Mila Evanovich

During World War II, Serbia emerged as a crucial refuge for a significant number of people fleeing the horrors of conflict and occupation. From as early as 1941, refugees from across the Kingdom of Yugoslavia—Slovenia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia -Herzegovina, and Bulgaria—sought sanctuary in Serbia. Their journeys were often desperate and dangerous, undertaken in the dead of night and under the harshest conditions. Many had to abandon their homes at the last moment, with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and travel on foot through rugged mountains and across deep rivers, braving impossible weather conditions. Tragically, not all survived the arduous journey.

The Third Reich’s occupation forced many into exile, while others were intercepted at borders or train stations by institutions like the Central Hygiene Institute and the Belgrade Red Cross. These organizations implemented rigorous ‘hygiene epidemiology coordination efforts’ to prevent a typhus fever epidemic. By September 1941, over 300,000 refugees had entered Serbia proper, with the largest influx from Slovenia. The Central Hygiene Institute concentrated much of its efforts along the Drina River, near Bosnia, while stationing ambulances at Belgrade’s Topčider railway station to inspect prisoners and refugees for lice.

The medical processing of these refugees was thorough and relentless. Corpsmen and volunteer nurses utilized bathing and cutting the hair of refugees, followed by disinfection and delousing of both their bodies and their clothing, allowing them to air dry. Afterward, those infected were directed into quarantine. Those already afflicted with typhus were sent to local hospitals for treatment. A dedicated medical team of nurses and doctors traveled to Kosovo to bring over 2,000 refugees to Belgrade, many weak, elderly, or impoverished.

The nurses at the Military Hospital in Belgrade worked tirelessly, caring for these typhus cases. However, toward the end of the war, a tactical mistake led to the disbanding of the medical field teams, stunting the efforts of Serbia’s Health Ministry Central Hygiene Institute. Consequently, 15,000 people in Yugoslavia became infected with typhus in a short period of time. Epidemiological teams were swiftly deployed to the most vulnerable locations, enforcing a strict cordon.

“From as early as 1941, refugees from across the Kingdom of Yugoslavia—Slovenia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia -Herzegovina, and Bulgaria—sought sanctuary in Serbia. Their journeys were often desperate and dangerous, undertaken in the dead of night and under the harshest conditions.”

Dependiculation stations, with baths, were quickly set up, requiring everyone, including refugees, the military, and the general population, to pass through. Nearly one hundred thousand people were processed, and those infected were sent into isolation. It wasn’t until 1949 that Yugoslavia finally breathed a sigh of relief the epidemic was finally contained.

This monumental effort underscored the determination of both the refugees seeking safety and the humanitarian workers striving to protect public health amid the war. The legacy of their struggle and sacrifice remains a poignant chapter in the history of World War II, highlighting the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity.