Nazi-hunter calls out RSL for honouring Nazi collaborators

Nazis are alive and well in Australia, so much so that they are welcome to march in Australia's famous Anzac Day parade.

Documents published by the Goldman Report, show that on October 2, 2017, the Victorian branch of the RSL bestowed Life Membership on two brothers, Toma and Marko Banjanin, who according to their own testimony, were members of a World War Two unit known as the Dinara Division, a Nazi collaborationist Serbian Chetnik militia that was armed and supplied by Mussolini's Italian fascists from April 1942, and that was under direct German SS command for the last 18 months of the war.

While the entire Serbian Chetnik movement is classified as being a 'Nazi collaborationist' force by both the Australian War Memorial and Holocaust group Yad Vashem, the Dinara Division was inextricably linked to the Nazi war machine as it was under direct German and Italian command.

In 1947, their leader, Mom?ilo ?uji? was tried and convicted of war crimes in absentia by Yugoslavia. He was found guilty of mass murder, torture, rape, robbery, and forcible confinement, as well as collaborating with the Germans and Italians.

Officially listed by Australian government as being part of the 18th Corp of Mussolini's army under the Italian acronym, MVAC (Milizia Volontaria Anti Comunista), according to the Australian War Memorial's military records, in May 1945 after Germany capitulated, ?uji? personally oversaw the surrender of his entire 'division' to Allied forces in Italy.

However none of these facts seem to bother Victoria's RSL, which in October 2017 decided that the two Banjanin brothers, despite both publicly bragging for years about their roles as members of this collaborationist Nazi-aligned unit, were worthy of being made Life Members of the RSL after they helped raise $1 million for the RSL's charity drive.

What's more, Dinara Division Chetniks march in each and every ANZAC Day parade, in spite of the fact that for at least 40 years, all RSL sub-Branches across Australia have been made aware of the Serbian Chetniks Nazi links.

Not that the RSL itself has been unaware of World War Two history for at least 75 years now. At the time of the Tehran Conference of 1943, the Allies, including Australia broke off ties with the entire Chetnik movement due to its collaboration and mass killings of non-Serbs.

According to the managing director of Australia's premier Nazi-hunting and war crimes investigative site, David Goldman, "Despite thousands of Australians dying or being wounded fighting the Nazis during the Second World War, this act by the Victorian RSL shows that for at least part of its leadership, our Digger's sacrifice amounts to virtually nothing and that it really only cares about money.

"The granting of RSL Life Membership to those who participated in this unit echoes the promotions and sanctuary in remote country parishes given to known paedophile priests by the church.

"What Australia's RSL sub-branches fail to grasp is what many religious and community institutions have learned the hard way, that is, you can't go on honouring evildoers forever – sooner or later, reality and the law catch up with you," he says.

"Maybe Australia needs to set up another Royal Commission, this time examining the RSL's Nazi collaborator 'protection racket' for it to fully appreciate that reality," he adds.

"It's time that the Chetniks were banned from all Anzac Day marches and stopped receiving honours and accolades from the RSL once and for all," Mr Goldman concludes.

Are you surprised to find the RSL allowing Nazi collaborators to march in Anzac Day parades?

7 comments

Disgusted....the RSL should be disbanded...they are no longer necessary.

I agree Sophie -- a dear old friend of mine that fought in the jungle with the VC winner -- against the Japs -- he was 96 and was getting unable to get out of his chair -- the DVA could not even get him a chair for the last few months of his life and the RSL could not even send a lift for him to the march -- they are useless but they are always looking for donations --

So sad to read PlanB.

As for the Victorian branch of the RSL bestowing Life Membership on or allowing Nazi collaborators to march in Anzac Day parades, like Sophie, I am disgusted.

PlanB, it's upsetting to hear about your friend.  I agree, they are useless and as to what happens to donations,, well that is anyone's guess.

I know WWII has been over for a very long time and some of our allies are no longer allies and some of our foes are no longer foes but the RSL was formed to support Australians who put family aside to defend our nation in any war zone that a government sent them. Governments can do what they want with ex-foes but the RSL should never honour those against whom we fought even if they fought honourably. Any men who were under the control of the hated SS should never be recognised by the RSL regardless of the passing of time.

The entire RSL organisation is hypocritical.  They will not allow Merchant Service Veterans that served on ships carrying essential military supplies to troops to become Full Members.  They do not consider the Atlantic, Russian or any other convoys as being in a "War Zone". I lost 2 uncles to German Submarines.  They accept Australian Federal Police that served as UN Peacekeepers in Cyprus.  The Department of Veterans Affairs and Legacy Australia both recognise that Merchant Service personnel served in "War Zones".  Not the RSL!  Basically if you did not carry a weapon you don't count!

I would like to know WHY the National R.S.L Headquarters have not stepped in to correct this outright Disgraceful Event. How could the members of the State Headquarters agree to this happening is beyond me. A vote of members should have taken place or was it only agreed to by the executive members? I was a member of the R.S.L in another state and I resigned due to odd goings-on with state headquarters. All members should have had a say in this sort of event due to the background of the individuals involved.  "Lest We Forget"

The RSL would not accept returned Aboriginal service people after the second World War.  They also resisted including returned Vietnam Veterans.  Bunch of hypocrites.  It seems they are all about money and the senior members' own situation.  As usual, greed.

I find this even more upsetting.

Royal Commission into veteran suicides announced after 500 Aussies who fought in Afghanistan took their own lives 

At least 500 Afghanistan veterans have taken their own lives since Australia went to war in 2001. The prime minster will also establish a National Commissioner.

The RSL origin.

    Image result for rsl change the original title In 1940, the name of the League changed to the Returned Sailors' Soldiers' and Airmens Imperial League of Australia (RSSAILA), and a subsequent change of name took effect in 1965, as the Returned Services League of Australia (RSL).
The RSL 'overlords' are now a bunch of old farts who are treating the institution as if it were an exclusive golf club.
I know some servicemen who were not involved in any front-line action or fighting in Vietnam, but take everything they can get from the DVA, other servicemen I know who were able to go home refuse DVA assistance, are not RSL members and will never discuss the horrors of the Vietnam conflict.

7 comments



To make a comment, please register or login

Preview your comment