Blažo Đukanović ( sr-cyrl, Блажо Ђукановић; 26 November 1883 – 21 October 1943) was a Montenegrin Serb

Chetnik The Chetniks,, ; formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland; and informally colloquially the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationalist m ...

brigadier general and political leader in the

Italian governorate of Montenegro The Italian governorate of Montenegro () existed from October 1941 to September 1943 as an occupied territory under military government of Fascist Italy during World War II. Although the Italians had intended to establish a quasi-independent Mon ...

Early Life

Blažo Đukanović was born on 26 November 1883 in Lukovo, Nikšić, Đukanović completed gymnasium and his

university education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational school ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

World War II

He became the Ban of the

Zeta Banovina The Zeta Banovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Zetska banovina, Зетска бановина), was a province ( banovina) of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of all of present-day Montenegro as well as ...

in 1941, right up until the dissolution of the

Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...

. In 1941 he was elected the commander of all Chetnik forces in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

, and local general Bajo Stanišić acknowledged him as an official spokesman of the Montenegrin

Chetniks The Chetniks,, ; formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland; and informally colloquially the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationalist m ...

.As the leader of the Montenegrin Chetniks, on 24 July 1942 he signed a deal with the Italian army represented by General Pirzio Biroli whereby he became the head of the Central Nationalist Committee (CNC), which also included

Zelenaši The Greens ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Зеленаши, Zelenaši) were a group of loyalists of King Nikola of Montenegro. They originated from the members of the True People's Party and were most notable for instigating the Christmas Uprising of 1919. Th ...

forces. This post made him de facto leader of Montenegro and he held it until 19 October 1943, near the date of his death. From 9 to 21 October 1942, general Đukanović visited Montenegrin cities in order to improve cooperation between Italian occupier and local civic administration.

members of CNC led by Voja Nenadić wanted to limit Đukanović's pro-

influence. Nenadić's faction gained majority in CNC, however, with great help from

Draža Mihailović Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović ( sr-Cyrl, Драгољуб "Дража" Михаиловић; 27 April 1893 – 17 July 1946) was a Yugoslavs, Yugoslav Serb general during World War II. He was the leader of the Chetniks, Chetnik Detachments ...

and Pavle Đurišić, Đukanović stayed as head of CNC..

Death

Đukanović had been attacked by

Yugoslav Partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, and Slovene language, Slovene: , officially the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska i partizanski odr ...

at his headquarters at the

Ostrog Monastery The Ostrog Monastery (, ) is a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church situated against an almost vertical background, high up in the large rock of Ostroška Greda, in Montenegro. It is dedicated to Saint Basil of Ostrog (''Sveti Vasilije Ostro ...

in October 1943. Eventually he was captured and shot along with Jovan Tošković at the walls of lower Ostrog on the 21 of October 1943.

References

Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Djukanovic, Blazo 1883 births 1943 deaths Military personnel from Nikšić People from the Principality of Montenegro Serbs of Montenegro Chetnik personnel killed in World War II Montenegrin Chetnik personnel of World War II Montenegrin soldiers Executed military leaders People killed by Yugoslav Partisans Executed Montenegrin collaborators with Fascist Italy Executed Montenegrin collaborators with Nazi Germany Executed Serbian collaborators with Fascist Italy Executed Serbian collaborators with Nazi Germany Bans of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia Burials at Serbian Orthodox monasteries and churches