Shooting
Until mid-nineteenth century, there was no standardized procedure for executions by shooting in Serbia. Such executions were carried out in an improvised manner, in keeping with the circumstances and the personal attitudes of local officials and policemen in charge. Sometimes the convict was killed by a single rifle or gun bullet, but more often a platoon of policemen fired simultaneously. The shooting took place outdoors, and the convict was tied to a tree or a stake. In either case, if the first shots were not lethal, the shooting was repeated for as long as necessary.
During the 1850s, and finally in 1858, the procedure was standardized and remained unchanged until 1929. Executions were public, usually at crossroads, by the road, or in a field. In towns, where executions were more frequent, an unused plot of land at the periphery was usually selected for the purpose. In Belgrade until 1903 this was a small hill called Karaburma, which gave rise to a saying: „This one shall end on Karaburma“, often told with respect to bad people and naughty children. In U~ice, executions took place in a place called Saria Osoj.
A grave was dug at the place of execution a day or two before the event. At one end of the grave, a stake was fixed in the ground. On the day of execution, the spectators – several hundreds or thousands of men, women and children – would gather at the spot very early in the morning. On Karaburma in 1869, ten thousand people witnessed the execution of Prince Mihailo's assassins. The convict was accompanied to the place of execution by the police, an official in charge of the proceedings, a doctor and a priest. The official read the judgement publicly, which could take 30 or more minutes. The presence of two elected representatives of the local community in the role of official witnesses was required by law. The priest read an appropriate prayer and offered the prisoner a cross to kiss or, if the convict was not of Christian faith, performed some other appropriate rite. At this time the convict was given an opportunity to say something – some protested their innocence and accused the authorities of foul play, while others confessed their crimes, repented and called upon those present not to follow in their path. If the convict asked for a last cigarette or a drink, this would usually be allowed.
|
Execution on Karaburma, 1899
|
|
Shooting of a brigand in Valjevo, 1925
|
|
Execution by shooting of four robbers in Kragujevac, 1926
|
The prisoner was then lowered into the grave and tied to the stake. He would normally be blindfolded, although this could be waived, if he so wished. The policemen took their stand above him, at the edge of the grave and fired a salvo on command. If necessary, the salvos were repeated until the prisoner was proclaimed dead. Sometimes, if the first salvo failed to cause death, the commanding officer may kill the convict with a handgun. The policemen then jumped into the grave to untie the dead body, which would slide down. At this moment, the spectators fought for souvenirs, such as pieces of rope used to tie the prisoner to the stake or pieces of cloth worn under leg irons, as these objects were widely believed to have magical powers. At times, especially in the remote villages, the spectators performed certain magical rituals after an execution. The police then filled in the grave, which was left unmarked. Exceptionally, the family may be allowed to later dig the corpse out and bury it in the local cemetery, in keeping with the religious custom.
In the military courts at times of war, different procedures may be used. For example, after a battle in the First Serbo-Turkish War (1876–1877), over 300 deserters from the Serbian army were sentenced to death. Most were reprieved, but fifteen were executed. They were tied with face to tree and shot in the back („because, as deserters, they did not deserve to be killed from the front“).
Under a 1929 law, shootings were discontinued, and hanging became the only legal mode of execution in all of Yugoslavia, except for judgments of military courts. In Serbia, this law came into force in 1930, and in some parts of its territory (Kosovo and Macedonia) only in 1932. Throughout this period (1929–1941), shooting remained the legal mode of execution of death sentences passed by military courts, performed in the same was as before 1929.
From 1944 to 1959, two modes of execution were prescribed by law: shooting and hanging, and it was up to the court to decide in each individual death sentence whether the defendant should be shot or hanged. Hanging was deemed to be an aggravated form of death sentence and was used less frequently. In the first couple of years, approximately until April 1947, some executions (whether by shooting or by hanging) were public, usually for major war criminals. Techniques of execution were not regulated in any detail. Until 1946, a majority of death sentences were passed by military courts and executed by soldiers. At times it would be done b a single soldier armed with a rifle or a revolver, while in others a platoon of soldiers was used for the purpose. Death sentences of civilian courts were executed by the police (which at the time was called the people's militia). Civilian judges had nothing to do with executions, as these were under exclusive police jurisdiction. All things pertaining to capital punishment were kept secret. Executions were quite informal, often taking place in an office or a cellar in prison or police buildings. Some convicts were shot with a single bullet in the back of the head, while others were shot by a platoon of policemen. Corpses of those executed were buried in full secrecy, without notifying their families.
|
Cellar of Belgrade’s Central Prison, used for executions until the 1980s – photographed in 2012
|
After 1959, hangings were abolished and shootings, now the only legal method of execution, were better regulated. Death sentences were executed, as a rule, in an open space near the settlement, early in the morning. The executioners were a platoon of eight or more policemen. Some rifles were loaded with live, and some with non-live ammunition; their distribution was random, so that the policemen, in theory, did not know which kind of ammunition they had fired (in practice, they did, since all experienced riflemen can tell this by the kickback of the weapon and the ensuing smoke). Sometimes executions took place in an enclosed space, usually a prison cellar – this would be done for reasons of security.
Beginning in 1961, the judges could witness the executions, and from the 1970's the executions came within an exclusive jurisdiction of the courts, while the police only supplied the shooters. Executed bodies were buried secretly by the authorities, usually in an unmarked grave in the local cemetery. After 1971, the families were told the location of the grave and allowed to mark it and visit.