Jastrebarsko children's camp

Jastrebarsko
Children's camp
Jastrebarsko children's camp is located in NDH
Jastrebarsko children's camp
Location of Jastrebarsko in the Independent State of Croatia
Coordinates45°40′19″N 15°39′4″E / 45.67194°N 15.65111°E / 45.67194; 15.65111
LocationJastrebarsko, Independent State of Croatia
Operated byUstaše
Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul
CommandantSister Barta Pulherija
Original useCastle
Monastery
Barracks
Brickworks
Operational12 July – October 1942
InmatesSerb children
Killed449–1,500 (estimated)
Liberated byYugoslav Partisans

The Jastrebarsko children's camp held Serb children who had been brought there from various areas of the Axis puppet state, the Independent State of Croatia (Croatian: Nezavisna Država Hrvatska, NDH), during World War II. The children had been captured as a result of massacres and counter-insurgency operations conducted by the genocidal Ustaše-led government, its Axis allies and other collaborators since the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia and establishment of the NDH in April 1941. The camp was located in the town of Jastrebarsko, about 37 kilometres (23 mi) southwest of the NDH capital, Zagreb, and operated from 12 July until October 1942. Camp administration was provided by nuns of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul order, with Ustaše guards.

Children arrived in an emaciated and weak condition from other camps within the Ustaše camp system, with a total of 3,336 children passing through the camp. Between 449 and 1,500 children died, mainly from disease and malnutrition. A sub-camp was established in nearby Donja Reka. The Yugoslav Partisans liberated about 350 children from the main camp in August 1942. In October 1942, about 500 of the surviving children were dispersed among local families by the Catholic aid group, Caritas; in total, 1,637 boys and girls were taken in by families in Jastrebarsko, Zagreb and surrounding villages, and another 113 were relocated to Gradiška.