Diana Budisavljevic, maiden name Obekser, born in Innsbruck January 15, 1891, the Austrian-born humanitarian who during World War II, saved 15 336 children from the Ustasha death camps in the Independent State of Croatia. Children who she was trying to save, were mostly Serbian from Kordun, Kozara, Croatian and Bosnian villages. This action was one of the toughest and most comprehensive rescued by humanitarian actions related to the concentration camps in World War II. 3 254 children died during the rescue or immediately after leaving the camp, exhausted by torture, hunger and disease, while more than 12 000 rescued children survived the war.
She was married to a surgeon Julije Budisavljevic, head of the surgical clinic of the Medical Faculty. He was one of the few Zagreb Serbs spared from murder, deportation or plunder of property during NDH.
To keep the number of children he took care of for during the war, she had a files about them, with the hope that it might one day be reunited with their biological families.
She had the support of a narrow circle of people, all who were engaged in rescue children from the camp they risked their lives.
After World War II she returned to live withdrawn and forgotten in Innsbruck.
Authors: Nebojsa Djumic
Publisher: Poste Srpske a.d. Banjaluka
