ПОЛИТИЧКА УПОТРЕБА ЕКСПЛОЗИЈЕ У СМЕДЕРЕВУ 5. ЈУНА 1941. И „КОНАЧНО РЕШЕЊЕ ЈЕВРЕЈСКОГ ПИТАЊА”
THE POLITICAL USAGE OF THE EXPLOSION IN SMEDEREVO IN 5 JUNE, 1941 AND THE ‘FINAL SOLUTION OF THE JEWISH QUESTION’

Summary/Abstract: The greatest tragedy that struck Serbian people after the April war was certainly the explosion in the Smederevo fortress on June 5, 1941. The issues of working in Smederevo and collecting aid for the victims became political priority. The extraordinary Commissar for the reconstruction of Smederevo, Dimitrije Ljotic, was given very wide range of powers in the construction of the city. The news reports on the explosion highlighted the great help of the German occupying authorities for the affected people and the city itself. It is striking that the issue of helping Smederevo was related to the refugee issue. At the same time, the assistance was provided for the refugees and for the victims in Smederevo. In order to work on the reconstruction of Smederevo, „Zbor” organization established a Voluntary Labor Service, which also had clear political goals. Its semi­military unit from work in Smederevo became the core of military units of „Zbor”. Approximately 600 Jews from Belgrade were engaged in the reconstruction works in Smedervo and they were promised a remuneration for work, but never received it. In the implementation of the anti­Jewish measures, the organs of the Serbian quisling administration were also engaged. Serbian Prime Minister, General Milan Nedić, advocated the expulsion of Jews from Serbia. In the second half of November 1941, the majority of Jewish workers employed in Smederevo were killed in massive German reprisals against the civilian population in Serbia.This was followed by the internation and complete destruction of all remaining Jews in Serbia at the Zemun (Semlin) Jewish concentration camp at the Belgrade Fairgrounds by 10 May, 1942. This was the end of the „Final solution of the Jewish question” in Serbia for German occupational administration.

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