Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara facts for kids

Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara is a Croatian song. Its name comes from two places, Jasenovac and Stara Gradiška. The song is known for supporting the Ustaše, a group that committed terrible crimes during World War II. The lyrics of the song celebrate these crimes, especially those against the Serbs. The words used in the song are from a special dialect spoken in Herzegovina, where many of these awful events happened.

In 2007, a person named Efraim Zuroff wrote in the Jerusalem Post newspaper about a concert. It was by a Croatian band called Thompson, led by Marko Perković. At this concert, held in Maksimir Stadium, many people in the crowd showed Ustaše symbols and made fascist salutes. This made people from minority groups in Croatia feel very uncomfortable. Zuroff said that Perković had become well-known two years earlier for performing a changed version of this song. He claimed the song "expressed nostalgia" (a longing for the past) for the two concentration camps mentioned in the title. These camps were places where at least 90,000 innocent Serbs, Jews, Roma (Gypsies), and Croatians who fought against fascism were killed by the Ustaše.

Marko Perković himself has said he did not write or perform the song. He states that he is a musician, not a politician. An organizer for a Thompson concert tour in New York City also defended Perković. They said he did not write the song and that it is not available on any of his albums.

Understanding the Song's Lyrics

The song's lyrics are very controversial because they praise the Ustaše and their actions during World War II. They mention places where terrible events occurred and celebrate figures associated with the Ustaše regime.

Related Topics to Explore

• Independent State of Croatia
• Thompson (band)
• Ustaše

Images for kids

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  A young boy wearing a shirt with a Black Legion, Ustaše Militia sign at a Thompson concert.