Blue Guard ( Serb. Plava garda , Sloven. Plava garda ), its own name - Slovenian Chetniks ( Serb. Slovenachki Chetnitsi, Sloven . Slovenski četniki ) - military unit of the Yugoslav Army in the homeland , operating in Slovenia. In fact, it was an illegal part of the White Guard - military formations organized in Slovenia by the Italian occupiers.
| Blue Guard / Slovenian Chetniks | |
|---|---|
| Years of existence | 1941 - 1945 |
| A country |  Slovenia |
| Subordination | command of the Yugoslav troops in the homeland |
| Type of | infantry |
| Function | restoration of the monarchy in Yugoslavia |
| Dislocation | Slovenia |
| Nickname | Blue Guards |
| Participation in | Yugoslav front of World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Famous Commanders | Jacob Avshich Karl Novak |
Brief History
The Slovenian Chetnik forces were formed in 1941 after the Germans and their allies occupied Yugoslavia. The struggle against the guerrillas was fought in the same way as the Slovenian “White Guards”, the Houseguards and other anti-communist and pro-fascist forces. Subordinate to General Drazhe Mikhailovich . The goal of the movement is the restoration of monarchical power in Yugoslavia with the support of western countries.
The first leader of the Slovenian Chetniks was Colonel Jakob Avšić , but in mid-1941 he moved to the side of the partisans of Josip Broz Tito. The commander was appointed commander Karl Novak, who was promoted to lieutenant colonel. In 1943, Novak was appointed representative of General Mikhailovich at the negotiations with the Western allies and went to Italy, and the commander was the captain of the first rank Anton Klinar. Later, Brigadier General Vladimir Vauhnik and Divisional General Ivan Prezel, who was also the commander of the Slovenian People’s Army, led the Chetniks.
From 300 to 600 soldiers of the army of the Chetniks were scouts and saboteurs, actively cooperating with British intelligence. In the summer of 1944 in Styria, some units managed to lure the Yugoslav soldiers recruited into the Wehrmacht to their side. The army of the Chetniks itself was divided into four parts:
- forces in Primorye under the leadership of Captain Ratomir Chotić
- forces in Goriška under the leadership of Lieutenant Jozse Khlebts and Captain Milko Piriha
- forces in Central Slovenia under the leadership of Captain Milan Kranza and Major Borut Koprivice
- forces in Styria under the leadership of Lieutenant Jozhe Melageria
The movement was defeated in 1945 after the surrender of Germany and its satellites, but the remnants of the Chetnik troops continued to resist in the ranks of the failed collaborators: Croatian " Krijars " and Slovenian " Motheryazhevtsev ." The last representative of the Slovenian Chetniks, Uroš Šušterić, who was granted the title of Triglav Voevoda in 2008, died in February 2018 [1] .
Notes
Literature
- Pavle Borstnik, Pozabljena zgodba slovenske nacionalne ilegale, Љubљana, 1998.
- Katka Zupanic, Četništvo na Štajerskem, diplomska naloga, Maribor, 2000.
- Marián F. Kraњts and Slobodan Kљakı, Plava garda - poveljnikovo zaupno poročilo, Pro-Andy, Maribor, 2006.
- Slobodan Kљakı and Marián F. Kraњts, Slovenachki chetnitsi, Philip Vishњiћ, Beograd, 2006.
- Method M. Miљach, Resistance, imprisonment & forced labor: a slovene student in World War II˝, Њóјork P. Lang, 2002.
- Method M. Miљach, Kdo solze naše posuši: doživetja slovenskega dijaka med drugo svetovno vojno, Previa, Kulturno drustvo Mokhoran, Tseљe, Mokhorieva friendship, 2003.