Albert Dovecar (19 July 1937 – 7 June 1962) was a sergeant in the French

1st Foreign Parachute Regiment The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (french: 1er Régiment Etranger de Parachutistes, 1er REP) was an airborne regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army which dated its origins to 1948. The regiment fought in the First Indochina War as th ...

of the French Foreign Legion. He was executed by

firing squad Execution by firing squad, in the past sometimes called fusillading (from the French ''fusil'', rifle), is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war. Some reasons for its use are that firearms are ...

at the Fort du Trou d'Enfer for his part in the assassination of

French National Police The National Police (french: Police nationale), formerly known as the , is one of two national police forces of France, the other being the National Gendarmerie. The National Police is the country's main civil law enforcement agency, with prima ...

Divisional Commissaire Roger Gavoury during the Algerian War.

Biography

Dovecar was born at Tužno in

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

. He enlisted in the Foreign Legion on 5 April 1957 at

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...

under the name of "Paul Dodevart," claiming birth in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

on 20 February 1938. After training at the Foreign Legion training base at

Mascara Mascara is a cosmetic commonly used to enhance the upper and lower eyelashes. It is used to darken, thicken, lengthen, and/or define the eyelashes. Normally in one of three forms—liquid, powder, or cream—the modern mascara product has vari ...

, he was assigned to the 1st Parachute Regiment (Foreign Legion). Dovecar took back his original name on his promotion to sergeant on 16 June 1960. Dovecar participated in the Algerian War, receiving three citations and one combat wound. After his participation in the

Algiers putsch of 1961 The Algiers putsch (french: Putsch d'Alger or ), also known as the Generals' putsch (''Putsch des généraux''), was a failed coup d'état intended to force French President Charles de Gaulle not to abandon French Algeria, along with the resid ...

, he decided to break his contract on 27 April 1961 to join the Organisation armée secrète (OAS). Within the OAS, Dovecar was the leader of Commando Delta Team 1, under the orders of Lieutenant Roger Degueldre. Dovecar and Claude Piegts assassinated Commissaire Roger Gavoury on 31 May 1961. Dovecar was apprehended at Degueldre's headquarters on the Boulevard Marcel Duclos in Algiers, with five of his companions on 11 October 1961. Tried for "participation in a conspiracy formed with the intention of causing the citizens to arm one against the other, of murder by ambush, and desertion in times of peace," Dovecar was condemned to death by a French tribunal. He was shot on 7 June 1962 at the Fort du Trou d'Enfer, along with Claude Piegts. 3,680 people were convicted for their participation in the OAS or related activities, and 41 were convicted of capital crimes. Of the 41 condemnations, only four were executed: Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry, Degueldre, Piegts, and Dovecar.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dovecar, Albert 1937 births 1962 deaths People from Vidovec Members of the Organisation armée secrète People of the Algerian War People executed by the French Fifth Republic Executed French people Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion French people convicted of murdering police officers People executed for murdering police officers People executed by France by firing squad Executed Croatian people Executed assassins