Eighty-three years have passed since the bombing of Belgrade, when Nazi Germany, without declaring war, killed between 2,200 and 4,000 people and caused enormous material damage to the capital of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Source: Mondo/Goran Sivački
The bombing of Belgrade began on Orthodox Easter, April 6, at 6:30 am, and the attack was repeated three more times that day. The city was bombed in bursts on April 7, 11 and 12, before the arrival of the German army in the city.
The exact number of victims has never been determined because a certain number of victims remained permanently buried under the rubble, but it is estimated that between 2,200 and 4,000 people died.
Almost 50 percent of the city’s housing stock was destroyed in the bombing, and among the destroyed buildings was the National Library on Kosančićevo venc with more than 350,000 books, numerous religious and educational buildings, shelters and hospitals were destroyed. 9,365 residential buildings were destroyed, and the water supply network was damaged in 360 places.
880 aircraft participated, about 440 tons of destructive and incendiary bombs were dropped, and special parachute mines of 1,000 kilograms were used, the explosive power of which caused terrible destruction, according to the website of the Museum of the City of Belgrade.
Several hundred people died in public shelters that were the target of airstrikes – in the port of the Ascension Church, Karađorđev park and others, reports Srna.
The attack on Yugoslavia was also carried out by land, from several directions. German, Italian and Hungarian troops penetrated the territory of Yugoslavia from the direction of Italy, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania.
According to some information, the Yugoslav anti-aircraft defense shot down more than 40 German planes, and 11 Yugoslav pilots were killed in the fighting.
This invasion, also called the April War, ended on April 17, 1941, with the occupation and division of Yugoslavia between the Axis Powers.
(WORLD)