Forced marches and executions Tezno massacre

prisoners of war in maribor







location of tezno on map of slovenia, marked in red.

the captured columns subjected forced marches border area in northern slovenia. large number of prisoners marched towards town of maribor, transit camps set. transit centres located in military barracks in studenci district, aircraft parts factory in tezno , several smaller buildings. columns moved away border austria, treatment of prisoners got worse. stripped of valuables , given no food or water. in order destination more quickly, lagged behind shot. killed taking break or tired continue walking. in course of march, small groups of men being selected columns, led away forest , killed. these killings organized , work of entire units of men. killings of small groups turned massive scale executions.

the local partisan headquarters coordinated columns located in maribor. organized executions not conducted without authorization of ozna (department of national security). on 19 may, commander of 3rd army, kosta nađ, ordered majevica brigade of 17th division move maribor , subordinate local ozna command.

at transit camps selection made among prisoners. sent zagreb , celje on forced marches or retained forced labour. others sent tezno near maribor, anti-tank trenches located dug germans during war. length several kilometers , stretched drava river slopes of pohorje mountains. prisoners taken trenches trucks transit sites. hands tied behind backs wires , many stripped of clothes. upon arrival, lined on edge of trenches , shot. former partisan witnessed killings gave description of 1 of them:

[...]prisoners lined @ edge of hole older corpses lay. next looted of belongings had. finally, hundred prisoners machine-gunned. watched slaughter distance of 1 hundred yards or less. of prisoners threw down flat , escaped machine gun fire. pretended dead, partisans went 1 apparent corpse , ran bayonets through whom suspected of being alive. screams rent air, providing grim evidence had dodged machine gun fire had not eluded death long. of new victims thrown hole on top of old corpses. partisans directed several more bursts of machine gun fire pile of bodies, make sure had not left alive.

the executions started on 19 may. partisan units conducted them majevica brigade, 1st, 2nd, , parts of 3rd battalion of 6th eastern bosnian brigade, part of 17th eastern bosnian division of 3rd army. killings lasted continuously several days , delayed in case if trucks prisoners late. when trenches full, special squads ordered cover them ground. bodies dug in separate mass graves or craters. last liquidations carried out on 26 may.