While reaserching the Matich family in the Dalmatian region of Croatia, I found an interesting note that gives insight to the historical situation in that region during World War II. To give some historical background, the territory of Dalmatia was under the control of the Italian forces up until 8 September 1943. After their capitulation, their Afix allies led by the German army, didn’t want to lose such a important geopolitical position. For that purpose they continued their terror among the local comunities in Dalmatia.

While looking through the state archive documents, I found this entry and many more, that state that on the 24. September 1943 at 2. pm (16 days after the capitulation of Italian forces) Hitler’s army slaughtered 16 people from the parish Dicmo Gornje, in the village Ercegovci.

This only shows that the people of Dalmatia wouldn’t know peace (even though their Italian oppresors have capitulated) up until the end of the long war in 1945. and that they replaced one enemy for another.