Yesterday a visiting friend and I took a private tour of the nearly forgotten JUDENLAGER ZEMUN, the former 1937 Belgrade Fairgrounds. The name Zemun and not Belgrade appears on its original name because at that time, the nearby municipality of Zemun was once part of the Hapsburg Empire and subsequently Croatia, and included Zemun. Over 40,000 persons (Jews, Serbs, Roma) were tortured and executed over the area of these fairgrounds and others were shipped to three other locations within Belgrade alone. Many who were allegedly told they were being transported there died on the way in an especially-designed GAS VAN that sufficated the passengers en route.
We were led around the now museum, located in the above photos, by a young man, a documentarian, from the Memorial Center.
A most informative but disturbing visit that will haunt me.
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