Ausweis, Guards and Borders: Travelling of the Middle Class in Occupied Serbia 1941–1944

Abstract

This paper analyses the travelling of the Serbian citizens during the Nazi occupation. The special emphasis is placed on the travelling of the members of the Serbian middle class. It deals with different aspects of the issue: the restrictions imposed by the occupier, symbolically expressed through ausweis (personal documents, passes, and permits), guards and borders, motives for travelling, organization and security problems, types and forms of travelling, the structure of the citizens-travellers and the like. It also points to the difference between travelling within the borders of the country and travelling abroad.

Keywords

• Serbia
• World War II
• Nazi occupation
• travelling
• Serbian middle class
• citizens
• ausweis
• guards