Lepoglava concentration camp

Lepoglava
Concentration camp
Corpses of the Lepoglava camp murdered inmates
Commandant Mirko Cvitkovac, Ljubo Miloš, Miro Natijević and Nikola Gađić
Killed around 1,000[1]

The Lepoglava concentration camp was concentration camp in the Independent State of Croatia during the World War II. It was located 25 km southwest of Varaždin and operated by Ustaše.[2] In terms of atrocities against its inmates, this camp was no different than other concentration camps in Croatia. In July 1943 it was briefly captured by Yugoslav Partisans. In March and April 1945 about 1,300 inmates of Lepoglava were transported to Jasenovac where they all were killed. In Lepoglava on 30 April 1945 Ustaše murdered 961 young people near the camp, mostly students.

Background

The Lepoglava prison was established penitentiary of Austria-Hungary in mid-19th century.[3] It served as prison in all countries that succeeded it, i.e. Yugoslavia (1918—41) and Croatia (since 1992). During the World War II this prison was transformed into the camp.

Concentration camp

The Lepoglava camp was not different from other concentration camp in Croatia regarding the atrocities against its inmates.[4] Its organizational structure was similar to the organizational structure of Jasenovac extermination camp, it had its commander with administrative, labor, economy and security departments.[5] Commanders of Lepoglava camp were Ljubo Miloš, Miro Natijević and Nikola Gađić.[6] Its first members included Jews who were after their arrival to the camp supported by the Jewish community of Zagreb which sent them food, clothing and medicine.[7]

Short Partisan takeover in July 1943

Some Partisan units requested an approval from the Croatian Partisan Headquarter to attack Jasenovac extermination camp and release its inmates, first in July 1943 and then in August 1943.[8] The Croatian Headquarter refused this requests both times.[9] When the Croatian Partisan Headquarter refused this request in July 1943 their reply contained a proposition to attack Lepoglava camp instead of Jasenovac.[10] This proposition was accepted.[11]

The Partisan forces captured Lepoglava on 14 July 1943, intentionally on the Bastille Day.[12] The communists first attacked the camp with artillery and then charged it with infantry.[13] On the day when it was captured by communists, the commander of the camp was Mirko Cvitkovac.[14] About 15% of its inmates were communists who joined Partisans after they captured the camp.[15]

This was the most important action of the Partisans in the North-West Croatia.[16]

Under control of the Ustasha Surveillance Service

After the communist capture of Lepoglava camp, Croatian forces recaptured it and put it under control of Bureau 3 within the Ustasha Surveillance Service and Ljubo Miloš as commander of the camp[17] at the beginning of 1944.[18]

In 1945 Ustaše decided to move inmates to Jasenovac extermination camp because they considered existing location as insecure.[19]

Croatia decided to close the camp at the beginning of 1945 and transported 1,300 of its inmates to Jasenovac extermination camp until the end of March 1945.[20] All of them were killed in Jasenovac except around 50 inmates who managed to escape during the transport.[21] On 30 April 1945 Ustaše killed about 80 inmates who remained in the camp and 961 young people, mostly students on the locality near camp which is today known as Memorial Cemetery (Croatian: Spomen groblje).[22]

References

  1. ↑ (Megargee & White 2018, p. 70)
  2. ↑ (Megargee & White 2018, p. 70)
  3. ↑ (Miletić 1986, p. 351):"Kazneni zavod Lepoglava osnovan je još u Austro-Ugarskoj Carevini, sredinom 19. veka u prostorijama samostana fratra Pavlina i ...."
  4. ↑ (Stopar 1959, p. 293): "Iako je nastao kasnije od onih u Jasenovcu i Gradiški, logor se u Lepoglavi, po zvjerstvima koja su u njemu izvršena, ne razlikuje od ostalih."
  5. ↑ (MS 1974, p. 160): " У погледу организационе структуре логор у Лепоглави био сличан логору у Јасеновцу. Постојао је заповједник логора, Управни одјел са картотеком, Радни одјел, Господарски одјел и благајна, и Сигурносна служба."
  6. ↑ (Megargee & White 2018, p. 70)
  7. ↑ (Megargee & White 2018, p. 71):"Additionally, the Jewish community in Zagreb sent clothing, medicine, and food to Jewish prisoners in Lepoglava."
  8. ↑ (Komarica & Odić 2008, p. 246)
  9. ↑ (Komarica & Odić 2008, p. 246)
  10. ↑ (Komarica & Odić 2008, p. 246): "Umesto da napadnemo jasenovački logor oni nam savetuju da tu akciju sprovedemo na logor Lepoglava."
  11. ↑ (Komarica & Odić 2008, p. 246): "Uzgred da napomenem da smo ispoštovali predlog da napadnemo Lepoglavu..."
  12. ↑ (Dedijer 1990, p. 420)
  13. ↑ (Dedijer 1970, p. 387):"Пошто je наша артилерија засула Лепоглаву извршен je jypиш... "
  14. ↑ (KS 1988, p. 119)
  15. ↑ (KS 1988, p. 119)
  16. ↑ (Kožar 1964, p. 3)
  17. ↑ (Peršen 1963)
  18. ↑ (Dedijer 1987, p. 442)
  19. ↑ (MS 1974, p. 160): "Да би се осигурале од сваке евентуалности усташе су преселиле логор Стара Градишка и Лепоглава јер им је то подручје постало несигурно. "
  20. ↑ (Megargee & White 2018, p. 71)
  21. ↑ Porobija, Željko (30 April 2017). "Prije točno 72 godine u Lepoglavi je pobijeno 961 maturanata i studenata - ubijeni i urotnici protiv Pavelića". evarazdin.hr. Varaždin, Croatia. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  22. ↑ N.L./V.V. (30 April 2017). varazdinske-vijesti.hr. Missing or empty |title= (help)

Sources

  • Megargee, Geoffrey P.; White, Joseph R. (29 May 2018). The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933–1945, vol. III: Camps and Ghettos under European Regimes Aligned with Nazi Germany. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-02386-5.
  • Stopar, Vlado (1959). Hrvatsko Zagorje u narodnooslobodilačkoj borbi. Epoha.
  • Miletić, Antun (1986). Koncentracioni logor Jasenovac 1941-1945: dokumenta. Narodna knjiga.
  • Dedijer, Vladimir (1 May 1990). The War Diaries of Vladimir Dedijer: From November 28, 1942, to September 10, 1943. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-10109-2.
  • Peršen, Mirko (1963). Lepoglava. Epoha.
  • Dedijer, Vladimir (1987). Vatikan i Jasenovac: dokumenti. Rad.
  • MS (1974). Proceedings in history. Odeljenje za društvene nauke, Matica srpska.
  • Kožar, Boris (1964). Lepoglava, 1943-1963. Novinsko izdavačko i štamparsko poduzeće.
  • Dedijer, Vladimir (1970). Od 28 novembra 1942 do 10 novembra 1943. Prosveta.
  • KS (1988). Kaj. Kajkavsko Spravišče.
  • Komarica, Slavko; Odić, Slavko F. (2008). Zašto Jasenovac nije oslobođen. Iros. ISBN 978-953-6300-43-3.

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