engleski

Skeletal Remains from World War II Mass Grave: from Discovery to Identification

Aim: to present the process of identification of skeletal remains from a mass grave found in Dalmatian mountain-range in 2005. The remains were thought to be those of civilians from Herzegovina killed in the Second World War, among them a group of 8 friars. Methods: Excavation of site was accomplished according to archeological procedures. Anthropological analysis was performed to estimate the sex, age at death, and height of the individuals, as well as pathological and traumatological changes of the bones. Due to lack of ante-mortem data, DNA typing using Y-chromosome STR analysis was performed. DNA was isolated from bones and teeth samples using standard phenol/chloroform/isoamyl alcohol extraction. DNA quantification and amplification were done according to the recommended protocols. Typing of PCR products was performed on ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer. These results were matched with those of DNA analysis of samples collected from the relatives of supposed missing persons (blood samples from the living relatives, as well as bone samples collected during further exhumations of died parents or relatives of those presumptive individuals). Results: The remains contained 18 almost complete skeletons, with considerable post-mortal damages. Sex was estimated for all of the victims, as well as their stature, age and cause of death (all were men, mainly middle-aged, with gun-shot wounds of the head). DNA analysis and cross-matching of the results with relatives’ data allowed three positive identifications using Y-STR systems. Conclusion: Presented case of mass grave from Second World War had some specifics. It contained considerable post-mortal damaged 50 years old bones, with highly degraded DNA. No ante-mortem data were available. Performed analysis revealed a homogenous group of men and among them persons without descendants. In spite of that, it was possible to identify human remains even on the basis of single parental genotype. This paper confirms the value of patrilineal lineage based on Y chromosome STRs which sometimes could be the only applicable method of DNA analysis. Although this report is primarily focused to the problem of finding missing persons through the identification of remains from common grave, it also emphasizes the role of forensic approach to investigation of mass graves in the scope of documentation the human right violations.

mass grave; forensic anthropology; DNA identification; human right violations; Second World War; Croatia

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