Uvala Slana Concentration Camp

In May 1941, the concentration camp ‘Uvala Slana’ was built near the village of Metajna on the island of Pag, as part of the Jadovno-Metajna-Slana concentration camp. The island of Pag fell under the jurisdiction of NDH (Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska = Independent State of Croatia, a puppet fascist government in Croatia 1941-1945). The leadership of the camp was in the hands of Ustashe (Croatian military during the NDH).

Ustashe was known for its brutality towards Jews, Sinti, Serbs and non-collaborating Croats. How many people died in Uvale Slana is not known. Estimates range between 1,000 and 15,000.

The camp only existed for a short time. In September 1941, despite an agreement that Pag would remain part of NDH, Italian soldiers occupied the island. The camp was immediately closed because the Italians were disgusted by what they found. Italian army documents report that more than 1,000 bodies were exhumed and burned.

Today there is little more to see than the road to the camp and some remains of stone buildings.

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