~ Part Three ~

‘Ujedinjen ili Smrt,’ (‘Unification or Death’).

Dragutin Dimitrijević (Драгутин Димитријевић) was Chief of the Intelligence Department in the Serbian General Staff. He and Lieut. Antonije Antić (et al.) were co-founders of a semi-secret military society. The organization was called the ‘Ujedinjenje ili Smrt’ ((Уједињење или смрт), i.e., ‘Unification or Death’; also known as the ‘Crna Ruka’ or ‘Black Hand’. ^98. Dimitrijević and Antić founded the society on the 8 September 1901 at Belgrade in the Kingdom of Serbia (Краљевина Србија). Rumours have suggested that Crown Prince Alexander (Karadjordjević) had associated with  the society. The society held conspiratorially ideological aspirations to liberate the Serbs in all the zones under control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; and the formation of a Greater Serbia (Велика Србија). Furthermore, it is believed the society ‘masterminded many atrocities subsequent to 1913’. ^99. The 51-year-old Empire had emanated from the Austro-Hungarian ‘Compromise’ (Kiegyezés). Emperor Franz Joseph I and Hungary’s Ferenc Deák signed the ‘Compromise’. Later itwas ratified by the Országgyűlés (National Assembly); 30 March 1867. In the ensuing years, the Austrio-Hungary entente cordiale annexed 12-nation states (q.l.) under its sphere of influence. Namely, Bosnia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Herzegovina, Italy (In part.) Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Ukraine. To be shared with the House of Habsburg and the Kingdom of Hungary. The resultant effect of the 1867 Compromise was (int. al.) the continuous expansionist policies of the Habsburg emperor, Franz Josef I. Later he raised the status of the Empire to one of continental Europe’s influential powers. On 6 October 1908, he announced Bosnia-Herzegovina’s annexation that was still officially part of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. And without a mandate from the Slavic people; and against the will of Russia’s Tsar Nikolay II. Bosnia-Herzegovina was the final annexation by the Austro-Hungarian Empire prior to its demise, 10-years later, subsequent to the closure of the Great War on 31 October 1918.

Nikola Pašić, the Serbian premier, was informed by Major Voja Tankosica – a Black Hand senior member – of the ‘conspiracy to assassinate Ferdinand’. Pašić passed on this information to Jovan Jovanović, Ambassador to Vienna, who forwarded a communiqué (18 June), to Austrio-Hungary, but the report lacked specifics, thus rendering it too ambiguous and incomprehensible. The Black Hand’s Central Committee had not sanctioned Dimitrijević’s attentat. Pašić, while sympathetic to the Black Hand’s aspirations towards a unification of Serbia, had grave concerns that the assassination of Ferdinand could wreck these aspirations. And in all likelihood initiate an outbreak of hostilities with Austro-Hungary. Subsequently, Dimitrijevic asserted – at the Salonika Trial 1917 – that ‘the assassination would have deterred Austria from waging war on Serbia’. ^100. With hindsight, Dimitrijevic regretfully realized his gross misjudgement. Two weeks prior to Ferdinand’s visit, the Serbian Government, and the Black Hand Committee, instructed Dimitrijević to rescind his assassination plan. And arrest Gavrilo Princip and his five accomplices: Chabrinovitch, Chubrilovic, Grabezh, Mehmedbashitch, and Cvjetko Popovitch; at the Bosnia border. However, they had clandestinely crossed two weeks beforehand, via an underground corridor. They carried a sugar container of trench-explosive devices (Identified as the property of the Serbian State). Four Browning handguns and cyanide to suicide (to avoid being arrested); supplied, in Belgrade, by Lieutenant Tankositch. Tankositch, who was a minor member of the ‘Black Hand,’ had no endorsement from the Serbian Government for this undertaking. The assassins had a four-week presence in Sarajevo, prior to the attentat; ample opportunity for Dimitrijević to have halted the assassins.

Mobilizations and Ultimatums.

Three weeks after the attentat (28 June 1914), Emperor Franz Joseph I, of the Austria-Hungary Empire, and his government served Belgrade with a 48-hour ultimatum; on 23 July. The Emperor was acting on the premise that Serbia was in a cabal that handled the assassination. – The warning included eleven terms (q.l.) some of which included: Dismantling of the Narodna Odbrana (‘People’s Defense’ organization.) and other similar groups. ‘Deleting all “… propaganda against Austria-Hungary” from public documents and educational textbooks’. ‘Expelling all government officials, and military personnel whose names appear on the list provided by the Austro-Hungarian Government,’ and agreeing to the presence of “… representatives of the Austro-Hungarian Government” in Serbian for the “suppression of subversive movements”. Belgrade was acquiescent to most of the demands, except for some terms that required clarification. Three days later, Austrio-Hungary, who had previously mobilized a sufficient size army, declared war on Serbia; 28 July. The following day Austrio-Hungary’s artillery shelled Serbia’s capital Belgrade.

Tsar Nikolay, requested President Raymond Poincaré, to mobilize. He had an alliance with France. Additionally, Nikolay felt obliged, in his self-appointed role of informal protector of the Slavonic people, to sign a partial mobilization order on 30 July. Based most likely on the commonly held Christian Orthodox religion. The following day, Germany’s Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Preußen II sent an ultimatum to Russia threatening to ‘declare war’ if the ‘mobilization order wasn’t rescinded’. The Kaiser was acting by terms of alliance with Austro-Hungary. Apparently, Wilhelm may have assumed that the military definition of ‘mobilization’ meant ‘fight in a war’, rather than ‘readiness for war’. Furthermore, he and his inner circle, resented Germany’s scientific, and cultural achievements not earning pre-eminent recognition by the other powers.^101. Nikolay could not revoke the order, under pressure from his General Staff.

Declarations of War.

“Older men declare war. But it is youth who must fight and die”

Herbert Hoover 1874-1964 31st President of the USA.

Franz Joseph, of the Austria-Hungary Empire, who had previously mobilized a sufficient size army, declared war on Serbia; 28 July. [The original Declaration read: “An meine Völker (To my People)”. Photograph left is a Czech translation. “Mým národům!”] Two days later (30 July) Austria-Hungary bombed the Serb capital Belgrade; followed by their troops making a riparian crossing, over the Drina; into Serbia on 12 August.

The Kaiser declared war on Russia at 1910hrs on 1 August 1914, and the Tsar reluctantly issued a proclamation of war against Germany on the following day. Germany invaded neutral Luxembourg (Großherzogtum Luxemburg) on 2 August, where Helmuth von Moltke – nephew of General Moltke – established the German High Command there. He retained the High Command there from the 30 August until the end of the war on 11 November 1918 (q.l.). President Raymond Poincaré of France, an ally of Russia, declared war on both Germany and Austro-Hungary on the 3 August.

Germany invaded neutral Belgium (Konigreich Belgien) on the night of 3-4 August 1914 with concerns of the probability of having to wage war on two fronts. Namely with Russia to the east, and France to the west. Germany’s invasion was conducted under a military strategy developed over a 9-year period (1897-1906) by Count Alfred Graf von Schlieffen. His strategy was in anticipation of war with the French Third Republic (La Troisième République) and the Russian Empire (Российская Империя). His plan assumed Germany would defeat France within ‘10-weeks,’ as it had done earlier in 1870, and non obst., Russia’s military strength. He further believed, would take ‘6-weeks to mobilize’. The strategy suggested first defeating the French troops at the rear line of battle. To be followed by beating the Russians on the eastern front engagement, non obst., utilizing Belgium’s infrastructures, including rail and road systems for transportation of both troops and supplies to France. ^102. Subsequent to Germany’s invasion of Belgium Britain’s foreign secretary, Sir Edward Grey, forwarded an ultimatum to Germany demanding the withdrawal of their troops from Belgium. Germany held a firm grip on most of the country, and there were allegations of atrocities against the civilian population. Although Britain was geographically isolated from inter-European conflicts, it did have an alliance with Belgium, by virtue of Article 7 of the London Treaty (19 April 1839). Additionally, Britain had no particular obligations to Serbia, Russia or France. Other co-signatories guarding the neutrality of Belgium (if in the event of an attack) were the Netherlands, Austria, France, Russia, and Prussia (Preuβen). Germany was unwilling to comply.

On Tuesday 4 August 1914, England, together with France, declared war on Germany. The British, who were a formidable adversary to Germany, had material support from across its Empire. Namely, India, South Africa, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (Aotearoa), as well as manpower to draw from a population of 425,000,000,000. ^103. Three months later, on Thursday 5 November 1914, the United Kingdom annexed Cyprus (Κύπρος). Britain’s King George issued a royal proclamation (Tuesday 17 July 1917) de-Germanising his name. From the ‘Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha’ to the name of Castle ‘Windsor’ to appease anti-German sentiments in Britain.

Prince Katsura Tarō, of the Empire of Japan (Dai Nippon Teikoku 大日本帝國) had formed an alliance with Britain on Thursday 30 January 1902. Subsequent to the alliance, Prime Minister Count Okuma issued an ultimatum, on Friday 15 August, demanding Germany withdraw their battle fleet of the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy) from the Sino-Japanese ports. And surrender their principal naval base at Tsingtao (Now Qingdao); by Saturday 23 August. Germany refused to accede. Consequently, Japan declared war on both Germany and Austrio-Hungary on 23 and 25 August respectively.

Sag Mir wo Die Blumen Sind? – Where have all The Flowers Gone?

Subsequent to the Declarations of war – between the 1 to 13 August 1914 – many underage youths, aged from 14 to 18, enrolled in the armed services. In Germany, Russia, France, Britain; and Australia. Recruitment officers hastily disregarded the actual age of the volunteers. Many youths (and adults) would have eagerly enlisted in response to the patriotic fervour prevalent at that time. A fervor promoted by governments use of propaganda posters, broadcasts, and music halls. The war was estimated to be over by December that year. Many thousands of youths were either killed or wounded at the end of the war (1918). The consensus of opinion among historians is that no child under 14-years was enrolled. Five hundred ‘Boy Soldiers’ were killed on the first day, at the Battle of the Somme, and 18,000 killed, or wounded, at the battles end.

The Triple Entente and The Triple Alliance.

The Central Powers (See green circles above) – situated between Russia in the east, France and Britain in the west. They comprised of Germany (Mittelmächte), Hungary (Központi hatalmak), Turkey (Bağlaşma Devletleri), and Bulgaria (Централни сили). They were at war with the Allied Powers (See mauve circles above). The Allied Powers were Russia, France, Britain, and other minor participants. Including Serbia, Greece, Montenegro (Crna Gora Црна Гора), Czechoslovak (Česko-Slovensko), România, Belgium (Königreich Belgien); and Japan. Primarily, the alliance lasted from 1882 until the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. After which it metamorphosed into the Triple Entente military alliance. By virtue of the Anglo-Russian Entente, of 31 August 1907. Which become the catalyst, of divergent views, opposing the Central Powers at the outbreak of the Great War. Until the closure of the theatres in 1918. The Triple Alliance was a defensive movement formed in 1882, between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy and dispersed in 1914 (q.l.) ^104. Its prime objective was to provide reciprocal assistance to any of its membership under attack by belligerent nations. In a subsidiary proclamation, Italy stated that Great Britain was not a target for any attack. ^105. The Alliance was reinstated mid-1902, after which Italy covertly extended identical assurances to France. Notwithstanding Italy’s membership with the Alliance, it was not obliged to comply with the Triple Alliance’s defensive policy, due to Germany having first declared war on the Kingdom of Serbia, Russia and France. ^106. Additionally, the prevailing baseline, or the status quo, of the Balkans, was to remain unaffected by Austria-Hungary, and Italy; without prior consultation.

On 29 September 1911, Italy declared war on the Ottoman Empire with the intention to annex Tripoli. Four days later, the battle vessels of the Italian Royal Army (Regio Esercito) bombarded the Tripoli port on 3 October. Italy seized Cyrenaica (Κυρηναϊκή) by military force (Sunday 5 November 1911); declaring it an Italian protectorate on 15 October 1912. The Ottoman Empire surrendered the region to Italian troops at Isonzo river Friday 18 October 1912.

The Western and Eastern Fronts.

At the outset of the Great War, Italy maintained a neutral role until it became one of the cosignatories, with Great Britain, France, and Russia, against Austro–Hungarian Empire (May 1915). And Germany (August 1916) to the surreptitious London Pact (Patto di Londra) – or ‘The Treaty of London’ – on 26 April 1915. [the Treaty was to have been undisclosed. But the Russian broadsheet Newspaper ‘Izvestiya’ (‘Известия,’ i.e., “news”) published the information in November 1917 subsequent to The October Revolution that year (Октя́брьская револю́ция)]. The Russian Empire ended in March and withdrew from the war. Italy crossed over to the highest bidder, the side of the Allies, in April 1915 with ambitions to obtain the Triple Alliance controlled territories. Namely Trento, Trieste, Gorizia e Gradisca, Istria, parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; and Dalmacija. Italy’s involvement in the war cost the lives of 650,000 of its soldiers. ^107. And a plummeting national economy. Italian nationalists were infuriated by the refusal of the Allies to hand over control of the conurbation seaport city of Rijeka (Fiume) and its adjacent thirteen municipalities; in accord with The Treaty of London.

The Western and Eastern Fronts.

The Great War began at Liège (Lüttich), on the Western Front, in Belgium which lasted for 12-days (5-16 August 1914). Notwithstanding Germany was numerically outnumbering the Belgium troops; they suffered the heaviest losses. One of the major battles was fought in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. For the first time, Britain used lethal chlorine gas [codenamed ‘Red Star’] in ‘No Man’s Land,’ ^108.costing the lives of 20,000 men; from 25 September to 14 October 1915. ^109.Subsequent to the Nord-Pas-de-Calais engagement, followed the Battle of Verdun (Bataille de Verdun), which was fought near the city of Verdun-Sur-Meuse north-eastern France (21 February to 18 December 1916). This engagement was the longest and most destructive, costing an estimated average of 70,000 casualties per month. Germany lost 337,000 soldiers and France 377,231.110. Forty-eight other land battles followed. Namely The Somme (Saint-Quentin) between 1 July to 18 November 1916, the five battles of Ypres fought between 19 October 1914. And 2 October 1918, and the battle of Épehy on 18 September 1918, &c.

The first battle on the Eastern Front begun on 17 August 1914. It was fought, between Germany and Russia, at Stallupönen, East Prussia, now Nesterov (Нéстеров), Russia. Five thousand Russian soldiers were either killed or wounded, and 1,297 casualties were reported on the German side. The second battle opened on the 20 August 1914, at Gumbinnen, East Prussia. now Gusev (Гу́сев), Russia. This was Germany’s introductory engagement on the Eastern Front. It lost approximately  8,800 soldiers. The Russians lost 16,500. Six other battles followed including: the German led army by Erich Ludendorff and Paul von Hindenburg, who begun a victorious battle against the Russian forces at Tennenberg, near Allenstein, East Prussia (Now Olsztyn, Poland) from 23 to 30 August 1914, resulting in 170,000 casualties. ^_111.

Germany agreed to the cessation of hostilities – technically not a surrender – acknowledging victory and defeat, for the Allies. The War officially ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918. With the signing le Traité de Versailles at Compiègne, in northern France – by the “big four,” viz. France, Italy, Britain, and the United States; appointed by the German and the Entente – between 0512 and 0520 hrs; 28 June 1919. Twenty-seven nations determined the terms of peace, and costs of the war. ^112. Who was to pay? France owed billions to Britain and America; who refused to waive the costs. Reluctantly Germany and her allies accepted responsibility for the war and were forced to pay reparations at 226 billion Reichsmarks (Equivalent to £22 billion sterling); later reduced to 132billion that was cleared up on 3 October 2010. ^113. Although the war finished on the Western Font, other hostilities continued in other theatres, e.g., in the erstwhile tsarist Russia, and parts of the defunct hereditary enemy of Russia; the Ottoman Empire.

“A bayonet is a weapon with a worker at each end”.

British pacifist slogan (1940).

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World leaders, at the Traité de Versailles, 28 June 1919, mistakenly considered the Balkans as a distinct unified historical and cultural background forged with a single national identity. Consequently, they combined the Slovens, Croats, the Kingdom of the Serbs, and Macedonians into what become Jugoslavija. [the name Jugoslavija Југославија, is the formation of two Slavic words: “Jugo” meaning south, and “slavija” meaning Slavs] in the western aspect of the Balkans.  [The 28 June 1919 date, corresponds to the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. The heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, 5-years earlier; on 28 June 1914]. The Kingdom of Montenegro previously annexed on 13 November 1918 and endorsed at the Conference of Ambassadors in Paris on 13 July 1922.

The Great War brought about the loss of 20,000,000 human lives, i.e., 14,500 per day. ^115. The Great War brought about the destruction of four Empires, the fall of four dynasties and their ancillary aristocracies including the Hohenzollerns, Habsburgs, Romanovs and the Ottomans. The victorious powers viz., France and Britain took possession of most of the Middle East, and Greece and Italy consigned most of Anatolia. With the support of Britain, Eastern Turkey became the independent state of Armenia. The Kurds established the self-proclaimed ‘Kurdish Republic of Ararat,’ or the ‘Republic of Ararat’ (Komara Agiriyê), on 27 or 28 October 1927; in eastern Turkey. ^{116. 117.}

The Allied powers (et al.) mobilized an estimated 42,000,000 combatants.^118. Russia and France, simultaneously, suffered the loss of 3,000,000 lives. ^119. The Central powers (et al.) mobilized approximately 23,000,000 from which 3,400,000 lives were lost. ^120. The cost in monetary terms was enormous. The Allied powers (et al.) expenditure was (US) $145,388,000,000. ^121. Additionally, the indirect costs for destroyed buildings which are estimated at approximately (US) $30,000,000,000, and ships, including cargos; (US) $45,000,000.122. These massive geopolitical rearrangements catapulted worldwide dramatic social changes. Subsequently, setting the stage for World War II, circa 20-years later, both of which combined, contributed towards an enormous loss of lives, reaching a figure of 100,000,000, on average 3,500 per day. _^123.

The Ustaša, The Apparent Successors to The Crusaders.

The Ustaša (Hrvatski revolucionarni pokret) was a terrorist group and a seemingly Roman Catholic fascist organization, in the territorial condominium of the Axis-occupied Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Ante Pavelić (et al.) started the group in 1929, 11-years after the closure of the Great War (31 October 1918). Pavelić was a lawyer and politician. He was the Poglavnik, i.e., Leader (or ‘Fuhrer’) ^124. of the Croatian fascist Ustaša in the 1930s. Pavelić was the leader of the Independent State of Croatia – a puppet state of Nazi Germany – during the second World War. He handled the revolt of the Croats against the Kingdom. The Axis powers (i.e., Nazi Germany and Italy) leagued together with Islamists to plunder and destroy the Orthodox churches. ^125.

Pavelić promoted the Roman Catholic Church and Islam as the official religions of the Croatian people. Pavelić in an ingratiating manoeuvre solicited allegiance from Bosnian Muslims to his Ustaša ambitions. By ordering a particular art pavilion in Zagreb to be adapted for a mosque that he named: “Poglavnik’s Mosque” (August 1944). ^{126. 127.} The highly controversial Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Palestinian nationalist and Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, was an active collaborator with both Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. He campaigned to prevent Serbs and Jews from escaping the Ustaša controlled territory, to facilitate their systematic slaughter; from 1941 to 1945.

The Occupied Territories (1941).

The Ustaša was a terrorist group appointed by the Axis powers in May 1941, subsequent to Hitler’s Wehrmacht invading the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (Without a declaration of war); on 6 April 1941. On 10 April Slavko Kvaternik, Minister of the Domobranstvo (Croatian Home Guard), proclaimed the foundation of The Independent State of Croatia, [NDH] (Независна Држава Хрватска). Kvaternik had the full support of the Kingdom of Italy which would rule as a puppet State, in the sphere of Nazi Germany’s influence, within Yugoslavia. Included also were Bosnia-Hercegovina and in part; Croatia. Prior to Hitler invading Yugoslavia and Albania (an Italian de facto protectorate), he had declared war on the Allies, simultaneously with the Kingdom of Italy in 1940. Subsequent to the establishment of The Independent State of Croatia, there emerged a combination of extremely zealous devotion to Catholicism (ultramontanism), and the State (nationalism). Setting in motion ferocious programmes of raw hatred, persecution and wholesale cold-blooded massacre of their principal victims: the Orthodox Serbs as well as non-Catholics et al. ^128. Amongst the many killed were Orthodox bishops and priests. Numerous Orthodox churches were wrecked or destroyed.

Ambivalent Relationship between Pope Pius XII and The Ustaša.

There appears to be no incontrovertible incriminating evidence that there was an organic relationship between Pope Pius XII and the Ustaša albeit contentious issue to the contrary continue being discussed even to present times. For example, as early as 1940, Isaac Herzog (Chief Rabbi of Palestine), communicated with Cardinal Luigi Maglione Papal Secretary of State. Requesting he intervene in matters concerning the deportation of the Jews from Spain – and later Lithuania – to Germany. The papacy remained inactive. ^129. Pius was well informed daily by Giovanni Montini – the then Undersecretary of State and later Pope Paul VI – of the Ustaša atrocities as early as 1941.

The Ustaša mounted a horrifying campaign with great ferocity killing 325,000 Orthodox Serbs. ^130. There is undeniable evidence of numerous Catholic priests, including some members of the Franciscan order; and laity who were comme il fautwith the Ustaša. Motivated by anti-Semitism, ethnic hostility, nationalism, and religious intolerance. Who enthusiastically collaborated with the Axis Powers, in savage activities including forced conversions, genocide programmes (often deploying the Nazi occupying forces) against the Orthodox Serbs, Jews, and Romanies (Gypsies). Aspirations for a unified Yugoslavia was endangered. The atrocities kindled a mass exodus from the Nazi-Ustaša sphere of influence. In desperation, Serb compatriots abroad considered the entire Croat population responsible. Rather than the Nazi-inspired Ustaša in the centre of power. From there they argued that the unification of their homeland “must begin with a systematic massacre of at least a million Croats”. ^131.

Examples of the upper hierarchy (ἱεραρχία) of the Catholic clergy’s acquiescence of the Ustaša were: Archbishop Ivan Šarić (from 1922 to 1945), of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vrhbosna (Sarajevo). Šarić gave his enthusiastic, active support. “To some they offered the choice between conversion from Orthodoxy to Catholicism or instant death… “It must be recorded as a historic fact that certain members of the Croatian hierarchy, notably Archbishop Sharich [sic] of Sarajevo, endorsed this butchery”. ^132.

Šarić deployed the Catholic press (viz., Nedjelja (‘Sunday’) which he renamed Križ (‘The Cross’); and finally Katolički Tjednik (‘Catholic Weekly’)). To promote Catholicism (ultramontane) at the expense of Orthodox Christianity; and Judaism. In the latter publication appeared the following:

“Until now God spoke through papal encyclicals, sermons, the Christian press … And they were deaf. Now God has decided to use other methods. He will prepare missions! World missions! They will be upheld not by priests but by army commanders led by Hitler. The sermons will be heard with the help of cannon, machine guns, tanks and bombers”. ^17. 

Katolički Tjednik,  31 August, 1941.

Šarić was at the forefront of the Catholic bishops’ promotion, or active engagement, of Ustaša programmes against the Serbs. ^_133. Friar Miroslav Filipović, was a Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order, stationed at the Prebićevac monastery, who was in league with the Croatian Nazis, in the capacity of military chaplain. Subsequently, his tenure was terminated by the Papal legate at Zagreb on 4 April 1942. ^_134.

Qui cum Canibus Concumbunt cum Pulicibus Surgent.

He that lieth down with Dogs Shall Rise up with Fleas.

Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard’s Almanack, Dover Publications, 14 May, 1999.

Aloysius Viktor Stepinac, a Catholic cardinal, and Archbishop of Zagreb (1937 to 1960) was Supreme Military Apostolic Vicar of the Ustaše Army. On 18 September, 1946, he was indicted with fifteen other defendants, by the Yugoslav Government, for various counts of war crimes; and cooperation with the enemy during his tenure of archbishopric. ^{_{135.  136.}} In a statement to Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, in April 1940; Stepinac claimed:

“The most ideal thing would be for the Serbs to return to the faith of their fathers, that is, to bow the head before Christ’s representative (the Pope). Then we could at last breathe in this part of Europe, for Byzantinism has played a frightful role in the history this part of the world”. [sic] ^_137.

Stepinac’s opinion regarding “the faith of their fathers” was totally disconnected from the historic record. The faith of the Serbs were, ipso facto, Orthodox since their conversion, by SS. Cyril and Methodius (Κύριλλος καὶ Μεθόδιος) circa 862. Furthermore, in 1941, he made it quite clear as to which side of the political and religious divide his sympathies were:

“God, who directs the destiny of nations and controls the hearts of Kings, has given us Ante Pavelic and moved the leader of a friendly and allied people, Adolf Hitler, to use his victorious troops to disperse our oppressors… Glory be to God, our gratitude to Adolf Hitler and loyalty to our  Poglavnik, Ante Pavelic”. ^_137.

At law, Stepinac was found guilty of collaboration and complicity, with the Ustaše government, assenting to forced conversions of Orthodox Serbs to Catholicism. ^138. The court sentenced him to sixteen years incarceration at Lepoglava prison on 11 October 1946.

 

 

 

Prime Minister Josip Broz Tito due to the internal and foreign pressure released him in 1951. Perhaps as a placatory measure to appease those who considered the trial a “show trial”. ^139. 

 

 

 

 

 

Subsequent to Stepinac’s release from prison, he was nominated cardinal by Pius XII in 1952. He died, age 61, in February 1960, and was beatified at Marija Bistrica, on 3 October 1998; by Pope John Paul II.

Miroslav Filipović (also referred to as ‘Majstorović,’  i.e., ‘Master’) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order (at the monastery of Petrićevac).  Filipović joined the Ustaše movement in 1940.  He was a Croatian Nazi collaborator, who was appointed the chaplain to the Ustaše military in January 1942. Subsequently he was appointed Chief Guard of a transit facility near Jasenovac, where he was reported to have handled many executions. Josip Riboli, who witnessed the executions stated, was a Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order (at the monastery of Petrićevac). Filipović joined the Ustaše movement in 1940.  He was a Croatian Nazi collaborator, who was appointed the chaplain to the Ustaše military in January 1942. Subsequently he was appointed Chief Guard of a transit facility near Jasenovac, where he was reported to have handled many executions. Josip Riboli, who witnessed the executions stated:

“Majstorović (Filipović) Polić and Maricić competed over which of them was a better butcher. Victims had to kneel in front of them until they were touching their foreheads to the ground, and the executioners would fire their revolvers at the backs of their heads. If death wasn’t instant, one of them would grab a knife and slit the victim’s throat”. ^_140.

While in charge of the facility, Filipović continued his chaplaincy, while engaging in horrific crimes slaughtering Serbs. More often than not, using pickaxes or axes – in the nearby towns of Banja Luka including Srbosjek, Drakulić, Motike, and Šargovac; while occasionally wearing his Franciscan canonicals. He and Father Zvonimir Brekalo were reported to have killed Serbian children by slashing their throats with knives. On other occasions, he shot children with guns. ^141. He organized large scale nocturnal killing schedules, ‘returning splashed with blood’. ^142.He was supposedly suspended from his role as the chaplain by the Papal Nuncio at Zagreb on 4 April 1942. ^143. While in charge of the facility, Filipović continued his chaplaincy, while engaging in horrific crimes slaughtering Serbs. More often than not, using pickaxes or axes – in the nearby towns of Banja Luka including Srbosjek, Drakulić, Motike, and Šargovac; while occasionally wearing his Franciscan canonicals. He and Father Zvonimir Brekalo were reported to have killed Serbian children by slashing their throats with knives. On other occasions, he shot children with guns. 141. He organized large scale nocturnal killing schedules, ‘returning splashed with blood’. 142. He was supposedly suspended from his role as the chaplain by the Papal Nuncio at Zagreb on 4 April 1942. 143. Whilst in charge of the facility, Filipović continued his chaplaincy, whilst engaging in horrific crimes slaughtering Serbs – more often than not, using pickaxes or axes – in the nearby towns of Banja Luka including: Srbosjek knife used in Croatia – 19411945Drakulić, Motike, and Šargovac; whilst occasionally wearing his Franciscan canonicals. He, with the fellow accomplice, Father Zvonimir Brekalo, was reported to have killed Serbian children by slashing their throats with knives. On other occasions, he killed children with guns. 141. He organized large scale nocturnal killing schedules, ‘returning splashed with blood’. 142. He was supposedly suspended from his role as the chaplain by the Papal Nuncio at Zagreb on 4 April, 1942. 143.

Filipović was excommunicated from the Franciscan order on 22 October 1942. He fled to Austria (May 1945) from where he was extradited back to Yugoslavia to stand trial, for war crimes. He was found guilty (by both military and Yugoslav civil courts) and sentenced to death on 29 June 1945. He was hanged at Belgrade, in full Franciscan canonicals by his request.

All things considered, there appeared to be a correlation – by virtue of circumstantial evidence – of an ambivalent relationship between Pius XII and the Ustaša. Albeit circumstantial evidence – e.g., the daily briefings by Giovanni Montini to Pius, of the Ustaša atrocities – in themselves are insufficient to establish evidence beyond doubt that there was an actual connection between Pius and the Ustaša. The whether or not an impasse, to reach a definitive conclusion, would depend on evidential supports, i.e., release of documents from the Vatican archives, or elsewhere, if indeed such documents exist.

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