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Milivoj AsnerFormer Croatian policeman, Nazi
Date of Birth: 21.04.1913
Country:  Austria |
Content:
- Biography of Milivoj Asner
- Escape and Change of Identity
- Pursuit of Justice
- Obstacles and Controversies
- Legacy and Controversy
Biography of Milivoj Asner
Early Life and CareerMilivoj Asner, a former Croatian police officer and Nazi, was born in Daruvar, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. During World War II, Asner held the position of police chief in the town of Požega, where he was involved in the destruction of Jews, Romani people, Serbs, and opponents of the fascist regime. It was largely due to Asner that the Jewish population in Požega was completely annihilated.
Escape and Change of Identity
At the end of the war, Asner fled from Croatia to Austria, where he lived until his death. Recognizing that his past crimes would not be easily forgiven, Asner changed his name to "Georg Aschner." Efforts to locate him continued, as he appeared on the Interpol's wanted list and was included in the Simon Wiesenthal Center's list of fleeing Nazis, ranking fourth.
Pursuit of Justice
In 2004, agents from the Simon Wiesenthal Center managed to locate Asner in Austria, prompting requests for extradition from both the Center and Croatia. In February 2006, Austrian officials announced that they were close to deciding whether to arrest Asner or not. Initially, it seemed that Asner would be able to evade justice, as Austrian authorities could not extradite an Austrian citizen to Croatia. However, it was later determined that Asner's citizenship was no longer valid.
Obstacles and Controversies
Soon after, a new obstacle emerged in the form of Asner's alleged illness, preventing him from standing trial. In June 2008, journalists observed Asner, supposedly ill, attending a match of the European Championship. Shortly after this, Croatia filed a new extradition request. This time, the response came from Carinthia Governor Jörg Haider, who stated that Asner's family had not engaged in any illegal activities during their stay in Austria and that Asner himself had behaved honorably, deserving the right to live out the rest of his days in peace.
Legacy and Controversy
This decision sparked a strong reaction from the Croatian people. Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center openly stated that the delays were due to sympathy towards Nazis exhibited by certain Austrian authorities. Asner himself appeared before journalists, but his claims of non-involvement in the atrocities against "subhumans" were taken seriously by few. Soon after, Asner chose to feign illness once again. He passed away on June 14, 2011, in Klagenfurt, Austria.
