Meet Aleksandar Veljic, an author whose latest work, “Genocide Revealed,” sheds light on historical atrocities often overlooked in mainstream narratives.
In this exclusive interview, Veljic shares insights into the inspiration behind his revised version of the book, the challenges he faced in uncovering hidden truths, and why he believes it’s essential for readers to confront the darkest chapters of human history. Join us as we delve into his journey of research, remembrance, and the pursuit of truth in the face of historical secrecy.
How are you feeling, how’s life going?
A.V.: It isn’t easy. The war in Europe is now entering its third year. The prices have skyrocketed, especially as Europe, Serbia not excluded, depends on gas from Russia. And then, just as the Holy Day cycle finished last year, we had the Hamas atrocities in Israel, the attack on Jewish people. Then, Hutus were attacked for blocking international trade through the Red Sea. All these insurgencies can make you very insecure and concerned.
What inspired you to release this revised version?
A.V.: Well, the emergence of additional data has inevitably happened. I needed to update the existing data because it contributes to preserving the memory of those whose lives were violently finished. At least there would be some trace of them. At least someone cared to see it preserved.
What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
A.V.: There has always been this kind of secrecy surrounding Miklos Horthy’s crimes. You see that after the war. Virtually nobody knows that he was the first European ally of Hitler. It is as if someone somewhere has done its best to shield him from being known. So, my greatest challenge was always this question: what might be out there about him that I missed? Is there anything else that I should know? And even more challenging, how can I know it and from where when it is all so secretive?
Who should read this book?
A.V.: Virtually everyone. It is a warning that human nature can turn evil and dark and commit so many gruesome things. And then do its best to conceal those crimes. You know, the victims of the January 1942 genocide were tossed into the Tisza and Danube rivers. Why? There would be no graves or evidence so that nobody can search for their whereabouts. Isn’t that clever? A perfect crime? No nation, to my knowledge, has experienced anything like that. Shouldn’t the world at large know that it happened in world history? Yes, it should.
What genres do you personally like to read?
A.V.: I like stories based on reality and actual events. I’m not too fond of fiction.
What’s another story you think has gone under the radar?
A.V.: It is incredible how much today is unknown about the Independent State of Croatia and its death camp, Jasenovac, whose victims were primarily Serbs and Jews. I am appalled by the lack of knowledge of those crimes. You would think that German Nazis were the worst war criminals!? You’re mistaken. You should see their Croatian collaborators. Another frightening fact I found looking at the statistics of German voters is that Lutherans actually voted for Hitler more than Catholics! Hitler used Luther’s words in his antisemitic statements, so much for the supposed enlightening civilization on the part of Luther.
Do you have any events/public appearances in the works?
A.V.: A visit to Atlanta next month might bring some new experiences, and I recently had a public lecture at a civic commemoration in Novi Sad. You may wonder why civic? Well, because the politicians go to the wrong place where a monument to fascist victims was erected, and they always present shallow speeches that have nothing to do with this Genocide. We, ordinary citizens, go to the site where people were murdered on the Danube and thrown under the ice. There, we say a few appropriate words, a poem, a memory, and several names of the victims; that is how we remember them.
What do you hope readers take away from your story?
A.V.: Unfortunately, there is no lesson here aside from expecting the unexpected. None of those victims ever remotely thought about being brutally killed, and in such a gruesome way as it is to be thrown into the icy river at 30 degrees below zero.
Can you share an excerpt about the book?
A.V.: Well, I would prefer to inform you that Novi Sad, the town where every 10th citizen was murdered on January 23, 1942, was the European cultural capital of 2023. And yet, most people in Europe were denied that knowledge, and most people have no clue the genocide happened there, such as it has never happened anywhere else in Europe. Have you ever heard that citizens of a city were taken to the river beach and brutally murdered and thrown under the ice so that the river would pull them and take them away?
What’s your advice for authors on the same journey as yourself?
A.V.: I have spent countless hours searching for biographies of the victims. I have collected hundreds of books and documents. I have met family members and witnesses and have written down their testimonies more than any other historian. I have checked even the Hungarian occupiers’ sources. The other historians with titles sit in their offices and receive wages for doing nothing. Not only am I a tenant at this age (53), but I am occasionally the target of their savage attacks because the results of my research threaten their doctorates. They have copied the same erroneous data from others before them, and all that data is just downsizing the extent of the Genocide committed. Do you know any author on such a journey? But if there is anyone like that, I advise them never to give up. The truth is out there; once you know it, it will set you free. And one can and should enjoy the benefits of such freedom. Not to mention the joy one feels that those you discover in the process are now not forgotten, for there is a saying in this country that those who die are not forgotten. Those not remembered are truly dead.
Readers can enjoy an exclusive 20% discount on the revised paperback edition of Genocide Revealed by pre-ordering today on SOOP.
Speak Your Mind