Investigation of WWII/postwar mass burials in Croatia—The implementation of the Croatian model of searching for the imprisoned and missing persons

• Published in: Forensic science international Vol. 318; p. 110609
• Main Authors: Petaros, Anja, Mikulka, Ana, Baković, Marija, Definis-Gojanović, Marija, Stemberga, Valter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.01.2021; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: 20th century; Cemeteries; Cooperation; Croatia; Data processing; Exhumation; Fascism; Forensic anthropology; Forensic sciences; Humanitarianism; Institutionalization; International law; Legislation; Mass burials; Massacres; Military; Murders & murder attempts; Relocation; Searching; Second World War; Treaties; War; World War II; Yugoslavia; Europe; Croatia; Exhumation; Forensic anthropology; Mass burials; Legislation; Second World War; Croatia
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110609

•The analysis of World War Two and postwar mass burials in Croatia is regulated by law.•A unique governmental body is responsible for World War Two/postwar mass burial investigations.•The investigations are based on a model used and developed during the search for Homeland War victims.•Cooperation with competent authorities of other countries is continuously upheld.•From its implementation in 2016, the search model led to exhumation of 1600 individuals. The search for victims of World War Two (WWII) and the immediate aftermath period (postwar) in Croatia started together with the search for Homeland War victims in 1991. It continued through years, most often sporadically and in a non-homogenous way. It was just with the adoption of the Law on Research, Arrangement and Maintenance of Military Cemeteries, Cemeteries of Victims of WWII and Postwar Period in 2013 that the search became more structured and gained a formal governmental body responsible for the organization and supervision of the activities related to it. It was then that the well-established model of searching for Homeland War victims, based on many years of field work and research, started to be implemented in the search and analysis of WWII/postwar victims. The model represents a continuously growing and developing project which encompasses a wide variety of steps and procedures, from the investigation of alleged burial locations to the analysis and reburial of recovered mortal remains. From its implementation in 2016, it allowed the successful investigation of 1300 alleged burial locations, 484 field surveys, 42 exhumations and the recovery of remains of more than 1600 individuals. Besides, care for military cemeteries, marking of mass burial sites and arranging of international treaties are conducted in order to guarantee proper handling, relocation and repatriation of all those that perished during WWII and the postwar period.