Schutzkorps

Schutzkorps
Active1908–1909
1914–1918
Country Austria-Hungary
BranchAustro-Hungarian Army
TypeAuxiliary volunteer militia
RoleAnti-guerilla warfare
Size20,000 (peak strength)

The Schutzkorps (Serbo-Croatian: Šuckor;[1] lit. "Protection Corps") was an auxiliary volunteer militia established by Austro-Hungarian authorities in the newly annexed province of Bosnia and Herzegovina to track down Bosnian Serb opposition (members of the Chetniks and the Komiti), while its main victims were civilians.[2] Officially, they were an auxiliary gendarmerie, while in reality, they conducted illegal and repressive activities.[3] It predominantly drew recruits from members of the Bosniak population and it became infamous as a result of its heavy involvement in the persecution of the Serbs.[4] They particularly targeted Serb populated areas of eastern Bosnia.[5]

The role of the Schutzkorps is a point of debate. Persecution of Serbs conducted by the Austro-Hungarian authorities was the "first incidence of active 'ethnic cleansing' in Bosnia and Herzegovina".[6] Some Muslim leaders emphasized that it would be wrong to blame the whole Muslim population of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the misdeeds of the Schutzkorps, because some Muslims provided help to their Serb neighbors, while some Serbs hid from persecution by applying to the Schutzkorps.

  1. ^ Nielsen 2014, p. 101.
  2. ^ Velikonja 2003, p. 141
  3. ^ (Mitrović 1984, p. 104): "У Босни и Херцеговини је завладао терор много окрутнији него игде, а власти су се потрудиле да међу становништво унесу што веће раздоре, ... Званично су »шуцкори« били нека врста помоћне жандармерије, али су стварно постали носиоци незаконитих репресивних мера."
  4. ^ Tomasevich 2001, p. 485

    The Bosnian wartime militia (Schutzkorps), which became known for its persecution of Serbs, was overwhelmingly Bosniak.
  5. ^ Schindler 2007, p. 29

    Schutzkorps units were particularly active in Serb areas of eastern Bosnia,

  6. ^ Lampe 2000, p. 109