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Kragujevac marks 85 years since WWII mass executions

Serbia marks the Day of Remembrance for Serbian victims of World War II, observing the 85th anniversary of the mass executions in Kragujevac and Šumarice. On October 21, 1941, German occupation forces executed approximately 2,796 to 3,000 civilians as retaliation for an insurgent ambush that killed and wounded German soldiers.

The victims included roughly 300 students and teachers from the local Boys' Gymnasium. The executions followed a draconian order from German General Franz Beme, which mandated the shooting of 100 Serbs for every killed German soldier and 50 for every wounded soldier.

Commemorations include the traditional ‘Great School Lesson’ at the monument to the executed students and professors. The Šumarice Memorial Park and the ‘21. October’ Museum serve as permanent sites of remembrance, preserving personal items and final messages left by victims to their families.

Entities

German Wehrmacht · Kragujevac · Šumarice

Sources

KRALjEVAČKI OKTOBAR [www.koreni.rs]