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44 Months in Jasenovac
An eyewitness account of a prisoner in Jasenovac, a concentration camp in the former Yugoslavia during WW II. This book is an authorized translation of the original book that was written in Croatian in 1966. What follows was written by the original publisher. There is no stronger or more reliable material than the one that is born from one’s own experience. Eyewitnesses and direct participants provide us with not only the facts, but also that sublimely human spirit common to all happenings in which people participate. It doesn’t matter that this account is about the fear that the people of Jasenovac experienced, or about the deeds of their torturers. For every one hundred thousand people in the Jasenovac camp during its horrifying four-year existence, there was only one—literally one—who survived. Those were the odds in the balance of life and one hundred thousand dead and one alive. And there is a witness, right in front of us, who found the strength to reminisce, to go back to the place of his torture, to break the psychological barriers, and to lead us step by step through his nightmare, through waves of terror that exceed every notion of horror. From the beginning of his time at Jasenovac to the end, Egon Berger was witness—and victim—to a rampage without limit. Of those who survived, he is the only one who told the story. Berger does not bring us a literary masterpiece—he brings us only the experience, a story about forty-four months of his life in a camp, told simply. A story is enough—a story that calls images to mind and makes us tremble with the thought, “Are such things possible?” For myself and every person who had been to Jasenovac and lived, it is a miracle that we survived. Yes, it is possible, it is real, and it is true. A terror arose in front of us from the oblivion. It should not be forgotten. Share this record with future generations who will hopefully not know such terror. Ivo Frol, 1966
86 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 16, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 17, 2018
One word - horrifying..
March 10, 2023
A terrible story in history that is so often overlooked.
September 5, 2018
Of every Holocaust memoir I've read (and I've read too many), this was by far the most gruesome in its brief, specific details. I'd never heard of Jasenovac, located in Croatia, and was only clued in to it because of a reference in W. G. Sebald's "Rings of Saturn." Apparently of every 100,000 prisoners in Jasenovac, 1 lived. There were approximately 1 million victims in this one camp I've never heard of. Even the Nazis thought this camp was too barbaric. Victims' heads were sawed off. People were tossed ALIVE into the massive crematory. Bodies floated in flooded barracks. Victims varied greatly, with Serbians, Jews, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Muslims, local peasants, and Roma people tossed haphazardly into the brutal fray. Within pages Berger is eating a dead dog, contemplating eating corpses, sorting through and eating feces...the mind balks at human atrocity.
March 12, 2018
A sobering eye witness account of a Jasenovac survivor. Egor goes into much details of the fatal and desperate conditions of the camp and how he survived.
The most saddening and chilling accounts were how close to murder Egor or the other prisoners always were and the callous and sadistic games used by Ustashe guards to kill other human beings.
For instance Egor witnesses some rare accounts working as a grave digger a group of prisoners shackled and lined up to be taken to a field. The Ustashe guard calls for whoever is related to raise their hands. First two brothers raise their hands untold of their fate are released and united together.
The Ustashe guard Mujica then tells these two brothers that they must kill each other. The screams heard Egor could not bear to see and had to look away for some of these moments. He goes into harrowing detail then of a Father and a son who are untied and then given an axe to the son who is told he must kill his Father by the Ustashe guards.
These horrors must never be forgotten about and remembered with the respect the lives of the prisoners and lives who perished. May they rest in peace.
The most saddening and chilling accounts were how close to murder Egor or the other prisoners always were and the callous and sadistic games used by Ustashe guards to kill other human beings.
For instance Egor witnesses some rare accounts working as a grave digger a group of prisoners shackled and lined up to be taken to a field. The Ustashe guard calls for whoever is related to raise their hands. First two brothers raise their hands untold of their fate are released and united together.
The Ustashe guard Mujica then tells these two brothers that they must kill each other. The screams heard Egor could not bear to see and had to look away for some of these moments. He goes into harrowing detail then of a Father and a son who are untied and then given an axe to the son who is told he must kill his Father by the Ustashe guards.
These horrors must never be forgotten about and remembered with the respect the lives of the prisoners and lives who perished. May they rest in peace.
February 10, 2023
This Jasenovac memoir was absolutely horrifying and is the only book that has ever left me physically ill and unable to sleep. Berger details the mass torture and slaughter of men, women, AND CHILDREN that he witnessed in his nearly 4 years of hell in Jasenovac and states a reality that would be unimaginable to anyone... until they have read about and seen the surviving photographs of the Ustaša's barbarism - "German massacres will enter the annals of history, but the Ustaše surpassed them".
As a half Serb, half Croat, it is seriously shameful and angering that, because of politics, the Ustaše genocide of hundreds of thousands of Serbs and Yugo Jews goes completely neglected as a part of WWII history... This event should be taught in all discussions of WWII history and the fact that it is so concealed is disgusting.
As a half Serb, half Croat, it is seriously shameful and angering that, because of politics, the Ustaše genocide of hundreds of thousands of Serbs and Yugo Jews goes completely neglected as a part of WWII history... This event should be taught in all discussions of WWII history and the fact that it is so concealed is disgusting.
December 6, 2019
Deep
Never forget what evil can do. Freedom does not come free.You must always stand up against ignorance and hate. Never forget
Never forget what evil can do. Freedom does not come free.You must always stand up against ignorance and hate. Never forget
June 21, 2019
This was a tough read.
Having spent nearly two years reading what must be nearing 30 books on the Holocaust, I have read about every kind of atrocity possible. Or so I thought. There were times reading the accounts in this book that I had to pause reading as I found it too overwhelming.
The fact that only 1 in every 100,000 people who entered Jasenovac survived, it is a miracle that any account exists, let alone one that is so thorough.
Translated from the original language; and written by a non-writer, it isn't the best read in a literal sense, but every page is worth your time.
The forgotten holocaust.
Having spent nearly two years reading what must be nearing 30 books on the Holocaust, I have read about every kind of atrocity possible. Or so I thought. There were times reading the accounts in this book that I had to pause reading as I found it too overwhelming.
The fact that only 1 in every 100,000 people who entered Jasenovac survived, it is a miracle that any account exists, let alone one that is so thorough.
Translated from the original language; and written by a non-writer, it isn't the best read in a literal sense, but every page is worth your time.
The forgotten holocaust.
November 21, 2020
Horrifying, eye opening, and succinct. This memoir of one of the least known death camps is perhaps the most haunting and inhumane.
June 20, 2021
This is an extraordinary book. The most extreme gruesome, terrifying, horrible, shocking book I've ever read and it's barely 57 pages with large font to boot. It is beyond your worst imagination. It makes game of thrones seem like a lullaby and worst of all it's real.
Egon Berger has provided us with an invaluable work- a look inside one of the worst concentration camps of all time. A camp run by the very worst sadists and psychopaths. It's very clear that Egon is unlike the vast majority of people. He has the gift of survival and an extreme amount of luck. Without those two elements this book couldn't have been written. This book was prefaced that it was not a masterpiece but this book is actually much more than that and I also didn't think it was badly written although it could have benefited from an editor (or another editor.)
It's a real look into one of the very worst moments of humanity. One that is never discussed, uttered or mentioned in the western world. And yet over 700 000 to possibly one million people were eradicated from South Central Europe in the middle of the 20th century in the worst possible way- babies, children, the elderly, women. Everyone was eradicated by blood thirsty beasts as Berger aptly puts it. Their only crime was being Orthodox Serbs, Jews or Romani in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It took me more than a year to finally face this book. The first time I encountered this tiny book, I read a few pages only to firmly shut it tight as tears poured from my eyes and nausea overtook me. I was able to stave off the vomit but not my curiosity. Even though I initially found it unreadable. Members of the Berger family have also reported the same phenomenon. But it haunted me. I needed to know the truth. The closer you are to the tragedy the harder it is to read about it, perhaps. I told myself I would come back to it- I had to. They lived and died through it. The least I could do was read it. So read it, I did. From top to bottom. Not a word went overlooked. No picture went unnoticed. Indeed I carefully examined it. As a burgeoning author, I will always be in sheer awe of it. Of the bravery of Berger to recount his unfathomably painful memories so that future generations can know what happened.
Thank you Egon Berger. My family survived the hell of being Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia. Only one didn't survive as a direct result of the Ustase which is a miracle. Just like Egon, they survived by sheer luck. My great-grandfather, a Partisan Serb, survived three years in the worst graded camp of Nazi Germany. Unfortunately he did not leave behind a story.
There are no words to describe my hearfelt thanks for you and your family. This book is not for the faint of heart. To the ignorant, my review will be perceived as hyperbolic and to survivors it will probably be perceived as understatements. Words can never grasp the horror that befell the world in those ungodly four years. When every light in the world seemed to go out. It is our duty to remember not just what happened at Stalingrad and Britain, but also in those quiet foothills of the Balkans. We must remember the worst horrors of all and most of all those poor souls who endured it. Lastly, we must safeguard ourselves so that an atrocity of this magnitude, or even a fraction of it, may never happen again. RIP Egon Berger and all the victims.
Egon Berger has provided us with an invaluable work- a look inside one of the worst concentration camps of all time. A camp run by the very worst sadists and psychopaths. It's very clear that Egon is unlike the vast majority of people. He has the gift of survival and an extreme amount of luck. Without those two elements this book couldn't have been written. This book was prefaced that it was not a masterpiece but this book is actually much more than that and I also didn't think it was badly written although it could have benefited from an editor (or another editor.)
It's a real look into one of the very worst moments of humanity. One that is never discussed, uttered or mentioned in the western world. And yet over 700 000 to possibly one million people were eradicated from South Central Europe in the middle of the 20th century in the worst possible way- babies, children, the elderly, women. Everyone was eradicated by blood thirsty beasts as Berger aptly puts it. Their only crime was being Orthodox Serbs, Jews or Romani in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It took me more than a year to finally face this book. The first time I encountered this tiny book, I read a few pages only to firmly shut it tight as tears poured from my eyes and nausea overtook me. I was able to stave off the vomit but not my curiosity. Even though I initially found it unreadable. Members of the Berger family have also reported the same phenomenon. But it haunted me. I needed to know the truth. The closer you are to the tragedy the harder it is to read about it, perhaps. I told myself I would come back to it- I had to. They lived and died through it. The least I could do was read it. So read it, I did. From top to bottom. Not a word went overlooked. No picture went unnoticed. Indeed I carefully examined it. As a burgeoning author, I will always be in sheer awe of it. Of the bravery of Berger to recount his unfathomably painful memories so that future generations can know what happened.
Thank you Egon Berger. My family survived the hell of being Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia. Only one didn't survive as a direct result of the Ustase which is a miracle. Just like Egon, they survived by sheer luck. My great-grandfather, a Partisan Serb, survived three years in the worst graded camp of Nazi Germany. Unfortunately he did not leave behind a story.
There are no words to describe my hearfelt thanks for you and your family. This book is not for the faint of heart. To the ignorant, my review will be perceived as hyperbolic and to survivors it will probably be perceived as understatements. Words can never grasp the horror that befell the world in those ungodly four years. When every light in the world seemed to go out. It is our duty to remember not just what happened at Stalingrad and Britain, but also in those quiet foothills of the Balkans. We must remember the worst horrors of all and most of all those poor souls who endured it. Lastly, we must safeguard ourselves so that an atrocity of this magnitude, or even a fraction of it, may never happen again. RIP Egon Berger and all the victims.
December 29, 2020
What to say here? A short, poorly written account of Berger's stay in the Ustaša run Croatian death camp Jasenovac, not far from Zagreb. Nevertheless, you likely will not read a more vivid and horrifying account of human brutality. These stories should be more widely known.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasenov...
It was "notorious for its barbaric practices and the large number of victims". Unlike German Nazi-run camps, Jasenovac "specialized in one-on-one violence of a particularly brutal kind" and prisoners were primarily murdered manually with the use of blunt objects such as knives, hammers and axes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasenov...
It was "notorious for its barbaric practices and the large number of victims". Unlike German Nazi-run camps, Jasenovac "specialized in one-on-one violence of a particularly brutal kind" and prisoners were primarily murdered manually with the use of blunt objects such as knives, hammers and axes.
June 5, 2023
Freaking brutal. A little-known concentration camp from which nearly no one escaped. A hard read for some and definitely not for everyone. Still, cautiously recommended.
June 23, 2024
There are no proper words to describe this book. It is the most intense, depressing, gruesome book ive ever read. this book is not for the faint of heart, it is not a feel good book.
The book, describes the absolute savagery of what life was like in Jasenovac. The Stase were brutal, horrible and evil people. They were challenged by superiors to kill people in the most brutal way and encouraged to find new ways of brutally killing people.
starvation, torture and blood flows throughout the book, this was a concentration camp through hell. the people who survived it were few, almost everyone who went through this camp did not survive.
if you want a real, unfiltered account of what took place in this concentration camp then its a must read. its difficult, but image what life was like for them and what they endured.
The book, describes the absolute savagery of what life was like in Jasenovac. The Stase were brutal, horrible and evil people. They were challenged by superiors to kill people in the most brutal way and encouraged to find new ways of brutally killing people.
starvation, torture and blood flows throughout the book, this was a concentration camp through hell. the people who survived it were few, almost everyone who went through this camp did not survive.
if you want a real, unfiltered account of what took place in this concentration camp then its a must read. its difficult, but image what life was like for them and what they endured.
August 25, 2024
Who knew!
I'd heard of, and been to, so many sights of torture and killing in Poland, but I'd never heard of Jasenovac, Croatia.
It was only during a conversation with a young lad that I'd heard the name for the first time. I was immediately interested, so I researched the place and came across this book.
This book is short in comparison to many others of its genre, but it sticks to one path without digression and is totally devoid of extra, unnecessary drama.
This book is perfect to take on a long trip or a flight.
I'm now looking for more books on this topic.
I'd heard of, and been to, so many sights of torture and killing in Poland, but I'd never heard of Jasenovac, Croatia.
It was only during a conversation with a young lad that I'd heard the name for the first time. I was immediately interested, so I researched the place and came across this book.
This book is short in comparison to many others of its genre, but it sticks to one path without digression and is totally devoid of extra, unnecessary drama.
This book is perfect to take on a long trip or a flight.
I'm now looking for more books on this topic.
May 13, 2024
The atrocities that happened in this camp will continue to be one of the most understated instances of human cruelty in modern history
August 11, 2025
I think some people will have trouble getting through this book. At the same time, everyone should read this book.
It could happen again today
It could happen again today
November 26, 2025
A depressing view of what humans can do to each other.
September 8, 2017
Don't get me wrong, what the author experienced was horrendous. This book reads more like a list of facts with hardly any names or "stories" and so on. Just wish more detail was included.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews