The Sufferings of Romani Population in the Wider Bjelovar-Bilogora Area during World War Two (1941–1945)

Sa？etak Romani population today forms one of the oldest minority groups in Croatia. Their settlement in our territory began in the second half of the 14th century. The attitude of Croatian authorities toward the Romani was often marked by repression –assimilation policy, which is currently observed as a part of the wider European anti-Gypsy policy by a number of scientists. The sufferings of the Romani during World War Two in Europe, including the Independent State of Croatia, may be considered the climax of the anti-Gypsy policy. The paper analyzes in particular the sufferings of Romani population in the wider Bjelovar-Bilogora area, i.e. the area covered by the Great District of Bilogora. The following issues have been tackled: the treatment of the Romani by the local (Ustasha) authorities; the deportation of the Romani to the concentration camp in Jasenovac; the confiscation of their property; one example of the resistance of the Romani (participation in the National Liberation War); and the scale of their sufferings. For the purposes of this study, the author mainly used the materials from the State Archives in Bjelovar and Croatian State Archives, local periodicals, and relevant literature