Stories: TITO'S INFAMOUS PRISON ISLANDS

During the so-called Informbiro period of Yugoslavia between 1949 and 1956, the Yugoslav president Tito kept top secret high security prisons for political dissidents. The prisons were situated on two Croatian islands near the island of Krk. They held thousands of men and women who opposed communism, flirted with Soviet Union or worked or talked in any way against the regime. Goli Otok island held thousands of male prisoners. After it was abandoned stories of inhumane treatment surfaced. Prisoners were killing other prisoners, the guards simply allowed it. It was a labour camp where they not only worked all days, but were also abused psychologically. Theprisoners of Goli Otok (meaning baren island) forrested the island by planting trees and then standing above them to give them shade all day long. Escape was impossible because of strong currents around the island. This and countless other stories are nowfinally revealed in books and in tours to the island that is now deserted and decaying. Over the years, the prison kept taking on less and less prisoners, then it was given to Croatia and was finally abandoned in 1989. Today, it lies in ruins. Another prison in ruins lies on a nearby island of Sveti Grgur, where Tito kept women prisoners. It was also a labour camp, but much smaller.