Figure 1.-- This image was identified only as 'Yugoslav kids in World War II'. The fact that they have rifles and because of their caps, the boys are almost certainly ethnic Germans--presumably in the Banat. We know that at the end of the War that the NAZIs drew teenagers in to the Wehrmacht, incuding large numbers of Hitler Youth boys below the lowered mandatory age limit. These boys are primary age, some look under 10-years old. And they are carying real rifel which look like carbines and not the standaed Heer infantry rifle. How a Wehrmacht soldier could live with humself preparing the boys for battle is hard to understand.

The NAZIs after invading and occupying Yugoslavia (April 1941) created the Banat in northern Serbia. The term Banat developed during the medieval period, it was a region governed by a 'ban'. This meant a leader assigned a German border province. There were many banat in medieval Hungary before the Ottoman invasion. The Banat in occupied Yugoslavia was theoretically part of Serbia, but was actually administered autnomously under the direct control of the Germans rather than the Nedich puppet state. The Germans created the Banat as autonomous region within NAZI-occupied Nedić's Serbia. The Banat was created for the ethnic Volkdeutsch Swabian minority and administered by a civilian commissioner, Josef-Sepp Lapp. We have little information about the political attitudes of the ethnic Germans before the War. We know in some areas (the Czech Sudetenland and Poland) that the ethnic Germans were strongly pro-NAZI. We do not yetv have much information on the Germans in Yugoslavia. The major problem for the NAZIs and Lapp was that the ethnic Germans were a very small part of the population. The NAZIs targeted the Jews and Gypsies as well as the Serbs who were the principal ethnic group. The NAZis immediated instituted anti-Semetic measures. One of the first roundups of Jewish occured at Zrenjanin. The Jews there were transported to the Tašmajdan concentration camp, located near Belgrade where they were killed. Many Serbian and Jewish civilians (September 1941). Other Jews were formed into labor brigades. The NAZIs killed Banatian Jews at Stratište. located near the village of Jabuka. The NAZIs used this site to kill people from the Sajmište concentration camp. About 20,000 people were killed there. Officials annonced that the Banat was Judenrein (August 1942). As the War progressed and German losses mounted on the Eastern Front, the Germans were pressed for manpower. They recruited the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen was recruited primarily from the ethnic Germans in the Banat (April-October 1942). Many had military experience in the Yugoslav Army. The Division was the principal force of the Banat Protection Force (Selbstschutz). Himmler introduce compulsory military service for the Volksdeutsche in Serbia, primarily concentrated in the Banat. In all about 21,500 ethnic Germans served in the Waffen SS. The Prinz Eugen SS Division was headquartered in Pančevo. The division was commanded by Romanian Volksdeutsche SS Gruppenfuehrer and Generalleutnant of the Waffen SS, Artur Phleps. The officers and NCOs were mostly Germans (Reichsdeutsche) transferred from other SS units. The enlisted men were the Volksdeutsche. The Prinz Eugen SS Division was deployed in the Banat and other areas of Yugoslavia to contain the growing resistance movement. After the War the Division was accused of terrible attrocities.

Creation

The NAZIs after invading and occupying Yugoslavia (April 1941) created the Banat in northern Serbia. The term Banat developed during the medieval period, it was a region governed by a 'ban'. This meant a leader assigned a German border province. There were many banat in medieval Hungary before the Ottoman invasion. The Banat in occupied Yugoslavia was theoretically part of Serbia, but was actually administered autnomously under the direct control of the Germans rather than the Nedich puppet state. The Germans created the Banat as autonomous region within NAZI-occupied Nedić's Serbia. The Banat was created for the ethnic Volkdeutsch Swabian minority and administered by a civilian commissioner, Josef-Sepp Lapp.

NAZI Diplomacy

The local Banat Volkdeutsche has visions of Hitler creating a substantial German state in the Danube and Tisza valleys. Their ultimate objective was a new Gau (German priovince or stateO) in the Danube area and parts of Transylvania (Siebenbürgen). They even thought up a name--Prinz-Eugen Gau. [Manoschek, p. 27.] They were, however, disappointedf when Hitler seemed to show little interst. He awarded the Bačka and Syrmia regions in the west to Axis parner Hungary and Croatia respectively after the rapid defeat and collapse of Yugoslavia (April 1941). [Rich, pp. 294-295.] The Banat Germans made several appeals to Hitler. It is unclear what would have happened after a German victory in the War, but we suspect that they would have received more support. Hitler in 1941 was, however, focused on one objective, invading and smashing the Soviet Uniion. And to further that objective, the support of both Hungary and Romania was useful. Thus he did not want any attempt to expand the Banat which would complicate German relatiins with both countries. And the the possibility of expanding the Banat was a useful bargaining chip which could be used to wring concessions out of both Axis allies who desired to annex the area.

Creation

The NAZIs after invading and occupying Yugoslavia (April 1941) created the Banat in northern Serbia for the ethnic Volkdeutsch Swabian minority. Both Hungary and Romanu=ia desired the area. Cerating the Banat and placing it within the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia not only protected the Volkdeutsche, but avoided the contentious decesiion to award it to either Hungary or Romania. The term Banat developed during the medieval period, it was a region governed by a 'ban'. This meant a leader assigned a German border province. There were many banat in medieval Hungary before the Ottoman invasion. The Banat in occupied Yugoslavia was theoretically part of Serbia. Because this theoretically placed the Volkdeutsche under the control of the puppet Nedić government, the Germans ordered Nedić to proclaim it a separate administrative area under an ethnic-German vice-governor (Vice-Banus). Thus the local Volkdeutsche guide by NAZI officials had the sole administrative authority of the region. The Banat was administered by civilian commissioner, Josef-Sepp Lapp.

Ethnic Germans

We have little information about the political attitudes of the ethnic Germans before the War. We know in some areas (the Czech Sudetenland and Poland) that the ethnic Germans were strongly pro-NAZI. We do not yet have much information on the Germans in Yugoslavia. The major problem for the NAZIs and Commissioner Lapp was that the ethnic Germans were a very small part of the population. The Banat Germans subsequently pursued various efforts to pursue their objectives and to ingratiate themselves to Hitler. The Banant Volkdeutsche had lived outside of Germany for centuries under foreign rule. Some had married locals. Others now spoke German badly and their social outlook had chanhed. Thus one priority of Commissiiner Lapp was to promote the development of German nationalism. Youth and adult cuktural organizations were founded. And the Banat Administratiion set up its own school system. [Rich, pp. 294-295.]

Population

It should not be thought that the Banat wasv an area like the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia with a largely German population. It was not. The Volkdeutsche were only about 20 percent of the population. Most of the population was Serbs, narly 45 percent. There were also Hungarians (15 percent), Romanians (10 percent), as well as small numbers of Slovaks, Croats, and Jews. The Banat Jews were the first Jewish population anailated in the Holocaust, largely becauuse the Banat Volkdeutsche were trying to demonstatre their commitment to Hitler and the NAZIs. The Banat Volkdeutsche also turned on their Serbian neighbors. Habving already killed the Jews, the turned to gthe local Serbs after the Yusoslab gureill a resistance began and hostages were needed.

Schools

Many schools in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia closed or ceased to function. This was especially the cAse in the German occupied areas. The primary exceptions were the schools in Slovenia which were annexed and Croatia which became a pro-NAZI puppet state. Schools in the Banat also continued to function. In fact, Banat officials organized their own school system for the ethnic German Volkdeutsche. An imoportant objective was to strengr=then German nationalissm and ethnic identity. A good example is the Hauptschule, Betschkerek.

The Holocaust

The Banat Volkdeutsche and NAZIs targeted the Jews and Gypsies in the Banat as well as the Serbs who were the principal ethnic group. It was one part of the Holocaust in Serbia. Babat Authiorities immediately instituted anti-Semetic measures. One of the first roundups of Jewish occured at Zrenjanin. The Jews there were transported to the Tašmajdan concentration camp, located near Belgrade where they were killed. Many Serbian and Jewish civilians were killed there (September 1941). Other Jews were formed into labor brigades. The NAZIs killed Banatian Jews at the Stratište Concentration Camp located near the village of Jabuka. The NAZIs used this site to kill people from the Sajmište concentration camp. About 20,000 people were murdered there. Officials proudly annonced that the Banat was Judenrein (August 1942). At the time the destruction of Polish Jews was just beginning.

Military Conscription

Many Banat Volkdeutsche expected a glorius furure under NAZI rule. The Banat was not annexed to the Reich, but the ethnic German youth and men received the great 'hionor' of being conscripted into the Wehrmacht. For many what they had hoped for and supported was in effect a death sentence. As the War progressed and German losses mounted on the Eastern Front, the Germans were pressed for manpower. They recruited the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen primarily from the ethnic Germans in the Banat (April-October 1942). Many had military experience in the Yugoslav Army. The Division was the principal force of the Banat Protection Force (Selbstschutz). Himmler introduce compulsory military service for the Volksdeutsche in Serbia, primarily concentrated in the Banat. In all about 21,500 ethnic Germans served in the Waffen SS. The Prinz Eugen SS Division was headquartered in Pančevo. The division was commanded by Romanian Volksdeutsche SS Gruppenfuehrer and Generalleutnant of the Waffen SS, Artur Phleps. The officers and NCOs were mostly Germans (Reichsdeutsche) transferred from other SS units. The enlisted men were the Volksdeutsche. The Prinz Eugen SS Division was deployed in the Banat and other areas of Yugoslavia to contain the growing resistance movement. After the War the Division was accused of terrible attrocities.

Flight and Expulsion of Ethnic Germans

As a result if defeats in the East, the substantial German forces in the Balkans risked being cut off from the Reich by the advancing Red Army. Hitler belatedly authorized a withdrawl beginning in Greece (September 1944). Fearing reprisals for the autrocities committed during the occupation, most of the ethnic Germans in the Banat left with the retreating Wehrmacht (October 1944). The Anti-Fascist Council for the Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) declared the German population as public enemies. They turned several villages where they found ethnic German civilisns into concentration camps (espcially Knićanin and Sremska Mitrovica). Conditions were harsh and many of the Germans died from disease and malnutrition. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the partisans engaged in torture and executions. The concentation camps were finally closed (1948). The surviving German populaion left Yugoslavia and fled to Germany.

Sources

Manoschek, Walter. "Serbien ist judenfrei: Militärische Besatzungspolitik und Judenvernichtung in Serbien 1941/42. (Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag: 1995).

Rich, Norman. Hitler's War Aims: The Establishment of the New Order (W.W. Norton & Company: 1974).

Created: 5:24 AM 12/21/2012
Last updated: 5:00 AM 12/8/2013