location: According to the 1991 Croatian census, Vukovar was ethnically mixed and almost evenly split between the two main groups: Serbs (31,445, or 37.35 %) and Croats (36,910, or 43.8 %). In the town centre there were 47 % Croats and 32 % Serbs. It is also worth noting that 35 % of marriages were mixed. By the 2011 census, Vukovar had 27,683 inhabitants, of whom 57.37 % were Croats and 34.87 % were Serbs. Since the administrative boundaries of the town no longer correspond to those of 1991, a direct comparison is impossible, but it is clear that the relative number of Serbs living in the town has not significantly declined, largely thanks to the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube region.
time of crime: From June 1991 to summer 1992
description of crime: Vukovar rightly holds a special place in the dominant public discourse on the Croatian war. However, what is continually unjustly suppressed are the facts about murders, kidnappings, robberies, and expulsions of Serbs in that town, which began in June 1991, before actual war events had reached the town. These crimes are mostly associated with Tomislav Merčep, who served as Secretary of the Municipal Secretariat for National Defence in Vukovar from 10 June to 13 August 1991, and the units he commanded. Even before the conflict flared up, during spring 1991, fear and mutual distrust gripped Vukovar as a result of events elsewhere in Croatia. The situation worsened after the clash and murder of twelve Croatian policemen in Borovo Selo on 2 May 1991. Many residents began leaving the town out of fear for their safety. One witness described the atmosphere at that time:
By about three in the afternoon, once people returned from work, the town became eerily deserted. When it got dark, people would go down to their cellars. There wasn’t a night without some explosion or gunfire echoing across the town. If you heard the screeching of car brakes near your house at night, you knew an explosion would follow in moments. They shot at houses, and constant telephone threats caused many to leave Vukovar. These departures became mass exoduses once news of night arrests and disappearances spread.
One of the first war victims in Vukovar was Jovan Jakovljević: on 29 June at around 11 p.m., a group of armed men claiming to be policemen arrived at his home. When he refused their summons and asked them to return the following day, they threatened to blow up his house. He then came outside and was shot dead at the entrance.
On 25 July 1991, uniformed members of the Croatian National Guard (ZNG) came for Savo Damjanović at his workplace and took him away; never to be seen again. On 31 July, Mladen Mrkić, after presenting his annual report at a meeting of the Workers’ Council of Vupik on the completed harvest, instead of going home, was forced into a vehicle by six uniformed men, according to witnesses. Two unmarked cars drove him to the Territorial Defence headquarters and no one saw Mrkić ever again after that day. Željko Paić suffered the same fate on 10 August 1991 when ZNG members stopped him on his way into town. These are not isolated incidents but exemplify the crimes perpetrated in Vukovar in 1991. Information about these events was reported by the government commissioner for Vukovar, Marin Vidić Bili, who in August 1991 addressed a warning letter to President Franjo Tuđman, Prime Minister Franjo Gregurić, and opposition leaders. In it he stated that Tomislav Merčep, “surrounded by people of dubious moral and professional standing, former criminals, had absolutely taken control of everything in the Municipality of Vukovar, not refraining from violent and repressive measures against the citizens of the Municipality of Vukovar (illegal breaks into private flats, verbally and in writing sending people seeking accommodation into abandoned flats, looting apartments, confiscating private vehicles, violent arrests for interrogation, and even executions)”.
In a 1997 interview with Feral Tribune, Vidić reported that he had visited the blown‑up house of a Serb SDP councillor, and the apartment of a municipal worker which armed men broke into and looted. He also said that in spring and summer 1991 “people disappeared and never reappeared”. As Vidić’s letter shows, Merčep’s actions completely blocked the work of the police, the ZNG, and administrative bodies, creating general chaos. After intervention by Josip Manolić, Merčep was airlifted to Zagreb and appointed as assistant in the Ministry of the Interior (MUP). In an interview immediately after the fall of Vukovar, asked whether he had done everything he could during his time there (prior to the still unexplained arrests and transport to Zagreb in early August 1991, after which he became an adviser to Minister Ivan Vekić), Merčep replied: “I did all I could, but not all I intended. Petrova Gora still needed clearing of those who had taken up arms, putting them under control, and securing the area between Bogdanovci and Sajmište. That was on my mind, but I did not manage to do it. The rest was cleared.” He acknowledged that during his operations “people lost their heads” and asked about the numerous corpses floating down the Danube, he said: “I am not saying that not a single corpse floated in Vukovar. In such a large area, in such a situation, anyone could have done what they wanted. However, we controlled everything in Vukovar, so that did not happen to any significant extent.”
victims: A complete, named list of all Serb victims killed or subjected to some form of abuse in the Vukovar area during the war has not been definitively established, and spirited debates regarding this issue continue. Estimates range from several dozen to over 120 killed. Below is a list of some Serb victims in Vukovar for whom there is high certainty that they were murdered or similarly harmed. Documented killings extend into 1992, reflecting the treatment of the civilian population by the new authorities.
- Akik, Anđa (-), born 1 January 1905,
date of death: 11 October 1991 - Andrić, Stana (Jovo/Dušan), born 15 June 1928,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Bingulac, Tihomir (Maksim), born 19 September 1951,
date of death: 19 September 1991 - Bingulac, Savo (-), born 1 January 1939,
date of death: 17 January 1992 - Bogdanović, Boško (Ljubomir), born 2 June 1950,
date of death: 2 August 1991 - Bogić, Stevan (Jovan), born 19 June 1947,
date of death: 13 September 1991 - Bućan, Petar (Milan), born 11 September 1959,
date of death: 29 October 1991 - Bulajić, Ilinka (Jovan), born 13 July 1925,
date of death: 18 November 1991 - Bulajić, Milosav (Vidak), born 22 January 1914,
date of death: 18 November 1991 - Bunjac, Slavomir (Dušan), born 10 July 1971,
date of death: 16 October 1991 - Ciganović, Dušan (Milan), born 31 May 1946,
date of death: 17 October 1991 - Čečavac, Goran (Miroslav), born 25 January 1990,
date of death: 15 November 1991 - Čečavac, Miroslav (Čedo), born 14 March 1966,
date of death: 15 November 1991 - Čečavac, Slađana (Josip), born 29 October 1972,
date of death: 15 November 1991 - Ćirić, Predrag (Đorđe), born 6 February 1951,
date of death: 1 November 1991 - Čizmar, Mihajlo (Vladimir), born 8 August 1953,
date of death: 21 August 1991 (Ruthenian) - Čupić, Stanoja (Boško), born 10 October 1953,
date of death: 20 November 1991 - Dadić, Zdravko (Stevan), born 15 November 1949,
date of death: 16 July 1991 - Damnjanović, Savo (Stojko), born 27 January 1959,
date of death: 25 July 1991 - Dedić, Dušan (Ostoja), born 2 February 1930,
date of death: 29 October 1991 - Drača, Obrad (Luka), born 27 February 1953,
date of death: 29 July 1991 - Dragišić, Slavko (Žarko), born 15 May 1933,
date of death: 1 August 1991 - Đekić, Vojislav (Stevan), born 29 September 1947,
date of death: 28 October 1991 - Đukić, Milorad (Petar), born 3 April 1936,
date of death: 13 October 1991 - Đuranec, Goran (Tomislav), born 2 August 1969,
date of death: 30 October 1991 - Đuričić, Milenko (Ilija), born 18 June 1953,
date of death: 13 July 1991 - Filipović, Stanoja (Jovan), born 15 May 1929,
date of death: 20 September 1991 - Filipović, Zoran (Milan), born 26 November 1969,
date of death: 25 July 1991 - Grabić/Grebić, Dragan (Ratko), born 1 January 1967,
date of death: 1 August 1991 - Grbić, Boško (Milan), born 6 January 1941,
date of death: 13 November 1991 - Grubišić, Petar (Nikola), born 10 February 1934,
date of death: 13 November 1991 - Grujić, Darinka (Ivan), born 25 February 1941,
date of death: 1 November 1991 (Yugoslav) - Inić, Marko (Ratko), born 1975,
date of death: 16 November 1991, identity unconfirmed - Inić, Ratko, born 19 October 1952,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Inić-Janković, Milena (Radoslav), born 2 August 1949,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Inić, Stevan (Stevan), born 27 September 1927,
date of death: 1 May 1991, killed in confrontation - Jakovljević, Jovan (Marko), born 6 March 1940,
date of death: 29 June 1991 - Jakovljević, Tomislav (Radivoj), born 17 June 1928,
date of death: 11 November 1991 - Jakovljević, Vida (Jovan), born 21 November 1924,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Kitić, Goran (Mitar), born 23 November 1966,
date of death: 9 February 1992 - Kitić, Milica (-), born 28 May 1942,
date of death: 1 September 1991 - Knežević, Borislav (Božo), born 11 June 1978,
date of death: 28 September 1991 - Kovačević, Tihomir (Mirko), born 1 July 1950,
date of death: 5 November 1991 - Lalić, Stojan (Ilija), born 6 October 1923,
date of death: 10 October 1991 - Lalić, Vukosava (Novak), born 4 September 1918,
date of death: 16 October 1991 - Latinović, Čedo (Nikola), born 23 June 1934,
date of death: 11 October 1991. - Lukić, Ana (Antun), born 19 April 1944,
date of death: 16 November 1991 (Croatian) - Lukić, Boško (Dragoljub), born 8 January 1952,
date of death: 14 September 1991 - Lukić, Konstantin (Svetislav), born 13 September 1940,
date of death: 18 November 1991 - Malecki, Stefan/Stjepan (Ludvig), born 5 March 1933,
date of death: 13 November 1991, circumstances of death unconfirmed - Manjoš, Ivanka (Mile), born 7 July 1951,
date of death: 14 March 1992 - Marčeta, Golub (Vid), born 4 April 1908,
date of death: 11 October 1991, circumstances of death unconfirmed - Marčeta, Milica (Đuran), born 15 February 1927,
date of death: 11 October 1991, circumstances of death unconfirmed - Marjanović, Dušan (Jovan), born 9 March 1936,
date of death: 29 September 1991 - Markov, Jovan (Veljko), born 25 July 1933,
date of death: 17 November 1991 - Marković, Ljubomir (Mileta), born 10 March 1935,
date of death: 8 November 1991 - Mijatović, Dragan (Stojan), born 1 January 1964,
date of death: 4 July 1991 - Milinković, Milica (Lazar), born 27 August 1920,
date of death: 30 October 1991 - Milošević, Branimir (Ilinka), born 1 January 1981,
date of death: 15 November 1991 - Milošević, Ilinka (Pero), born 18 May 1959,
date of death: 15 November 1991 - Milunović, Miloje (Miodrag), born 1 January 1954,
date of death: 5 July 1991, identity and circumstances of death unconfirmed - Miodrag, Slavko (Dušan), born 28 December 1932,
date of death: 30 July 1991 - Mirjanić, Branko (Vladimir), born 17 November 1935,
date of death: 30 July 1991 - Miščević, Nikola (Mile), born 2 February 1937,
date of death: 8 December 1991 - Mišić, Nedeljko (Jovan), born 7 June 1953,
date of death: 10 September 1991 - Mrkić, Mladen (Đorđe), born 7 November 1938,
date of death: 31 July 1991 - Nađ, Miodrag (Janko), born 28 July 1966,
date of death: 4 May 1991 - Nedić, Premil (Mitar), born 20 October 1952,
date of death: 17/18 September 1991 - Nedučić, Uroš (Arso), born 12 May 1943,
date of death: 17 November 1991 - Nikolić, Ljubomir (Milentije), born 6 September 1944,
date of death: 16 July 1991 - Nikolić, Miloš (Radivoj), born 3 February 1958,
date of death: 6 September 1991 - Novaković, Ana (Stojan), born 1 January 1950,
date of death: 15 November 1991 - Nunić, Rajko (Branko), born 7 March 1936,
date of death: 13 November 1991 - Oreščanin, Milka (Pavle), born 8 February 1911,
date of death: 10 October 1991 - Oreščanin, Mirko (Nikola/Petar), born 13 February 1913,
date of death: 10 October 1991 - Paić, Željko (Milić), born 3 October 1960,
date of death: 10 August 1991 - Pavić, Radoslav (Mile), born 30 June 1966,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Pavić, Sava/Savka (Simo), born 1 January 1929,
date of death: 15 November 1991 - Pavlović, Milojka (-), born 16 September 1925,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Pavlović, Nada (Milojka), born 15 May 1955,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Pavlović, Zoran (Nikola), born 1 January 1974,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Pavlović, Zorica (Nikola), born 15 August 1976,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Pelić, Velimir (Milan), born 11 March 1961,
date of death: 23 October 1991 - Petrović, Dušan (Ljubomir), born 8 May 1958,
date of death: 24 September 1991 - Ponjević, Simo (Milan), born 9 October 1957,
date of death: 26 June 1991 - Radić, Milan (Ilija), born 30 March 1930,
date of death: 1 October 1991 - Rakić, Predrag (Vaso), born 22 November 1967,
date of death: 1 October 1991 - Roknić, Stevo (Božo), born 20 February 1961,
date of death: 2 October 1991 - Skeledžija, Vlado (Nikola), born 29 August 1930,
date of death: 30 July 1991 - Smiljanić, Momčilo (Boško), born 1 January 1932,
date of death: 17 September 1991 - Stojanović, Stojan (Jovan), born 11 June 1941,
date of death: 4 July 1991 - Stojšić, Radovan (Dušan), born 24 November 1921,
date of death: 15 July 1992 - Stupar, Bogdan (Ranko), born 27 December 1950,
date of death: 29 July 1991 - Sučević, Branko (Dmitar), born 6 August 1929,
date of death: 7 October 1991 - Škorić, Božo (Miloš/Mićo), born 8 January 1952,
date of death: 16 July 1991, circumstances of death unconfirmed - Tošković, Teodor (Miloš), born 7 January 1950,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Trajković, Velimir (Stojan), born 1 April 1930,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Travaš, Milan (Ljubica), born 29 October 1944,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Turukalo, Nedeljko (Obrad), born 1 October 1958,
date of death: 30 October 1991 - Vezmar, Milan (-), born 8 May 1930,
date of death: 5 November 1991 / 11 November 1991, circumstances of death unconfirmed - Višić, Branko (Simo), born 1 January 1937,
date of death: 10 November 1991 - Vladisavljević, Svetislav (Nikola), born 25 May 1957,
date of death: 2 November 1991 - Vojnović, Ilija (Nenad/Đukan), born 9 October 1927,
date of death: 1 October 1991 - Vorkapić, Ilija (Savo), born 1 January 1898,
date of death: 16 October 1991 - Vorkapić, Jelica (Ilija), born 1 January 1906,
date of death: 16 October 1991 - Vračarić, Milica (Čedo), born 21 September 1924,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Vučetić, Jovan (Milan), born 28 January 1953,
date of death: 29 October 1991 - Vučinić, Ljuban (Ignjatija), born 25 August 1943,
date of death: 27 July 1991 - Vučković, Slobodan (Rade), born 3 May 1955,
date of death: 4 July 1991 - Vučković, Zlatko (Josip), born 23 March 1956,
date of death: 26 August 1991, circumstances of death unconfirmed - Vuković, Ilija (Milan), born 5 March 1942,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Vuković, Evgenija/Eugenija (Janko), born 14 April 1950,
date of death: 16 November 1991 - Zorić, Milorad (Simo), born 11 November 1934,
date of death: 12 November 1991 - Žegarac, Milan (Mane), born 30 October 1947,
date of death: 7 October 1991 (residence: Novi Sad)