INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA
– MINISTRY OF GOD-WORSHIP AND EDUCATION –
Reference No. 57-1941.
Subject: Dismissal of Teachers
COMMISSION FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Education Department
SARAJEVO
Regarding the inquiry from 7 May 1941, number 52, in order for this Commission to act accordingly, the following is communicated to you:
For the area of the former Banovina of Croatia, where this ministry has already begun the dismissal of teachers who are not native to the Independent State of Croatia and Jews, it has been decided:
a/ that Jewish teachers with less than 10 years of service be dismissed;
b/ that Jewish teachers with more than 10 years of service be retired, and
c/ that Serbians and Vojvodina Serbs be dismissed.
For Slovenian and Montenegrin teachers, no changes have been made yet, except where it concerns prominent enemies of the Croatian people.
Regarding your note that the reduction of teachers would affect school training, as many schools would be left without a sufficient number of teachers, it should be emphasised that in secondary schools, training is not being carried out, nor will it be until September this year. However, this ministry has a considerable number of unresolved applications from graduated philosophers who are seeking positions. This number will further increase with new applicants who will submit their applications by the start of the next school year, so there is hope that the needs of our schools can be largely met with teachers from the Independent State of Croatia.
In Zagreb, on the 16th of May, 1941.
State Secretary
at the Ministry of God-Worship
and Education:
/signature illegible/
Original stored at the Military Historical Institute, Military Archives, ANDH, box 87 A, reg. number 1/7-1
RECEPTION OFFICE FOR CROATIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL
Strictly Confidential No. 89
22 June 1941
Zemun
Follow-up report.
TO THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS
From reliable sources, we have learned that a substantial “četnik action”1 is being prepared in Serbia, with the task of retaliating for “Serb victims” in Bosnia.
Apparently, the četniks are already crossing the Drina well-armed, and this group includes a significant number of former Yugoslav officers from Serbia.
As the regime of the German occupying forces in Serbia is very lenient, and moreover, there are only a few German troops in Serbia, so that only a few soldiers come to certain “districts”, the above news, considering the possibility of organising such an action, is quite probable, especially since the influence of Anglo-Jewish propaganda is still felt in Belgrade and in the interior of Serbia.
I believe that this news should be verified on our ground and measures should be taken to suppress this “četnik action” in its infancy.
The discontent against Croats in Belgrade is significant. Serb officials, dismissed from Croatian private or state service, come to Belgrade and complain that they were let go without any severance pay, and that they were not even paid for the time they had worked. This has led to the dismissal of Croats from private and public positions in Belgrade and the interior of Serbia, which is completely understandable, as our people do not belong there, a fact they should realise themselves. The Croatian press should certainly take steps to refute various versions, often exaggerated, because they cause us considerable harm with the German military and administrative authorities.
A large number of Jews from Belgrade have managed and are still managing to move across Croatia to that part of Dalmatia which now belongs to Italy. Split is full of Jews from Belgrade and Zagreb, and there are also quite a few Serbs from Croatia and Serbia. There, propaganda against Croatia and the Axis powers continues, and the Italian authorities should be alerted to this. Control on Croatian railways should be introduced to prevent Jews from travelling to Italy, regardless of who issued their travel documents, as according to the information we have, there is a trade in travel documents for Jews in Belgrade.
The German military and administrative authorities in the territory of Serbia should also be warned about the strength of British Jewish propaganda in Serbia, particularly in Belgrade. The ban on listening to foreign broadcasting radio stations is completely ineffective: Serbia, and especially Belgrade, still listens exclusively to Radio London and spreads these news further, recounting them with purely Serbian commentary. That such leniency by the German occupying authorities will inevitably have adverse consequences can be positively predicted.
Commander, Lieutenant Colonel
Signature
Original stored at the Military Historical Institute, Military Archives, ANDH, box 171 A, reg. number 39/1-1
INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA
USTAŠA HEADQUARTERS
Number: 1298/41.
Mostar, dated 23 June 1941.
ORDER
From the time this order is announced, the following regulations for the movement of Serbs and Jews come into effect:
1) No more than two Serbs or Jews may move around the town together.
2) Jews and Serbs must not go out together or associate with each other at all.
3) After 8 o’clock in the evening, Serbs and Jews must be in their homes.
4) Jews and Serbs must wait until Croats have fulfilled their needs in shops before they can make purchases.
5) Jews will only shop in their own stores.
6) Serbs and Jews are not allowed to go to promenade, nor may they sit in Freedom Square.
7) Serbs and Jews are not allowed to dance in public venues.
Any violation will be punished immediately on the spot without exception.
Ustaša Headquarters Chief:
Ivan Zovko, v.r.
Copy of the original stored at the Military Archives, ANDH, box 171, reg. number 2/18-1
EXTRAORDINARY LEGAL PROVISION AND COMMAND
In light of rumours that on the 28th of this month, alleged persecutions against a section of the population might occur in Croatia, I decree that anyone who spreads such rumours will be brought before a court-martial
Similarly, I decree that anyone who at any time commits any form of violence against the life or property of any citizen or member of the Independent State of Croatia will also be brought before a court martial. Furthermore, I decree that all officials of the Ustaša organisations and all commanders and sub-commanders of the Ustaša military are personally responsible for any incident that might occur in the aforementioned sense and must instruct all Ustaša organisations and bodies of the Ustaša military throughout the state that it is their duty to prevent any such incident by all means. Any member of the Ustaša organisation or military who commits such a punishable act will be immediately executed by the Ustaše court.2
Likewise, all public authorities must vigilantly ensure that the force of law prevents any attempt at violence against the property or lives of any citizen or member of the Independent State of Croatia or a foreign subject, whether such acts are undertaken by irresponsible elements or official persons.
In every instance of any disturbance in this regard, if necessary, representatives of the local state authorities must immediately contact me personally, by telephone or telegram, upon which I will, if needed, arrange for the support of the army or my personal guard battalion. Similarly, wherever individuals or groups of the so-called četniks or remnants of the Serb army, or any persons who are not authorised to appear in unit formation, whether in civilian clothing or an Ustaša or military uniform, appear within the territory of the Independent State of Croatia, all authorities are obliged to immediately use both cold and hot weapons against them through the police forces, regular Ustaša units, and in extreme cases, seek the support of the Croatian state Domobranstvo.3
Since the Jews are spreading false news with the aim of disturbing the population and, with their well-known speculative methods, are hindering and complicating the supply of the population, they are collectively considered responsible for this, and will therefore be treated accordingly and placed in open-air detention camps in addition to criminal liability.
At the same time, I call upon all persons who, prior to the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia, have wronged Croatian national interests by voting for non-Croatian parties, by their presence in non-Croatian and anti-Croatian societies, by participating in corruption, or who have enriched themselves through interventionist business dealings—in short, all persons whose past is non-Croatian, anti-Croatian or socially dishonourable, who have tried to push or have even pushed their way into state services, into Ustaša organisations, or into units of the Ustaša military, or even into the Croatian Domobranstvo, to withdraw and remove themselves within a period of eight days, as otherwise, after the expiration of this period, they will be forcibly and painfully removed and subjected to appropriate proceedings.
I finally call upon everyone to refrain from any intervention with any state or similar authority in personal or material matters, as any intervention will be considered sabotage and will be dealt with according to the regulations of the court martial. Anyone who believes that the law or their interests have been violated can always report this in writing either to the competent authority or to the government presidency, without any fee.
Given in Zagreb, on the 26th of June, 1941.
Poglavnik of the Independent State of Croatia
Dr. Ante Pavelić, v. r.
Number CXI-531-Z. p.-1941.
Regarding the above extraordinary legal provision and command, I issue this
ORDER
This extraordinary legal provision must be published on the front page of all newspapers within three days and announced via radio stations over three days in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. This provision must also be posted in all towns throughout Croatia, and all municipal leaderships must declare it to the populace in the usual manner. Similarly, religious authorities are requested to have this provision announced by spiritual leaders.
Zagreb, dated 26th June 1941.
Minister of the Interior:
Dr. Andrija Artuković, v.r.
Number 11.541. Pr. M. I. A.
Published in the “Narodne Novine” [official gazette], 26.06.1941.
INDEPENDENT STATE OF CROATIA
HEADQUARTERS
OF THE VRBAS DIVISIONAL AREA
Strictly Confidential. No. 829
in Banja Luka dated 28th June 1941.
Supplementary report.
TO THE COMMAND OF THE LAND ARMY
(Military office section 5)
Regarding order Strictly Confidential. No. 36 dated 7th June 1941.
1.- Espionage and propaganda and the prevention thereof.
In this divisional area, no espionage has been observed. In report Strictly Confidential No.720 dated 18th of this month, the propagandistic movement of sympathisers of Slobodan Subotić related to the action “Serbian Renaissance” has vanished, as many propagators, who were connected with the leadership in Belgrade, have emigrated to Serbia.
2.- Suppression of anti-state propaganda.
Police and administrative authorities have taken vigorous measures to suppress the emergence of any propaganda. The entry of Soviet Russia into the war has given hope to Serbs, Jews, and Communists, who apparently have become more active and are hopeful of a possible reversal. In connection with this, several communists and Serbs have been arrested in the area.
3.- Suppression of propaganda against military power.
No propaganda against the military has been observed.
4 – Suppression of the spread of disturbing news.
According to the latest yet unverified report, a certain radio station “Zrinski”, on the frequency of 26.3, broadcasts news against the interests of our country every day around 20:20.
In the district of Prnjavor, there have been reports of an alleged preparation for a Vidovdan uprising.4 All precautionary measures have been taken.
5.- Registration of foreigners, suspicious persons, and undesirable elements.
The registration of foreigners, suspicious persons, and undesirable elements is conducted by administrative, police, and military authorities.
6.- Nutrition and the needs of the population; transport.
According to collected data, the nutrition of the rural populace is still not secured. A severe shortage of bread is felt in Lika and in north-western Bosnia. Government intervention has only partially alleviated this situation. In the absence of wheat, rye, and maize, the people are buying oats from which they make bread. In the vicinity of Otočac, the people would eat bran, if they had maize to mix with the bran.
Seeing this dire situation, I have approved the sale to the public of 3 wagons of oats in Otočac, which had already begun to spoil and which exceeds our needs. Similarly, I have approved the sale of surplus bran to the public.
In the area of the district of Bosanska Gradiška, a fund has been organised for the nutrition of the impoverished populace and has at its disposal a sum of one million five hundred thousand dinars, which were raised through contributions. This fund finances public works to combat unemployment among impoverished workers.
Transport is proceeding normally.
7.- Monitoring local and foreign press.
Nothing significant for the military has been noted in the local press. This headquarters does not receive any foreign newspapers.
8- Significant political and military events in the border area.
a) On the 24th of this month, all Jews and Serbs were expelled from Bihać to Kulen Vakuf by order of the Grand Župan. A separate report has been submitted on this matter.
b) Between the 20th and 23rd of this month, Italian Marshal De Bonno conducted a tour of the Italian units in this area, accompanied by the commander of the rapid response corps from Karlovac.
On this occasion, a formal reception and a parade of the units were held in Bihać, Plitvice, Vrhovine, Gospić, and Otočac.
The reception was attended by invited commanders of the garrisons and representatives of the civil authorities. In Otočac, at the suggestion of the Italian commander, one of our honorary companies also participated in the reception.
c) According to recent police data, there have been 7 individual insults to the Poglavnik of the Independent State of Croatia and the Fuhrer of the German Reich-Hitler in this area. As their guilt has been proven by witnesses, all the offenders have been arrested and handed over to the court.
d) Due to the illegal and improper actions of self-proclaimed Ustašas in this area, who have been killing, burning, and looting, particularly the Orthodox population, many from the villages have fled to the mountains and forests. Consequently, there is an unhealthy state of affairs in the area, and our administrative authorities fear disorder and continuously request military garrisons in all district locations.
Regarding the Ustaša actions and necessary countermeasures, I have submitted special reports to the commander of the Land Army with Strictly Confidential No. 778 and 819 dated 25th and 27th June this year.
9.- Record of the deployment of allied forces in the Vrbas Divisional Area.
The following data has been collected on the Allied units in this area:
I IN THE ITALIAN ZONE:
Companies II and III of the Italian rapid response division are partially leaving this area. In recent days, Ključ, Sanski Most, and Bos. Krupa have been completely evacuated. The “Genova” Cavalry Regiment from Bosanska Krupa is passing through Bihać, while the local “Novara” Cavalry Regiment with the 25th Armoured Battalion left on 25th June towards Vrhovine.
The Italian authorities are keeping it secret whether all companies will leave this area, but from the preparations and statements of the officers, it can be concluded that everyone might soon depart.
II IN THE GERMAN ZONE:
The deployment of German troops remains as reported under V.T.V. No. 710 of 18th June this year.
Commanding General,
Rumler [Dragutin]
Original stored at the Military Historical Institute, Military Archives, ANDH, box 84, reg. number 9/3-1
- Tran. note: Here the word “četnik” is used in its general sense, to denote a guerilla or rebel, rather than the more narrow reference to the various “četniks” which operated during WWII. ↩︎
- Tran. note: The numerous reports ISC police and other reports about the Ustaša crimes after this report was issued contradict the effectiveness and enforcement of the order. ↩︎
- Tran. note: “Domobranstvo” or Home Guard was the army of the Independent State of Croatia. ↩︎
- Tran. note: Vidovdan (St. Vitus’ day), 28.06., a Serbian national and religious holiday commemorating the 1389 Battle of Kosovo. ↩︎
