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Trail of Tears |
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Trail of Tears |
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Ein Volk ausgelöscht Die Ausrottung des Donauschwabentums im Jugoslawien 1944-1945 by Leopold Rohrbacher A people extinguished the extermination of the Donauschwabentums Book was advertised in the 1954 Donauschwäbischer Heimat Kalender, published by L. Rohrbacher, Karlsruhe, 1954 The Neuland, a Danube Swabian newspaper which Leopold Rohrbacher began in Salzburg, Austria in 1948. It lasted until 1979, and therefore represents the primary newspaper of the Donauschwaben. |
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| The Forgotten Genocide, a documentary about the ethnic cleansing of the German populations in Eastern Europe after WW2. First viewing February 2010. | By Ann Morrison | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mass kidnapping by
Communists of 20,000 children Janitscharen? Die Kinder Tragödie im Banat by Karl Springenschmid Our Lost Children: Janissaries? Translated (additional notes) by John Adam Kohler and Eve Eckert Koehler Published by Eckartschriften, Vienna, Austria, was translated from German by John Adam Koehler and Eve Eckert Koehler under the title 'Our Lost Children: Janissaries?' (87 p.). The English edition was published in 1980 by the Danube Swabian Association of the U.S.A., Inc. Copies may be available from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (where Ms. Koehler worked), through antiquarian sources, or via Inter Library Loan. |
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Völkermord der Tito-Partisanen 1944-1948
Österreichische Historiker-Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Kärnten und Steiermark (Austrian Historian Working Group for Kärnten & Steiermark) Translated by Henry Fischer Chapter 3: Genocide in the Yugoslavian Banat:
Chapter 4: Tito's Starvation Camps - The Cauldron: Current Ethnic German Settlements Documentation of Human Casualties
Population Figures of the Donauschwaben (Figures Estimated by Mr. Karl Weber) Published in the book Genocide of the Ethnic Germans in Yugoslavia 1944-1948, Santa Ana, California USA. Licensed by the Donauschwabische Kulturstiftung - Munchen, Germany. Copyright 2001 by Danube Swabian Association of the U.S.A. Printed by Award Printing Corp., Chicago, IL. ISBN: 0-9710341-0-9. Permission to republish given by Leo Mayer.
[Published at DVHH.org 27 Dec 2007] Current Ethnic German Settlements (Figures Estimated by Mr. Karl Weber) Published in the book Genocide of the Ethnic Germans in Yugoslavia 1944-1948, Santa Ana, California USA. Licensed by the Donauschwabische Kulturstiftung - Munchen, Germany. Copyright 2001 by Danube Swabian Association of the U.S.A. Printed by Award Printing Corp., Chicago, IL. ISBN: 0-9710341-0-9. Permission to republish given by Leo Mayer.
[Published at DVHH.org 27 Dec 2007] The Liquidation Camps Eight Liquidation Camps I n addition to the numerous local work camps and central camps the Titoregime established a third category, "special camps." In the Batschka, they consisted of the entire villages Jarek, Gakowa and Kruschiwl. They were already established during the end-phases of the war. In the Banat too, entire villages such as Rudolfsgnad and Molidorf were designated as "special camps." For the relatively few Germans that did not flee from Syrmia, the silk factory at Mitrowitz was converted into the notorious liquidation camp, whereas in Slavonia, sections of the villages Kerndia and Valpovo were fenced in and made into death camps. The first liquidation camp was established on December 2, 1944 at Jarek and the last, Rudolfsgnad, was closed in March 1948.
Camp Molidorf/Molin (Banat)
Established: September 1945 for the ethnic Germans of the North and Middle Banat
Original size of community: 1,200 Number of internees: 5,000 - 7,000 Duration of camp: September 1945 - April 1947 (20 months) Casualties: about 3,000 (2,012 documented by name) Main causes of death: starvation, typhus, malaria
Camp Rudolfsgnad/Knicanin (Banat)
Established: October 10, 1945 for unfit for work ethnic Germans, particularly of the Middle and
South Banat.
Original size of the town of Rudolfsgnad: 3,200 Number of internees, average: 17,200 average (maximum: 20,500) Duration of camp: October 10, 1945 to mid-March 1948 (29 months) Casualties: about 11,000 (7,767 documented by name) Main causes of death: starvation, typhus, malaria
Camp Gakowa/Gakovo (Batschka)
Concentration camp for the unfit to work, primarily for the Middle and West Batschka.
Original number of inhabitants of the town of Gakowa: 2,700 Number of camp inmates: 17,000 Duration of camp: March 12, 1945 - beginning January 1948 (33 months) Casualties: Approximately 8,500 (5,827 documented by name) Main causes of death: starvation, typhus, dysentery, malaria
Camp Jarek/Backi Jarak (Batschka)
Established: December 2, 1944 as a concentration camp for the unfit to work of the South
Batschka
Original number of inhabitants of the community Jarek: 2,000 Average number of camp inmates: 15,000 Duration of camp: December 2, 1944 - April 17, 1946 (16.5 months) Casualties: at least 7,000 (5,240 documented by name) Main causes of death: typhus, dysentery, exhaustion, dystrophy Camp Kruschiwl/Krusevlje [Batschka] Established as a concentration camp for the unfit to work of the West and North Batschka. Original number of the inhabitants of the village of Kruschiwl: 950 (900 ethnic Germans) Average number of camp inmates: 7,000 Duration of camp: March 12, 1945 - December 10, 1947 (33 months) Casualties: 3,000 - 3,500 (2,100 documented by name) Main causes of death: starvation, typhus, dysentery Svilara / Sremska Mitrovica [Syrmia] Kerndia / Krndija [Slavonia] Walpach / Valpovo [Slavonia]
Totenbuch der Donauschwaben (Death Roll) - The genocide of the Germans in Yugoslavia between 1944 and 1948 ... The Danube-Swabian Association (DAG) has published this documentation in the Internet for documentation in the Internet for making it accessible to all interested persons, particularly to our young generation. Online Search Surname / Village: English - Deutsch
The AVNOJ-Regulations and
the Genocide of the Germans
Concise
accounts of war
crimes during &
Memories of September & October 1944 by Alex Leeb The Fate of the Donauschwaben 'January 14, 1945' by Alex Leeb Deportation to the Soviet Union by Anton Neidenbach Survivors of Deportation and Four Years of Slave Labor in Russia by Sister Susanne Kullowitch Deported to the USSR - Frankfurt/Oder - Door to Freedom and End Station for Many by Peter Krier Last Letters from a Deportee by Peter Krier Situation in the (Romanian) Banat in the 1945-1950 A Vrbas, Backa, Story by Karl Kreutzer. Translated by Valerie Kreutzer Genocide by Tito's Partisans 1944-1948 Translated by Henry Fischer Germans in the Batschka by Dr. Viktor Pratscher. Translated by Brad Schwebler Letter from Camp Pasicevo/Altker by Eva Zentner. Translation by niece Rose Vetter. Memories from Gakowa 1940's by Katherine Hoeger-Flotz Thinking often on VRBAS in the Backa by Valerie Kreutzer My Big Adventure: America - 1956 by Adam Martini, translation by son, Hans Martini. Escape from Yugoslavia & Coming to America by Hans Kopp Tito's Starvation Camps - The Cauldron: Baranya The Destruction of German Lutheranism In Swabian Turkey (Tolna, Baranya and Somogy Counties) by Heinrich Keri. Translated by Henry Fischer. During the deportation to East Germany, on the night of May 28th, 1948 my sister Elisabeth gave birth to her son Konrad as the rolling, packed, sealed cattle cars moved Across Czechoslovakia into an unknown future. 1944-1948 SyrmiaTito's Starvation Camps - The Cauldron: Syrem Tito's Starvation Camps - The Cauldron: Slavonia "Die Verschleppung 1945" - "The Deportation" by Stefan Jäger - Click image to enlarge
It is winter. The huge sky, filled with masses of snow, is hovering heavy and grey over the little village. It is gloomy and cold in the snow-covered streets. That is the landscape-related space that the artist choose for his tragic composition. At the centre of the painting is a diverse group of people. Men and women in their best years are being escorted out of the village. Some are walking with grim and sad expressions, while others are sobbing and trying to internalize their tormenting pain. A few country policemen [schwowisch: Schandare; NT] are flanking the tightly-wound group, which is growing from the internal centre of the painting, forward in the width, and almost in the depth of the space. Far in the background, a few old people and crying children are left behind. This is how Jäger sees the deportation to Russia. A tragic fate that the war imposed on our people. When will they return?" [Submitted by Alice Spande - Translated by Nick Tullius] Related Reading The German Expellees: Victims in War and Peace - Theses on the expulsion - Alfred de Zayas The Expulsion: A Crime Against Humanity by Alfred de Zayas
Banat Danube Swabian
Deportation to the
Baragan - 50 years on
Compulsory Relocation to the Baragan Deportation to the Bărăgan 1951-1956 [Konschitzky] And Over Us The Endless Blue Sky [Weber]
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Central Civilian Internment and Labor Camps The Camps in the Banat: Milchhalle at Gross-Kikinda/Kikinda - Already by the middle of October 1944, immediately after the take-over by the Russians and partisans, it became a torture and murder camp for over 1,000 defenseless civilians. Subsequently, it was the central camp for the northern part of the Banat until the end of 1946. Alte Mühle at Gross-Betschkerek/Zrenjanin - It was probably the most gruesome execution camp for the Germans during the bloody autumn 1944 and then used as a central camp until May 1947. Stoikowitch-Telep at Werschetz/Vrsac - The town Werschetz, in the South-Banat was also notorious for the murders committed there. After the killing-orgies of the "bloody autumn 1944" came to an end, it served as a central camp. Stockhaus at Weisskirchen/Bela Crkva - This building too, was used for the torture and executions of hundreds of victims before it was transformed into a Southeast central camp of the Banat. Schuschara/Susara - On December 24, 1944, the whole village was declared a central camp for the German civilians of the surrounding area. For a time, children, old and ill civilians were housed there as well. It existed until spring 1947. Karlsdorf/Banatski Karlovac - Established April 27, 1945; it also contained children and old people until October 1945, when they were transferred to the liquidation camp Rudolfsgnad. At Karlsdorf 1,000 occupants, including 400 documented by name, died of starvation. Fischplatz at Pantschowa/Pancevo - This camp was established November 1944 and dissolved February 22, 1948. The conditions in the overcrowded barracks were horrible and led to diseases and epidemics. The commander, a cruel female named Radojka, indulged in torturing the defenseless victims. Banat-Brestowatz/Banatski Brestovac - November 1944 - early 1948. This camp contained, among many others, several thousand inhabitants of the city of Pantschowa, unable to work, until October 1945, when they were shipped to the liquidation camp Rudolfsgnad. Seidenfabrik at Kubin/Kovin - Towards the end of 1944, after termination of the murderous "Aktion Intelligenzija," this silk spinning mill was made into the central camp for the surrounding communities. It contained about 600 detainees. Mramorak - By the end of April 1945, all those inhabitants of Mramorak not yet interned, were put into several houses, together with children, ill and old people from the surrounding area. Beginning November 1945, they were all shipped to the liquidation camp Rudolfsgnad.Children's camp in the Banat: Banatsko tovo Selo (Banater Neudorf) Debeljaca (Debeljatscha) Jabuka (Apfeldorf) Kacarevo, vorh.Kraljevicevo (Franzfeld) Vlajkovac (Wlajkowatz) Sick Patient Camps in Banat: Banatski Karlovac (Karlsdorf) Ravni Topolovac, vorh.Banatski Topoloyac (Kathreinfeld; Katarina) Zitiste, vorh.Begejski Sveti Djuradj (St.Georgen) The Camps in the Batschka: Neusatz/Novi SadAlready in November 1944, the notorious central camp Neusatz was the first of its kind established on the swampy banks of the Danube River in the South-Batschka. Initially it contained able-bodied men and women from the South Batschka region. After additional central camps were created, it became the main "trading center" for this modern slave-trade and engaged in a continuous exchange of inmates with other central and liquidation camps. The sick ones were shipped to the liquidation camps and exchanged for still somehow usable workers. From here, many were selected for the deportation to Russia at Christmas 1944. Even though the camp had a steady occupation of 2,000, it consisted only of two windowless barracks and a notorious "bunker" of six square meters. For even the slightest trespass, inmates were thrown into the waterlogged structure. For many the long ordeal of standing in the water was fatal. The numerous mistreatments and murders without court proceedings, even though the war was over, induced Dr. Wilhelm Neuner, formerly Oberlandesgericht Präsident (equivalent to president of a state appeals court) and also internee at the camp, to send written complaints to the ministry of the interior at Belgrade. These complaints were secretly smuggled out of the camp. For his courageous actions he was locked into the "bunker." He then was passed from camp to camp, but continued his written complaints and was eventually expelled to Hungary. The camp is said to have been closed during the last days of March 1948, when its occupancy was down to about 400. There are no records of how many of the inmates perished. Palanka/Backa PalankaThe central camp Palanka was set up in November 1944, containing 14-15 year old boys and 60-70 year old, able-bodied men from its surrounding area. Eventually it grew to an average of 600 internees. Sombor The town of Sombor, as already mentioned in a previous chapter, turned out to be the "turn-table" for the persecution, internment and murder of the Germans in the West-Batschka. It was established in November 1944 and also had jurisdiction of the central camps Hodschag, Apatin and Filipowa. Thousands of ethnic Germans were stuffed into the lice-infested barracks, often mistreated, insufficiently fed and forced to work weekdays as well as Sundays. Whoever became sick was immediately sent to the death-camp Gakowa which was established on March 12, 1945. The first camp commander was Rajko, the second one Dusan Kurepa. Both were cruel sadists, the second one even worse; he personally committed at least thirteen murders. He sent for his vietims, nearly beat them to death and then cut their throat. The camp was one of the last to be closed sometime in March 1948. ApatinThis town was originally inhabited by 12,000 Germans. During the winter the local camp, under the overall jurisdiction of Sombor, suffered from starvation. The camp commander, Mito Volic was particularly cruel. His deputy, Milivoj Beljanski from Sombor took girls from the camp into his apartment and raped them. Later he was demoted and dismissed. His successor tied women to trees, whipped them until they became unconscious and threw them naked into the cellar. His specialty was to electrify naked women's breasts and genitals. Hodschag/Odzaci This camp too, fulfilled its purpose, particularly in the investigation and persecution of members of the "Kulturbund" (cultural society). Those arrested were never seen again. Filipowa/Backi Gracac Because the liquidation camps Gakowa and Kruschiwl were overflowing by mid-1945, this camp was opened between mid-June to mid-October 1945 for able-bodied, as well as those unable to work, of the Hodschag area. In this short time about 250 perished due to starvation and epidemic diseases. By about October 1945, about 2,000 had died of starvation at Gakowa and since there were now openings those unable to work at Filipowa were shipped to Gakowa. Seidenfabrik at Werbass/Vrbas Towards the end of 1945 this former silk factory was established as a central camp for the Germans of the Middle-Batschka. It also had jurisdiction over the relatively large work camps at Tschervenka, Kula and Weprowatz. The conditions there were worse than in a prison. Since there was no more work to be done in the fields as of December 1946, the camp commander made the inmates stand in formation from 5 to 11 o'clock during the bitter cold winter mornings. Then he let them sit till evening in the court yard. The camp was most likely dissolved the beginning of 1948. Sekitsch/Lovcenac This used to be an entirely German community at the eastern edge of the German settlements and in January 1945 was transformed into a central camp for about 6,000 Germans. In October 1945 it was reduced to 1,500 inmates and was functioning as a work camp. Most of the rest were taken to the liquidation camps of Gakowa and Kruschiwl at about the time their inmates were dying in great numbers. Before they were shipped they were searched once more and deprived of their last miserable belongings. They even had to exchange any still somewhat useful clothing they wore for torn rags. Stärkefabrik at Subotica This former starch factory was most likely converted into a central forced labor camp by the middle of November 1944. The 4,000 inmates were mostly Germans who earlier had fled to Hungary but tried to return to their homes after cessation of the war. Upon crossing the border from Hungary they were immediately robbed of all their belongings. According to reports, devastating typhus epidemics raged throughout the camp. It was most likely dissolved in January 1948. The Camps in Syrmia: Kalvaria at Semlin/ZemunAfter the murderous stations in the villages India and Ruma were transformed into work camps, the central camp established on the Kalvarienberg (Kalvarien mountain) was apparently the only one of this kind. According to Hans Volk, it was a barracks area 100m x 200m, fenced in by high barbed wire. The inmates were Germans from the town of Semlin and the few Germans that did not flee from the eastern part of Syrmia. They had to sleep on bare wooden cots and forced to perform hard labor from 3 a.m. till late at night. They were repeatedly and mercilessly beaten. The food was hardly any better than in the death camps. In the morning watery soup with some ground corn (maize), at noon soup with a few rotten potatoes or wormy peas and evenings whatever was left over from noon, with a slice of corn bread, without fat or salt - the same fare as in other camps. The central camp Semlin was evacuated in August/September 1945. As Hans Volk recalled, there were only about 150 men and 60 women that survived. These were shipped to the work camp in the nearby Beschania and in November 1945 after this one was also shut down, transferred to the death camp Mitrowitz. Bibliography GENOCIDE of the Ethnic Germans in Yugoslavia 1944-1948. Published by the Danube Swabian Association of the USA2001. ISBN 0-9710341-0-9 Volume III of the documentation Leidensweg der Deutschen im kommunistischen Jugoslawien, 1995; respectively in the Weissbuch der Deutschen aus Jugoslawien. (The Tragedy of the Ethnic Germans in Yugoslavia).
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