The Kragujevac massacre took place in mid-October 1941 as part of a Nazi campaign to retaliate against resistance movements in occupied territories. Following the assassination of several German officers by local partisans, the German military sought to make an example of the area by executing civilians. Over a span of several days, thousands were rounded up by the police and military forces, with estimates indicating that approximately 2,300 to 3,000 men, women, and even children were killed. The executions were carried out in various locations, often near the city's outskirts, and involved methods that were both brutal and indiscriminate. Those targeted included not only active resistors but also innocent civilians who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Nazi regime employed this strategy of collective punishment as a means to deter further acts of rebellion and to consolidate control in the region. The massacre was one of several atrocities committed by German forces during the war, illustrating their willingness to impose terror on civilian populations to suppress dissent. News of the Kragujevac massacre spread, leading to strong condemnations from resistance factions and further galvanizing anti-German sentiment in Serbia and throughout Yugoslavia.

The ramifications of the massacre extended far beyond its immediate victims. The event became a symbol of the brutal occupation experienced by the Serbian population, contributing to heightened resistance activities against the Axis powers. Historical narratives in Serbia still recall this atrocity to highlight the severe consequences of occupation and the complexities of World War II in the Balkans, with impacts on post-war memory and national identity.