Slavonski Brod in a homeland war (1991 - 1995)

After Knin, bloody Croatian Easter on Plitvica Lakes, the massacre of Croatian police officers in Borovo Selo, Pakrac, like in other areas affected by the rebellion of Serbs, on 28th June 1991 arrived the command for the founding of 108th brigade. The mobilisation was done in the short time at four places: Podcrkavlje - 950 soldiers, Sibinj - 740, Nova Gradiška - 300 and in Požega - 250 Croatian soldiers. They were mostly dressed in jeans, their armaments were the fowling pieces, pistols and a several kalashnikovs. The first real weapon, the 108th brigade took by force from the enemy. Four batallions of the 108th brigade were the core from which several other Croatian units were established. The batallion in Nova Gradiška grew into 121st Nova Gradiška brigade, and the one in Požega in Požega Brigade.

At the end of 1991. In Slavonski Brod was founded 139th brigade and at the beginning of January 1992. 157th brigade of Croatian army, and The second artillery division of air defence, 301st brigade, and after the defeat of Brod barracks (16/17th September 1991.) was founded 37th engineering batallion. After foundation of the professional brigade, the great number of Brod inhabitants joined to the 5th guard brigade of Croatian army. The core of the other new brigades gave officers and the members of the 108th brigade who gained their first combat experiences at Nova Gradiška and Okučani battle-fields. The heaviness of the war experience of the Brod 108th brigade were best illustrated by figures of 7500 fighters, from which 149 died and 763 wounded.

During the homeland war in the Brod community 11% of the entire population was involved in the defence (12000 armed people), 70% of the transportation, what spoke of the determination of Brod inhabitants to defend their town and Croatia. 652 soldiers from the district of a Brodsko-posavska County died in the defence of Croatia. There were also big number of civil victims because in air assaults, enemies` mortar and cannon attacks from Bosnia. In the city and surrounding area died 182 people and 28 of them were children.

The town of Slavonski Brod experienced its hardest months during almost whole 1992 with unexpectedly perfidious attacks from Bosnia with all kinds of weapons and several hundreds of assaults of the Serbian aeroplanes coming from Serbia and Bosnia. On 25th March 1992. in Slavonski Brod the general alert for the first time was announced and lasted till the 7th October 1992. 130 heavy bombs, 13 heavy land-land type missile "luna" and tens of thousands heavy guns bullets of all calibres has been dropped to the civilian parts of the city. Target of the attacks were predominantly civil, as schools, churches, hospitals, city market-place, public squares and places where people gathered and hardly ever some of the military important objects located off the city centre.

The town hospital, orderly manner marked by Geneva Convention, far away from any military target, not being on direct fire-line, far from the beattle area, was regular target aimed at and hit several times. Only in the first ten days of May 1992. Serbian aeroplanes sortied 65 attacks on town with all together 100 aeroplanes (MIG-21, MIG-29; ) which threw out 70 bombs of 250 kg, 60 rockets of "Munja" type, 24 "Mavericks". In these attacks 30 people were killed and 226 were wounded. That were outrages attacks on town which almost had nothing to defend itself from the air attacks. The Croatian air defence, armed only with the infantry machine-guns, several 30 mm cannons and the shoulder rocket launcher, it succeed to knock down three enemies aeroplanes MIG-29, one helicopter "Gazela" and caused damages on two enemies aeroplanes.

The consequences of the beast attacks on town were heavy. Besides lost human lives, several thousand wounded, a great material damages were done to Slavonski Brod. Except residential buildings, 56 of the culture monuments were damaged, and fortress Brod the most. The great destruction survived the theatre-concert hall "Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić in which was situated the town library, that was homeless in its town for the next six years. The damages o the concert hall were estimated to approximately 750.000€. The Franciscian church, the town-hall in the centre, and the cultural monuments in villages around were not spared from destruction. The favourite enemies` targets were churches in Svilaj, Dubočac, Sikirevci, Slavonski Kobaš, Kaniža, Bebrina..

Seven of eight kindergartens were hit, some of them several times. 21 out of 65 the secondary schools were direct hit too, among the High schools, The "Matija Mesić" School and The Technical school were mostly damaged, and the building of the college of engineering too. Because of the war actions the school was interupted for several times, and the educational workers organised educational curriculum with Croatian radio Brod which broadcasted from 27th November 1991 to 27th January 1992. Since the 27th April of 1992 there were no safety conditions for teaching, school buildings were turned into the reception centres for exiles and refugees which every day were more and more. The teachers joined in humanitarian organisations or became the members of civilian protection or Croatian army, during 1992. almost 20.000 pupils were sent in safer places of Croatia.

Because of war activities in the other parts of Croatia and in neighbouring Bosnia, through Slavonski Brod passed several hundreds of thousands exiles and refugees, and 15000-17000 of people who were driven away from their houses by the great Serbian aggression permanently stayed here. One of the reception centre for refugees from Bosnia were the sport-hall "Klasije" which was from that moment often aimed at. It was burned down on 22nd September 1992. after several hit by the phosphorus cannon shells discharged from Bosnia. It was the first sport-hall in former Yugoslavia, a place for practice of Yugoslav selection team before European and world championships.

Slavonski Brod economy, especially the big corporations, were also the enemies` target. Their artillery from Bosnia aimed at "Đuro Đaković" factory, and the damages are estimated at 11,5 million €. They also aimed at Slavonija DI; Oriolik,Oriovac; Voće export-import; Veterinary station; Jasinje; UNI Brod; The civil engineering company; The brickyard "Brod"… The damages economic system survived were about 24,5 million €. The total damages on social, state and private buildings were estimated at about 79 millions €. During the Homeland war, the great devastation survived residential buildings. 3026 residential buildings were damaged and destroyed with the whole damage of 6 millions €.

According to the report of the district commission for the war damages in which was reported about 70-80 % of all damages, the total war damage in the Brodsko-posavska County were estimated at 805 millions €.

Translated by: Mirta Bušić