For 1st time in 5 years, Jews, Serbs, Roma join Croatia memorial at death camp

Croatia’s Jews, Serbs and Roma join an official commemoration for the victims of a World War II death camp for the first time in five years, after snubbing the event to protest a resurgence of Nazi ideology.

Known as Croatia’s Auschwitz, the Jasenovac camp was run by the Nazi-allied Ustasha regime, which persecuted and killed hundreds of thousands of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti-fascist Croatians during the war.

On Wednesday, the 75th anniversary of the camp’s closure, representatives of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti-fascists joined the top officials to honor the dead at the striking flower-shaped monument that stands on the former camp-site.

The groups say they decided to attend this year’s ceremony to show solidarity during the coronavirus crisis as well as to start a conversation with authorities about lingering intolerance.

“Things have not changed but taking into the account the difficult situation caused by the virus … we decided to join the ceremony,” says Ognjen Kraus, head of an umbrella association of Jewish groups.

“We also extend our hand (to the government) to start talking about the burning issue … and remove the stain on Croatia due to historical revisionism,” he tells AFP. “We want deeds not words.”

— AFP