Order: The White Armbands
Contrary to the later apologias written by top Ustase fugitives such as Stjepan Hefer, punitive measures taken against the Serbs began almost immediately after the founding of the Independent State of Croatia, and not as a result of an organized rebellion. This order is dated May 12th - weeks after the NDH was formed, one day after the "Chetniks" were formed in far-away Ravna Gora, Serbia, and almost two full months before the Communist-led Partizans mobilized for battle on July 4. It instructs the municipal authorities in Velika to ensure that any Serbs traveling outside of the nearby villages are adorned with white armbands with the letter "P" for "Pravoslav" (Orthodox). Similar armbands for the Jews were introduced as well according to the testimony of Alexander Arnon at the Eichmann Trial.

 

USTASHE STATION POZEGA
Number 540/1941

In Pozega, day 12th of May 1941.

TO THE MUNICIPALITY LEADERSHIP

V e l i k a

Immediately notify all the Orthodox of your municipality through village leaders, that they must not leave their village without white armband on their left arm on which must be written PRAVOSLAVAC (ORTHODOX).

Those who violate this order will be arrested and most severely punished.

MUNICIPALITY LEADERSHIP
Velika
Number 1692-1941

Velika, day 13th of May 1941.

Ustashe commissary: u z:
Jozo Srdak v.r.

MILOS BUDIMIR
R A D O V A N C I
To be immediately implemented within 24 hours

Commissary
[signature illegible]
(M.P.)

MUNICIPALITY LEADERSHIP - VELIKA

 

:: filing information ::
Title: Order: The White Armbands
Source: Army Archive, Archive of the NDH, k.313, reg.br.55/1-2. Quoted in Zlocini: Na Jugoslovenskim Prostorima u Prvom i Drugom Svetskom Ratu, Zbornik Documenata, p 44. Translated by Sinisa Djuric.
Date: May 13, 1941 Added: January 2002