Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia

Quick Facts: Who was Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia?

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Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia

Known for:

Systematic genocide of Serbs by the Ustaše regime in the Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945).

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

During World War II, Serbs were subjected to systematic persecution and genocide by the fascist Ustaše regime in the Nazi German puppet state known as the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) between 1941 and 1945. It was carried out through executions in death camps, as well as through mass killing, ethnic cleansing, deportations, forced conversions, and war rape. This genocide was simultaneously carried out with the Holocaust in the NDH as well as the genocide of Roma, by combining Nazi racial policies with the ultimate goal of creating an ethnically pure Greater Croatia. The ideological foundation of the Ustaše movement reaches back to the 19th century. Several Croatian nationalists and intellectuals established theories about Serbs as an inferior race.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The World War I legacy, as well as the opposition of a group of nationalists to the unification into a common state of South Slavs, influenced ethnic tensions in the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (since 1929 Kingdom of Yugoslavia). The 6 January Dictatorship and the later anti-Croat policies of the Serb-dominated Yugoslav government in the 1920s and 1930s fueled the rise of nationalist and far-right movements. This culminated in the rise of the Ustaše, an ultranationalist, terrorist organization, founded by Ante Pavelić. The movement was financially and ideologically supported by Benito Mussolini, and it was also involved in the assassination of King Alexander I. Following the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, a German puppet state known as the Independent State of Croatia was established, comprising most of modern-day Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as parts of modern-day Serbia and Slovenia, ruled by the Ustaše. The Ustaše's goal was to create an ethnically homogeneous Greater Croatia by eliminating all non-Croats, with the Serbs being the primary target but Jews, Roma and political dissidents were also targeted for elimination.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Large scale massacres were committed and concentration camps were built, the largest one was the Jasenovac, which was notorious for its high mortality rate and the barbaric practices which occurred in it. Furthermore, the NDH was the only Axis puppet state to establish concentration camps specifically for children. The regime systematically murdered approximately 200,000 to 500,000 Serbs. 300,000 Serbs were further expelled and at least 200,000 more Serbs were forcibly converted, most of whom de-converted following the war. Proportional to the population, the NDH was one of the most lethal European regimes.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1929: 1929 Milestone — The World War I legacy, as well as the opposition of a group of nationalists to the unification into a common state of South Slavs, influenced ethnic tensions in the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (since 1929 Kingdom of Yugoslavia).
2. 1941: 1941 Milestone — During World War II, Serbs were subjected to systematic persecution and genocide by the fascist Ustaše regime in the Nazi German puppet state known as the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) between 1941 and 1945.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia

True or False: “The genocide against Serbs in the NDH was solely motivated by a desire to establish an ethnically pure Croatian state.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While creating Greater Croatia was central, the regime also targeted Jews, Roma, and political dissidents alongside the primary Serb victims.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adam Kuper — Historical peer (Born in 1941) (1941): Influential British social anthropologist known for research in Southern Africa.
• Adnan Khayr Allah — Historical peer (Born in 1941) (1941): Iraqi military officer and Minister of Defense, closely associated with the Ba'ath regime.
• Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi — Historical peer (Born in 1945) (1945): Yemeni politician who served as the second President of Yemen from 2012 to 2022.
• Adolf Hitler — Historical peer (Died in 1945) (1945): Austrian-born German politician who became dictator of Germany during the Nazi era.
• Abdel Halim Hafez — Historical peer (Born in 1929) (1929): Iconic Egyptian singer and actor, known as 'The Brown-Skinned Nightingale'.
• Adrienne Rich — Historical peer (Born in 1929) (1929): Influential American poet, essayist, and leading voice in feminist literary discourse.

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