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Kragujevac was a small Serbian town occupied by the Germans. The Resistance attacks that led to the Kragujevac massacre were conducted by both Chetnik and Partisan forces. Tito in his auto-biography claims, however, that it was his forces alone that attacked the German detachment. The Chetnik leader seems to have been more restrained. He wanted to carry out acts of sabotage in a way that rwould not involve the civil population in German reprisals. Mihailovic's Chetniks captured a German platoon (September 28). The next day, a German solders stationed in Kragujevac were sent to rescue their captured colleagues (September 29). They were ambushed by both Mihailovic's and Tito's forces. In the resulting action 10 German soldiers were killed and 26 wounded. The Germans then began reprisal on Serbian civilians. The Germans executed 300 civilians were executed in three surrounding villages (October 19). This did not fulfill the quota so the Germans began rounding up Serbian people living in Kragujevac. Tghey went from house to house. All males between 16 and 60 were taken to district military headquarters for identification. Civil servants were rounded up from offices, and 300 students over 16 were taken from the boys' high school, along with 18 teachers. The roundup totaled of 10,000 civilians. The executions began the next day (October 20).
The Germans shot 100 men that first day. Many more were killed the following day (October 21). The official Wehrmacht report states that 2,300 men and boys were executed altogether. Among them was Laza Pantelic, The headmaster of the First Boys High School was Laza Pantelic. He saw 35 of his students being led away and when he found out they were to be executed he asked to be shot in their place. He was told that this was not possible. He joined his students and died with them. They are reported to have said
"We are Serbian children. Shoot." As far as I can determine all the 300 boys taken hostage from the high school were included in the executions. The Wehrmacht report states that German soldiers faced exhaustion, and some soldiers were reported to have broken down from the mental and emotional strain of mass murder (October 29). The report also stated that no attacks on the Wehrmacht had occurred in Kragujevac itself, but the population were taken hostage and executed because not enough hostages could be found elsewhere. The massacres did not end with this incident there were other reprisals taken again Serbian civilians.
Kragujevac was one of the major Serbian cities which played an importat role in the Sebian independence movement. It is the largest city in the Šumadija region and the administrative center of Šumadija District. It is Serbia's fourth largest city, after Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš. The city is located on the Lepenica River. In European terms, it is a relatively new city, founded in 1476 during the Ottoman era. In the 20th centiry it has been an industrial city with manufacturing of weapons, and munitions. After World War II, cars were msanufactured there. The city was particularly important in the 19th century as Serbia was struggling to break away from Ottoman control after the Napoleonic Wars. The first university in Serbia was founded in this city (1838). Serbia's first grammar school (Gimnazija), printworks, theatre, and military school were also founded therein the 1830s. Serbiaat the time was a principality still nominally part of the Ottoman Empire. Uder Prince Miloš Obrenović, Kragujevac was the capital of Principality of Serbia (1818-39).
The Resistance attacks that led to the Kragujevac massacre were conducted by both Chetnik and Partisan forces. Tito in his auto-biography claims, however, that it was his forces alone that attacked the German detachment. The Chetnik leader seems to have been more restrained. He wanted to carry out acts of sabotage in a way that would not involve the civil population in German reprisals. Mihailovic's Chetniks captured a German platoon (September 28) The Germans were part of the 920 Landesschuetzen Battalion. This is also known as the Security Battalion. The Battalion had occupied Gorni Milanovac.
General Franz Boehme, the German military commander in Serbia, on learning about this incident, ordered German in the region to carry out reprisals. One of the units was the 1st Battalion of the 724th Wehrmacht Infantry Regiment, commanded by Major Paul Koenig. Another unit, the Third Battalion of the 749th Wehrmacht Infantry Regiment was ambushed as tey tried to rescue their captured colleagues. They were ambushed by both Mihailovic's and Tito's forces, although Serbian sources differ as to wwho was resonsible. In the resulting action 10 German soldiers were killed and 26 wounded.
The Germans then began reprisal on Serbian civilians. The Germans executed 300 civilians were executed in three surrounding villages (October 19).
The initil 300 civilians shot did not satisfy the Germans. Major Paul Koenig ordered that a “comprehensive reprisal” against Serbian civilians in Kragujevac be undertaken. He ordered German soldiers to roundup more civilian hostsages, this time in in Kragujevac. The German soldiers went from house to house. They pulled out all males between 16 and 60 and msarched them to district military headquarters for identification. Civil servants were rounded up from offices, and 300 students over 16 were taken from the boys' high school, along with 18 teachers. The roundup totaled 10,000 civilians.
The German officers began executing the hostages the next day (October 20-21). The Germans shot 100 men that first day. Many more were killed the following day (October 21). The official Wehrmacht report states that 2,300 men and boys were executed altogether. Among them was Laza Pantelic, The headmaster of the First Boys High School was Laza Pantelic. He saw 35 of his students being led away and when he found out they were to be executed he asked to be shot in their place. He was told that this was not possible. He joined his students and died with them. They are reported to have said "We are Serbian children. Shoot." As far as I can determine all the 300 boys taken hostage from the high school were included in the executions.
The Wehrmacht report states that German soldiers faced exhaustion, and some soldiers were reported to have broken down from the mental and emotional strain of mass murder (October 29). The report also stated that no attacks on the Wehrmacht had occurred in Kragujevac itself, but the population were taken hostage and executed because not enough hostages could be found elsewhere. The massacres did not end with this incident there were other reprisals taken again Serbian civilians.
Note that this action was planned and carried out by the Wehrmacht, the regular German Army. This was not a SS action. Some authors attempt to attribute World War II attrocities on the SS. While the SS executed the Holocaust and was responsible for countless grusome attricities, they did not commit all of the attricities. The Wehrmacht was also resonsible for many attroicities, including actions supporting the Holocaust. The Kragujevacis Massacre is just one example of the attricities carried out by the Wehrmacht.
A HBC reader tells us that her grandfather escaped this because he was sick and kept at home that day. Two cousins were teachers at the school and they were executed with their pupils.
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