Smederevo Fortress explosion
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The Smederevo Fortress Explosion was a disaster that occurred in Smederevo, then in the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia (part of Kingdom of Yugoslavia under German occupation, now in modern Serbia), on the 5th of June 1941. Stockpiled ammunition and gasoline in Smederevo Fortress belonging to the defeated Royal Yugoslav Army exploded due to unknown reasons. The number of casualties is also uncertain. Estimates range from several hundred to 2,500 killed.
Background
After the capitulation of Yugoslavia in the
Explosion
The day of the explosion was a market day and the inhabitants of the surrounding settlements came to the city to trade. School certificates were also being given to pupils that day. The explosion happened around 2:10 PM, at the time the train for
.Among the victims were
It has been speculated that the explosion was caused by a discarded cigarette butt from a German soldier, an English plane flying over Smederevo or a local patriot. Another theory is that Soviet agent Mustafa Golubić, who was arrested two days later in Belgrade, was responsible for it.[1]
In 1973, a monument to the victims of the explosion was erected. The monument was sculpted by Selimir Jovanović, who had survived the explosion.
References
Sources
- Petranović, Branko (1992). Srbija u Drugom svetskom ratu 1939—1945. Beograd: Vojnoizdavački i novinski centar.
External links