Burger Landmarks

Political Male Prison Goli otok and Women's Political Prison Sveti Grgur

Causes and Beginnings

After World War II, Yugoslavia, led by Josip Broz Tito, broke off relations with the Soviet Union and its leader Joseph Stalin. Tito wanted to establish an independent socialist state, which caused tensions between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. In 1948, the Informbiro, an organization of communist parties, expelled Yugoslavia from its ranks. Tito then began a purge within Yugoslavia to remove anyone loyal to Stalin or opposed to his regime.

Goli otok

Goli otok, also known as "Barren Island," is a small, uninhabited island in the Gulf of Kvarner in the north Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia. The island became notorious as a political prison and labor camp during the time of Yugoslavia. The prison operated from 1949 to 1988 and was used to incarcerate political prisoners, including those accused of being Stalinists, anti-Tito dissidents, and other anti-communists.

Prisoners were subjected to forced labor in extreme weather conditions, which made life on the island even more difficult. The conditions on Goli otok were extremely harsh, with prisoners often forced to inflict pain on each other as part of a punitive system.

Sveti Grgur

Sveti Grgur is a small island in the Kvarner Gulf, which was used as a women's political prison during the time of Yugoslavia. Similar to Goli otok, Sveti Grgur was intended for the incarceration of female political prisoners accused of opposing the communist regime. The conditions on Sveti Grgur were also harsh, with prisoners subjected to forced labor and poor treatment.

Closure

The prison on Goli otok was closed in 1988 as political conditions in Yugoslavia began to change. After Tito's death in 1980, Yugoslavia began to experience political and economic difficulties that led to the breakup of the country in the early 1990s. With the closure of the prison, the horrors experienced by the prisoners on the island came to an end.

Number of Prisoners and Deaths

The exact number of prisoners and deaths on Goli otok and Sveti Grgur is not known, as records about the prisons are often secretive and incomplete. It is estimated that several thousand people were imprisoned on Goli otok, with some sources stating that between 16,000 and 32,000 prisoners were held there. The number of deaths is also difficult to determine, but it is estimated that several hundred prisoners died on the island due to harsh conditions, forced labor, and poor treatment. Similarly, on Sveti Grgur, several hundred women were imprisoned and subjected to similar harsh conditions.

Today, Goli otok and Sveti Grgur serve as reminders of a dark period in Yugoslav history. The ruins of the prison buildings are still visible, and visitors can explore the islands and learn about their history.

Burger Landmarks / MojaSlovenija.si

Digitalizacija dediščine: (c) Boštjan Burger, (1993) 1996-2025