Sunday, May 25

We left Zagreb today to go to the city of Osijek. On our way, we stopped at the Jasenovac Memorial and Museum. During World War II, a system of five concentration camps was set up in the Jasenovac area, of which the labor camp at Jasenovac became the largest. The estimates of people killed at this site range from 20,000 to 800,000, but the closeset estimate is believed to be around 300,000. The camp held prisoners who were skilled in various crafts and able to make bricks, bricks that were used to build the walls around the camp.

Having the concentration camp in Jasenovac significantly impacted the individuals of course, but also the community during and after the war, in terms of increased mortality, morbidity and injury. The presence of the camp influenced the community psychologically, which can still be sensed today. The memorial on the grounds is the Stone Flower. The theme presented by the memorial designer focused on life rather than death, happier times rather than bad. This seems to be an idealist's way of thinking, but to approach the past in such a manner is an attempt to offer support, encouragement and life to a community that witnessed a devastating attempt to destroy people and their culture.

The memorial was a great example of how historic preservation and public health can sometimes be at odds with each other. On the grounds a rusty railway train is still on the tracks, one that was used to transport prisoners to the camp. There is nothing more than a ditch separating the tour group from the train, which could be dangerous if someone were to have bad judgement and try to climb into it. Also the memorial uses slats of wood to create a walkway leading to the Stone Flower. These slats continued to be donated by the railway company, as they are always rotting. I am not sure how often the slats are replaced, but there were many points along the walkway where the wood was completely rotten. The opportunity for someone to trip or step on a nail is pretty great; and there is no access for handicap visitors. But the symbolism of using the railroad wood to lead up to the center of where the camp used to be is powerful, so my only recommendation would be for the directors of the memorial to maintain smoother walkways and install railings in front of the train, as their number of visitors will hopefully pick up in the future.

-Lauren