History of the Goli otok cominformist prison camp 1949. - 1956.

Previšić, Martin. (2014). History of the Goli otok cominformist prison camp 1949. - 1956.. PhD Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of History.
(Poslijediplomski doktorski studij moderne i suvremene hrvatske povijesti u europskom i svjetskom kontekstu) [mentor Banac, Ivo].

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Abstract

The thesis discusses various aspects of Goli Otok camp and its funcioning in the period from 1949-1956. The primary focus is on its fundamental function – the process of political detention for those in favour of Informbiro Resolution. This complex and violent process of delating other convicts, which made the Camp itself notorious, is analyzed. There is a focus on the firm relationship between the process of political detention and other aspects of functioning of the Camp, like labour. Labour was one of the points of political transformation of those in favour of the Informbiro, which ment that convicts not fully cooperating with Udba had to perform more difficult tasks (like carrying heavy rocks from one place to another), while those fully cooperating performed easier ones. Also, thesis aims to point out the fact that labour at Goli Otok was by all means lucrative, since Udba traded goods from Goli Otok, through „Velebit Company“ in the times when Yugoslavia was economically blocked. At the time, industrial machinery was located on Goli Otok. The thesis aims to show the main aspects of the Camp, but also forms of punishing and torturing convicts, their transport to Goli Otok, welcoming („Špalir“), diet, everyday life, leisure and entertainment (theatre), etc. Introduction describes the methods of investigation, arrest and processing convicts, as well as the explanation of the term „ibeovac“. This chapter is important as it provides means for understanding criteria for arresting the supporters of Stalin and his regime, but also different intimate disruptions in the heads of Yugoslav communists. Also, the organization of the system of internment of Informbiro supporters is presented, as well as some estimated numbers of convicts. Different aspects of the physical appearance of the camp, management of the camp and influences of nazi and soviet camps on the funcioning of the Goli otok camp are elaborated. Diseases, epidemics and deaths in the camp, health care as well as burrying the dead are elaborated separately. A special chapter is devoted to „the camp in the camp“ (Petrova rupa), a place where former military officials and political influentials (who supported Informbiro) have been sent to live in extremely hard conditions. The last chapter elaborates terms and conditions of releasing the convicts, and the way that society and government treated them once they were freed.

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