Jasenovac () is a village and a municipality in

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

, in the southern part of the

Sisak-Moslavina County Sisak-Moslavina County () is a Croatian county in eastern Central Croatia and southwestern Slavonia. It is named after the city of Sisak and the region Moslavina just across the river Sava. According to the 2021 census, it is inhabited by 140, ...

at the confluence of the river Una into

Sava The Sava, is a river in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. From its source in Slovenia it flows through Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally reac ...

. In Croatian "jasen" means

ash tree ''Fraxinus'' (), commonly called ash, is a genus of plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae, and comprises 45–65 species of usually medium-to-large trees, most of which are deciduous trees, although some subtropical species are evergr ...

and the name Jasenovac means "ashen, or made of ash tree". During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, it was the site of the

Jasenovac concentration camp Jasenovac () was a concentration camp, concentration and extermination camp established in the Jasenovac, Sisak-Moslavina County, village of the same name by the authorities of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) in occupied Yugoslavia durin ...

Demographics

In 1991, the total population was 3,599,

Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...

made up 2,419 (67.21%), while

Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...

were noticeable population with 911 (25.31%). In 2001, the municipality's population was 2,391, composed of 2,179 (91%) Croats and 141 Serbs (5.90%). In 2011, the total population was 1,997, with 1,807 (90.49%) Croats and 152 Serbs (7.61%). The municipality of Jasenovac consists of 10 villages: * Drenov Bok - 143 * Jasenovac - 780 * Košutarica - 282 * Krapje - 179 * Mlaka - 30 * Puska - 321 * Tanac - 167 * Trebež - 77 * Uštica - 214 * Višnjica Uštička - 198

Austro-Hungarian 1910 census

According to the last

Austro-Hungarian Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

1910 census, municipality of Jasenovac had 8,773 inhabitants which were ethnically and religiously declared as follows:

Politics

Minority councils and representatives

Directly elected minority councils and representatives are tasked with consulting tasks for the local or regional authorities in which they are advocating for minority rights and interests, integration into public life and participation in the management of local affairs. At the

2023 Croatian national minorities councils and representatives elections The 2023 Croatian national minorities councils and representatives elections () were held on 7 May in certain regional (counties) and local administrative units (municipalities and towns & cities). Background Elections were announced in Nar ...

Serbs of Croatia The Serbs of Croatia ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / ", Срби у Хрватској, Srbi u Hrvatskoj) or Croatian Serbs ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / ", Хрватски Срби, Hrvatski Srbi) constitute the largest national minority in C ...

fulfilled legal requirements to elect 10 members minority council of the Municipality of Jasenovac but with only 6 members being elected in the end.

History

The Ottomans conquered Jasenovac in 1536 and that is the first mentioned of the little town Jasenovac. In the late 19th and early 20th century, Jasenovac was part of the

Požega County Požega County (; ) was a historic administrative subdivision (''Counties of Croatia, županija'') of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. Croatia-Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen (Transleithania ...

of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia. Jasenovac attained tragic notoriety during the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

through the

giving its name to the Ustaša complex of

WWII World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

concentration camps. During the

Croatian War of Independence The Croatian War of Independence) and (rarely) "War in Krajina" ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Рат у Крајини, Rat u Krajini) are used. was an armed conflict fought in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 between Croats, Croat forces loyal to the Governmen ...

, in 1991, Serb forces destroyed the local three-way bridge over the Una and the

linking the town to

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

. The area was subsequently mined. During the retreat of 1st Krajina Corps in 1992 from area of Jasenovac looting and burning of Serb houses was recorded and this problem was discussed by regional council of SAO Western Slavonia. While in May 1993 Government of

Republic of Serbian Krajina The Republic of Serbian Krajina or Serb Republic of Krajina ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Република Српска Крајина, Republika Srpska Krajina, separator=" / ", ; abbr. РСК / RSK), known as the Serbian Krajina ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српск� ...

was informed by the local residents that 18 corps of

Serbian Army of Krajina The Serbian Army of Krajina (SAK, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srpska vojska Krajine, Српска војска Крајине, abbr. SVK), also known as the Army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina or Krajina Serbian Army, was the armed forces of the Republ ...

which are located in Jasenovac continue with burning of the houses, also they destroyed buildings and documentation of

. The town was taken over by Croatian forces as part of

Operation Flash Operation Flash ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Operacija Bljesak, separator=" / ", Операција Бљесак) was a brief Croatian Army (HV) offensive conducted against the forces of the self-declared proto-state Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK) from ...

on 1 May 1995. In 2005, a new three-way bridge was opened with financing from Croatia and the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...

. Demining operations in the area were ongoing in 2009. Jasenovac is underdeveloped municipality which is statistically classified as the First Category Area of Special State Concern by the

Government of Croatia The Government of Croatia (), formally the Government of the Republic of Croatia (), commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government (), is the main executive branch of government in Croatia. It is led by the Prime Minister of Croatia, president o ...

Culture

Jasenovac is home to a library with over 10,000 items. Jasenovac celebrates May 1, the day of its liberation as part of

, as its municipal holiday. The village of Krapje in the Jasenovac municipality houses the headquarters of the Lonjsko Polje Nature Park: the largest protected wetland in Croatia.

Sport

The municipality is home to the

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

club NK Jasenovac.

Notable people

* Lazar Bačić * Stanoje Mihaldžić

References

External links

Jasenovac Municipality website
{{authority control Populated places in Sisak-Moslavina County Municipalities of Croatia Slavonia Bosnia and Herzegovina–Croatia border crossings