No. 88

STATEMENT OF FIVE REFUGEE WOMEN FROM GLINA ABOUT MASS CRIMES AGAINST THE SERBS, MASSACRES IN THE GLINA CHURCH AND FORCED CONVERSION TO CATHOLICISM.^[1]

15/4 42^[2]

RADOJČEVIĆ ZORKA, refugee, wife of Radojčević Živko, director of the Serbian Savings Bank in Glina, 55 years old, no children, now in Belgrade, Prote Mateje 25, SUŽNJEVIĆ DANICA, wife of Sužnjević Đuro, doctor from Glina, 49 years old, mother of 3 children, now in Belgrade – Kneginje Zorke Street 64, BABIĆ KATICA, wife of Babić Aleksandar, merchant from Glina, 44 years old, mother of 3 children, now in Belgrade, Prote Mateje 25, RADOVANOVIĆ ANĐA, wife of Radovanović Petar, retired senior gamekeeper, 47 years old from Glina, mother of 4 children, now in Belgrade, Prote Mateje 25, and EREMIĆ EVA, widow of the late Eremić Đuro, gamekeeper from Glina, 72 years old, now in Belgrade, Prote Mateje 25, jointly declare:

In the second half of April 1941 – a date I can no longer remember exactly – the Ustashas arrested in Glina: Dr. Gajić Milica, a physician, Štefančić Dragan, a teacher, Sužnjević Simo, a hospital employee, Šurbat, a surveyor, Korak Adam, a farmer and other Serbs from Glina whose names we can no longer remember. All of them were taken by the Ustashas to a police prison in Zagreb. Štefančić Dragan, who is a Croat by nationality, was released after 3 months, Dr. Gajić Milica was released after 7 months, the fate of other Serbs, however, has remained unknown to this day.

On April 28, 1941, the Ustashas arrested Dr. Sužnjević Đuro, a physician, Rebrača Stanko, a retired official in the district administration and Živković Milan, a blacksmith, all from Glina. The Ustashas also took them to a police prison in Zagreb. From there they were put in the concentration camp at Koprivnica and then in Gospić. Nothing further is known about their fate.

In early May 1941, the Ustashas arrested Resanović Adam, a shoemaker from Glina, and Slijepčević Stojan, a farmer from Majske Poljane.

The two were thrown into the municipal prison in Glina and were killed a few days after horrific abuse. Bunčić from Šušnjari was imprisoned together with them. The Ustashas wanted to kill him, too, however, at the intervention of the Ustasha Kreštalica and the orders of the Minister of Justice, Dr. Puk, he was first to be abused for a month and then killed. However, Bunčić was lucky to escape from prison and is now in Belgrade.

On the night of May 8-9, 1941, the Ustashas broke into the apartment of Ratković Rade from Glina, took him to a barren field and killed him there. They threw a roller over his corpse, so that his wife took his corpse out of the mud and dirt only with extreme effort and labor.

On the night of May 10-11^[3], the local Ustashas, with the help of Ustashas who arrived from Zagreb, arrested the following persons, namely: Babić Aleksandar, merchant, Babić Branko, jurist, Petar Radovanović, retired gamekeeper, Radovanović Jovan, student of business school, Radojčević Marko, director of the Serbian Savings Bank, Jeremić Đuro, pensioner, Sužnjević Nebojša, hospital employee, Sužnjević Ratko, Badrić Jovo, retired school inspector, Davidović Svetozar, former mayor, Dr. Branković Stevan, notary, Haler Stojan, surveyor, Vujičić Stojadin, court clerk, Pijevac Ilija, farmer, Pjevac Đuro, theologian, Pjevac Dragan, farmer, Pjevac Petar and Đura, farmers, Krnjajić Stevan and Miloš, Bogunović Stanko, Arbutina Đuro, Dušan and Mile, Kukuleča^[4] Nikola, all farmers, Kukuleča^[5] Petar, merchant, Rebrača Mileta, innkeeper, Bogunović Ilija, merchant, Čavić Tanasije, retired railwayman, Čavić Slavko and Ranko, farmers, Metikoš Damjan and Božo, merchants, Meandžija Nikola, butcher, Sunajko Kosta, baker, Sunajko Nikola, innkeeper, Jakšić Stanko, tailor, Džakula Miloš, merchant, Džakula Pero, shoemaker, Arbutina Lazo, farmer, Stojić Janko, retired municipal clerk, Miletić Pero, retired finance clerk, Gavrilović Đorđe, retired high school headmaster, Tomić Dragomir, merchant, Tomić Dušan, merchant, Drekić Mile, brickmaker, Samardžija Miloš, blacksmith, Samardžija Milan, captain, Muždeka Stevo, innkeeper, Sarapa Lazo, worker, Pejić Adam, wood merchant, Pokrajac Bogdan, sales assistant, Momić Mile, merchant, Opajić Milan, technical secondary school student, Gavrilović Josif, merchant, Dmitrović Đuro, landowner, Dmitrović Nikola, merchant, Vujasinović Marko and Mojsije, merchants, Đukić Stanko, tailor, Baltić Petar, harnesser, Šteković Pero, student of academy of commerce, Vujaklija Stojan, tailor, Ćeran Miladin, tailor, Gvoić Mileta, merchant, Mrkobrad Vojo, clerk, Brković Miloš, blacksmith, Brković Milan, surveyor, Grebeljanović Joco, baker, Baltić Rodoljub, tailor’s assistant, Vijuk Pavle and Nikola, shoemakers, Bratić Jovo, school attendant, Krivokuća Jovo, school attendant, Uzelac Nikola, Senior and Uzelac Nikola Junior, innkeepers, Medić Petar, sales agent, Gledić Savo, road supervisor, Đaković Stanko, tailor, Vujaklija Pero, farmer, Gagić Nikola, Šeović Stevan, farmers, Badrić Marko, carpenter, Bajić Nikola, farmer, Vujaklija Drago, municipal clerk, Vujaklija Đuro, farmer, Milošević Janko, innkeeper, Oreščanin Stevo, senior gamekeeper, Letić Dušan, high school student, Oreščanin Stevo, merchant, Opalić Marko, merchant, Opalić Strahinja, student of academy of commerce, Stojanović (Peleš) Slavko, merchant and Stojanović (Peleš) Petar, jurist, Vorkapić Stanko, retired postal clerk, Milojević David, retired gendarme, Mirković Jovo, judge, Dr. Gajic Ljubomir, physician, Gajić Stevo, wood merchant, Carević Nenad, high school student, Carević, financial clerk, Opačić Bogdan, priest, Carić Dmitar, landowner and his son Jozef,^[6] sales assistant, Knežević, shoemaker and his son Branko, theologian, Jovanović Nedeljko, theologian, Jakšić Stanko, shoemaker, Grubić, retired gendarme, Ćelap, landowner, Kosanović, gendarmerie sergeant, Dukić Luka, carpenter, Dukić Stojan, barber, Dražić Mihailo, clerk, Crevar Dragan, clerk, Pulić Milan, kettle-maker, Nikolić Đorđe, school inspector, Korać Đuro, railway worker, Dragojević Dušan, railway worker, Novaković Simo, railway worker, Ljubičić Đuro, shoemaker, Badrić Stevo, tailor, Marjanović Milan, tailor, Badrić Stevo, photographer, Martinović Stevo, cooper and his son, Egić Branko, an army officer, Branković Stanko, locksmith, Letić Ilija, baker and his 2 apprentices who were killed the same night, his son Dušan was wounded and taken away in that condition. Dr. Metikoš Milan, lawyer, Dr. Guteša Veljko, physician, Tomić Dragomir, bank clerk, Tomić Dušan, merchant, Štula Đuro, bookstore owner, Štula Vaso, bookstore owner, Ćorković Pero, merchant, Šušnjar Stojan, innkeeper, Arbutina Nikola, innkeeper, Sužnjević Stevo, tailor, Mrkalj Stevo, retired teacher, Madžarac Miloš, retired teacher and his 2 sons, Branko, jurist and Branko, court clerk, Popović, judge, Blidović, judge, Janković Đuro, bank clerk and his son Dušan, sales assistant, Lacković Nikola, barber, Breka Marko, barber, Relić Pero, farmer, Meandžija Jovo, butcher, Rade Crevar, retired senior gamekeeper, Novaković Nikola, postal clerk, Miloš Jojić, postal clerk, Ćelap Pero, postal clerk, Orlić Stevo, Šeović Stevo, farmers. The funeral of their murdered father Ratković was attended by both his sons, his brother and both his relatives from Čemernica. All of them were arrested and taken away by the Ustashas the same night. We no longer remember the names of all those Serbs who were taken that night, but we know exactly that 582 Serbs were taken from Glina. That night, 80 boys and craftsmen were taken from the boarding school for boys in Glina. All the above-mentioned Serbs were waiting for their fate in the court prisons in Glina, and on the night of May 11-12, 1941, they were loaded into trucks and taken away in an unknown direction. We know nothing about the fate of these unfortunate people.

During the arrests, houses were searched, where everything was confiscated on this occasion. Grebeljanović Joco was also arrested, and on that occasion, 30,000 Dinars of cash and tobacco worth 2,500 Dinars were confiscated from him. They stole a suitcase full of decorative items worth 500,000 Dinars from Stojanović Slavko, a merchant. These decorative objects were stolen by Hanih Josip, a music teacher and Ustasha in Glina. Papa Slavko, an Ustasha, stole 4,000 Dinars of silver from Stana Pejić. In prisons, everyone was horribly abused, before being taken in an unknown direction.

After 15 days, the remaining Serbs, this time their wives as well, were arrested. The arrested included: Jović Nikola, retired municipal clerk, Škarić Evica, wife of Škarić Miloš, retired captain, Rebrača Seka, wife of Rebrača Boško from Majske Poljane, Samac Staka, wife of Savo from Majske Poljane, Vorkapić Stanko, worker from Glina, and many others, whose names we no longer remember. They were all loaded into trucks and taken in an unknown direction. Their fate is unknown to us.

Between June 26 and August 2, 1941, the Serbs from the villages in the Glina and Vrginmost Districts were brought to Glina by truck. All of them were killed in the Serbian Orthodox Church in Glina. Their bodies were then loaded into trucks and taken in an unknown direction. We do not know how many Serbs were killed. Blood flowed from the church to the street, from which it could be seen that the number of the killed people was considerable. The trucks were stained with traces of blood. Three Serbs climbed the church tower, where they stayed for three full days. They were so thirsty that they sucked raindrops from their palms. When the Ustashas noticed this, they shot them making short work thereof. All three fell dead to the ground from the church bell tower.

In the period from August 1 to 3, 1941, new arrests of women and children were made, because there were no more men in Glina. 250 people were arrested. Among those arrested were us, Radovanović Anđa with her daughters Marta and Kata, and Eremić Eva. All arrested women and children were thrown into the prisons of the District Court. They were promised that those who would apply to convert to the Catholic Church would be released. In fact, they were all released, including those who did not apply. They were ordered to leave Glina within 2 days.

At the beginning of August 1941, the Serbian church in Glina was destroyed by the Ustashas. This holy place was destroyed by fire by Stjepan, a miller from Junkinac^[7] near Glina, while Šubalić Stjepan, a tinsmith from Glina, climbed the church tower and broke the cross.

The following Ustashas stood out in particular in persecution, abuses and murders, namely: Papa Slavko, tailor’s assistant, Vidaković Stjepan, student, Vidaković Mate, carpenter, Kreštalica brothers, Nikola, Paja and Stjepan, Muretić Ivica, innkeeper, Hanih Josip, music teacher, Mihaljević Stevo, police officer, Butorac Francek, butcher, Žinić Joco, butcher, Dr. Devčić Juraj, lawyer and camp commander, Dr. Rebok Juraj, physician and Ustasha captain, Dr. Vojvoda Katarina, physician, Dr. Jerec Mirko, lawyer and Great Prefect in Petrinja, Cvitovac Mihovil, district judge, Imper, District Chief, Klobučar Mirko, student, Žinić Zvonko, student, Prhlik Ivo, teacher, now in Petrinja, Kalajdžić Drago, confectioner, Mican, merchant, Novak Božo, driver, Tiljak Mato, merchant, Mrgan Slavko, innkeeper, Mrgan Pavao, merchant, Haupt, pharmacist, Tompić Gabrijela, pharmacist, Medved Stevo, carpenter, Fabac, carpenter, all from Glina and a peasant named “Čuklje”, from the village of Prekope.

We came to Belgrade in July and August last summer and now we live permanently in Belgrade. We left all our movable and immovable property in Glina.

I, Danica Sužnjević and Katica Babić, received passes from the Croatian authorities only after we had given a statement that we were leaving all our property to the Croatian state and that we would never enter Croatian territory again.

^[1] АВ, Ф. 562, 3.1.1.2, 304-306.

^[2] Handwritten date and initials.

^[3] See: B. Vujasinović, Č. Višnjić, Glina 13. maja 1941. U povodu 70. godišnjice ustaškog zločina. Đuro Roksandić, Spisak žrtava fašističkog terora godine 1941. kotara Glina, Zagreb: Srpsko kulturno društvo Prosvjeta, 2011.

^[4] Kukoleča.

^[5] Same as previous.

^[6] Josif.

^[7] Jukinac.

Subeditor’s Note

This – English – edition of the book is a translation of the one in the Serbian language, published in 2022 under the title Ustaška zverstva: Zbornik dokumenata (1941–1942). As far as the corpus of the Dossier from the personal fonds of Slavko Odić is concerned – and it makes the essential body of this book – the translation team worked from its Serbian version given in the said book and not from the German original.

The Serbian edition, with the documents translated from German, was printed in the Cyrillic alphabet, which necessitated some explanations provided by the Editor, Dr. Milan Koljanin, with regard to the linguistic traits, orthography and punctuation resorted to by the translators from German into Serbian (Tatjana Janićijević, Akademija Oxford) and the Editor. Naturally enough, numerous clarifications referring to the Serbian edition do not apply on the English one in most of the aspects of translation work. Hence the need to write this Note.

To begin with, the translators basically opted for the varieties of the American English rather than British English.

Personal names in the officially processed documents are most often written in what is today considered inverse order: family name/surname first, followed by one’s first/Christian name, without a comma in between.

Originally, the documents (letters, reports, statements etc.) were written (typed) in bureaucratic style and with a page layout practised by German offices, so these traits have been retained herein, and so have the obvious spelling and/or typing errors (personal names, toponyms); the latter have been corrected in the footnotes. The parts of text/sentences which are underlined or written with spaces between letters as means of emphasis correspond to the German original and its Serbian/Croat counterpart. The same applies to whole words or lines written in capital letters.

Punctuation has been kept almost completely, except when the meaning demanded comma (usually related to the rules of word order in an English sentence). Some marks, such as hyphens, dashes or slashes may impress the Reader as outdated or misplaced. Earlier typewriters did not have buttons with parentheses, and the slash was used instead of them.

Dates are written with differing uses or omissions of period (full stop), whereby month is written in three ways: fully in letters (20 January), in Arabic numerals (e.g. 20.1.) or Roman numerals (e.g. 20.I.). In rare cases, the slash can be found in dates (e.g. 12./X. 1941), but not as a regular separator between their constituents. Years are occasionaly written without the first digit, e.g. 942 instead of 1942, which is a frequent occurrence in oral communication.

Abbreviations, other than official identification means for offices, titles or codenames (VB, MA, RSHA etc.), have been translated (e.g. ’etc.’). The translators chose to retain the Croat/Serbian abbreviation for the name of the wartime ’state’, that is, ’NDH’ is standing for Nezavisna Država Hrvatska (Independent State of Croatia) instead of the less known English name (ISC). Some words were written in a shortened form for the reason of economy of expression, and the habit has been transferred to the translation, including the Editor’s intervention in the Serbian edition: Reg.[ister], Gend.[armerie], Gor[nja] Tuzla.

Footnotes in the English edition partially differ from those in the Serbian version. Some proved to be unnecessary (those that provided original names which were transliterated into the phonetical Cyrillic alphabet). New footnotes have been added by the Subeditor in order to explain/clarify the specific, locally used, words or phrases with which the Reader may not be familiar (such as slava, din, sokolski dom), or to indicate some nuances in the meaning (student, profesor). Here and there, the Reader will find notes in brackets inserted into the main body of the text by translators or the Editor where immediate understanding was needed.

Finally, it is noteworthy that the above-mentioned bureaucratic style of the presented documents mirrors the established conventions of communication in Central Europe and the Balkans of the first half of the 20th century, particularly in state and military affairs, yet also illustrates the specific ’hierarchy’ of various authorities on the occupied territories during World War Two, accentuating the relations between the German organs/institutions in power and the various offices subordinated to the administrative and military system of the Third Reich. As to the information, facts and accounts of events recorded in these documents, they are the subject of the history science and studies related thereto.

A. Č. P.