The Trial of Mile Budak was the one-day trial of Mile Budak and a number of other members of the government of the Independent State of Croatia for high treason and war crimes on 6 June 1945 in Zagreb. The trial was held by the Military Court of the II. Army of Yugoslavia. Seven of the accused were executed the following day, and another died in prison.
Apprehension
Following the Independent State of Croatia evacuation to Austria, several of the accused were apprehended by the British in their occupation zone in Austria. They were subsequently held at the Spittal detainment camp. On 17 May the British sent Nikola Mandić, Julije Makanec and Pavao Canki from Spittal to a train headed to Zagreb. They were joined en route by Nikola Steinfel and Mile Budak.
The Indicted
Mile Budak - Minister of Education (1941), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1943) Pavao Canki - Minister of Justice and Religion (1943-1945) Julije Makanec - Minister of Education (1943-1945) Nikola Mandić - Prime Minister (1943-1945) Ademaga Mešić - Doglavnik Lavoslav Milić - General Bruno Nardelli - Governor Juraj Rukavina - Ustaša Colonel Nikola Steinfel - Minister of the Armed Forces (1944-1945) Ivan Vidnjević - President of "Mobile Kangoroo Court"
Sentences
Executed 7 June
Mile Budak
Pavao Canki
Julije Makanec
Nikola Mandić
Nikola Steinfel
Juraj Rukavina
Ivan Vidnjević
Life imprisonment
Ademaga Mešić (died at Stara Gradiška, 1945)