NAZI Death Camps: Stara Sajmiste (Serbia, 1941-44)


Figure 1.--.

The NAZIs after invading Yugoslavia set up Sajmište on the outskirts of Belgrade on the left bank of the Sava River (December 1941). It was initially used primarily for Serbian Jews. The NAZIs also intered Gypseys here. Much of the country's Jews and Gypseys were killed here. Many Jewish men had already been killed when the NAZIs began transporting Jews to Sajmište. Here the NAZIs used gas van to kill thousands of Jewish women and children. The number of both Jews and Gypseys in Serbia was relatively small. Much larger numbers of Serbs resiting the NAZI occupation were interned and killed at the camp. The camp operated until (September 1944). At that time the Germans were retreating north from the Balkans and the Partisans were closing in on Belgrade.

NAZI Invasion (April 1941)

German Führer Adolf Hitler thought he had the Balkans sorted out to provide a secure southern front. He forced the Yugoslav governent to adhere to the Axis. A popular revolt occured in Belgrade against joining the NAZI-dominated Axis. The revolt led by students overthrew the regency under Prince Paul. They installed the youthful King Peter and rejected the treaty that Prince Paul had signed with the NAZIs. Hitler was enraged with the coup. He decided to punish and cow the Serbs by desrtoying Belgrade by a Luftwaffe terror bombing. Wehrmact and Luftwaffe military units had already been positioned in the Reich and and allied states (Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria) for such an intervention, although the target was believed to be Greece. Hitler called the invasion, occupation and dismemberment of Yugoslavia “Operation Punishment” or “Operation 25.” Belgrade was subjected to Luftwaffe terror bombing for rejecting the alliance with the NAZIs. Waves of Luftwaffe bombers and Stukas without warning began bombed the Serbian capital (April 6). Yugoslavia did not have a modern airforce or anti-aircradt defenses. A reader in Belgrade writes, "There is a monument to the Nazi air attack on April 9th at the start of operation Punishment. The Germans launched a three-prong offensive each aimed at Belgrade. The Yigoslavs capitulated after only 11 days.

Foundation (December 1941)

The NAZIs after invading Yugoslavia set up Sajmište on the outskirts of Belgrade on the left (west) bank of the Sava River. They chose Stara Sajmiste--the Old Fairground. The Fairground was built along the Sava River in what is now New Belgrade. The Fairground was opened in 1937. The first trade fair was held (September 1937). The Fairground covered an area of 21,000 square metres. The NAZIs converted the Fairground into a prison camp (December 1941). It was relatively easy to convert into a camp because it was a deserted area of Belgrade. Few people then lived here because it was marshy ground. Zemun was close by which was part of the puppet Independent State of Croatia (NDH). NAZI occupation authorities had no difficulty getting use of the land from the NDH.

First Prisoners

It was initially used primarily for Serbian Jews. The NAZIs also intered Gypseys. Many Jewish men were shot by NAZI authorities early in the occupation . The number of Jewish men shot by German firing squads in Belgrade is unknown. They were killed in the same manner, in the same place and by the same people as were the Banjica camp prisoners. Next the NAZI occupation authotrities began moving the women and children to Sajmište (December 1941 - February 1942). This included not only Belgrade Jews, but Jews rounded up throughout Serbia. Estimates suggest that 7,500-8,000 Jews were interned here.

Living Conditions

Living conditions in the camp were very bad. The primitive living accommodations did not provide shelter from the weather. Sanitary facilities were nonexistent. There was a single shower and few toilets. The food was inadequate. Thus the mortality rate was high even before the camp authorities began killing Jews outright.

Killing (March-May 1942)

Many Jewish men had already been killed when the NAZIs began transporting Jews to Sajmište. With the Serbian Jewish women and children concentrated in Sajmiste, killing them was realtively simple. It was just a question of how. Virtually all of the Jews interned here were killed. This meant much of the country's fairly small Jewish population. Serbian Gypseys were also killed here. By this time of the War the NAZIs had developed a variety of methods to kill Jews. A considerable amount of experimentation had resulted in developing these methods. Authorities decided that given the relativeky small number of Jews to use gas vans for the killing. A special gas van was brought from Berlin. Exhaust fumes were fed into the hermiticall sealed chamber where the victims were loaded. The van was operational (March 1942). Authorities soon ran out of Jews (May). Records indicate 6,280 women and children were killed in the van. Both Jews and Gypseys were killed in the van.

Survivors

Virtually the only ways for Jews to survive was to evade the roundups and being sent to Sajmište. With the shhoting of the men and the killing of women and children in te gas van, most of Serbia's Jews were dead (May 1942). The Jews that survived either escaped to Italian-controlled Kosovo or had been given refuge by Serbian friends. Some Jews also managed to escape to the Partisans.

Serb Victims

The number of both Jews and Gypseys in Serbia was relatively small. Much larger numbers of Serbs resiting the NAZI occupation were interned and killed at the camp. NAZI occupation authorities began using the camp for Serbian political prisoners. As many as 100,000 peole were held at Sajmište. As many as 40,000 people are believed to have died here.

Closure (September 1944)

The camp operated until (September 1944). At that time the Germans were retreating north from the Balkans. Hitler decided that with Allied and Soviet armies approaching the borders of the Reich that it made no sence maintaining 0.6 million men in the Balkans fighting partisans. As the Germans withdrew, the Partisans closed in on Belgrade.






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Created: 3:38 AM 6/4/2008
Last updated: 4:25 AM 6/4/2008