Split Prison

Germany and Italy occupied the Yugoslav kingdom in 1941. Yugoslavia was then divided between Germany, Italy and the newly formed independent state of Croatia (NDH), an ultra-fascist and German-friendly state under the leadership of the dictator Ante Pavelic. Split and the whole region of Dalmatia ended up within NDH, but in reality came to be administered by Italy because it was Italy who occupied Split. The majority of the population in Dalmatia consisted of Croatians who strongly opposed Italian rule. Italy responded with repressive methods and Croatian nationalists were hunted down and imprisoned. Such a prison was located in central Split where anti-fascists, partisans and other opponents of Italian rule were brought. Prisoners were subjected to harsh interrogations, often under torture, to force confessions or other information. It happened that prisoners died during the interrogations or later as a result of the interrogations. Inmates were also killed in prison. When Italy surrendered in September 1943, Split and the prison were captured by Tito’s partisans. The prisoners were released and the prison burned down.