Five hanged civilian hostages (1943)

On November 16, 1943, the telephone lines of the German army in Mostar were cut off. Two days later, the nazis arrested five civilian sympathizers of the resistance movement. The hostages were publicly hanged the following day, with the announcement: “On 16.XI 1943 at 9 1/2 o’clock at this location, the military telephone network of the German army was disrupted by unknown culprits. IN RETALIATION FOR THIS ACT, THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HANGED.”

Four of the five victims have a memorial plaque on the Partisan Memorial Cemetery. Learn more about them.

Source for the photo: the Selimhodžić family archives