3. Great wire

With the growing number of arrested Cominformists, the number of inmates on Goli Otok also rose. This meant the accommodation capacity of the first camp (called Old Wire or Small Wire) was no longer sufficient, so the camp administration decided to build a second, larger camp, called Great Wire or sometimes just Wire. The camp was built in 1950, with more than 20 structures made from stone, each of which could hold more than 250 convicts. The Wire was encircled with barbed wire and line with guardhouses. There was also a small pier. In addition, buildings housing the culture department, kitchen, warehouses, the medical facility were also erected. After the camp was closed, the Wire was rebuilt, and the KPD Goli Otok prison was established there. The original buildings from 1950, visible on the illustration, have been destroyed. Nowadays the location of the Wire reflects the appearance of the prison from later decades.

Image source: Archive of the Goli Otok “Ante Zemljar” association, author unknown