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Vladko Maček and the Croatian Peasant Defence in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 May 2007
Abstract
In the years 1936–41, the Croatian Peasant Party, led by Vladko Maček, operated two militias – the Croatian Peasant Defence (HSZ) in the villages and the Croatian Civil Defence in the cities. The HSZ was intended to protect Croatian peasants from attacks by Serb Chetniks as well as by communists, and was thus itself a symptom of the lawlessness prevailing in the interwar Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The HSZ also formed part of Maček's efforts to compete with the fascistic Ustaša movement, an armed organization behind the so-called ‘Velebit uprising’ of 1932.
Vladko maček et la défense paysanne croate dans le royaume de yougoslavie
Dans les années 1936–41, le Parti paysan croate, dirigé par Vladko Maček, fit fonctionner deux milices: la défense paysanne croate (HSZ) dans les campagnes, la défense civile croate dans les villes. La HSZ était chargée de protéger les paysans croates des attaques des Chetniks serbes, mais aussi des communistes, et constituait en elle-même un symptôme de l'anarchie régnant dans le royaume de Yougoslavie dans l'entre-deux-guerres. La HSZ participait aussi aux efforts de Maček pour constituer avec le mouvement fasciste Ustasa une organisation armée, derrière ce qu'on appelle le ‘Velebit soulèvement’ de 1932.
Vladko maček und die kroatische bauernwehr im königreich jugoslawien
In den Jahren 1936–41 unterhielt die Kroatische Bauernpartei, geführt von Vladko Maček, zwei Militäreinheiten – die Kroatische Bauernwehr (HSZ) in den Dörfern und die Kroatische Bürgerwehr in den Städten. Die HSZ sollte die kroatischen Bauern vor den Attacken der serbischen Tschetniks ebenso wie vor den Kommunisten schützen. Sie war so selbst ein Symptom der Gesetzlosigkeit, die zwischen den Kriegen im jugoslawischen Königreich herrschte. Die HSZ war ausserdem Teil von Mačeks Bemühungen, sich gegenüber der faschistischen Ustaša, einer bewaffnete Organisation, die hinter dem sogenannten ‘Velebit Aufstand’ von 1932 stand, zu behaupten.
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References
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25 KBUSBZ–ODZ to all county prefects, all city police chiefs, et al., Pov. II, broj 32062 (30 November 1932), in SBDZ, Box 103, Pov. II, 1932, broj 31511–33168.
26 Okružni inspektorat u Varaždinu to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. broj 537 (23 April 1932), in SBDZ, Box 70; and SN (Bjelovar) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, kz. broj 434 (14 May 1932), in SBDZ, Box 73, Pov. II, 1932 g., br. 10810–11217.
27 Pomoćnik P. Pukovnik, Savski žandarmeriski puk to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. OB br. 1911 (17 September 1932), in SBDZ, Box 94, Pov. spisi, 1932, br. 23354–23977.
28 Komandir stanice, Žandarm. narednik Dušan Jović, Letovanić, to SN Sisak, Pov. broj 415 (18 May 1932) in SBDZ, Box 73.
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32 Kalnik, Okružen inspektor Dr. Pfeifer vr. (Varaždin) to Komandir Žandarmerijske čete, Pov. broj 1689 (28 October 1932); and Pretstojnik gradske policije u Varaždinu to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. broj 1144 (31 October 1932), in SBDZ, Box 98. Čazma, SN (Čazma) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. II broj 1412 (29 November 1932), in SBDZ, Box 103, Pov. II, 1932., broj 1511–33168.
33 Spontaneous, SN (Čazma) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. broj 1446 (3 December 1932), in SBDZ, Box 103; Ustaša, Grič (Buenos Aires), 8 October 1932, 4.
34 Uprava policije u Zagrebu (Administration of the Police in Zagreb, or UPZ), Otsek službe bezbednosti to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. broj 21333 (4 October 1932), in SBDZ, Box 94.
35 The term ‘Ustaše’ refers to members of the Ustaša organisation.
36 Student organisation, MUP (Belgrade), ODZ to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. I, br. 46455 (14 December 1932), in SBDZ, Box 104, Pov. spisi, 1932, br. 33171–35702; ‘Ustaše in the woods’, Grič, 17 Sept. 1932, 3.
37 James, J. Sadkovich, Italian Support for Croatian Separatism, 1927–1937 (New York and London: Garland, 1987), 85–6, 111, 133–5Google Scholar. See also Sadkovich, ‘Terrorism in Croatia’, 57.
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45 Šufflay's assassination provoked shock both at home and abroad. Archbishop Bauer of Zagreb joined several other bishops and some two hundred writers and artists in registering their protest, while, abroad, Albert Einstein was among those to protest against the murder.
46 Inspector, MUP to KBUSBZ, Str. Pov. broj 396 (5 April 1935), in SBDZ, Box 15, broj 120–196/1935 g.
47 KBUSBZ–ODZ to all district authorities and all city police chiefs et al., Str. Pov. br. 139/1935. god (26 February 1935), in SBDZ, Box 15.
48 SN (Otočac) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. Pov. broj 38/1935 (10 May 1935), in SBDZ, Box 18, broj 578–691/1935.
49 SN (Gospić) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. Pov. broj 41/1935 (13 May 1935), in SBDZ, Box 18.
50 SN (Prelog) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. Pov. broj 42/1935 (11 May 1935), in SBDZ, Box 18.
51 SN (Ivanec) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. Pov. br. 32/1935. (15 May 1935), in SBDZ, Box 18.
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57 KBUSBZ–ODZ to county prefects, city police chiefs, et al., Str. Pov. broj 94 (19 May 1936) in SBDZ, Box 21, Strogo pov. spisi br. 94–626/1936. g.
58 Administrator (N) at MUP (Belgrade) to Ban Savske Banovine (Zagreb), Pov. I broj 50160 (9 October 1936), in SBDZ, Box 20, Str. pov. broj 1–94/1936. g.
59 KBUSBZ–ODZ to city police chiefs, county prefects, et al., Str. pov broj 94 (19 May 1936); SN (Donja Studica) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. pov. broj 12 (18 December 1936); SN (Pregrada) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. pov. 10 (16 December 1936); SN (Zagreb) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. pov. 12 (21 December 1936); and SN (Vrginmost) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. pov. broj 22 (14 December 1936) – all in SBDZ, Box 20.
60 SN (Donji Miholjac) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. pov. broj 94 (6 January 1937); and SN (Samobor) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. broj 1049 (7 August 1936) – both in SBDZ, Box 20.
61 I am indebted to Vjeran Pavlaković for this insight. E-mail, 2 Aug. 2005.
62 Sadkovich, Italian Support, 294.
63 SN (Bjelovar) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. Pov. broj 12 (17 October 1936); and SN (Gjurgjevac) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. Pov. broj 26 (20 October 1936) – both in SBDZ, Box 20.
64 SN (Koprivnica) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. pov. 25 (12 June 1937), in SBDZ, Box 22, Str. pov. 1937, broj 1–1016.
65 Str. Pov. broj 78/1937 (26 January 1937), in SBDZ, Box 22. I am grateful to Vjeran Pavlaković for this item: Pavlaković's method of notating source information differs from mine.
66 N (MUP, Belgrade) to KBUSBZ–I, broj 53235 (14 October 1936), presumably Str. Pov.; Komandant, Savski žandarmeriski puk u Zagrebu to KBUSBZ–ODZ, J.B., Str. Pov. broj 4319 (12 October 1936); Pomoćnik pukovnik, Savski žandarmeriski puk to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. ob. broj 455 (7 September 1936); and note dated September 1936 (Belgrade), Pov. broj 1212, attached to SN (Vrginmost) to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. broj 1212 (16 September 1936) – all in SBDZ, Box 20. Also Komandant–pukovnik, Savski žandarmeriski puk to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. J.B. broj 499 (18 July 1936), in SBDZ, Box 21.
67 Memo ODZ (25 January 1937), enclosed in SBDZ, Box 21.
68 KBUSBZ-ODZ to county prefects, Str. Pov. broj 120 (1 March 1937), in SBDZ, Box 22.
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72 Potpukovnik, Savski žandarmeriski puk to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Pov. J.B. broj 1085 (6 December 1937), in SBDZ, Box 22.
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79 Bilten, ODZ, Strogo poverljivo (May 1939), 5, in SBDZ, Box 27.
80 Ibid., 6–7.
81 Bilten, ODZ, Strogo poverljivo (July 1939), 6, in SBDZ, Box 27.
82 Istra (Zagreb), 29 Sept. 1939, 3.
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86 Hrvatska straža (Zagreb), 17 Aug. 1941, 3.
87 Mladen, Colić, Takozvana Nezavisna Država Hrvatska 1941. (Belgrade: Delta-Pres, 1973), 111Google Scholar.
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89 Komandant, pukovnik, Savski žandermeriski puk to KBUSBZ–ODZ, J. B. broj 4110 (22 November 1937) – as quoted in MUP to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. Pov. broj 1048 (24 November 1937), in SBDZ, Box 22.
90 Quoted in MUP to KBUSBZ–ODZ, Str. Pov. broj 1048 (24 November 1937), in SBDZ, Box 22.
91 KBUSBZ–ODZ to UPZ–OOP, all SNs, and all city police chiefs, Str. pov. broj 669 (5 March 1938), in SBDZ, Box 27.