The attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia started on April 6 1941 and it was led by the German, Italian and Hungarian armies. Ceremoniously welcomed, the German Army entered Zagreb on April 10. On the same day, around 5.45 p.m., Slavko Kvaternik, on behalf of Ante Pavelic, proclaimed the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia. Serbs, Jews and Romani were pronounced enemies of the Independent State of Croatia and proscribed. The Yugoslav Army capitulated on April 17. Due to the fascist occupiers, Germany and Italy, the Ustashe managed to organize the power relatively fast.
The Independent State of Croatia encompassed the territory of Croatia (excluding Dalmatia, which, through Treaties of Rome on May 18, was handed to Italy by the Ustashe), Bosnia and Herzegovina and the western part of Syrmia. Around 6.5 million inhabitants lived on that territory: 4.000.000 Croats (including 700.000 Muslims pronounced Croats of Islam faith), 1.925.000 Serbs, 40.000 Jews, 150.000 Germans, 75.000 Hungarians, 30.000 Slovenes, 65.000 Czechs and Slovaks.
Provisions of law
The policy of the Ustashas was the creation of a pure Croatian territory where only a pure Croatian nation would live. The condition for such policy was extermination of Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti-fascists, regardless of their religion, race or nation.
The crime of Genocide and the Holocaust that was committed in the Independent State of Croatia was not the act of a group of people, but the act of the state and its authorities. The crime was announced and legislated with racist laws passed immediately after the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia. These laws deprived Serbs, Jews and Roma of their rights and legislated genocide against “Non-Aryan” nations. Enacting provisions of law created an apparition of lawfulness concerning purifying ‘Croatian territories’ and creating a pure state of Croatia.
On April 15 1941 at 4 a.m. Ante Pavelic arrived in Zagreb. The following day ‘Stipulation on Appointment of the First Croatian State Government’ was announced, naming Pavelic the supreme leader of the Independent state of Croatia and the Prime Minister. On April 17 1941 ‘Stipulation on Defense of Croatian People’s Honor’ was announced and it imposed martial law that made decisions summarily. The stipulation provided the Ustashe with unlimited authority to pass terror in the name of defense of the Independent State of Croatia. On April 25 1941 the use of the Cyrillic script was forbidden on the whole territory of the Independent State of Croatia. Тhese provisions of law were also announced: provision on racial identity, provision on defense of Aryan blood and honor of Croatian people and provision on citizenship. These provisions were the introduction into persecution of Jews and Romani. On May 3 1941 ‘Stipulation on Religious Conversion’ referred to Serbs. July 14 instructions cited that any Roman Catholic church did not allow admission of Orthodox Christian priests, teachers, intelligentsia, wealthy merchants, craftsmen and peasants.
In early May, Jews had to report themselves to special offices as well as their properties. They received a yellow linen insignia without which they could not appear in the street. On June 4 1941 ‘Stipulation on Defense of Aryan Culture of Croatian People’ was announced. Jews were not allowed to participate in any social, cultural or sports activities. Although it legally referred to Jews, this provision was applied to Serbs as well. As a result, Jews and Serbs, whose occupations were some of these previously mentioned, were deprived of livelihood. July 18 1941. ‘Command on Religious Denomination’ abolished the term ‘Serbian-Orthodox faith’, and introduced the following term ‘Greek-Eastern faith’. In official reports Serbs were referred to as ‘Greek-Eastern’, thus the existence of Serbian people within the Independent State of Croatia being negated.
November 25 1941. ‘Stipulation on Direction of Unwelcome and Dangerous Persons to forced labor to collective and labor camps.’ The decision about the direction to the camps and the residence time spent there was made by the Ustashe supervision. There was not any legal remedy against this decision. The residence time lasted from 3 months minimum to 3 years maximum. In practice, those who came to a camp with a 3-year verdict would be killed immediately. Also, the majority of Serbs, Jews and Romani who were deported and killed in a camp did not have any ‘verdict’, but they were arrested and taken collectively.