During the summer of 1941, thousands of Jews and other victims persecuted by the fascist regime were imprisoned in a sinister location in central Bosnia, before being sent to Jasenovac and other death camps.

The barracks near Vitez, ominously referred to as the Black House, served as a final stop for many, where nearly a hundred inmates lost their lives during a rebellion in a single night.

Located in the village of Kruščica, the Black House was the first concentration camp established in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) by the forces of the so-called Independent State of Croatia (NDH) during World War II.

Decades later, this two-story structure was again used as a prison, where civilians and prisoners of war faced imprisonment and torture during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s.

Though it now holds the status of a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it remains neglected, teetering on the brink of collapse.

A camp inmate uprising?

Opened near the railway line in late 1940 during the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Kruščica prison was initially used to detain opponents of the royal regime.

The prison administration was housed in a different, smaller building, and the living conditions at that time were reported to be “more like a resort than a prison.”

With the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia in April 1941, the site became a prime location for the Ustashas, serving as a collection center from which prisoners were dispatched to other camps, including Jasenovac.

The Kruščica camp was founded in July 1941, initiated by Maksim Luburić, an Ustasha officer responsible for camp management in the NDH.

The first inmates of the Black House were approximately 75 Serbian residents from Pale, tasked with refurbishing the camp and constructing the barracks meant to house future detainees, as well as erecting a fence.

In the subsequent months, arrested Jews, Serbs, and Roma were brought from various regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

By mid-September, around 1,500 inmates were housed in the camp, the majority being Jews, along with Serbs and Roma from cities such as Sarajevo, Zenica, and Travnik.

Moreover, prisoners were transferred from disbanded camps across Croatian islands and towns.

Inmates were confined in wooden barracks and subjected to torture and starvation, with documented evidence indicating the presence of children and women among them.

Igor Kožemjakin from the Jewish Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina shares with Radio Free Europe (RFE) that there’s scarce reliable information about the Black House, yet it is recognized as a form of concentration camp.

Originally, it was not referred to as the Black House in available literature but received this moniker later due to its grim history.

Local residents recounted stories of community members attempting to deliver food and water to prisoners, only to fall into the hands of the Ustashas, who would subsequently punish them for their kindness,” he recounts.

The highest number of deaths among camp inmates occurred during an uprising in August 1941.

While planning an escape, inmates found themselves amidst a rebellion on August 7, which was eventually quashed, claiming 98 lives.

The guards disposed of the bodies in a nearby pit intended for lime disposal, and three decades later, a memorial plaque was dedicated to the victims of fascism.

A total of about 1,000 Jews from Sarajevo were transported to Kruščica in two groups in September 1941, including women and children, as detailed in the publication “The Suffering of the Jews of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Holocaust” by Sabina Sunašić Galijatović.

They arrived in cattle wagons and were confined in a camp comprising three wooden barracks, enclosed by barbed wire.

Women and children were separated from the men, remaining in Kruščica until September 28, 1941, when the men were dispatched to Jasenovac, and the women and children were sent to Loborgrad in Croatia shortly after.

The swift rise in inmate numbers alarmed Ustasha authorities in Travnik, leading to issues with accommodation and sustenance. To manage these problems, authorities subjected prisoners to starvation and grueling labor, ultimately resulting in their execution, according to “Travnik in the National Liberation War” by Ćamil Kazazović.

A report by County Prefect Nikola Tusun to NDH official Eugen Dido Kvaternik on September 19, 1941, noted 1,539 individuals in the Kruščica camp, consisting mostly of Jews and children.

The letter expressed concerns over overcrowding, prompting an order from Zagreb to transfer all Jews from Kruščica to Jasenovac, leading to the camp’s closure by the end of October 1941.

A site of torture in the 90s

After World War II, a memorial complex dedicated to the victims of fascism was established in 1972. It comprises one remaining barrack, a memorial plaque for victims, and a sculpture that marks a mass grave.

However, during the 1990s conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Black House again became a site of imprisonment.

Amidst the war between the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RBiH) and the Croatian Defense Council (HVO), Croatian civilians and prisoners of war were detained in the building in 1993.

One detainee was killed, and the prison was overseen by units from the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In 2019, the Court of BiH convicted Minet Akeljić, Šaban Haskić, Senad Bial, and Hazim Patković to 27 years collectively for their crimes in the Black House.

The indictment charged them with detaining 1993 Croatian civilians in the Black House, subjecting them to crossfire on the front lines, and binding some with explosives.

Additionally, the prisoners were physically assaulted and compelled to strike one another with batons.

A national monument in decay

The Black House memorial complex, honoring victims of fascist terror, was designated a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2014.

In addition to the Black House itself, the complex features memorial plaques and a bronze sculpture representing suffering and resilience. Behind the sculpture lies a mass grave containing the remains of camp inmates.

A marble wall inscribed with verses from Ivan Goran Kovačić’s poem “Jama” was erected near the mass grave in tribute to the victims.

Despite its protective status, the complex faces neglect, and the building is at risk of collapse.

Plans to transform the Black House into a museum reflecting the history of the concentration camp have yet to materialize.

Bećir Varupa from the Association of Anti-Fascists and Fighters of the National Liberation War in Vitez states that while they attempt to prevent further deterioration, the municipal government shows little interest.

“In the past, there were dances, gatherings, and rallies. We anti-fascists are trying to clean it up as best we can, but the municipality does not support our efforts, and the building is falling apart,” Varupa informed RFE/RL.

He attributes part of the issue to the longstanding ethnic divisions in the area post-war, noting that Kruščica is split by an imaginary line separating Bosniak and Croat regions.

“The municipality is divided into two areas. Some claim it’s in the Bosniak territory, hence their disinterest. A unified community might provide a different outlook,” he highlights.

With crumbling walls and ceilings, several rooms in the Black House have become a gathering place for youth, evidenced by graffiti adorning its dilapidated walls.

Due to the potential risk of collapse, the Association placed a sign at the entrance indicating that access is prohibited. Last year, they sought a meeting with municipal authorities, yet no tangible progress has been made since.

Kožemjakin from the Jewish Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina mentions that recent years have seen students visit the site as part of a program to confront the past and learn about places of suffering, though it’s clear that the site is deteriorating from lack of care.

“The local community needs to take responsibility for this site, to transform it into a place for children to learn about past suffering and to draw lessons that will prevent future atrocities,” he asserts.

The neglect of this national monument, almost forgotten and seldom visited, is highlighted by the wilted wreaths and bouquets left at the victims’ memorial.

While the Municipality of Vitez did not provide a specific response to RFE/RL regarding the disrepair of this national monument, their correspondence included references to regulations indicating that higher governmental levels are responsible for funding protective measures, concluding that the local administration cannot finance such efforts.

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