Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia

Nedić's Serbia (Nedićeva Srbija) is the popular name of the Serbian state in WWII. This state was led by Milan Nedic and the official name was Vlada nacionalnog spasa (eng. Government of National Salvation), which collaborated with the occupiers and existed between 1941 and 1944. Geographically it encompassed parts of today's Serbia, which is known as Central Serbia (serb. Uža Srbija) togeather with Banat less Zemun, and the region known as Srem.

Geopolitical situation

After the quick defeat of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and the carveup of it's territories the terrirory of what is known as Inner Serbia (Uža Srbija) fell under the direct control of the German forces. Per usual practices with occupied territories, the Germans tried to install a collaborationist government which will also be a partner in providing security as well as implement the compatible laws and practices. Serbia was then surrounded by: NDH in the west, Italian territories in the south, Vojvodina was under the direct control of Germans and Hungarians.

The formation of the Government of National Salvation

German occupiers in Belgrade came to an idea that for stability of Serbia and German control would benefit from a puppet Serbian government under authority of German occupation forces. Hitler agreed, under conditions that he required.

First suggestion was that the government be formed by Dimitrije Ljotic, but he refused and suggested general Milan Nedic. Nedic was reluctant to organize the puppet government, especially because family tragedy has struck him, saying also that he was too old, but eventually he was persuaded to take this ungrateful role, having interests of Serbs, who lost a quater of population in the WWI in mind. He also had in mind the appaling genocide of Serbs that was underway in the neighbouring NDH, and need to take care of 600,000 Serbian refugees that were fleeing slaughter in NDH, as well as refugees from Slovenia that were granted hospitality in Serbia (which included Milan Kucan, who was a child at a time).

He insisted with German authorities that he will take this ungrateful role only under certain conditions, which he listed:

That Serbian government be in charge of National Security, and Serbian state business be given some latitude, under control of German Military command.
That Yugoslav army prisoners of war, who were taken to Germany after the April war, be freed, if they are sick or over 55
That packages and help for the Yugoslav army prisoners of war in Germany are allowed to be send from Serbia on a regular basis, in order to improve their nutrition
That those Yugoslav army prisoners of war that are necessary for the renewal of the country be freed, and the Nedic government would guarantee for them
To take measures to stop killings and persecution of Serbs in NDH, and also in theritories under Bulgarian and Hungarian control.
That fight against communism is mostly the internal matter of Serbia, and that German troops stay away from this whenever possible.
That represive measures do not target the innocent
That national amblems of Serbia be allowed

General Dankelman accepted all of these conditions, and the government was formed subsequently on the 1st of September 1941.

Nedic's main concern was salvation of Serbian populace, and also making sure that fighting stops. This, to a large extent, happened, as by the end of 1941, most of the fighting stopped in Serbia, though a civil war between communists and Chetniks ensued. As a consequence of Nedic conditions, Germans acted to restrain Ustasha genocide in NDH, which was going at such a pace that had appaled both Germans and Italians, and hundreds of thousands of Serbs were already killed.

Internal Affairs

The internal affairs of the Serbian puppet state were moderated by German racial laws, that were introduced in all occupied teritories with immediate effects on Jews, Roma people, as well as imprisonment of left oriented persons. The two major concentration camps in Serbia were: Sajmište and Banjica. The government of Milan Nedić was supported by Dimitrije Ljotić with his ZBOR party. One of the major goals of the Milan Nedić was the neutralisation all resistance against the German occupation forces. This was made a big priority after the massacre in Kragujevac by Wehrmacht forces in a retribution killing (100 for each dead German soldier, and 50 for each wounded one). Nedić's forces fought partisans as well as Chetnik forces who were not willing to sign an agreement of cooperation. Under Nedić, Belgrade was declared to be Judenfrei in 1942. While Republic of Uzice was freed from Germans joint operations of Partisans and Chetniks in the fall of 1941, the fighting with Germans after 1941 was sporadic and Partisans and Chetniks in Serbia engaged mostly in civil war against each other, only occasionaly attacking German forces and supplies.

National security

National security in WWII Serbia was organised around the army and police, as well as the use of German forces. The police and military forces in Nedić's Serbia were organised in the following manner:

Military

- Serbian State Guards
- Serbian Volunteer Corps

Police

Concentration camps

Banjica concentration camp (near Belgrade)
Sajmište concentration camp (near Belgrade)
Crveni krst (Niš)
Dulag 183 (Šabac)
Svilara (Pančevo)
Paračin

Politicians

References