Maks Luburić and the Ustasha regime hanged 55 anti-fascists from Sarajevo at Marijin Dvor (January 27-28, 1945).

Tomorrow marks exactly 81 years since one of the darkest moments in the history of our city, when Sarajevo, just seven days before its final liberation, paid a terrible price for freedom. On the night of March 27-28, 1945, the Ustasha regime under the direct command of the criminal Maks Luburić publicly executed 55 of our fellow citizens at Marijin-Dvor. It was the culmination of an unprecedented terror that had lasted since mid-February, during which Luburić "Headquarters" killed at least 783 inhabitants of Sarajevo in the most brutal ways. While the partisan units were unstoppably approaching the city, the occupying forces desperately tried to instill fear in the citizens, hanging "ilegalce" – anti-fascists of all faiths and nations – to the chestnut trees that then stretched from the former Tobacco Factory all the way to the National Museum.

1. March 1945, the streets of Sarajevo were plastered with posters with the names and verdicts of alleged criminals against the so-called NDH. Of the 85 named patriots, 44 were sentenced to death by firing squad, and the rest to time sentences ranging from 3 years to life imprisonment, while three of those sentenced to death by firing squad were sentenced to death by firing squad by Luburić’s decision. "pardoned" and sentenced to time sentences. The numbers and dates of the judgments are indicated on the posters. With such posters about alleged trials, pardons, etc., Luburić wanted to show how he acts according to some kind of laws. To demonstrate his "legal work"it also happened that in the absence of a defense lawyer, during impromptu trials, a member of the court panel took over that role. It was, in fact, a very contrived cover for an experienced criminal and a very frivolous way of covering up the bloodiest and most terrible crimes. The number of survivors, those sentenced to prison terms, is very small, and the number of those tortured and killed is very large, without it being recorded anywhere except in the hearts of relatives and friends.

Today we have testimonies like that Muhibe Sarićwho as a little girl ran through the streets looking for her father and uncle only to see them hanging lifelessly from the branches, remind us of all the cruelty of that time. Crimes also took place behind closed doors "house of horrors" like Villa Berković in Skenderija, where gruesome evidence of torture was found after the war – from butcher’s claws and irons to long nails and cauldrons for cooking people.

Although more than eight decades have passed, the names of those who gave their lives that night for the freedom we enjoy today must remain written in our collective memory.

The names of those killed at Marijin Dvor are: Omer Fazil Omer, Ragib Sarić, Camil Skando, Muradin Čobo, Hajro Hadžović, Mahmut Arslanagić, Hamid Avdić, Mustafa Spahalić, Hamid Talović, Hasan Hajdarević, Alija Meretlić, Salih Mujkanhodžić, Ahmed Vilogorac, Šućrija Lukavac, Afan Opijač, Huso Islamović, Lutvija Šaran, Pašo Avdić, Salko Zubčević, Avdo Mulahasanović, Edhem Kusturica, Pavle Pavlin, Anda Buđen, Ragib Kreho, Omer Delalić, Edhem Sarić, Muhamed Potogija, Mehmed Karamehmedović, Suljo Pašić, Stanko Rojnik, Kasim Sarić, Žarko, Veljko and Zora Odović, Mane Levnajić, Ana (Anka) Pauković, Štefanija Čerkez, Ilijas Smajlagić, Stanislav Keško, Hasim Šukrin, Ines Samardžić, Hamdija Hodžić, Mustafa Ćemalović, Marinko Tuševljak, Dušan Močević, Vladimir Mirković, Milan Živak, Mićentije Tadić, Milosav Mikailović, Joco Likić, Miloš Čikić, Milorad Petrović, Borivoj Perić, and young high school students Vidoje Stevic and Slobodan Nikolić.

These people gave their lives for the free Sarajevo we live in today.
To them be eternal glory and praise.

Death to fascism – freedom to the people! 🇧🇦

Source: Sarajevo in the Revolution, Sarajevo Historical Archive