The Holocaust in Yugoslavia (1941-1945), the Legislature: A Comparative Analysis of the Cases of Occupied Serbia and the Independent State of Croatia

Small but important and well-integrated Jewish community in interwar Yugoslavia had its status regulated by the Law of Jewish religious community in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Over 95% of Yugoslav Jews lived in cities and were mainly working in trade, finance, culture and production. Until the mid-1930’s anti-Jewish contents and provocations were limited to occasional and sporadic incidents, sanctioned by the authorities. Extreme raise of anti-Semitic propaganda in Yugoslavia started after the outbreak of the World War II and was spurred by Germany. Anti-Semitic decrees on limitation of Jewish students and Jewish enterprises dealing with food production and distribution were brought in October 1940.

After defeat in the April war 1941, Yugoslavia has been occupied and partitioned among Nazi Germany and her allies. Great suffering of Jews happened in both occupied Serbia and the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), Axis satellite state. Anti-Semitic laws were introduced, followed by morbid and wide-scale propaganda. Jews were deprived of their rights and dignity and were excluded from the society. Forced labor and confiscation of property followed, as like the establishing of the concentration camps. In later stages, especially during the uprising against occupiers, massive murders of Jews took place. The Holocaust in Yugoslavia was completed with killing of Jewish women and children by firing squads and gas-trucks. This lecture will focus on comparative analyses of anti-Semitic legislature and propaganda in occupied Serbia and NDH. It is written on primary historical sources: archival documents of collaborationist’ authorities and Ustasha regime, newspapers and propaganda materials.