Survivors’
Testimonies
Bearing Witness to the Atrocities of Jasenovac
“The following survivor accounts offer powerful, personal testimonies of unimaginable suffering, resilience, and survival.”
As children, Nedeljko Goga and Ilinka Osman endured the horrors of the Jasenovac concentration camp and lived to share their stories — so that the memory of the victims and the truth of these atrocities are never forgotten. These testimonies are part of our ongoing effort to preserve the voices of those who endured the unimaginable.
Ilinka Osman
Born in the Serbian village of Vujanovići in Bosanska Krajina, Ilinka Osman was just a girl when she and her mother were captured and taken to the Jasenovac camp after hiding in the woods for nearly a year. Her father died on Kozara, and upon their capture, she and her pregnant mother were immediately separated at the gates of the camp.
Ilinka spent a year enduring horrific conditions at Jasenovac, eventually escaping in a highly unusual way. Though she rebuilt her life after the war and started a family, her trauma resurfaced during the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. She lost her son in the Battle of Košare, compounding the grief she had lived with since childhood.
Her story is one of deep sorrow, resilience, and an unwavering spirit in the face of two of the most tragic periods in modern Balkan history.
Nedeljko "Neđo" Goga
Nedeljko Goga, a graduate in fine arts, was just four years old when he was taken to the concentration camps of Jasenovac, Sisak, and Stara Gradiška during World War II. As a child of Kozara, he survived the traumas of war and later found healing and expression through painting and sculpture.
His unique life story and artistic journey inspired none other than Steven Spielberg, who produced a feature-length film about Goga’s life. Goga received a personal letter of gratitude from Spielberg along with a copy of the film.
Having exhibited around the world and lived across the Middle East, Far East, and Europe, Goga created an extraordinary artistic legacy while serving as a recognized member of the Serbian association of applied artists (ULUPUDS). His testimony stands as a testament to survival, transformation, and the enduring power of art.