Militsa "Masha" Zhilnik ( Serb. Militsa "Masha" Zhilnik ), nee Militsa Shuvakovich ( Serbs. Militsa Shuvakoviћ ; 1912 , Pakrats - December 15, 1942 , Buban ) - Yugoslav partisan, participant in the People's Liberation War of Yugoslavia. The wife of Slobodan Zhilnik , the national hero of Yugoslavia.
| Militsa Zhilnik (Shuvakovich) | |
|---|---|
| Serb. Militsa Zhilnik (Shuvakoviћ) | |
| Nickname | Masha ( Serb. Masha ) |
| Nickname | Jovanka Popović ( Serbian Јovanka Popovi ) |
| Date of Birth | 1912 |
| Place of Birth | Pakrac , Austria-Hungary |
| Date of death | December 15, 1942 |
| Place of death | Buban , Nedichev Serbia |
| Affiliation |  Yugoslavia |
| Type of army | guerrilla troops |
| Years of service | 1941-1942 |
| Part | Ozren partisan detachment Topzin partisan detachment (Pasyatsky company) |
| Battles / wars | The People's Liberation War of Yugoslavia |
| Communications | Slobodan Zhilnik (husband) Zhelimir Zhilnik (son) |
Biography
Born in 1912 in Pakrac . Hailing from a family of priests living in Zemun . She studied at the University of Belgrade , during the years of study she joined the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and took up the publication of the newspaper “Woman Today” ( Serbian wife Danas ). About six months in 1940 she was in an illegal situation, hiding from the police. In March 1941 she returned to Zemun . When the war of Yugoslavia against Germany began, she and her father were captured by the Ustashi, from where she was able to escape with the help of friends and escape to Belgrade .
In Belgrade, Militsa was hiding in house number 17 on Dragachevskaya Street near Danitsa and Elena Tsvetkovichi. She assisted the partisans of Belgrade, led by Mate Vidakovich , making improvised explosive devices. During one of such explosions in August 1941, Militsa was seriously injured, but she miraculously escaped from police pursuit, and Mate (both hands were torn off), Elena and Danitsa were shot in prison. At the end of September 1941, Militsa fled from Belgrade.
The militia entered the Ozren partisan detachment, having received the pseudonym “Masha” there. Later, she moved to the Toplitsky partisan detachment, in the Pasyatsky company, where she met with Slobodan Zilnik and married him in southern Serbia. This wedding was the first partisan wedding played in southern Serbia. At the beginning of 1942, she was captured in the Prokuplya and sent to the Crveni Krst concentration camp in Nis . However, it was difficult to establish her real name, since she had previously stocked up with documents addressed to the teacher Jovanka Popovich from Sarajevo . On September 8, 1942, Militsa gave birth to a son, who was named Zhelimir . One of the women who took birth, became the godmother for Zhelimir.
On December 2, 1942, several dozen prisoners escaped from the camp. The police were accused of conspiracy and incitement to escape, but she was sure that even the Gestapo would not establish her real name and could not prove anything. Increased security measures were introduced in the camp and the daily regime was tightened. The doctor from the camp, Dr. Velizar Piyade, nevertheless managed to tell the inspiring news to Militsa: during the escape, he handed over the newborn son to the prisoners, who promised to take care of him. This comforted Militsa a little.
In the end, on December 15, 1942, Militsa was shot without trial. She went to execution in a calm state, since she already knew that Zhelimir was safe. The son survived the war and eventually became a legendary director, devoting several films to his parents. One of the streets of Belgrade was renamed in honor of Militsa.
Literature
- Wife Srbiјe at the NOB, “Nolit” Beograd. 1975. Godina