Members of the Croatian Association of Former Concentration Camp Inmates of Serbian Camps in Osijek-Baranja County continue to maintain memorial sites through their own labor and horticultural skills acquired through an EU program. With support from the county and the Erdut Municipality, new flagpoles have been installed, with planting and a pathway construction planned.
Three new flagpoles bearing Croatian flags were installed this week at the memorial site in Dalj, funded by the Osijek-Baranja County and installed by the Erdut Municipality's workers. The Croatian Association of Former Concentration Camp Inmates of Serbian Camps in Osijek-Baranja County (HDLSKL OBŽ) remains steadfast in its mission to transform sites of suffering from the Homeland War into dignified spaces of lasting remembrance. This summer, the efforts have gained new momentum, with a key contribution coming from the knowledge association members acquired through a special European program.
Since 2012, HDLSKL OBŽ has been part of the European Grundtvig, Learning Partnership program, designed for adult education within the Lifelong Learning Programme. There, association members gained foundational knowledge and skills in horticulture. More than a decade later, they are directly applying that knowledge to maintain and enhance memorial sites.
The project was carried out in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture and horticulture students, led by Professor Alka Turajlija. Association president Damir Buljević emphasizes that it is this combination-acquired knowledge, members' own labor, and European Union funding-that has enabled the memorial site in Nemetin to achieve its current appearance.
In Dalj, former camp inmates erected and unveiled a memorial in 2009 to honor Croatian defenders and civilians who were imprisoned in Serbian concentration camps from 1991 to 1993. Now, the site has gained additional symbolism and visual impact with three flagpoles bearing Croatian flags, funded by the Osijek-Baranja County.
At the association's request, the Erdut Municipality carried out the necessary construction work for their installation. This collaboration between local government and the camp survivors' association demonstrates how joint efforts can effectively care for sites that bear witness to Croatia's difficult yet victorious history.
Damir Buljević announces that the second phase of the memorial site's renovation in Dalj will continue at the end of summer. Plans include horticultural landscaping of the entire area, planting new ornamental plants, and constructing a new concrete pedestrian pathway. The goal is clear: to create a dignified and harmonious space that will permanently preserve the memory of all those who endured the horrors of Serbian concentration camps.
This project is not merely an infrastructural undertaking. It stands as proof of the dedication of those who survived the camps, building with their own hands and acquired knowledge a lasting monument to truth and remembrance.
