Editing Jasenovac concentration camp (section)

== Controversies ==
In 1986, a new touring exhibition titled "Concentration camp Jasenovac, 1941–1945" was appointed by the Jasenovac Memorial Museum, sometimes erroneously referred to as "The dead open the eyes of the living" due to that phrase being used in promotional contexts.{{sfn|Byford|2020|p=106}} The exhibition featured graphic photographs with explicit depictions of Ustaše victims, some of which were unintentionally misattributed to Jasenovac.{{sfn|Byford|2020|p=109}} In Croatia, the 1986 exhibition is claimed as Serbian premeditation to stir up [[Croatian War of Independence|war in Croatia]] which began in 1991, thereby dismissing its complex causes.{{sfn|Byford|2020|p=122}} Similar but more inflammatory exhibitions were shown in JNA barracks during the early 1990s.{{sfn|Byford|2020|p=122, 133}} A description of one photograph read: "They killed children in the mangers, then slaughtered them with knives, axes and razors, impaled them on bayonets, burned in the Jasenovac crematorium and in cauldrons they cooked soup from them". Instead of being educational, these served as a propagandastic tool, writes scholar Nataša Jovičić.{{sfn|Benčić|2018|p=48}}

Jewish and Serb organizations, Croat historians and antifascists, as well as international observers, have repeatedly warned of revisionism and Holocaust-denial in Croatia.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-01-25|title=Holocaust Revisionism Widespread in Croatia, Warns Report|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2019/01/25/holocaust-revisionism-widespread-in-croatia-warns-report-01-25-2019/|access-date=2020-06-21|website=Balkan Insight|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223160012/https://balkaninsight.com/2019/01/25/holocaust-revisionism-widespread-in-croatia-warns-report-01-25-2019/|url-status=live}}</ref> Recent examples include the publication of a book celebrating "the Croatian knight", [[Vjekoslav Luburić]],<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Komunikacije|first=Neomedia|title=U Crkvi predstavljaju "lik i djelo hrvatskog viteza Maksa Luburića", čovjeka koji je osmislio logor u Jasenovcu / Novi list|url=http://www.novilist.hr/content/view/full/1799936|access-date=2020-04-12|website=www.novilist.hr|language=hr-HR}}</ref> who as head all Ustaše concentration camps, including Jasenovac, was responsible for over 100,000 deaths, and a documentary minimizing children's deaths in Ustaše concentration camps.<ref name="nacional.hr">{{Cite web|title=Crkva se u reviziju povijesti uključila na brutalan način|url=https://www.nacional.hr/crkva-se-u-reviziju-povijesti-ukljucila-na-brutalan-nacin/|access-date=2020-04-12|website=Nacional.hr|language=hr|archive-date=2020-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412203032/https://www.nacional.hr/crkva-se-u-reviziju-povijesti-ukljucila-na-brutalan-nacin/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Luburić book was promoted with the assistance of the Croatian Catholic Church,.<ref name=":02" /> and Church sources minimized children's deaths in concentration camps.

Croat historians have noted that the Church has been a leader in promoting revisionism and minimizing Ustaše crimes.<ref name="nacional.hr" /> In 2013, the main Croatian Catholic Church newspaper, Glas Koncila, published a series on Jasenovac, by the Jasenovac-denier [[Igor Vukić]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Komunikacije|first=Neomedia|title=Revizionistički odnos prema povijesti: Učiteljica života u Hrvatskoj zakazala / Novi list|url=http://www.novilist.hr/content/view/full/890566|access-date=2020-04-12|website=www.novilist.hr|language=hr-HR}}</ref> who claims Jasenovac was a "mere work-camp", where no mass executions took place. In 2015, the head of the Croatian Bishops' Conference asked that the Ustaše "[[Za dom spremni]]" salute be adopted by the Croatian army.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Puljić: Pitanje o pozdravu "Za dom spremni" na referendum|url=https://www.vecernji.ba/vijesti/puljic-pitanje-o-pozdravu-za-dom-spremni-na-referendum-1021766|access-date=2020-04-12|website=www.vecernji.ba|language=hr|archive-date=2020-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412223656/https://www.vecernji.ba/vijesti/puljic-pitanje-o-pozdravu-za-dom-spremni-na-referendum-1021766|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, the official newspaper of Croatian Catholic Archdioceses, Glas Koncila, published yet another series engaging in Jasenovac- and even Holocaust-denial, with selective, blatantly distorted quotes from Jewish and other prisoners, in an attempt to yet again claim no mass extermination took place in [[Jasenovac]].<ref name="Jutarnji-Bajruši-2020"/>

Historians have criticized Croatian government financing of Jasenovac-denier organizations, such as the "Society for research of the triple camp Jasenovac”,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Žapčić|first=Andreja|title=O čemu (ne) govorimo kada govorimo u holokaustu u Hrvatskoj?|url=https://www.rtl.hr/vijesti-hr/novosti/hrvatska/3328671/o-cemu-ne-govorimo-kada-govorimo-u-holokaustu-u-hrvatskoj/|access-date=2020-06-21|website=Vijesti.hr|date=28 January 2019|language=hr|archive-date=2020-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006182137/https://www.rtl.hr/vijesti-hr/novosti/hrvatska/3328671/o-cemu-ne-govorimo-kada-govorimo-u-holokaustu-u-hrvatskoj/|url-status=dead}}</ref> which include “publicists” and non-historians, like Igor Vukić. Zagreb University historian Goran Hutinec notes that Vukić massively distorts the truth, for example citing books by Jasenovac survivors, like Milko Riffer, as “proof” that no mass killing took place in Jasenovac, when on the contrary, the books describe eyewitness accounts of bestial killings of thousands, as well as extermination of tens-of-thousands of Roma at Jasenovac.<ref name=":6"/> Croatian state television (HRT) has likewise uncritically presented Jasenovac-deniers on their shows such as Roman Leljak.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ogranak HND-a na HTV-u: Dosta je javnog sramoćenja u programu Javne televizije|url=http://www.hnd.hr/ogranak-hnd-a-na-htv-u-dosta-je-javnog-sramocenja-u-programu-javne-televizije|access-date=2020-06-21|website=www.hnd.hr|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-01-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123122019/https://www.hnd.hr/ogranak-hnd-a-na-htv-u-dosta-je-javnog-sramocenja-u-programu-javne-televizije|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016 the Croatian [[Croatian Defence Forces|HOS]] war veterans' organization posted a plaque in the town of Jasenovac with the Ustaše “[[Za dom spremni]]” salute,<ref>{{cite web|last=Veselica|first=Lajla|title=Croatia government under fire for failing to tackle pro-Nazis|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/croatia-government-under-fire-for-failing-to-tackle-pro-nazis/|access-date=2020-04-12|website=www.timesofisrael.com|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412021904/https://www.timesofisrael.com/croatia-government-under-fire-for-failing-to-tackle-pro-nazis/|url-status=live}}</ref> the equal of the Nazi "Sieg Heil" ([[Za dom spremni|the same salute hung on the Zagreb transit camp]] from which Jews were sent to Ustaše death camps). Despite protests by Jewish, Serb and Croat antifascist organizations, the plaque and Ustaše salute were allowed to remain at Jasenovac until criticism by the US State Department special envoy on Holocaust issues,<ref>{{cite news|title=Američki izaslanik za holokaust pozvao hrvatsku vladu da ubrza povrat imovine preživjelima holokausta|newspaper=[[Jutarnji list]]|agency=[[HINA]]|url=https://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/americki-izaslanik-za-holokaust-pozvao-hrvatsku-vladu-da-ubrza-povrat-imovine-prezivjelima-holokausta/5806767/|access-date=2020-04-12|date=23 March 2017|archive-date=2020-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412021854/https://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/americki-izaslanik-za-holokaust-pozvao-hrvatsku-vladu-da-ubrza-povrat-imovine-prezivjelima-holokausta/5806767/|url-status=live}}</ref> forced the Croatian government to move it to a nearby town. As a result of this, and allegations of the government's tolerance for the minimization of Ustaše crimes, Jewish, Serb and Croat WWII resistance groups have refused to appear with government representatives at the annual Jasenovac commemoration.<ref>{{cite news|title=Više tisuća ljudi na alternativnoj komemoraciji u Jasenovcu|url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/alternativna-komemoracija-jasenovac/28446106.html|access-date=2020-04-12|website=Radio Slobodna Evropa|date=22 April 2017|language=sh|last1=Zebić|first1=Enis|archive-date=2020-04-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412021855/https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/alternativna-komemoracija-jasenovac/28446106.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016 the filmmaker, [[Jakov Sedlar]] released a revisionist documentary, “[[Jasenovac – istina|Jasenovac – the Truth]]”, which minimized the death toll in the Ustaše camp,{{sfn|Hockenos|2016}} while inventing a “postwar Jasenovac” in which the Partisans supposedly killed Croats. The premiere was attended and praised by 4 ministers of the ruling Croatian HDZ party, including the Minister of Culture [[Zlatko Hasanbegović]].{{sfn|Hockenos|2016}} Historians noted the film contained many lies and fabrications, including a forged newspaper headline, proclaiming corpses from the invented “postwar Jasenovac” floated more than 60 miles upriver, to Zagreb.<ref name="sven">{{cite news|author=Sven Milekić|date=15 July 2016|title=Croatian Director Reported for Jasenovac Camp Film|publisher=Balkan Insight|url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-director-reported-for-jasenovac-camp-film-07-15-2016|access-date=20 July 2016|archive-date=20 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720043600/http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-director-reported-for-jasenovac-camp-film-07-15-2016/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Novosti">{{cite news|author=Nikola Bajto|date=16 April 2016|title=Sve laži Jakova Sedlara|language=hr|trans-title=All the lies of Jakov Sedlar|publisher=Novosti|url=http://www.portalnovosti.com/sve-lai-jakova-sedlara|access-date=20 July 2016|archive-date=1 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701124336/http://www.portalnovosti.com/sve-lai-jakova-sedlara|url-status=live}}</ref> The Israeli ambassador condemned the film,<ref>{{cite web|date=2016-04-07|title=Israeli Diplomat Slams Croatian Concentration Camp Film|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2016/04/07/israeli-ambassador-condemns-croatia-concentration-camp-movie-04-07-2016/|access-date=2020-06-21|website=Balkan Insight|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624112514/https://balkaninsight.com/2016/04/07/israeli-ambassador-condemns-croatia-concentration-camp-movie-04-07-2016/|url-status=live}}</ref> while the mayor of Zagreb, [[Milan Bandić|Milan Bandič]], issued Sedlar the Award of the City of Zagreb, amid protests from Jewish groups,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-04-20|title=Zagreb Award For Jasenovac Film Director Draws Protests|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2017/04/20/zagreb-awards-controversial-film-director-04-19-2017/|access-date=2020-06-21|website=Balkan Insight|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-06-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622162822/https://balkaninsight.com/2017/04/20/zagreb-awards-controversial-film-director-04-19-2017/|url-status=live}}</ref> and the president of Zagreb University, [[Damir Boras]], appointed Sedlar as his cultural advisor.<ref>{{cite news | date = 2019-03-24 | newspaper = [[Jutarnji list]] | title = U svijetu u kojem Sedlar može biti cijenjeni režiser, a Čović uvaženi državnik, i Bandić može postati profesor emeritus | first = Jurica | last = Pavičić | url = https://www.jutarnji.hr/naslovnica/sveuciliste-za-fake-news-u-svijetu-u-kojem-sedlar-moze-biti-cijenjeni-reziser-a-covic-uvazeni-drzavnik-i-bandic-moze-postati-profesor-emeritus-8637134 | access-date = 2020-06-21 | language = hr | archive-date = 2020-06-22 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200622032501/https://www.jutarnji.hr/naslovnica/sveuciliste-za-fake-news-u-svijetu-u-kojem-sedlar-moze-biti-cijenjeni-reziser-a-covic-uvazeni-drzavnik-i-bandic-moze-postati-profesor-emeritus-8637134 | url-status = live }}</ref>