• Sisak Children's Concentration Camp Memorial
Several memorials in the Croatian city of Sisak serve as reminders of the children's concentration camp in which the fascist Ustaša held about 7,000 children between 1942 and 1943. Over 1,100 children perished.
Image: Sisak, 1942, Arrival of the first children's transport at the Sisak camp on August 3, JUSP Jasenovac
Sisak, 1942, Arrival of the first children's transport at the Sisak camp on August 3, JUSP Jasenovac

Image: Sisak, 2006, Mass grave for children at the Viktorovac cemetery, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
Sisak, 2006, Mass grave for children at the Viktorovac cemetery, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
The city of Sisak lies about 50 kilometres south of Zagreb, half way between the Croatian capital and Jasenovac further in the south. In April 1941, the fascist Ustaša movement proclaimed the Independent State of Croatia (Croatian: Nezavisna Država Hrvatska) following the invasion of Yugoslavia by the German Wehrmacht and its allies. Already in the summer of 1941, several camps were established all over the country in which Serbs, Jews and Roma were interned by the Ustaša. The largest of these camps was located in Jasenovac. Beginning 1941, several collection and transit camps were set up in the area of Sisak.
In July 1942, the Ustaša established a collection camp for the elderly, for women and children in Sisak. The children were accommodated in a separate children's camp. From August 1942 on, children from other camps were also brought to Sisak, mainly from the Jasenovac camp. At the end of September 1942, there were about 4,700 children in the Sisak camp. The premises comprised several buildings including barracks, a primary school and a convent. Catholic nuns supervised the children, who were given insufficient clothing and food, many were completely neglected. At the beginning of January 1943, the Ustaša dismantled the camp and transported the children to Zagreb.
Image: Sisak, 1942, Arrival of the first children's transport at the Sisak camp on August 3, JUSP Jasenovac
Sisak, 1942, Arrival of the first children's transport at the Sisak camp on August 3, JUSP Jasenovac

Image: Sisak, 2006, Mass grave for children at the Viktorovac cemetery, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
Sisak, 2006, Mass grave for children at the Viktorovac cemetery, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
It is estimated that about 7,000 children passed through the camp between 1942 and 1943. At least 1,100 children died of illnesses and hunger. According to some sources, the number of fatalities may have exceeded 1,800.
Image: Sisak, 1942, Children at the Sisak camp, JUSP Jasenovac
Sisak, 1942, Children at the Sisak camp, JUSP Jasenovac

Image: Sisak, 2006, Memorial plaque in the former school building, which was part of the camp, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
Sisak, 2006, Memorial plaque in the former school building, which was part of the camp, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
Several monuments have been set up in Sisak in honour of the children who were held at the camp and those who perished here. In 1960, a memorial plaque was affixed to one of the former camp buildings. The plaque was stolen in 1991 and was later renewed. Not far from the building is a playground with a memorial plaque and a fountain with a sculpture depicting playing children. The fountain was designed by Gabriel Kolar and erected in 1964.
A further memorial site is located across the Viktorovac cemetery: 9 round stone slabs on the ground commemorate the children who were buried on-site in a mass grave. The stone slabs, designed by artist Mira Wenzler, were set up in 1974.
Image: Sisak, 2006, Fountain in memory of the imprisoned children, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
Sisak, 2006, Fountain in memory of the imprisoned children, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich

Image: Sisak, 2006, Mass grave for children at the Viktorovac cemetery, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
Sisak, 2006, Mass grave for children at the Viktorovac cemetery, Stiftung Denkmal, Stefan Dietrich
Name
Spomenik Sisak
Web
http://www.jusp-jasenovac.hr/Default.aspx?sid=7375
Open
The monuments are accessible at all times.