Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara
Jasenovac i Gradiška Stara (Jasenovac and Stara Gradiška) is a Croatian song promoting the Ustaše, the World War II fascist Nazi puppet government.[1][better source needed] The lyrics celebrate the World War II persecution of Serbs in Herzegovina.[2]
In 2003, Matija Babić criticized the Croatian band Thompson for performing the song, as well as Croatian Radiotelevision, Croatia Records and other media for continuing to cover Thompson as a mainstream artist.[2] In 2007, Efraim Zuroff, while reporting in the Jerusalem Post on a Thompson performance at Maksimir Stadium, said that Perković gained notoriety for having performed the song which was overtly fascist, and criticized Thompson concerts as an occasion for a display of extremist nationalists.[3]
Perković himself has denied writing or even performing the song,[2] stating that "he is a musician, not a politician".[4] An organizer for a Thompson tour of New York City in 2007 defended Perković, claiming the musician did not write the song nor is a copy available on any of his albums.[5]
References
- ^ Gorin, Julia (23 June 2007). "Nazis Rock on in Croatia". Retrieved 1 March 2009.
- ^ a b c Matija Babić (18 December 2003). "Thompson - domoljub ili fašist? Konačan odgovor je..." (in Croatian). Index.hr. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
- ^ Zuroff, Efraim (25 June 2007). "Ustasa rock n' roll". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
- ^ "Backgrounder: Marko Perković and Thompson". Anti-Defamation League. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
- ^ Lando, Michal (27 October 2007). "Croatian singer's alleged Nazi sympathies strike a sour note". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 21 October 2008.