83RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREATEST TRAGEDY INVOLVING CHILDREN OF KOZARA AND POTKOZARJE COMMEMORATED

GRADIŠKA, JUNE 14 /SRNA/ - Wreaths and flowers were laid today at the Wounded Bird monument on Joka’s Hill in Gornji Podgradci to mark 83 years since the greatest tragedy involving children from Kozara and Potkozarje in the history of Gradiška.

Wreaths were laid by representatives of the City of Gradiška, the Union of WWII War Veterans Association /SUBNOR/, and the Homeland Museum of Gradiška.

Bojan Vujčić, director of the Homeland Museum, said that the exact number of children from Kozara and Potkozarje who perished during World War II will never be known, but that research to date has identified 5,415 boys and girls under the age of 14 from the Gradiška area alone.

Among the few surviving camp inmates who can still testify to the atrocities the people of Kozara suffered in Jasenovac and other Ustasha camps is 91-year-old Mile Vukmirović from Banja Luka.

Vukmirović says he gladly visits the Wounded Bird monument and tells the story of the suffering of people from his hometown of Kostajnica, including how, as a child, he found the courage to ask a Ustasha soldier for water to save himself and his two sisters who were dying of thirst.

Slavko Mekinjić, the Head of the Department for Economy and Social Affairs in the Gradiška City Administration, reminded that Gradiška is the only one of six Potkozarje municipalities with a monument dedicated to the children who perished in this region.

He emphasized the importance of holding history lessons at this monument and of teaching new generations about the suffering of the children and people of Kozara and Potkozarje during World War II.

The Wounded Bird monument was created in 1983 by Slovenian sculptor Tone Svetina.

The Wounded Bird is part of the Yugoslav project “Arena is Searching for Your Loved Ones,” which also included the film Three Poplars, several monodramas such as Joka, Daughter of Kozara, and the novel Wolf Cubs.