Professional paper

Food Cards of the Concentration Camps of Jasenovac and Stara Gradišta (1941/42 – 1945)

Mario Kevo ; Zagreb

Abstract

The article describes the camp food cards that were used in Jasenovac (1941-1945) and Stara Gradiška (1942-1945), the concentration and work camps of the Independent State of Croatia. The food cards were issued monthly and the inmates used them to draw their daily meals (breakfast, lunch and supper). Although the food cards were issued
by name and could not be transferred, their loss entailed the loss of the right to food so they could be interpreted as a kind of camp currency, although not in the real sense of the word. The article shows nine food cards that belonged to five prisoners: seven of the cards were used in the Jasenovac Camp and two were used in the Stara Gradiška Camp. Camp currency (coupons and food cards) was very widespread in camps throughout Europe during the Second World War and immediately after it. Camp coupons were also in use in some camps for interned civilians founded by the military authorities of the Kingdom of Italy on the eastern Adriatic coast during the Second World War. Although the use of camp currency (coupons and food cards) was widespread, and has been described in scholarly and professional literature, there has to date been no mention of the prisoners’ food cards shown in this article, used in the Ustasha concentration and work camps of Jasenovac and Stara Gradiška.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

237358

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/237358

Publication date:

27.11.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 1.573 *