5

Doctor Viktor Gutic is in a particularly good mood tonight: the moment of truth has finally arrived. His long-in-the-making plan, formerly designated "The Little Crusade", of late re-named "Operation Little Draculas", is finally about to be realised! He had done all the preparatory work very thoroughly and conscientiously, so he expected nothing but words of praise from everybody present, in spite of the awkward conflict with Stožernik Keljan, who had protested very vociferously against the role assigned to his unit, as he put it, that of "water-carriers". Even now, while Gutic strutted around like a peacock, or so it seemed to him, Keljan sat on his chair, under the picture of the Headman hanging on the wall, not uttering a single word, watching very intently some invisible speck on the door. He chain-smoked, lighting one cigarette after another, blowing huge smoke-rings from time to time, absent-mindedly watching them disappear into the air. In a nutshell, he seemed like a man oblivious of everyone and everything.

Captain Mišolov had settled down a little to the side, at the head of the table, aware of the importance of the task entrusted to him by the highest authority, but not wishing to make it appear conspicuous. From time to time, he would just cast a silent glance at the non-commissioned officers and officers without uttering a word. He could see the impatience on their faces: the wish that this should be over with as soon as possible. For they had been together for a long time, ever since 1932, in Italy and Hungary, so he knew each and every one of them only too well: Jurlina, Vrdoljak, nicknamed Long-Tail, Tolj, Perkovic, Škogrlj, Križan, Žulj, Zuban, Mioc, Drinjak, Bakota, Boban... They were all thinking the same thoughts, he believed, wishing to get hold of something to drink, then set off with the rest for the promised extermination of the cursed Greek-Orthodox population in the vicinity of Banja Luka.

- If the gentlemen agree, I would like to begin this final and, let me add, historic meeting - Dr Gutic said, rising from his seat, while his fat cheeks shone with self-confidence and complete satisfaction. "Tonight, I would like to point out - he continued right away - some minor but by no means less important details of tomorrow's task. This, gentlemen, includes, among other things, an equitable division of work. Even though I actually know, and fully believe that each and every one of you will engage his bodily and mental powers to the utmost in the execution of this task, which we have all set our hearts upon, it is necessary that its burden should be equally distributed among us. While analysing our 'Food distribution list', which the Greek-Orthodox population of these villages was only too glad to be included in, reporting every last member of their families, I came to the conclusion that some of their households had as many as ten, or even more children. Suffice it to say, I should think, that there are about six hundred of the Serb litter to be slaughtered, from those in the cradle to those aged fourteen. What is the point of this particular remark? Quite simply, that our work will be done much faster in households like these than in those where we have to deal with grown-up men and women. It is precisely with this in mind that I have made..."

Stožernik Mirko Keljan, who appeared to have been drowsing until then, shouted all of a sudden:

- Who do you think you're dealing with, Doctor Gutic, filling our ears for the second time in quick succession with such rubbish? It would appear that you are trying to teach us how to slaughter. And that you intend, yet again, to turn my unit into "water-carriers". Get this into your head, however, my men are going to be reapers tomorrow morning, not water-carriers by any means! In any case, if that much-vaunted efficiency of yours when it came to the extermination of the Serb litter in 1941 had really been what you claim it to have been, we would never have needed to come here. Do cut those stupid tirades of yours short...

- It is my duty, Mr Stožernik, to warn you that no-one can talk to me in this manner and tone of voice, least of all you. It seems that you are not familiar with the special authority granted to me by none other than the Headman, in person as well as through the radio, as far back as April and June last year and now. And let me remind you and the gentlemen assembled here of the following. I, Mr Stožernik...

- There's nothing in what you say that gives you the right to start every sentence with "I, I, I"... The results of all your deeds can now be seen. So don't - Keljan retorted almost threateningly - try to impose anything upon us.

Captain Mišolov, who had been following this argument with a smile on his face, all of a sudden turned serious.

- I appeal to you, gentlemen, to listen very carefully to what Doctor Gutic, whose patriotism and zeal in the advancement of our Croatian cause are beyond any doubt whatsoever, and which should be well known to all of us, has to say to us. Do go on, Doctor! - he interposed.

- Thank you, Captain, for these kind words concerning my person and my work for the advancement of our beloved and only homeland, but I feel challenged by Mr Keljan to speak in more detail, as we have plenty of time on our hands, of our efforts aimed at the extermination of Jews and the Greek-Orthodox population in the region of Croatian Krajina. To begin with, let me say a few words about the Serb "black-mantled" lot, their priests, who represented the greatest danger to us because they were always with their parishioners, poisoning their minds systematically with their schismatic wrath directed against us. That is why their Bishop Platon was among the first to be arrested. I personally ordered that he should be tortured in many ways: that all his bones be broken, that his beard, moustache and hair should be set on fire, that his body be burnt, and that he be slaughtered eventually and thrown into the Vrbanja River. "You are to prepare him in such a way - I said to Messrs Feliks Nedielski and Vilim Butorac - that the fish and crabs in the river should gnaw at him with the utmost pleasure. With that in mind, I shall send my friend Asim Dželic along to help you, since his skill in that respect is unmatched. I personally guarantee to you that you will learn something new from him..."

- And what - the Captain wanted to know - happened afterwards?

- They just roared with laughter when I said that to them, and later on they telephoned me joyfully, saying: "We have sent the Bishop down the Vrbas River and cabled Belgrade to prepare a special welcome for him, if possible accompanied by a parade!" The so-called Archpriest Ilija Tintor of Bihac, for example, received much the same treatment: the local Ustashi poured gasoline over him and set him on fire, having made him say their cursed Lord's Prayer. Finally, they gouged out his right eye, saying, "Father, we leave your left eye intact so that you can climb down into your grave. Or make your way towards hell, where you belong!" Risto Catic, a priest from Gubine, was first tied to a hornbeam-tree. Since he had a goatee, they ordered him to browse the leaves, then skinned him alive, like a goat, poured gasoline over him and...

Suddenly, Friar Filipovic, the parish priest from the Petricevac monastery, interrupted Dr Gutic:

- I do believe that these examples of our work are most excellent and exemplary, but I would suggest that this long report be cut short and that only the names of these schismatic servants of the Devil be mentioned. For...

- An apt observation, Reverend: let just their names be mentioned! - the Captain agreed readily, signalling to Dr Gutic to go on.

- Well, I'll cut it short then. I'll just read out the names of the priestly bastards who were slaughtered by the end of September last year. It says here, then, that the following priests were slaughtered: Milan Banjac from Drvar, Simo Banjac from Glamoc, Jovan Begovic from Bihac, Ilija Budimir from Grahovo, Mihajlo Vasic from Banja Luka, Bogdan Vranješevic from Krupa on Vrbas, Stojan Vranješevic from Bihac, Serafim, a monk from Gomionica, Milan Golubovic from Drvar, Živko Danilovic from Ljubija, Ignjatije Djuric from Kladuša, Jovan Zec from someplace called Preodac, Ilija Ilic from Cazin, Risto Jelacic from Drvar, Vukosav Milanovic from Kulen-Vakuf, Djuro Radmanovic from Bosanska Krupa, Ilija Dodig from... this is difficult to make out... from Trubar, near Drvar, Rodoljub Samardžic, also from Kulen-Vakuf, Kosta Stanišic from Livno, Mirko Stojisavljevic from Glamoc, Damjan Štrbac from Grahovo, Dušan Subotic from Banja Luka... Is this the one, if you remember, Blaž, that we had liquidated at the same time as their "Bishop"? - Dr Gutic asked his brother, whereupon Blaž just nodded his huge head.

- In addition to this, during that same period, we had no less than one hundred and seven of their sacred objects pulled down or burned in the region of the so-called Eparchy of Banja Luka, including the local congregational devil-worship Church of the Holy Trinity, which used to be right here, in front of this Headquarters building. I ordered that its great bell be handed over to our German allies for the purpose of manufacturing high-quality ammunition and shells for their best artillery units. Then we had that new church in Petricevac pulled down, and the one in Rebrovac we handed over to the Greek-Catholic element of the population, the Galicians, as they are invariably called in these parts, occasionally the Uniates. I, as is well known, have never...

- Here we go again, I, I, always I... - the Stožernik muttered quite audibly, making fun of Doctor Gutic!

- Mirko! - the Captain cautioned him, casting a sharp glance in his direction.

- ... have never - Gutic went on triumphantly - accepted the recommendation, that is, the "equation" of the Sub-Headman, Dr Budak: "One third of the Serbs are to be slaughtered, one third converted to Catholicism, and one third exiled!" As far as I am concerned, the only valid "equation" for me is "The only good Greek-Orthodox elements are those that are dead!" Moreover, I strictly forbade them right from the start to use the Gornji Šeher, Laktaši, Slatina spas, as well as all the other spas that Croats use. I also forbade them to make use of public buses, which...

- Say it already... You keep on bragging and glorifying yourself - Stožernik Keljan interposed angrily again. "What's left for us to do here, then, I ask for the umpteenth time, if you have taken care of things as assiduously as you would have us believe... I do feel a pressing need to..."

A single censorious look from the Captain in the direction of Stožernik Keljan was enough for the latter to fall silent, although he kept looking askance at Doctor Gutic. The look on his face gave the impression that he would break Dr Gutic's spine, stamping upon it with his boots, with the utmost pleasure. As for Dr Gutic himself, emboldened by the Captain's obvious patronage, he went on reciting his list.

- If anyone should ask now just precisely what we have accomplished in the Croatian Krajina region over the last ten months, my reply would be as follows: twelve thousand Greek-Orthodox elements exterminated in the Bihac area, about ten thousand in the Sanski Most area, eight thousand in the Krupa area, eight thousand in the Prijedor area, thousands and thousands around Livno and Glamoc, Dubica, Gradiška-on-Sava, Novi, Banja Luka...

- I, too, would like to add something concerning Mr Gutic's efforts in the task of serving the holy Croatian cause. I happened to be present when he received a report on the extermination of the Greek-Orthodox population, some two hundred of them, in the area around Kljuc. He cried out: "What, only two hundred! What shall I do with only two hundred? Two thousand of them in a day is nothing to me! What does the idiot who sent this report think, when shall I be able to send our beloved Headman a report like this: 'The region of Croatian Krajina has been cleansed, Banja Luka has been purged of the Serb litter. This, our beloved Headman, is the very centre of our state, so the only fitting name for it would be your God-given name - Antetown! Do hasten to visit the heart of your state, of the Croatian Krajina, Antetown!'" That's exactly how it happened... - said Dr Bilogrivic ecstatically, whereupon Captain Mišolov reproached him mildly:

- You have a great poetic gift, Mr Guardian. These words of yours are ample testimony to that. Speaking for myself, I favour directness: I like listening to their names, which exist as names only, dead Serb names. It is with the greatest pleasure that I watch this procession of the dead, of dead Serbs. Do you happen to have a list of their dead, Doctor Gutic?

- Of course I do - Dr Gutic replied readily - but it is not complete: very often the information concerning their residence and occupation is lacking. Still, here it is... Nikola Curcija, an innkeeper from Banja Luka, Pero Perduv, a bus driver from Banja Luka, Branko Plavšic, Branko Balaban, Dušan Brankovic, a representative of the people, Simo Marjanac, a priest from Jajce, Jovan Roljic, a public notary from Varcar-Vakuf. There follow: Jovo Brkovic, Lazar Šukalo, Špiro Saranic and Cvijo Malinic from Prljakovac. Simeun Maleševic, Cvijo Donjak, Dušan and Pajo Maleševic, Stanko Vujicic, Ostoja Savic, Vaskrsije and Ostoja Tadic, all from Ramic. Vid Božic, Lazar Golemovic, Branko Božic, Mladjen Šipka, these are from Dragocaj...

From the far end of the table, right underneath the photograph of the Headman, who, dressed up military style and stern-looking, seemed to be watching intently this momentous gathering, there came a loud snore, whereupon everybody looked in that direction. Two sleepy eyes, those of Stožernik Keljan, looked at them sharply for a second. Evidently lulled by the warmth of the room, he blinked his heavy eyelids a couple of times, then went back to sweet slumber. Seeing this, Dr Gutic was even more relieved; looking at the Captain, he asked cheerfully:

- Will this do, or shall I continue, Captain?

- No, it won't do. I was just beginning to enjoy myself. If you are tired, let Mr Filipovic take over now!

As if he could hardly wait to obey such an order, Friar Miroslav quickly wiped his glasses, checked whether they were properly cleaned against the ceiling light, took the list from Dr Gutic and went on enthusiastically: "Mihajlo Amidžic, Jovan Radinkovic, Jovan Pejcinovic, Petar Štekovic, Djordje Babic, Pajo Budiša, Jovo Dedic, Jovo Racic, Pantelija, Todor, Tomo and Risto Tamamovic, Božo Stankovic, Djuro, Živko and two Mirkos Dragic, Nikola Lakanovic, Jovo and Vid Škrbic, Dušan, Djuro and Tomo Jekic, Jovo and Blagoje Tešic, Branko and Milica Malinic, Aleksa Gataric, Milan Vrhovac, Vid Majstorovic, Djordje Stanojevic, Miloš Jekic, Simo and Djuradj Vukajlovic, Dušan Jagodic, Risto Popovic, Stojan Raca, Risto Savic... There goes another Risto, you see. As it happens, Risto is the most odious Serbian name to me because it somehow reminds me of their 'Christ, the Saviour'. Djuro Savic, Vid Tamamovic, Simo Blaževic, Ilija Gajic, all from Greater and Lesser Blaško... Shall I read on?

- Right on! - the Captain said resolutely, with his arms folded on his chest.

- Stojan Žabic from Dovic, burned alive... Whichever idiot wrote this stupid remark? It's good that he was burned alive, but that's the least important thing to mention. The next one's from Dovic, too, Stanko Žabic. Then Stevanija Rakic, Milan Kneževic, Jovo Rakic, Mile Bunjic and Damjan Vrancic from Boškovic, then Petko Pejcinovic and Vaso Abat from Milosavci. Nikola Vujicic, Mladjen Vujicic, Lazo Trbic, Risto Prdic from Celinac... Well, let this Risto fart in peace... Do forgive me gentlemen! Then there's Mile Gligoric from Celinac, too, as well as several Džombics - Simeun, Dušan, Boško, Gospana, Marija and Petra. The next ones on the list are the Vujicics! It says here that Nikola is the father and Mladjan and Lazo his sons. Then another Vujicic, Luka. And a Jovanovic, Savo, followed by a succession of Garics, Dušan, Mitar, Luka, Lazo and Vukan. An additional note says: "Shot from sub-machine guns and revolvers on January 7th 1942, the Orthodox Christmas, in their homes, without putting up anything in the way of resistance. Commander..."

- I do apologise for interrupting you, Friar Filipovic! - Dr Gutic interposed - but I would just like to point out that I personally ordered that the extermination of the Greek-Orthodox population, barring exceptional circumstances, was to be effected using short knives, daggers, axes, anything but firearms. But it would appear that our men tend to forget themselves on occasion. For the use of knives, daggers and the like is advantageous in a number of ways: we save on ammunition, the Ustashi experience more directly the poisonous stench of the tainted Greek-Orthodox blood, and consequently develop an even greater hatred of Serbs...

- Your words, Doctor, are truly beyond reproach. But I wouldn't be so strict in judging our men. There is an element of music in the sound of sub-machine guns and revolvers going off. You hear it while some Džombics are falling down and writhing in death throes. Then another one goes off, and there go the Garics, falling over one another. To me, it sounds like the organ in the cathedral in Kaptol... - Dr Bilogrivic said ecstatically.

- Now come Prijedor, Ljubija, Omarska, Lamovita, Kljuc... Shall I go on reading or not? - Friar Filipovic asked, somewhat out of breath.

Midnight approached. Outside, the sound of the cold wind blowing could be heard, and it was so warm inside. That was why some of the non-commissioned officers and even some of the officers had fallen asleep. Stožernik Keljan, too, was sound asleep.

- These men, gentlemen, are obviously not interested in the dead. If you had been reading to them the names of those who are yet to be dead, Friar Filipovic, none of them would be sleeping now - the Captain observed, which provoked roars of laughter from those who were awake. "I would like - he added - Mr Filipovic to continue. I will admit that there's no real pleasure for me when they only say: such-and-such a number of the Greek-Orthodox slaughtered, thrown into pits, killed, burned. When their names are read out like this, I keep seeing them moaning helplessly, wheezing in death throes... Writhing and doubling up like worms cut in two. What do you say to this, Doctor Gutic?

- There is nothing one could add to your words, Captain. I have already mentioned how overjoyed I was while watching Asim Dželic, wearing black gloves with red palms, slaughter those Serb infiltrators and intruders before my very eyes that I felt a surge of electricity running up my spine. Still, I couldn't say that listening to someone read out their, as you put it, dead names is devoid of pleasure. I, too, would, therefore, like our good Friar Filipovic to continue with the roll-call of dead Serbs - Dr Gutic expressed his agreement with the Captain's view of the matter, whereupon others also nodded their heads approvingly.

- I agree wholeheartedly - Friar Filipovic chimed in enthusiastically - and shall get on with the task fortwith. On we go then, till the very end of the list! Vukašin Copic, Vlado Terzic, Radivoje Marin, Dane Babic, Mitar Sredic, Ilija Petrovic, Vaso Hrnjak, Stojan Kondic, Risto Sredic... There goes another Risto of theirs! Plus Pero Jankovic, all from Ljubija. Now Prijedor: Ratko Tubin, some teacher by the name of Pantelic, Stanoje Radic, Petar and Dragutin Ivanic, Mile Kondic, a teacher called Aleksandar and a farmer called Stevan Mrkšic from Miljakovac, then Boško, Bogdan and Petar Rajic from the village of Cele, Trivo Stojanovic from Perici, Dušan Djuric and Branko Ivanovic, grammar-school pupils, Mirko Djikic, a stonecutter, Simo Despot, a worker, Jovo Kotroman, a worker, Lazar Djanic, a servant, Danilo Marjanovic, a shopkeeper, Djuro Jovanovic, a tax collector and liquidator, Dušan Jovanic, a baker's apprentice, Persa Canak, a mentally retarded girl, her brother Dragan, Dragutin Canak, a waiter, Mile, an inn-keeper, Djordje, a shop assistant, and a certain Milan Canak, also from Prijedor. The same goes for Ostoja Domic, Dušan Milutinovic, Vladimir Vucenovic, a forester, Stevan Dotlic, a railway worker, Milorad Ljubicic, Ratko and Nikola Karan, Dušan Stijepic, Ostoja Majkic, Branko Plavšic, a waiter, Milutin Stijovic, an agricultural engineer, Dimitrije Medic, a metal worker, Simo Vujasinovic, a retired court clerk, Mile Vujasinovic, a scalesman, Vaso Goronja, an upholsterer, Vukašin Djuric, a saddlemaker's assistant, Pero Obradovic, a shopkeeper, Pero Radjen, a sales agent, Rade Ciganovic, an inn-keeper, and his son Nikola, Pero Radetic, a shopkeeper, eighty years old... Do you hear this piece of nonsense, gentlemen: eighty years old! Wouldn't it be much nicer to hear that he was eight years old? These record keepers of ours enter all sorts of remarks, indeed they do... But let's go on! Milovan Radetic, a locksmith, father's name: Pero, deaf and mute. Just imagine, writing something like this! Craziness, sheer craziness! Here's another Pero Radetic, a railway worker. Then Stevan and Dušan Bojanic, bakers, and Mirko Maric, a candlemaker. At long last, gentlemen, the right sort of profession for these filthy savages: this one'll even light candles for them in Hell to keep them warm... I do apologise for the delay! From now on, I shall just read out the names, if that is all right with you - Svetozar Gnjatic, Rade and Damjan Damjanovic, Zdravko Cadjo, Mile Brdar, Dušan Grabovanovic or Draganovic, it's barely legible, Ljubomir Stojanovic, Obren Savic, Ljubomir Munjiza, Nikola Despot and Dragan Kovacevic, grammar-school pupils, Dragutin Crnic, Ilija Roncevic, Mile Djudic, Stanko Radovic, Djuro and Dušan Kragulj, Djordje Vrhovac, Pero Munjiza, Jovo Smiljanic, Trivun Šarac, Petar Marjanovic, Mihailo Vuckovic, Gojko Grubješic, Ljuban and Milivoje Savanovic, Branko Baškot, Dušan Crnogorac, Pero Kurbalija, Djordje Stijepic and his two sons, Mico Medic, Krsto Srdic, Novak Topic, Mane Marjanovic, Branko Ignjatic, Nikola Babic, Branko Banovic, Duško Marjanovic, a grammar-school pupil, Vaso, the son of Pero Djuric, a public notary, Nikola and Dušan Mijatovic... Let us spice things up with two slaughtered school superintendents now - Petar Božic and Nikola Cupovic. In addition to this, there are three schoolteachers - Gojko Grubajic, Milan Cibic and Danilo Popovic! It also says here that more than four thousand of these Greek-Orthodox elements have been slaughtered in Prijedor and its surroundings; their names, however, are not listed here.

In the Kljuc district only the following names are listed: Milan Vukovic, Dušan Mladenovic, Milan and Mirko Vukovic, Djordje and Dušan Radic, Milivoje Živkovic, Jovo Predojevic and Djordje Peševic, together with a summing-up note saying that "in view of the speed of the execution, the names of those executed were not noted down; the sum total of the Greek-Orthodox element slaughtered amounted to about one thousand seven hundred".

- Friar Miroslav, your voice, throughout this, sounded like the trumpets of Jericho and not for one moment like the voice of a priest addressing his flock from the altar. Well done! I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart! You have just shown once again that we can depend on you without any reservations whatsoever to assist us in carrying out our task the next morning. Congratulations! And now, after this wonderful spiritual refreshment and inspiration, I hand over to Doctor Gutic once again. Take the floor, Doctor! - concluded Captain Mišolov with such joy and zest that one would be forgiven for assuming that the bells from the nearby cathedral of St Bonaventura had not, quite a long time before, struck midnight but noon.

- The gentlemen assembled here need to be reminded once again that the so-called Vrbas Banovina of theirs, according to the official census of 1931, had exactly one million thirty-seven thousand three hundred and eighty-two inhabitants. The Serb litter, which had poured into this region two hundred years before in their soft peasant shoes, and has never shown proper respect for the hospitality and civilisation of the noble Croatian people, accounted for more than six hundred thousand of them. There were a little more than two hundred and fifty thousand Muslims at the time.

- I apologise to the assembled gentlemen, but I do believe, Viktor, that it is high time you stopped referring to them as "Muslims". You should call them by their real name: converts to Islam, Turks, Turkish turds. They are no "flowers of the Croatian people" but trash polluting the Croatian people and its historical territories. For, if you reach out your hand holding gifts towards the likes of these, they might bite off your fingers. But if you show them a clenched fist, they'll kiss it! That's the way they are. Therefore... - Blaž Gutic did not get to finish because his brother opposed him:

- You, Blaž, as a former Head of Police, ought to be well aware that there are higher reasons and interests involved in this. What I think of them personally, you know only too well. He who laughs last, laughs longest! - as the old saying of our people goes. God permitting, we shall be the ones to have the last laugh at their expense. Now, pray let me continue! I said that there used to be more than six hundred thousand Greek-Orthodox elements here, but that number has been more than halved now...

- Yes, how very true: halved! Our goal - Stožernik Keljan was heard again, sleepy but as pugnacious as before - is not to halve their number but to exterminate them. There's a world of difference between the two. For...

- Never mind that now, Mirko! Let Doctor Gutic finish this most interesting report. Do go on, sir!

- Well... We have been particularly efficient in the economic and financial ruination of the rich Greek-Orthodox elements. I have personally guaranteed security, which, of course, in no way bound me, to the local Greek-Orthodox shopkeepers Kosta and Rajko Dimitrijevic, Branko and Milorad Stricevic, Milo Jankovic, Kosta Božic, Milan Popovic, the Koljevic, Stricevic, Divjak, Ljubibratic, Lazarevic, Milanovic families, as well as many others, that they should be perfectly safe if they handed over to the Ustashi Headquarters the sum of five hundred thousand to one million dinars. Which is precisely what they did. Afterwards, however... We all know what happened afterwards. In addition to those already mentioned, the following were of the greatest assistance to me: Franjo Kelemen, Rudolf Stubni, Karlo Penava, Niko Condric, Niko Kondic, Ivan Momcilovic and Hasib Imamovic. I know that my brother Blaž hates the mere mention of Turks, but such are the facts. Also, it is beyond dispute that the best slaughterers in the region of Bihac, Kladuša, Cazin, Krupa, Petrovac, Sana and elsewhere, have proved to be converts to Islam...

- It is also beyond dispute that you have reaped great personal benefit from these millions, as they keep saying in many offices around town. And that you yourself named two streets in Banja Luka: Stožernik Viktor Gutic Square and Mother Gutic Street. Is that not so? - Keljan's sharp voice was heard again.

- It wasn't me who did it but the Croatian population of Banja Luka, in recognition of my true merit! And as for those millions, you'll have to prove that before a court of law - retorted Gutic readily, then went on without even looking at the Stožernik:

- Let me add that I have been even more energetic when dealing with Jews: I nipped them in the bud! All the Saloms, Schnizlers, Abinons, Atijases, Altaraces, Friedmans, Levis, Salomons, Montijases, Neumans, Pintos, Papos, Rosenrauchs, Steinlaufs, Poljokans and others, whose names I don't even remember, I had sent to the Jasenovac prison camp forthwith. I handed over Poljokan's house to the Ustashi Supervisory Service, and I had the Jewish synagogue turned into a brothel for German officers and non-coms. I wanted this to serve as proof to the Führer that the Croatian people in no way lagged behind the German people, being of the same, Gothic origin. Concerning our plan for the morning, I shall add only this: the snow has stopped, praise be to the Almighty, and yesterday I ordered the Greek-Orthodox population there to clear the way through the snowdrifts for safer delivery of the food benefits they had been promised, which they obeyed forthwith...

- Mr Gutic, you are truly worth your weight in gold! You have taken care of absolutely every last detail - Captain Mišolov said gaily, casting a glance at his wristwatch. "It is - he added immediately - now two o'clock, and we shall set out at four, God permitting. All our units are completely ready and fully acquainted with their tasks for this morning. I have issued orders that none of them are to get a wink of sleep tonight, so that they should be all the fiercer when dealing with the Greek-Orthodox population there, and that each man is to get a good half-litre of Herzegovinian grape brandy. The time has come, I believe, for all of us, not just my officers and non-coms, to go and join them. For, we are to drop in at the monastery, are we not, Friar Miroslav, for the religious services. And now: ready for the homeland and the Headman!" he cried out, standing up quickly and raising his arm in the well-known Ustashi salute, with all those present following suit wholeheartedly.

Content | Next: 6th chapter

Copyright © 1998 Jovan Babic
Copyright © 1998 Zaduzbina Petar Kocic, Banja Luka - Beograd