How many Croatian defenders were killed in the defense of Dalj on August 1, 1991?

39 Croatian defenders were killed, 20 police officers, 15 members of the National Guard Corps, and four Civil Protection members.

Which state officials will attend the commemoration?

Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers Davor Božinović (Interior) and Ivan Anušić (Defense) will participate in the commemoration.

Where and when does the anniversary program begin?

The program begins on Saturday at 8 a.m. with the lighting of candles and laying a wreath in the Danube at the monument in Aljmaš, and the central commemoration is at 9:50 a.m. in front of the Dalj Border Police Station.

What happened to the civilian population of Dalj, Aljmaš, and Erdut?

The non-Serb population was transported by barge on the Danube to Osijek on August 1, 1991, and spent seven years in exile.

Croatia

Remembering Heroes: Dalj Honors 39 Fallen Defenders

H.D. · 01. 08. 2026. | 2 min

The commemorative program on Saturday begins at 8 a.m. with candles and a wreath cast into the Danube, with Deputy Prime Ministers Davor Božinović and Ivan Anušić among the attendees.

Summary

Dalj marks 35 years since the deaths of 39 Croatian defenders in the defense of the police station.
The attack was carried out on August 1, 1991, by units of the 51st Motorized Brigade of the JNA, which were technically superior.
Deputy Prime Ministers Davor Božinović and Ivan Anušić will attend the commemoration.
The program includes lighting candles in Aljmaš, a march of flags, a commemoration, and a requiem mass.

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On Saturday, Dalj will pay tribute to 39 Croatian defenders who, 35 years ago at the start of the Serbian aggression, gave their lives defending the Dalj Police Station. Their bravery was crucial in protecting civilians in Aljmaš, Dalj, and Erdut, settlements in the far east of Croatia, as reported by Net.hr.

How the Attack Began on August 1, 1991

The aggression on the wider Dalj and Erdut area, including the incursion into Dalj itself, began on August 1, 1991, when forces of the JNA's 51st Motorized Brigade, supported by the Territorial Defense, launched an attack. According to available data, the enemy had numerical and technical superiority, with tanks and other combat assets directed at the police station.

Members of the police, the National Guard Corps (ZNG), and Civil Protection, along with local residents, put up fierce resistance. The fight was unequal and was only halted when a projectile fired from a position near the Orthodox church hit and collapsed the station building. Defenders who survived the explosion were mercilessly executed.

Victims and Lasting Memory

In this tragic event, 39 Croatian defenders lost their lives: 20 police officers, 15 ZNG members, and four Civil Protection members. On the same day, August 1, 1991, the non-Serb population of Aljmaš, Dalj, and Erdut was transported by barge to Osijek, where they spent seven years as displaced persons.

Commemoration Program on Saturday

Families, friends, fellow soldiers, and representatives of local and state authorities will pay their respects to the fallen. As announced by the Osijek-Baranja Police Department, Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers of Interior and Defense, Davor Božinović and Ivan Anušić, will be present at the commemoration.

The program officially begins at 8 a.m. with the lighting of candles and the casting of a wreath into the Danube at the monument to victims of the Homeland War in Aljmaš, in memory of the displaced population. At 9 a.m., a march of war flags will set off from the Dalj Cultural Center to the Dalj Border Police Station. The central commemoration in front of the station begins at 9:50 a.m. with the laying of wreaths and lighting of candles at the memorial. A requiem mass for all fallen defenders will be held at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Church in Dalj.