Addressed to R. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rome

Zagreb, 6th August 1942, Year XX

Re: The Jews in Croatia – New measures concerning them.

Ref. Ministerial Cable no. 8/13948 of 29th July last.

While, by arrangement with Supersloda, the Jews living in the coastal strip of Croatia are about to be transferred and concentrated, several messages from R. subordinate Offices – cable no. 432 from R. Consul in Osijek, dated 24th July, cable from the R.Vice Consulate in Banja Luka of 30th July, etc. – give the impression that this country’s Jewish problem, which has repeatedly been the object of drastic measures, is now entering a new stage that might be the conclusive one.

The new actions for concentrating people –approx. 2,000 in Osijek, approx. 200 in Banja Luka – seem to foreshadow a mass transfer at the disposal of German authorities in the occupied Oriental territories, in accordance with a plan of which I have already reported on another occasion.

As for Zagreb, a poster put up in the streets on 27th July last requested all Jews, regardless of their subjectship, to report to police authorities. Two days later, this decree has been withdrawn. This is evidently a setback, which has given rise in public opinion to various comments that are not worthy of being repeated, and at the same time leaves the question unaltered and, as before, heading for a solution that neither diocesan authorities nor others are able to oppose.

Giustiniani