzla Rebellion.[55] [56] | |
Novi Pazar massacre | November–December 1941 | Novi Pazar | 176 | , Vulnetari, Sandžak Muslim militia | 115 Serb civilians massacred by Albanian Vulnetari forces and local units of the Sandžak Muslim militia; 61 Muslim civilians massacred by Chetniks during and after the Battle of Novi Pazar. |
Čajniče massacre | December 1941 | Čajniče | 418 | Massacre of Muslim civilians by Chetniks. | |
Divin massacre | December 1941 | Divin | 423 | Massacre of Muslim civilians by Chetniks. | |
Sopotnik massacre | December 1941 | Sopotnik, near Zvornik | 86 | Massacre of Muslim civilians by Chetniks.[57] | |
Vlasenica massacre | December 1941–February 1942 | Vlasenica | 2,000–3,000 | Massacre of Muslim civilians by Chetniks. | |
Visuć massacre | 1941 | Visuć | 85 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše at Visuć.[58] | |
Pljevlja massacre | 2 December 1941 | Pljevlja | 74 | Massacre of Montenegrin civilians and captured Partisans by Italian forces during the Uprising in Montenegro.[59] | |
Foča massacre (1941) | 5 December 1941–January 1942 | Foča | 2,000+ | Massacre of Muslims at Foča by Chetnik forces who received the town of Foča from the Royal Italian Army. | |
Crljevice massacre | 5 December 1941–January 1942 | Crljevice near Pljevlja | 38 | Killing of villagers of all ages and burning down the village in retaliation for Yugoslav Partisan attack on Pljevlja. | |
Brčko massacre | 10 December 1941 | Brčko | 350 | Massacre of Jews, half of whom were Austrian refugees.[60] | |
Babina Vlaka massacre | 14 December 1941 | Babina Vlaka, Jabuka and Mihailovici, near Pljevlja | 120 | Massacre of Montenegrin civilians by Italian forces during the Uprising in Montenegro.[61] | |
Brezije massacre | 21 December 1941 | Brezije, Slavonia | 880 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše. | |
Prkos massacre | 21 December 1941 | Prkos, Central Croatia | 478 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[62] [63] | |
Gornje Taborište massacre | 27-28 December 1941 | Gornje Taborište | At least 254 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[64] | |
Goražde massacre (1941-1942) | 30 December 1941 – 26 January 1942 | Goražde | 1,370–2,050 | Massacre of mainly Bosniak Muslims and some Croats by Chetnik forces; corpses left hanging in the town or thrown into the Drina river.[65] | |
Žepa massacre | late 1941 | Žepa | 300 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetnik forces at Žepa. | |
Voćin massacre | 14 January 1942 | Voćin | 350 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[66] [67] | |
Čelebić massacre (1942) | January 1942 | Čelebić | 54 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetnik forces at Čelebić; village later torched. | |
Žabalj massacre | Christmas at January 1942 | Žabalj | 700 | Massacre of Serbs by Hungarian forces at Žabalj. | |
Gospođinci massacre | Christmas at January 1942 | Gospođinci | 100 | Massacre of Serbs by Hungarian forces at Gospođinci | |
Čurug massacre | 4–9 January 1942 | Čurug | 900 | Massacre of Serbs by Hungarian forces at Čurug | |
Đurđevo massacre | January 1942 | Đurđevo | 300 | Massacre of Serbs by Hungarian forces at Đurđevo | |
Titel massacre | January 1942 | Titel | 60–80 | Massacre of Serbs by Hungarian forces at Titel | |
Temerin massacre | January 1942 | Temerin | 48 | Massacre of Jews by Hungarian forces at Temerin | |
Pridvorica massacre | 7 January 1942 | Pridvorica | 180 | Massacre of Serbs by Muslim Ustaše units.[68] | |
Novi Sad raid | 22–23 January 1942 | Novi Sad | 3,300-3,800 | Massacre of Jews and Serbs driven onto the frozen Danube by Hungarian forces at Novi Sad.[69] | |
Bečej raid | 27 January 1942 | Bečej | 250 | Massacre of Jews and Serbs driven onto the frozen Tisa River by Hungarian forces at Bečej. | |
Srebrenica massacre | January 1942 | Srebrenica and environs | 1,000 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks in Srebrenica and nearby villages. | |
Višegrad massacre (1942) | January 1942 | Višegrad | 1,000+ | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks at Višegrad. | |
Žitkovac executions | 5 January 1942 | Žitkovac | 43 | 11 captured and 32 Romani civilians executed by German soldiers. Executed Romani were arrested by Serbian Volunteer Corps | |
Melovo and Mijovac massacres | 5-6 January 1942 | Melovo and Mijovac | 48 | Killing of Romani civilians including women and children, 4 in Melovo and 44 in Mijovac by Pećanac Chetniks | |
Dražgoše massacre | 11–12 January 1942 | Dražgoše | 41 | Slovene hostages executed by the Wehrmacht in Dražgoše. | |
Draksenić massacre | 13–15 January 1942 | Draksenić | 360 | Massacre of approximately 360 Serbs by Ustaše and Home Guard at Draksenić.[70] | |
Pljeva executions | February 1942 | Pljeva, Central Bosnia | 41 | Captured Croatian Home Guards executed by Partisans. | |
Piskavica and Ivanjska massacre | 5, 12 February 1942 | Piskavica and Ivanjska | 520 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše at Piskavica and Ivanjska | |
Banja Luka massacre | 7 February 1942 | Drakulić, Šargovac, Motike, near Banja Luka | 2,315 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše at Drakulić, Šargovac, and Motike, including some 500 children. | |
Dubrave massacre | March 1942 — February 1943 | Dubrave, near Nikšić | 300 | Massacre of civilians suspected of collaboration with Chetniks.[71] | |
Drakan massacre | 3 March 1942 | Drakan | 42 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks at Drakan | |
Resnik massacre | 5 March 1942 | Resnik | 51 | Muslims killed by Chetniks after being forced into the Drina river, where they were drowned. | |
Stari Brod massacre | 22 March–May 1942 | Stari Brod and Miloševići, near Višegrad | 6,000+ | Massacre of more than 6,000 Serbs committed by the Black Legion and Ustaše Muslim militia.[72] | |
Begovo Brdo massacre | 3 April 1942 | 121 | Massacre of Serb civilians, mainly children, by Ustaše the under the command of Ante Moškova. Most of the victims were slaughtered at the Latićki forest. | ||
Krstinja massacre | April 1942 | Krstinja | 759 | Massacre of Serb civilians, mainly children, women and the elderly. | |
Kolarić massacre | 17 April 1942 | Kolarić, near Vojnić | 99 | Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.[73] | |
Ljubljana executions | 24 April–24 July 1942 | Province of Ljubljana | 1,000+ | Massacre of more than 1,000 Slovene hostages by Italian forces across the Province of Ljubljana. | |
Pristina killings | Late June 1942 | Pristina area | 100 | Albanians | Killings of Serbs by Albanians in Pristina and vicinity. |
Čabar massacre | July 1942 | Čabar | 132 | Italian forces massacred Croats. | |
Hrib massacre | July 1942 | 40-60 | Italian forces massacred 40-60 Croats. | ||
Podhum massacre | 12 July 1942 | Podhum | 118 | Massacre of Croat men and boys by Italian forces in the village Podhum[74] | |
Sadilovac massacre | 31 July 1942 | Sadilovac | 580 | Massacre of Serb inhabitants of the villages surrounding Sadilovac, including 270 children. | |
Rog massacre | July–August 1942 | Rog, near Kočevje | 300 | Massacre of Slovenian civilians by Italian forces during anti-Partisan operations. | |
Jermendol massacre | July–August 1942 | Jermendol, near Babno Polje | 40 | Slovenian civilians massacred by Italian forces | |
Syrmia massacre | August 1942 | Region of Syrmia | 3,000-7,000 | , | Massacre of between 3,000-7,000 Serbs following a joint military anti-partisan operation in the Syrmia by Ustaše and the German Wehrmacht.[75] |
Foča massacre (1942) | August 1942 | Foča | 2,000–3,000 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks in Foča region. | |
Ustikolina massacre | August 1942 | Ustikolina | 2,500 | Massacre of Muslims by Chetniks. | |
Dragljane massacre | August 1942 | Dragljane, near Vrgorac | 150 | , | Massacre of 150 Croats by Chetnik and Italian forces |
Kusonje massacre | 13 August 1942 | Kusonje | 463 | Massacre of Serbs who were thrown into pits by Ustaše. | |
Zabiokovlje massacre | 29 August 1942 | Zabiokovlje region, near Makarska | 141–160 | Massacre of 141-160 Croats from several villages in the Zabiokovlje, Biokovo and Cetina areas of southern Croatia by Chetniks, under the command of Petar Baćović, that had been participating in the Italian anti-Partisan "Operation Albia".[76] | |
Makarska massacre | September 1942 | Makarska | 900 | Chetniks, under the command of Petar Baćović, massacre Croats around the town of Makarska. | |
Dabnica massacre | 19 September 1942 | Dabnica | 18 | Massacre of Macedonian civilians by Bulgarian forces.[77] | |
Gata massacre | 1 October 1942 | Gata | 100+ | Croat civilians killed by Chetniks for pro-Yugoslav Partisan sympathies and in retaliation for the destruction of the Split-Omiš road. | |
Maribor prison massacre | 2 October 1942 | Maribor | 143 | Massacre of Slovene hostages held in the Maribor prison.[78] | |
Drežnica massacre | 3 October 1942 | Drežnica | 62–142 | Massacre of Croat civilians by Chetniks. | |
Dugopolje massacre (1942) | 5 October 1942 | Dugopolje, Kotlenice and neighbouring settlements | 120 | , | Croats killed by Chetniks, supported by Italian forces.[79] |
Španovica massacre | 8 October 1942 | Španovica | 143 | Massacre of Croat civilians by Partisans.[80] | |
Kriva Reka massacre | 11–14 October 1942 | Kriva Reka and neighbouring areas | 690 | , | Serb civilians massacred in reprisals by the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen and Bulgarian forces during and after Operation Kopaonik.[81] |
Prozor massacre | 14–15 October 1942 | Prozor area | 543–2,500 | Massacre of Croats and Bosnian Muslims by Chetniks due to suspected harboring and aiding the Partisans. It took place during Operation Alfa. | |
Primošten massacre | 16 November 1942 | Primošten | 150 | Croats killed by Italian forces by deliberately shelling the town of Primošten in retaliation for an earlier Partisan attack. | |
Gospić massacres (1943) | January 1943 | Several villages in the Gospić district | 635 | Italian forces, belonging to the "Lombardia" and "Re" divisions, killed 635 civilians from several villages near Gospić, during anti-Partisan operations. | |
Vrlika massacre | January 1943 | Vrlika and surrounding areas | 103 | Massacre of Croats by Chetniks, under the command of Petar Baćović and Momčilo Đujić. | |
Široka Kula massacre (1943) | January 1943 | Široka Kula | 185 | Massacre of 185 Croat civilians in the village of Široka Kula by Italian forces | |
Bijelo Polje massacre | January 1943 | Bijelo Polje | 1,000 | Chetniks, led by Pavle Đurišić, razed 33 Muslim villages in the area around Bijelo Polje, killing Muslim civilians. | |
Turkanj massacre | January–February 1943 | Turkanj, near Slunj | 208 | Massacre of Croat hostages and civilians by Italian forces | |
Maovice massacre | 26 January 1943 | Maovice | 60 - 80 | Massacre of Croats by Chetniks of the Dinara Division, led by Momčilo Đujić.[82] | |
Kijevo massacre | 27 January 1943 | Kijevo | 45 | Massacre of Croats by Chetniks in the village of Kijevo.[83] | |
Massacres in Pljevlja, Priboj, Čajniče and Foča | January–February 1943 | Pljevlja, Priboj, Čajniče and Foča districts and surrounding villages | 9,200 | Massacre of Muslims (including 8,000 civilians) by Chetniks, led by Pavle Đurišić, across several districts and villages in southeastern Bosnia and Sandžak. | |
Bukovica massacre | 4–7 February 1943 | Bukovica, Pljevlja | 576+ | Massacre of more than 576 Muslim civilians during Chetnik attack on positions held by Sandžak Muslim militia. | |
Kasidoli massacre | 5 February 1943 | Kasidoli, Priboj | 227 | Massacre of 227 Muslim civilians in village of Kasidoli by Chetniks of Vuk Kalaitović. | |
Mekinjar massacre | 17 February 1943 | Mekinjar, near Udbina | 30 | , | Croats killed by Chetniks and Italian forces. |
Goražde massacre (1943) | March 1943 | Goražde | 500 | Massacre of Muslim civilians by Chetniks. | |
Breza massacre | March and April 1943 | Breza | 74 | Massacre of suspected Communists and Partisan sympathisers by Chetniks. | |
Kninsko Polje massacre | April 1943 | Kninsko Polje, near Knin | 1,000 | Massacre of 1,000 Croats at a makeshift execution site near Knin.[84] | |
Šibenik executions | 23 April–15 June 1943 | Šibenik and its environs | 240 | Execution of 240 Croat hostages in the Šibenik district by Italian forces, in retaliation for Partisan attacks | |
Vrpolje and Perković massacre | 22 May 1943 | Vrpolje and Perković | 66 | Massacre of Croat civilians, rounded up from the villages of Vrpolje and Perković, in retaliation for a Partisan attack on the Šibenik-Split railway | |
Međeđe massacre | May–June 1943 | Međeđe, near Nikšić | 72 | Massacre of Montenegrin and Serb civilians by Italian forces. | |
Bar massacre (1943) | June 1943 | Bar, Montenegro | 180 | Massacre of Montenegrin prisoners being held in the Bar concentration camp | |
Komin massacre | June 1943 | Komin, near Ploče | 228 | Croats massacred by Italian forces. | |
Bijeljina massacre (1943) | June 1943 | Bijeljina | 1,139 | Massacre of Serb civilians by German forces during anti-Partisan reprisals. | |
Vareška Reka massacre | June 1943 | Vareška Reka–Ibar confluence | 15 | Vulnetari and gendarmerie | Massacre of Serbs by Albanian paramilitaries. |
Trepča mine executions | 3 June 1943 | Trepča mine, Mitrovica | 37 | Albanians | Mass shooting of 37 Serbs by Albanians, Albanian gendarmerie and prison guards at the Trepča mine prison, most of whom were workers that had fallen ill, and among whom several were peasants from the Mitrovica vicinity. |
Trepča mine executions | 7 June 1943 | Trepča mine, Mitrovica | 27 | Albanians | Mass shooting of 27 Serbs by Albanians, Albanian gendarmerie and prison guards. |
Doli Pivski massacre | 7 June 1943 | Doli Plivski, Montenegro | 522 | , | Massacre of 522 Serb civilians by the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen, along with the Ustaše and the SS Handschar Division.[85] |
Vataša massacre | 16 June 1943 | Vataša | 12 | Massacre of 12 Macedonian civilians (suspected to have been members of the League of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia) by Bulgarian forces.[86] | |
Kolašin executions | 25 June 1943 | Kolašin | 180 | Hostages shot by Italian forces. | |
Žrnovica massacre | July 1943 | Žrnovnica and surrounding villages | 97 | Croat civilians killed by Italian forces during anti-Partisan reprisals.[87] | |
Lovreć massacre | 10 July 1943 | Lovreć and surrounding areas | 112 | ,, | Croats (Partisan POWs and civilians) killed by Chetniks, 7th SS Division, and Italian forces, victims were burned alive in houses.[88] |
Rotimlja massacre | 12 July 1943 | Rotimlja, near Stolac | 66 | Muslims massacred in reprisals the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. | |
Košutica massacre | 12 July 1943 | Košutica, near Sokolac | 68 | Muslims massacred in reprisals by the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. | |
Dugopolje massacre (1943) | September 1943 | Dugopolje | 40 | Croat civilians massacred by 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. | |
Zrin massacre | 9-10 September 1943 | Zrin | 270 | Massacre of 270 Croat civilians in Zrin by Partisans [89] | |
Foibe massacres | 9 September 1943 – 1946 | Julian March, Kvarner and Dalmatia | Between 3,000–5,000[90] [91] or 11,000–20,000[92] | and OZNA | Massacres of reprisals against local ethnic Italian population (Istrian Italians and Dalmatian Italians), as well against anti-communists in general (even Croats and Slovenes) and against real, potential or presumed opponents of Tito communism.[93] [94] [95] |
Tićan massacre | 11 September 1943 | Tićan, near Višnjan | 84 | Croats massacred by the 71st Infantry Division, during anti-Partisan reprisals.[96] | |
Uroševac massacre | 11–12 September 1943 | Uroševac area | 60 | Albanians | Massacre of Serbs by Albanians, commanded by Amdija Jašarević |
Imotski massacre | 17-30 September 1943 | Imotski, Sinj and neighboring villages | 230 | Croats massacred by the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. | |
Mravince and Majdan massacre | 27 September 1943 | Mravince and Majdan, near Split | 69 | Croat civilians massacred by the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen.[97] | |
Košute massacre | 29 September 1943 | Košute and neighbouring villages | 102 | Croat civilians massacred in reprisals by the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. | |
Rakoš massacre | October 1943 | Rakoš | 63 | Albanians | Shooting of Serb villagers |
Massacres in Mužini, Cere and Feštini | 2 October 1943 | Mužini, Cere and Feštini, near Žminj | 44 | Croats massacred by German forces; 28 in Mužini, 10 in Cere and 6 in Feštini.[98] | |
Višegrad massacre (1943) | 5 October 1943 | Višegrad | 2,000+ | Muslim civilians massacred by Chetniks after the capture of Višegrad.[99] | |
Gornji Hrastovac massacre | 6-7 October 1944 | Gornji Hrastovac|1,256||Massacre of Serbs by Ustaše.|-|Kresini massacre|7 October 1943|Kresini, near Žminj|57||Croats massacred by German forces of the II SS Panzer Corps during the anti-Partisan offensive (Unternehmen Istrien).|-|Peć killings|November–December 1943|Peć district|230|Albanians|killings of Serbs|-|Baćina massacre|2 November 1943|Baćina and neighbouring areas|107||Croat civilians massacred in reprisals by the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. |-|Ivanci massacre|30 November 1943|Ivanci|73||Serb civilians (suspected Partisan sympathisers) killed by German forces in reprisals.|-|Lug and Kuk massacre|16 December 1943|Lug and Kuk, near Tomislavgrad|81||Massacre of 81 Croats by the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen in retaliation for nearby Partisan attacks[100] |-|December victims|20 December 1943|Zagreb|16||16 anti-Fascists (14 Croats, 2 Slovenes) hanged on 20 December 1943 on butcher hooks on a public street at the western end of Dubrava in retaliation for the killing of an Ustaše agent, Ljudevit Tiljk, by the Partisans[101] |-|Vranić massacre|20–21 December 1943|Vranić|68||Serb civilians killed by Chetniks at Vranić under suspicion of harbouring and/or supporting the Partisans[102] |-|Kopljare massacre|25 December 1943|Kopljare|22||19 Romani and 3 Serbs were killed by Chetniks of Nikola Kalabić in the night of 25 December and all Romani houses as well as two houses of villagers|-|Šajini and Bokordići massacre|8-9 January 1944|Šajini and Bokordići|76||Croat civilians killed (54 in Šajini and 22 in Bokordići) by Wehrmacht forces of the 71st Infantry Division.[103] |-|Bosut massacre|9–12 March 1944|Bosut, Sremska Rača, Jamena|645|/ (SS-Handschar Division)|Massacre of Serb civilians by the SS-Handschar Division during |-|Massacre of villages under Kamešnica|26–30 March 1944|Several villages between Kamešnica and Mosor near Split|1,525–3,000|, |Croatian civilians massacred by members of the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen and the 369th Infantry Division, supported by Dinara Chetniks, across several Croat villages in the Kamešnica and Mosor region, near Split.[104] [105] |-|Drugovac massacre|29 April 1944|Drugovac near Smederevo|72||Largest Chetnik masacre in any Serb village. Chetniks killed 72, burnt down around 120 and plundered 200 houses in pro-Partisan village Drugovac.|-|Lipa massacre|30 April 1944|Lipa, near Rijeka|269|, , |Massacre of Croat civilians in Lipa, near Rijeka by the SS Police Regiment Bozen, Chetniks and local Italian Fascists, in retaliation for a Partisan ambush near Rupa[106] [107] |-|Dobranje massacre|May 1944|Dobranje|136||Massacre of Domobrani POWs and Croat civilians by Partisans.[108] |-|Goražde massacre (1944)|May 1944|Goražde|50|||Muslims massacred by Chetniks.|-|Štrpce massacre|30 June 1944|Štrpce|50||Mass execution of Serbs in retaliation for the death of a Bulgarian soldier.|-|Velika massacre |28 July 1944|Velika, near Plav|428+||Massacre of Serbs, mostly children, women and elderly, by Albanian SS members during Operation Draufgänger.|-|Zagniezde and Udora massacre|11 September 1944|Zagniezde (Zagnježđe) and Udora (near Bjelojevići, Burmazi and Stolac)|~100+||On 11 September 1944, under orders from General Fritz Neidholdt, the 369th "Devil's Division" destroyed the Croatian-Muslim villages of Zagniezde (Zagnježđe) and Udora (near Bjelojevići, Burmazi and Stolac), hanging all the men and driving away all the women and children.|-|Hrvatska Dubica massacre|18–19 September 1944|Hrvatska Dubica| 55||Massacre of mostly Serb victims by Ustaše at Hrvatska Dubica.|-|Beličica massacre|19 September 1944|Beličica|36|Balli Kombëtar|Massacre of Macedonian civilians and captured Partisans by Albanian Balli Kombëtar forces.[109] |-|Blatec executions|September 1944|Blatec|15| Kingdom of Bulgaria|15 Turkish men were executed for resisting to fight in Srem. А ban was imposed on talking about the execution.|-|Bošnjane massacre|2 October 1944|Bošnjane near Paraćin|55||Massacre of Partisan prisoners of war by Chetniks. Victims were tortured before execution.|-|Prždevo and Besvica massacres|6 October 1944|Demir Kapija municipality|60| Kingdom of Bulgaria|Massacre of the local Turkish and Macedonian population from the villages of Prždevo and Besvica.|-|Istibanje-Teranci massacres|October 1944|Istibanja and Teranci|17| Nazi Germany|Local Turkish population was massacred|-|Daksa executions|October 1944|Daksa| 53||Partisans executed around 53 Croat prisoners suspected of being collaborationists|-|Srijemska Kamenica massacre|October 1944|Sremska Kamenica|196||Massacre of Croat and Šokci men after their arrest by the Partisans.[110] |-|Communist purges in Serbia|October 1944–May 1945|Central Serbia and Vojvodina|at least 55,973||Massacres against people perceived as war criminals, quislings, ideological opponents and ethnic minorities by Partisans. In 2009, the government of Serbia formed a State Commission to investigate the secret burial places of victims. The Commission compiled a registry of names, basic biographical data, and details of persecution. The registry contains a total of 55,973 names, including 27,367 Germans, 14,567 Serbs and 6,112 Hungarians.[111] |-|Radolišta massacre|28 October 1944|Radolišta|84||Massacre of Albanian civilians by German forces during an anti-Partisan reprisal.[112] |-|Flight and expulsion of Germans in Yugoslavia|November 1944-March 1948|German-speaking areas of Yugoslavia, especially Banat and other areas|58,000||Massacres and killings of German civilians. A total of 48,447 people died in camps; 7,199 were massacred or executed by Partisans, and another 1,994 perished in Soviet labour camps after being deported by Yugoslav authorities.[113] |-|Zalug massacre|December 1944|Zalug near Prijepolje|30||Massacre of 30 people (17 Serbs and 13 Bosniaks) of all ages by German forces during the retreat through Sandžak|-|Tovarnik massacre|December 1944|Tovarnik|51||Massacre of 51 Croat and Germans (Volksdeutsche) civilians by Partisans[114] |-|Bribir massacre|December 1944|Bribir|33||Croats massacred by Chetniks from the Dinara Division. The village was razed to the ground.|-|Bloody Christmas|7–9 January 1945|North Macedonia|1,200||Massacres of ethnic Bulgarians and pro-Bulgarian Macedonians by Yugoslav Partisans.[115] |-|Široki Brijeg massacre|7–15 February 1945|Široki Brijeg|28||Massacre of Croatian Franciscan Friars by Partisans, twelve of whom were burned alive.[116] |-|Frankolovo massacre|12 February 1945|Frankolovo|100||Slovene hostages shot or hanged in retaliation for a Partisan ambush that fatally wounded the Nazi district administrator of Celje, Anton Dorfmeister.[117] |-|Kozara massacres|17–22 February 1945|Kozara|140+||Massacre of mostly Serb victims by Ustaše at Kozara|-|Villa Luburić massacre|February–April 1945|Sarajevo|323||Mass executions of Serbs by Ustaše at the Villa Luburić headquarters in Sarajevo.|-|Bar massacre|March 1945|Bar, Montenegro|400–450 to 1,500–2,000||Massacre of Albanians by Partisans.[118] |-|Hrastina massacre|24 April 1945|Hrastina|43||Massacre of German Sinti civilians found in hiding.[119] |-|Jakljan executions|May 1945|Jakljan|214||German prisoners executed by Partisans at Jakljan.|-|Gračani massacre|May 1945|Zagreb|295 (excavated bodies)||Execution of NDH prisoners of war and local civilians by Partisans.[120] |-|Kucja Dolina massacre|May 1945|Kucja Dolina|800+||Killing of Slovene and Croat Home Guard prisoners and civilians by Partisans.[121] [122] [123] |-|Fiume Autonomists purge|May 1945|Rijeka and surrounding areas|650 ||Partisan and OZNA liquidations of prominent members and supporters of the Rijeka Autonomist Party and the Liburnian Autonomist Movement after the liberation of Rijeka.[124] |-|Sisak massacre|4 May 1945|Sisak, Croatia|c. 500||Executions of Serbs a few hours before the town was liberated.[125] |-|Pečovnik massacre|8–9 May 1945|Pečovnik|12,000||Killing of Croat POWs and civilians by Partisans.[126] |-|Tezno massacre|19–26 May 1945|Tezno, near Maribor|15,000||Execution of NDH prisoners of war and civilians by Partisans.|-|Kočevski Rog massacre|Late May 1945|Kočevski Rog|10,000–12,000||Execution of Slovene Home Guard members, Croat, Serb and Montenegrin collaborationists, Italian and German troops, by the Partisans.[127] |-|Macelj massacre|May–June 1945|Macelj|1,163 (excavated bodies)||Execution of NDH prisoners and local civilians by Partisan forces[128] |-|Barbara Pit massacre|25 May–6 June 1945|Huda Jama|1,416[129] ||Croat and Slovene POWs with their families killed by Partisans for reprisal.[130] |} See also
Sources
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"In the summer of 1941 the genocide against the Serbs in eastern Bosnia acquired broader proportions in the areas of Birce, Vlasenica, Zvornik, ... There are grounds to claim that Ustasha anti-Serbian propaganda had success among Muslim and Croat populations of this area..."
"Устаници у западној Босни, под вођством Мане Роквића, заузели су Дрвар, а Брана Богуновић је са својима заузео Босанско Грахово. "
"Крадем јула 1941, усташе су под заповједништвом свог таборника Бошка ЦвјенЬека похватал е на Палама 74 српска сељака, отпремиле их у логор Крушчицу код Травника, гдје су почетном августа сви убијени."
" ... 690 men, women, and children were slaughtered in Kriva Reka and Mackovo."
"...Sisak on May 4, 1945, about 500 Serbs were put to death and thrown into the Sava river just a few hours before the town was liberated."