Jewish Community in Visegrad

 

Image: The Synagogue in Visegrad, converted after WWII into the Fire-station.

The first Jews arrived in Visegrad at the beginning of the XIX century. According to “Bosnian Glasnik”, in 1908 there were 177 Jews living in Visegrad while in 1940 that number was around 110. Many after finishing their education moved to other towns like Sarajevo, Belgrade or Zagreb in search for jobs.

During the First World War, Visegrad was the center of many battles between Austro-Hungaria and Serbia. Most of the population had to seek refuge in Central Bosnia.

In 1905 the Jewish community built a new synagogue in Visegrad because the old one was decrepit.  During World War Two, when the Germans entered the town, the synagogue was ransacked and turned into a storage area and later a stable for horses.

The Germans did not stay long in the town and it was handed over to the Italians.

The Ustashas were not able to deport the Visegrad Jews since the Yugoslav Partizans disabled the railway tracks.

A large number of Visegrad Jews escaped from Visegrad towards Sandzak (Serbia) and Monte Negro while many joined the Partizans.

In October 1943, after the capitulation of Italy, Visegrad was overran by Serb Chetnik forces and the Bosniak population was massacred and forced to seek refuge in central Bosnia.

The town was retaken from the Chetniks by German forces in 1944 and the Gestapo arrested and deported the remaining Jews to Bergen-Belzen concentration camp. Altogether 46 Visegrad Jews were murdered in German concentration camps. 56 Visegrad Jews survived the war. These were survivors from the camps and Partizans. Most of them settled in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Zagreb as officers, officials and highly-qualified workers. Only the Romano family remained to live in Visegrad – the famous Avram Romano Mamic.

Source: Pinto, Avram. Jevreji Sarajeva i Bosne i Hercegovine, Veselin Maslesa, Sarajevo, 1987.

Visegrad Genocide Memories:2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

19,000 people fit into the new Barclays Center to see Jay-Z perform. This blog was viewed about 130,000 times in 2012. If it were a concert at the Barclays Center, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Straziste Cemetery

Image: Straziste cemetery(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

The Straziste cemetery is located in Visegrad on the left side of the main road towards Dobrun and Uzice.  It is the central Muslim cemetery in Visegrad. Judging by the old Ottoman tombstones, it can be said that Straziste is one of the oldest in Visegrad. It is a large cemetery – the perimeter is one kilometer long.  This cemetery is of great importance for Bosniaks for one more reason – the martyrs  of Visegrad are buried there.

Not all of the martyrs are buried in Straziste – some families decided not to bury there loved ones in Visegrad. Mainly because Visegrad is a Serb town today  and they do not wish to return to Visegrad anymore. Another reason is that in the years after the war, the Visegrad victim organization did not have a strong opinion on this matter nor did it understand the importance of burying the martyrs of Visegrad in Visegrad. As a result most of the victims were buried in Sarajevo, some in Gorazde and a few even in Visoko.

Today the opinion of some has changed and there are ideas that Straziste cemetery should be transformed into a memorial center for the genocide victims.

Building a memorial center for the victims would bring dignity back to them and satisfaction for the family members. Our hope is that Straziste would become the Potocari of Visegrad.

Image: Straziste cemetery (Photo credits: Berina Pekmezovic)

New House For War Criminal Novo Rajak

Image: Sentenced war criminal Novo Rajak

On 27.November 2006 the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo declared Novo Rajak, a Bosnian Serb reserve police officer to 14 years in prison for war crimes against Bosniaks in Visegrad during the 1992-95  Aggression. The court convicted Novo Rajak, 41, of crimes against the Bosniak population of the Visegrad area in eastern Bosnia-Herzegovina during the early years of the Genocide.

These included the expulsion of Muslim residents from their homes and the destruction of their property. The court also found him guilty of a role in atrocities against Muslim civilians, some of whom disappeared after Serbs captured the enclave of Zepa in 1995.

On 13.10.2011. the Visegrad Municipality signed contracts with 11 families for the reconstruction of their houses. Five of the families were Bosniaks and the rest Serbs. The project is financed by the State Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees.

One of the persons who signed the contract is the wife of war criminal Novo Rajak. Rajak is currently in prison serving his sentence for war crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims during the Genocide 1992-1995.

Image: The signing of the contracts in the Visegrad Municipality.

Milan Lukic’s sadistic humour

Image: Milan Lukic and Vidoje Andric leaning on the infamous red passat which belonged to Behija Zukic-one of Milan’s first victims.

While some Defence witnesses have described Sredoje and Milan LUKIC as

being disposed toward humour many of the victims recount sadistic humour at the expense of vulnerable people. Men who were killed by the Drina were sometimes asked if they could swim just before they were killed.84

Just prior to killing the two boys with VG-089 on the new bridge Milan LUKIC said “We’re out of petrol. We have to take the Drina river. It’s true, it’s a bit cold, but nevermind.”85

Once in the police station and upon seeing the father of a former schoolmate asking for LUKIC’s help, LUKIC said, “I won’t kill you – – I’ll slit your throat”.86

During the course of his many rapes Milan LUKIC would often joke about planning to marry the victims, or that they would now carry “little Milans”87

He laughed in the parking lot of the Visegrad Health Centre as Behija ZUKIC’s body was brought to the morgue while he was sitting in her car.88

VG-089 described a chilling scene when Milan LUKIC threw a 14-year-old boy off the new bridge in Visegrad and then shot him; another boy who was there began crying and frantically trying to find coins in his pocket to give to LUKIC. Some of the coins fell to the pavement and the little boy tried to pick them up to give LUKIC. LUKIC reached down toward the boy and told him not to worry – that he would do nothing. As soon as he said this he quickly tossed the boy over the rail and into the river.89

Source: Prosecution brief Milan Lukic Appeals Chamber (page 21)

Lawyer Jelena Rasic at The Hague

National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal President Rasim Ljajić.

He said that lawyer Jelena Rašić has been handed over to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (Hague) for bribing witnesses to testify in favor of Hague indictee Milan Lukić, said Ljajić.

“The proceedings against Rašić were completed last week, she did not appeal and today she was transferred to the Hague tribunal,” said Ljajić.

Source: B92

Related:

+ Zuhdija Tabakovic pleads guilty

+ Serbian criminals offered monetary incentives for false testimonies

Perucac lake 19.09.2010

On 19.09.2010 a large group of volunteers arrived to Perucac lake to help in digging the ground in search of genocide victims from Visegrad. They worked in front of a restaurant -  a popular tourist site  - where a large number of bones were found. Most skeletons found in Perucac are incomplete because the bodies decomposed in the Drina River –  shattering remains of one body on a large area.

Many victims of the Visegrad Genocide will never be found  but during this action at least some families will find their loved ones.

Exhumations and the search for victims remains will continue for the next couple of days until the Perucac lake is refilled totally. Serbia has ignored calls from Bosnia to delay filling the lake.

Image: Volunteers digging the soil in search of Visegrad Genocide victims. (Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

Image: Volunteers digging the soil in search of Visegrad Genocide victims. (Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

Image: Yellow flags indicate a place where a human remain was found. This site is in front of a restaurant - a popular tourist site on Perucac lake.(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

Image: Volunteers digging the soil in search of Visegrad Genocide victims. (Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

Image: Volunteers digging the soil in search of Visegrad Genocide victims. (Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

Image: Volunteers were transported to Perucac lake from Omeragici village in army trucks provided by BH Armed Forces(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

Image: Volunteers were transported to Perucac lake from Omeragici village in army trucks provided by BH Armed Forces(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

Image: Volunteers were transported to Perucac lake from Omeragici village in army trucks provided by BH Armed Forces(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

Perucac exhumations 10.09.2010

On 10.09.2010, the second day of Eid,more than a hundred volunteers from Sarajevo made their way to Perucac lake where hundreds of remains of Bosniak victims from Visegrad lay. They were murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in 1992 and their bodies dumped into the River Drina. The following pictures were taken by Velija Hasanbegovic, a Visegrad genocide survivor and one of the organizers of  the exhumations.

Image: Volunteers make their way towards a exhumation site.

Image:Volunteers make their way towards a exhumation site.

Image: A volunteer digging the soil in search of bones.

Image: Volunteers digging the soil in search of bones.

Image: Volunteers digging the soil in search of bones.

Image: Velija Hasanbegovic (first from left) with a group of volunteers helping with the exhumations.

Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic ©

Exhumations at Perucac lake

Perucac lake, a very popular tourist destination for Serbian and foreign tourists has been a large exhumation site in the last month. Over a hundred remains of Bosniak victims from Visegrad have been found. All of them were murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in 1992 and their bodies dumped into the Drina River.

Image: Teeth and a comb of a Bosniak victim found at Perucac lake.(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic©)

Image: Bones of a Bosniak victim found at Perucac lake.(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic©)

Image: Remains of a victim’s jaw found at Perucac lake.(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic©)

Image: A volunteer helping investigators find remains of genocide victims.(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic©)

Image: A plastic bag found on Perucac lake containing bones of a baby along with a child’s comb. ( Photo credits: Hida Kasapovic)

Image: A rope used to tie victim’s hands and a watch found on Perucac lake.( Photo credits: Hida Kasapovic)

Image: A victim’s notebook and a hamajlija (amulet) found in Perucac lake. (Photo credits: Hida Kasapovic)

Image: A victim’s remains along with clothing and boots found on Perucac lake.( Photo credits: Hida Kasapovic)

Bikavac Revisited 27.06.2010

On 27.06.2010, dozens of family members and survivors arrived to Bikavac to mark the anniversary of Bikavac live pyre were around 70 Bosniaks(Bosnian Muslims) were barricaded into a house and burnt alive. Around a dozen American students from the University of Colorado Denver accompanied the survivors and payed their respects to the victims.

Peter Jacob Gorman, one of the students from Colorado took the following photos. We thank him for contributing to the memory of Visegrad Genocide.

Image: Family members of victims kiss the pictures of their loved ones, Bikavac, Visegrad, 2010)

Image: Bosniak women, family members of victims look for their loved ones.

Image: Pictures of victims of the live pyre placed on the site of the massacre.

Image: Bosniak women at the commemoration of the Bikavac masscare.

Image: People crowded the site where Meho Aljic’s house once used to stand.

Image: Meho Aljic, in middle, owner of the house where 70 Bosniaks were burnt alive by Bosnian Serb soldiers in June 1992.

Image: Esad Tufekcic lost his wife and two children in the Bikavac massacre.

Image: Esad Tufekcic and other family members place flowers at the site of the massacre.

Photo credits: Peter Jacob Gorman

Further reading:

* Bosnian Serb pair jailed for burning Muslims alive

*  What it feels like to be burnt alive

* “We pulled worms out of her arms”: Remembering Zehra

* What is Visegrad Genocide?