The Makarska massacre (

Croatian Croatian may refer to: * Croatia *Croatian language *Croatian people *Croatians (demonym) See also * * * Croatan (disambiguation) * Croatia (disambiguation) * Croatoan (disambiguation) * Hrvatski (disambiguation) * Hrvatsko (disambiguation) * S ...

: ''Pokolj u Makarskoj'') was the mass murder of

Croat The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, G ...

civilians by

Chetnik The Chetniks ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Четници, Četnici, ; sl, Četniki), formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nation ...

forces, led by Petar Baćović, from 28 August until early-September 1942, across several villages in the Dalmatian Hinterland of southern

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

, around the town of

Makarska Makarska (; it, Macarsca, ; german: Macharscha) is a town on the Adriatic coastline of Croatia, about southeast of Split and northwest of Dubrovnik, in the Split-Dalmatia County. Makarska is a prominent regional tourist center, located on a h ...

Timeline

The massacres took place during the final stages of the Italian-led Operation "Albia", which involved the participation of hundreds of Chetnik forces from

Herzegovina Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia. It has never had strictly defined geograp ...

and local MVAC Chetniks, with the objective of destroying Partisan forces in the Biokovo area. During their advance to the

coast, Chetnik forces destroyed and massacred several Croat villages. The first attacks started on 29 August 1942, with the destruction of the Croat villages of Rašćane, Kozica, Dragljane and Župa, near

Vrgorac Vrgorac (, it, Vergoraz) is a town in Croatia in the Split-Dalmatia County. Demographics The total population of Vrgorac is 6,572 (census 2011), in the following settlements: * Banja, population 202 * Dragljane, population 52 * Draževiti� ...

. Hundreds of homes were destroyed and between 141 and 160 Croat civilians were killed. Among those killed included three Catholic Priests, who were

skinned alive Flaying, also known colloquially as skinning, is a method of slow and painful execution in which skin is removed from the body. Generally, an attempt is made to keep the removed portion of skin intact. Scope A dead animal may be flayed when pr ...

before being killed. Baćović's Chetniks continued their advance to the Makarska coast into September 1942, razing a total of 17 Croat villages and killing 900 Croats. In a report sent by Baćović to

Draža Mihailović Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović ( sr-Cyrl, Драгољуб Дража Михаиловић; 27 April 1893 – 17 July 1946) was a Yugoslav Serb general during World War II. He was the leader of the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Arm ...

in September 1942, it was reported that: On 3 September 1942, Mihailović replied to Baćovic's report:

Aftermath

The crimes committed by Chetnik forces in the Makarska area were discussed as part of the

trial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribun ...

against

in 1946. Mihailović was ultimately found guilty of eight counts of crimes against humanity and

high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

. Mihailović, sentenced to death on 15 July 1946, was executed with nine other Chetnik commanders in Lisičji Potok in the early hours of 18 July 1946.Buisson, Jean-Christophe (1999). ''Le Général Mihailović: héros trahi par les Alliés 1893–1946''. Paris: Perrin.

References

{{coord missing, Croatia Massacres of Croats 1942 in Yugoslavia Chetnik war crimes in World War II Massacres in 1942 August 1942 events September 1942 events Massacres in Yugoslavia Persecution of Catholics World War II massacres Massacres in Croatia