Marko Oreškovic
Encyclopedia
Marko Orešković was a Croatia
n (and Yugoslav
) Partisan
commander. He was also known by his nickname Krntija.
He was born in Široka Kula, Gospić
municipality, which was part of Austria-Hungary
at the time. At the age of 15 he left his impoverished home to earn living as a coal miner in Germany. During World War I
he was drafted into Austro-Hungarian Navy
. In 1918 he was imprisoned for his role in the sailor's mutiny on the battleship Szent Istvan.
In 1925 he became a member of Communist Party of Yugoslavia, and a year later he went to Belgrade
. In 1929 he was arrested and tortured by Royal Yugoslav
police and later sentenced to five years of prison.
After serving his sentence he went to Spain to fight in Spanish Civil War
on Republican side. He served as political commisar of Đuro Đaković battalion of International Brigades
. After the end of war in 1939 he returned to Yugoslavia where he was appointed in the Central Committee of the Croatian Communist Party. A year later he took part in 5th National Conference of CPY. Soon afterwards he was arrested by authorities and interned in Lepoglava
prison. He managed to escape.
Following the Axis
invasion of Yugoslavia and establishment of Independent State of Croatia
(NDH), CPY sent Orešković to organise an armed uprising in his native Lika
region. The uprising was successful because the local Serb population suffered persecution by new Ustasha regime and Orešković with his war experience soon became one of the most popular commanders.
However, the insurgents were soon split on the issue whether to engage in combat only with NDH or all Axis forces, including the Italians who offered protection from Ustasha atrocities. This faction, who later became known as Chetniks
, was opposed by Orešković, an ethnic Croat, who wanted insurgence to cross ethnic lines.
In October 1941 Orešković was named as the first political commissar of the Lika Partisan Detachments, and later he became member of Supreme HQ of Croatia. But, as he then went to Drvar
to conference with other insurgent commanders, he was ambushed and shot by members of a local ethnic Serb partisan squad with Chetnik allegiance.
In 1945 he received the title of People's Hero of Yugoslavia
.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n (and Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) Partisan
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
commander. He was also known by his nickname Krntija.
He was born in Široka Kula, Gospić
Gospic
Gospić is a town in the mountainous and sparsely populated region of Lika, Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Lika-Senj county. Gospić is located near the Lika River in the middle of a karst field....
municipality, which was part of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
at the time. At the age of 15 he left his impoverished home to earn living as a coal miner in Germany. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was drafted into Austro-Hungarian Navy
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
. In 1918 he was imprisoned for his role in the sailor's mutiny on the battleship Szent Istvan.
In 1925 he became a member of Communist Party of Yugoslavia, and a year later he went to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. In 1929 he was arrested and tortured by Royal Yugoslav
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
police and later sentenced to five years of prison.
After serving his sentence he went to Spain to fight in Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
on Republican side. He served as political commisar of Đuro Đaković battalion of International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
. After the end of war in 1939 he returned to Yugoslavia where he was appointed in the Central Committee of the Croatian Communist Party. A year later he took part in 5th National Conference of CPY. Soon afterwards he was arrested by authorities and interned in Lepoglava
Lepoglava
Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin, west of Ivanec and northeast of Krapina.A total of 8,271 people in the municipality lives in the following settlements:* Bednjica, population 214...
prison. He managed to escape.
Following the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
invasion of Yugoslavia and establishment of Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
(NDH), CPY sent Orešković to organise an armed uprising in his native Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
region. The uprising was successful because the local Serb population suffered persecution by new Ustasha regime and Orešković with his war experience soon became one of the most popular commanders.
However, the insurgents were soon split on the issue whether to engage in combat only with NDH or all Axis forces, including the Italians who offered protection from Ustasha atrocities. This faction, who later became known as Chetniks
Chetniks
Chetniks, or the Chetnik movement , were Serbian nationalist and royalist paramilitary organizations from the first half of the 20th century. The Chetniks were formed as a Serbian resistance against the Ottoman Empire in 1904, and participated in the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II...
, was opposed by Orešković, an ethnic Croat, who wanted insurgence to cross ethnic lines.
In October 1941 Orešković was named as the first political commissar of the Lika Partisan Detachments, and later he became member of Supreme HQ of Croatia. But, as he then went to Drvar
Drvar
Drvar is a town and municipality in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on the road between Bosansko Grahovo and Bosanski Petrovac, also near Glamoč. It is administratively part of Canton 10 of the Federation....
to conference with other insurgent commanders, he was ambushed and shot by members of a local ethnic Serb partisan squad with Chetnik allegiance.
In 1945 he received the title of People's Hero of Yugoslavia
People's Hero of Yugoslavia
The Order of the People's Hero was a Yugoslav gallantry medal, the second highest military award, and third overall Yugoslav decoration. It was awarded to individuals, military units, political and other organisations who distinguished themselves by extraordinary heroic deeds during war and in...
.