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The 1918 occupation of Međimurje was takeover of the region of Međimurje by the forces deployed by the National Council of the
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs ( sh, Država Slovenaca, Hrvata i Srba / ; sl, Država Slovencev, Hrvatov in Srbov) was a political entity that was constituted in October 1918, at the end of World War I, by Slovenes, Croats and Serbs ( ...
in November and December 1918 in immediate aftermath of the
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
. The territory, predominantly inhabited by the
Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, ...
was a part of the
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephe ...
until the troops under command of
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Slavko Kvaternik Slavko Kvaternik (25 August 1878 – 7 June 1947) was a Croatian Ustaše military general and politician who was one of the founders of the Ustaše movement. Kvaternik was military commander and Minister of '' Domobranstvo'' (''Armed Forces''). O ...
captured and added it to the just established
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama ...
. The campaign to capture Međimurje began in November 1918 ostensibly in response to Hungarian authorities action to put down a revolt of population of Međimurje. The first intervention was quickly organised by Major Ivan Tomašević leading a force of about three hundred which was routed by Hungarian forces near
Čakovec Čakovec (; hu, Csáktornya; la, Aquama; german: Tschakathurn) is a city in northern Croatia, located around north of Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Čakovec is both the county seat and the largest city of Međimurje County, the northernmost, s ...
– the region's largest town. Pleas for military help directed to the
Royal Serbian Army The Army of the Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Војска Краљевине Србије, Vojska Kraljevine Srbije), known in English as the Royal Serbian Army, was the army of the Kingdom of Serbia that existed between 1882 and 1918, succeedin ...
and the French Armée d'Orient were rebuffed due to obligations assumed under the
Armistice of Belgrade The armistice of Belgrade was an agreement on the termination of World War I hostilities between the Triple Entente and the Kingdom of Hungary concluded in Belgrade on 13 November 1918. It was largely negotiated by General Louis Franchet d'E ...
between the
Entente Powers The Triple Entente (from French ''entente'' meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as well as ...
and Hungary which defined the
Drava The Drava or Drave''Utrata Fachwörterbuch ...
River in as the line of Hungarian control in the area. A new effort was mounted by the National Council on 24 December using a 3000-strong force comprising a significant part of the
Royal Croatian Home Guard The Royal Croatian Home Guard ( hr, Kraljevsko hrvatsko domobranstvo, Hrvatsko-slavonsko domobranstvo or Kraljevsko hrvatsko-ugarsko domobranstvo, often simply ''Domobranstvo'' or ''Domobran'' in singular, in German: ''Croatisch-Slawonische Landw ...
and volunteers. The second incursion into Međimurje was planned in greater detail by Major Dragutin Perko, who went on to command a large part of the forces advancing into Međimurje. Međimurje was captured on 24 December without resistnace from the Hungarian garrison. Perko was appointed its administrator, and the region was declared a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The proclamation was made with a reference to the principle of
self-determination The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a '' jus cogens'' rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It st ...
. Addition of Međimurje to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was confirmed by the
Paris Peace Conference Agreements and declarations resulting from meetings in Paris include: Listed by name Paris Accords may refer to: * Paris Accords, the agreements reached at the end of the London and Paris Conferences in 1954 concerning the post-war status of Germ ...
.


Background

On 5–6 October 1918, representatives of political parties representing
Slovenes The Slovenes, also known as Slovenians ( sl, Slovenci ), are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Slovenia, and adjacent regions in Italy, Austria and Hungary. Slovenes share a common ancestry, Slovenian culture, culture, History ...
,
Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, ...
, and
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their ...
living in
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
organised the
National Council of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs ( sh, Država Slovenaca, Hrvata i Srba / ; sl, Država Slovencev, Hrvatov in Srbov) was a political entity that was constituted in October 1918, at the end of World War I, by Slovenes, Croats and Serbs ( ...
as the central organ of the newly proclaimed
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs ( sh, Država Slovenaca, Hrvata i Srba / ; sl, Država Slovencev, Hrvatov in Srbov) was a political entity that was constituted in October 1918, at the end of World War I, by Slovenes, Croats and Serbs ( ...
encompassing the
Slovene Lands The Slovene lands or Slovenian lands ( sl, Slovenske dežele or in short ) is the historical denomination for the territories in Central and Southern Europe where people primarily spoke Slovene. The Slovene lands were part of the Illyrian provi ...
,
Croatia-Slavonia The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia ( hr, Kraljevina Hrvatska i Slavonija; hu, Horvát-Szlavónország or ; de-AT, Königreich Kroatien und Slawonien) was a nominally autonomous kingdom and constitutionally defined separate political nation with ...
,
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see names in other languages) is one of the four historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of the Adriatic Sea, stre ...
, and
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...
. The council supplanted the previously established ad hoc group known as the
Yugoslav Committee Yugoslav Committee ( sh-Latn, Jugoslavenski odbor, sr-Cyrl, Југословенски одбор) was a political interest group formed by South Slavs from Austria-Hungary during World War I aimed at joining the existing south Slavic nations in ...
as the body representing the interests of the South Slavs living in the
Habsburg lands The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
. Its original objective was to work to achieve independence of the
South Slavs South Slavs are Slavic peoples who speak South Slavic languages and inhabit a contiguous region of Southeast Europe comprising the eastern Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. Geographically separated from the West Slavs and East Slavs by Austria, ...
from Austria-Hungary and then arrange unification of those lands on the basis of Yugoslavist ideas with
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hung ...
. The latter had stated its
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
objective of liberation and unification of the lands represented by the National Council in its 1914
Niš Declaration The Niš Declaration ( sr, Niška deklaracija, italic=yes, sr-Cyrl, Нишка декларација) was a document issued on 7 December 1914, in the midst of World War I, in which the government of the Kingdom of Serbia formally declared it ...
. On 29 October, the
Sabor The Croatian Parliament ( hr, Hrvatski sabor) or the Sabor is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Croatia. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power. The Sabo ...
of Croatia-Slavonia declared the end of political ties with Austria-Hungary and thus the independence of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. The council and Serbian representatives met in
Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...
, Switzerland in early November for talks where the former agreed with Serbian Prime Minister
Nikola Pašić Nikola Pašić ( sr-Cyrl, Никола Пашић, ; 18 December 1845 – 10 December 1926) was a Serbian and Yugoslav politician and diplomat who was a leading political figure for almost 40 years. He was the leader of the People's Radical ...
the provisional political system of the union with Serbia. The short-lived agreement known as the Geneva Declaration was repudiated by Serbia within days. Following the Armistice of Villa Giusti between the
Entente Powers The Triple Entente (from French ''entente'' meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as well as ...
and Austria-Hungary, the
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia was proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to an institutional referendum to abandon the monarchy and ...
moved to secure a part of the territory claimed by the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs it was promised through the
Treaty of London The Treaty of London or London Convention or similar may refer to: *Treaty of London (1358), established a truce between England and France following the Battle of Poitiers *Treaty of London (1359), which ceded western France to England *Treaty of ...
. They followed retreating Austro-Hungarian returning home from the Italian Front. Those based in
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croa ...
were going home by trains running through Međimurje – a part of the Hungary's
Zala County Zala ( hu, Zala megye, ; ; ) is an administrative county ( comitatus or ''megye'') in south-western Hungary. It is named after the Zala River. It shares borders with Croatia ( Koprivnica–Križevci and Međimurje Counties) and Slovenia ( Lend ...
, located between
Drava The Drava or Drave''Utrata Fachwörterbuch ...
and Mura rivers and inhabited predominantly by Croats. The overall security throughout Hungary and Croatia-Slavonia was poor because of
Green Cadres The Green Cadres,, ''Zeleni kader''; cz, Zelené kádry; german: Grüner Kader or sometimes referred to as; Green Brigades or Green Guards, were originally groups of Austro-Hungarian Army deserters in the First World War. They were later joi ...
– numerous deserters surviving through banditry.


First incursion


Prelude

In early November, a revolt erupted in several villages in the eastern Međimurje – and quickly spread across the region among the population. Although the revolt had the hallmarks of
class struggle Class conflict, also referred to as class struggle and class warfare, is the political tension and economic antagonism that exists in society because of socio-economic competition among the social classes or between rich and poor. The forms ...
, the insurrectionists also targeted anyone they perceived as enemies on ethnic grounds. The revolt largely subsided by 4 November. The next day, the Zala County prefect authorised summary
court-martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of mem ...
proceedings in Međimurje. Under this authority, more than one hundred people were summarily tried and executed by hanging or
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 us ...
. Some civilians fled from the persecution South, across Drava into Croatia-Slavonia – most to the city of
Varaždin ) , image_photo = , image_skyline = , image_flag = Flag of Varaždin.svg , flag_size = , image_seal = , seal_size = , image_shield = Grb_Grad ...
, but also to
Koprivnica Koprivnica () is a city in Northern Croatia, located 70 kilometers northeast of Zagreb. It is the capital and the largest city of the Koprivnica-Križevci county. In 2011, the city's administrative area of 90.94 km2 had a total popu ...
. By 10 November, Hungarian regular troops restored control in nearly entire region and gained control of the village of
Nedelišće Nedelišće ( hu, Drávavásárhely; Kajkavian: ''Nedelišče'') is a village in Međimurje County, in northern Croatia, and the seat of the Municipality of Nedelišće, which also includes 10 other villages in the south-western part of Međimurje ...
two days later as the last rebel stronghold. A
popular assembly A popular assembly (or people's assembly) is a gathering called to address issues of importance to participants. Assemblies tend to be freely open to participation and operate by direct democracy. Some assemblies are of people from a locatio ...
was held in Varaždin on 10 November to discuss the developments in Međimurje, blaming mercenaries and Hungarian Green Cadres for the violence. National Council committees based in Varaždin and Koprivnica dispatched delegations to
Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Sl ...
to seek help from the central government and potentially from
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Dušan Simović Dušan Simović (; 28 October 1882 – 26 August 1962) was a Yugoslav Serb army general who served as Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Yugoslav Army and as the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia in 1940–1941. Biography Simović, born ...
who had just arrived to Zagreb as a representative of the
Royal Serbian Army The Army of the Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Војска Краљевине Србије, Vojska Kraljevine Srbije), known in English as the Royal Serbian Army, was the army of the Kingdom of Serbia that existed between 1882 and 1918, succeedin ...
. In response, National Council defence commissioner dispatched Major Ivan Tomašević and Lieutenant Viktor Debeljak to Varaždin to devise a plan for occupation of Međimurje. Tomašević found forces in Varaždin under command of Captain Stjepan Sertić – the commanding officer of the 3rd battalion of the 25th Infantry Regiment of the
Royal Croatian Home Guard The Royal Croatian Home Guard ( hr, Kraljevsko hrvatsko domobranstvo, Hrvatsko-slavonsko domobranstvo or Kraljevsko hrvatsko-ugarsko domobranstvo, often simply ''Domobranstvo'' or ''Domobran'' in singular, in German: ''Croatisch-Slawonische Landw ...
. In addition, there was a battalion raised largely among Međimurje refugees. There was also a National Guards volunteer detachment which included Varaždin high school students, nominally reporting to the National Council. The entire force consisted of approximately 300 troops, armed with weapons taken from Varaždin barracks and soldiers of the 14th Infantry Regiment of the Royal Hungarian ''Honvéd'' and the 33rd Infantry Regiment of the
Common Army The Common Army (german: Gemeinsame Armee, hu, Közös Hadsereg) as it was officially designated by the Imperial and Royal Military Administration, was the largest part of the Austro-Hungarian land forces from 1867 to 1914, the other two eleme ...
who were crossing Drava in Varaždin. Tomašević assumed overall command, '' Oberleutnant'' Franjo Glogovec led the Međumurje battalion, while Major Marko Georgijević led the volunteer troops. The National Council sent , , and Major Dragutin Perko to Belgrade where they met with ''Vojvoda''
Petar Bojović Petar Bojović (, ; 16 July 1858 – 19 January 1945) was a Serbian military commander who fought in the Serbo-Turkish War, the Serbo-Bulgarian War, the First Balkan War, the Second Balkan War, World War I and World War II. Following the bre ...
, the commander of the Serbian First Army, and Prince Regent Alexander and sought military intervention by Serbia against Hungary in Međimurje on 10 November. The Regent directed Perko to meet ''Vojvoda'' Petar Mišić the next day on the matter. Mišić informed Perko that Serbia cannit intervene due to its commitment to the existing armistice, but promised support if forces of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs capture Međimurje.


Repelled advance

On 13 November, another public assembly was held in Varaždin where Tomašević and mayor Pero Magdić announced their plan to launch an attack across Drava River into Međimurje that evening, at 10 p.m. Magdić pushed for a quick action hoping to improve his political standing and had a poster printed calling on volunteers to come forward. The available troops were escorted to the Drava River bridge by crowds. Once across, the attackers positioned several artillery pieces and split into three columns. Sertić led the main advance towards
Čakovec Čakovec (; hu, Csáktornya; la, Aquama; german: Tschakathurn) is a city in northern Croatia, located around north of Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Čakovec is both the county seat and the largest city of Međimurje County, the northernmost, s ...
, the largest town in Međimurje, located about away to the North. The advance proceeded along the main road through the village of Pušćine. To his right, the volunteer force took the road to Čakovec through the village of
Kuršanec Kuršanec ( hu, Zrínyifalva, before 1896 ''Kursanecz'') is a village in Međimurje County, Croatia. The village is located in the south-western part of Međimurje County, near Lake Varaždin, and is administratively part of the wider area of the ...
. On the left flank, Glogovec led his troops through the village of Gornji Hrašćan before turning east towards Čakovec. According to Tomašević, the aim of the first stage of the operation was to capture Čakovec and establish a bridgehead across Drava before further advance is attempted. The advancing forces reached Čakovec in the morning of 14 November without encountering resistance. This matched the information available to the National Council, which indicated that Hungarian troops had withdrawn from Međimurje, except from Čakovec railway station. The forces tasked with security of the railway in Čakovec were under command of Major Károly Györy. There are conflicting reports on time and direction of arrival of additional Hungarian troops to Čakovec, but the majority view is that a force several times larger than the opposition arrived by four trains from
Nagykanizsa Nagykanizsa (; hr, Velika Kaniža/Velika Kanjiža, or just ''Kaniža/Kanjiža''; german: Großkirchen, Groß-Kanizsa; it, Canissa; sl, Velika Kaniža; tr, Kanije), known colloquially as Kanizsa, is a medium-sized city in Zala County in south ...
shortly before the troops commanded by Tomašević reached the town. The forces first clashed near Čakovec railway station where the Hungarian forces awaited the attackers in prepared positions. The forces commanded by Tomašević fled in disarray to Varaždin across Drava bridges or, after both of them were captured by Hungarian cavalry, swam across the river to safety. The fighting was concluded the same day in a truce concluded by the
Varaždin County Varaždin County ( hr, Varaždinska županija) is a county in Northern Croatia. It is named after its county seat, the city of Varaždin. Geography The county contains the city of Varaždin, the towns of: Ivanec, Ludbreg, Lepoglava, Novi M ...
prefect Franjo Kulmer and Čakovec District chief justice Pál Huszár. They met again on 15 November to arrange restoration of Varaždin–Čakovec railway traffic and security control of traffic across Drava bridges. Since the city limits of Varaždin extended slightly north of the Drava River, Huszár agreed that no Hungarian forces would be posted at the bridges and the security left to the State of the Slovenes, Croats and Serbs to enforce. According to Simović, the Tomašević's defeat was the result of complete lack of preparation and caused considerable fear of a Hungarian attack against Varaždin. Contemporary press noted at least four attackers were killed.


Second incursion


Preparations for another push

On 16 November, Simović forwarded to Belgrade a new request for military intervention in Međimurje drawn up by the National Council. It included not only a request to capture Međimurje, but also set the request in a proposal to establish the
Czech Corridor The Czech Corridor ( cs, Český koridor; sk, Český koridor) or Czechoslovak Corridor ( cs, Československý koridor; sk, Československý koridor) was a failed proposal during the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 in the aftermath of World War I ...
establishing an overland link to
Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...
. This request was rejected three days later as impossible to grant without violating the
Armistice of Belgrade The armistice of Belgrade was an agreement on the termination of World War I hostilities between the Triple Entente and the Kingdom of Hungary concluded in Belgrade on 13 November 1918. It was largely negotiated by General Louis Franchet d'E ...
concluded on 13 November establishing the Drava River as the boundary of the territory under Hungarian control in the area of Međimurje and Varaždin. In a report filed on 19 November by Hungarian envoy in Zagreb at the time
Gyula Gömbös Gyula Gömbös de Jákfa (26 December 1886 – 6 October 1936) was a Hungarian military officer and politician who served as Prime Minister of Hungary from 1 October 1932 to his death. Background Gömbös was born in Murga, Tolna County, Kingdo ...
, it was noted that further military action against Hungarian interests in Međimurje was likely and that forces needed for this were assembling near Varaždin. On 23 November, the National Council wrote to
General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
Louis Franchet d'Espèrey Louis Félix Marie François Franchet d'Espèrey (25 May 1856 – 8 July 1942) was a French general during World War I. As commander of the large Allied army based at Salonika, he conducted the successful Macedonian campaign, which caused th ...
asking him to occupy Međimurje on the council's behalf. The new attempt at capturing Međimurje Gömbös referred to was planned for 6 December, with participation of a substantially greater force than the initial push, and Colonel
Slavko Kvaternik Slavko Kvaternik (25 August 1878 – 7 June 1947) was a Croatian Ustaše military general and politician who was one of the founders of the Ustaše movement. Kvaternik was military commander and Minister of '' Domobranstvo'' (''Armed Forces''). O ...
was appointed by Drinković to lead the offensive. However, the attack was postponed following the armed conflict in Zagreb which took place just one day before the scheduled operation and within a week since proclamation of unification of the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama ...
(Kingdom of SHS). Kvaternik determined the postponed start of the offensive would be in the early morning of 24 December. Despite the recent unification of the Kingdom of SHS, the Royal Serbian Army did not absorb the forces deployed to the area of Varaždin in preparation of the attack into Međimurje. Those troops were still formally controlled by the National Council. On 11 December, Bojović was ordered not to cross the line (meaning Drava) determined by the Armistice of Belgrade. On 20 December, the supreme command of the Royal Serbian Army notified Colonel Milan Pribičević attached to the liaison office in Zagreb that neither the Serbian, nor the French Armée d'Orient would support the offensive directly.


Order of battle

The plan for the second incursion into Međimurje was prepared by Perko and finalised by Kvaternik. At his disposal, Kvaternik had 3000 troops assigned to seven battalions. They were equipped with 24 cannon, 52 machine guns, an armoured car and eleven lorries. The force also had two
cavalry squadron A squadron was historically a cavalry subunit, a company or battalion-sized military formation. The term is still used to refer to modern cavalry units, and is also used by other arms and services (frequently aviation, also naval). In some c ...
s, a
medic A medic is a person involved in medicine such as a medical doctor, medical student, paramedic or an emergency medical responder. Among physicians in the UK, the term "medic" indicates someone who has followed a "medical" career path in postgrad ...
detachment, and a signal corps company. The attacking force was arrayed along two major axes. The bulk of the force advanced North from Varaždin to Čakovec under command of Perko. A smaller part of the force was deployed to the West of Međimurje under command of Major Ivo Henneberg, tasked with advancing East from
Ormož Ormož (; in older sources , hu, Ormosd, german: Friedau, Prekmurje Slovene: ''Ormošd'') is a town in the traditional region of Prlekija, part of Styria, in northeastern Slovenia. It lies on the left bank of the Drava River and borders with C ...
to Čakovec and from the village of Štrigova along the Mura River. A reserve force consisted of one infantry battalion of Royal Serbian Army supported by a half of a cavalry squadron and a machine gun detachment led by Major Aksentije Radojković. The reserve was assembling near Varaždin and did not take part in the offensive actions. Kvaternik set up his headquarters in Varaždin to direct the entire operation. The Hungarian forces in Međimurje were considerably smaller. Most of them were stationed in Čakovec, with small contingents deployed in larger villages in the region. The force was commanded by Colonel György Kühn, and Györy as the second in command.


Renewed offensive

The attacking forces were tasked with capturing Čakovec as well as rail and road crossings of the Mura river in
Mursko Središće Mursko Središće ( hu, Muraszerdahely, Kajkavian: ''Mursko Središče'') is the northernmost town in Croatia, located at ( alt. 175 m) and one of the oldest localities in Međimurje County. Mursko Središće has a total population of 6,307, an ...
and
Kotoriba Kotoriba ( hu, Kotor, earlier ''Kottori'') is a village and municipality in Međimurje County, in northern Croatia. It is located in the southeastern part of the county, near the Mura River and border with Hungary, approximately 36 kilometres so ...
connecting Međimurje to the rest of the Zala County. Ultimately, the troops were tasked with securing control of the entire territory south of the Mura River. The attack commenced at 6 a.m. of 24 December. A part of the group led by Perko advanced along the main Varaždin–Čakovec road. By 8 a.m. forces led by Major Karlo Pogledić assisted by Tomašević (26th Infantry Regiment) completed unopposed Drava crossing in boats and on rafts procured from local population at the village of
Hrženica Hrženica is a village in Varaždin County, Croatia. The village is part of the Sveti Đurđ municipality and had a population of 830 in the 2011 census. It is located in the north-eastern part of Varaždin County, near the Drava and Lake Dubrav ...
. Then they proceeded to capture the town of Prelog, followed by the villages of Donji Kraljevec and
Goričan Goričan ( hu, Muracsány) is a municipality in Međimurje County, Croatia. Goričan is the only village belonging to the municipality. Its population in the 2011 census was 2,823. Of the entire population, 2,763 people identified themselves as Cr ...
, before advancing to the Mura bridge south of Letenye to block the main road to
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
. The forces advancing from the West were split in two. Major Ivo Henneberg advanced from
Središče ob Dravi Središče ob Dravi (, german: Polstrau''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 4: ''Štajersko''. 1904. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 230.) is a town in northeastern Slovenia. It is the seat o ...
in
Styria Styria (german: Steiermark ; Serbo-Croatian and sl, ; hu, Stájerország) is a state (''Bundesland'') in the southeast of Austria. With an area of , Styria is the second largest state of Austria, after Lower Austria. Styria is bordered to ...
towards Čakovec with the objective of securing the left bank of Drava and joining Perko in Čakovec – securing Perko's left flank. The second part of the force advancing from Styria moved through the villages of Štrigova and
Sveti Martin na Muri Sveti Martin na Muri (, "St-Martin-on-the- Mur") is a village and municipality in Međimurje County, in northern Croatia. History In Ancient time Roman settlement ''Halicanum'' stood on the site of today's village Sveti Martin na Muri. Se ...
. It was led by Captain Erminije Jurišić and tasked with capturing bridges in Mursko Središće and nearby pontoon ferries. Other ferries located further downstream were the assigned targets for capture by a cavalry squadron led by Captain Matija Čanić. By 10 a.m., the attacking force gained control of the entire southern bank of the Mura river in the region and Čakovec was surrounded. Perko sent Georgijević to ride into Čakovec and request surrender of the town after sixteen Hungarian soldiers posted to guard southern approach to Čakovec were captured. Györy agreed under protest and formally surrendered near the town's railway station at 10:30 while Perko's forces took positions in the town. Györy pointed out that he did not recognise any new authority and that the attackers had violated the Armistice of Belgrade. Perko informed Kvaternik of the capture of Čakovec at 11 a.m. by telephone and Kvaternik drove to the town to meet with Györy. A passenger train was seized in Čakovec and emptied of passengers before it was boarded by half a battalion of infantry led by Sertić. They took the train to the village of Kotoriba and disembarked there to secure the last remaining unoccupied part of Međimurje – between that village and
Legrad Legrad () is a municipality in northern Croatia, located north of Koprivnica and east of Ludbreg in the Koprivnica–Križevci County. There are 2,241 inhabitants in the municipality, absolute majority of which are Croats at 97.4%, with the larges ...
near the confluence of Mura and Drava. Sertić completed the task by 1 p.m., placing the entire Međimurje region under control of the forces led by Kvaternik without armed resistance. Contemporary media reported deaths of three Hungarian soldiers in the offensive. There were no reports of any deaths among the attacking force.


Aftermath

In the afternoon of 24 December, Kvaternik had a letter distributed to clergy in Međimurje instructing them to read his proclamation urging the population to recognise the new authorities. The letter, declaring that Međimurje belonged to the Kingdom of SHS from that day, was read at the
Midnight Mass In many Western Christian traditions Midnight Mass is the first liturgy of Christmastide that is celebrated on the night of Christmas Eve, traditionally beginning at midnight when Christmas Eve gives way to Christmas Day. This popular Christmas ...
that day – concluded with a rendition of anthem ''
Lijepa naša domovino "" (; "Our Beautiful Homeland") is the national anthem of Croatia. Often simply referred to as "" ("Our Beautiful") in Croatia, it is a phrase widely used as a metonym for the country. History The original lyrics were written by Antun Mihan ...
''. The regional committee of the National Council scheduled a public assembly in Čakovec for 9 January 1919. On 25 December, a representative of Hungarian government arrived to request an explanation for the incursion from Kvaternik before returning to Budapest the same day. Perko was appointed civilian and military administrator of Međimurje. Among his first acts in the role were establishment of ''Međimurske novine'' and banning of
Hungarian language Hungarian () is an Uralic language spoken in Hungary and parts of several neighbouring countries. It is the official language of Hungary and one of the 24 official languages of the European Union. Outside Hungary, it is also spoken by Hunga ...
''Muraköz'' newspapers. The regional committee of the National Council sent a telegram to the Regent Alexander informing him of addition of Međimurje to the country (referred to as "Yugoslavia") on 24 December, and the Regent telegraphed them back a congratulatory message on the New Year's Eve. Approximately 10,000 people gathered at the public assembly on 9 January. The assembly adopted a resolution declaring Međimurje was seceeding from Hungary and becoming a part of the Kingdom of SHS. The declaration, telegraphed to the Regent Alexander, made references to the principle of
self-determination The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a '' jus cogens'' rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It st ...
and praised US President
Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of P ...
as a champion of that principle. Provisions of the declaration were upheld by the
Paris Peace Conference Agreements and declarations resulting from meetings in Paris include: Listed by name Paris Accords may refer to: * Paris Accords, the agreements reached at the end of the London and Paris Conferences in 1954 concerning the post-war status of Germ ...
when it defined Hungarian borders through the
Treaty of Trianon The Treaty of Trianon (french: Traité de Trianon, hu, Trianoni békeszerződés, it, Trattato del Trianon) was prepared at the Paris Peace Conference and was signed in the Grand Trianon château in Versailles on 4 June 1920. It formal ...
. During the
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, following the 1941
invasion of Yugoslavia The invasion of Yugoslavia, also known as the April War or Operation 25, or ''Projekt 25'' was a German-led attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II. The order for the invasion was p ...
, Međimurje was captured and annexed by Hungary. The
puppet state A puppet state, puppet régime, puppet government or dummy government, is a state that is ''de jure'' independent but ''de facto'' completely dependent upon an outside power and subject to its orders.Compare: Puppet states have nominal sover ...
of the
Independent State of Croatia The Independent State of Croatia ( sh, Nezavisna Država Hrvatska, NDH; german: Unabhängiger Staat Kroatien; it, Stato indipendente di Croazia) was a World War II-era puppet state of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. It was established in p ...
, established by the
Axis powers The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...
in 1941, unsuccessfully disputed the Hungarian possession of Međimurje. The region was liberated in the final weeks of the war by the
Bulgarian Armed Forces The Bulgarian Army ( bg, Българска армия, Bŭlgarska armiya) is the military of Bulgaria. The commander-in-chief is the president of Bulgaria. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for political leadership, while overall military ...
. Following
breakup of Yugoslavia The breakup of Yugoslavia occurred as a result of a series of political upheavals and conflicts during the early 1990s. After a period of political and economic crisis in the 1980s, constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yu ...
, Međimurje is a part of Croatia. Since 2005, 9 January is celebrated there as a memorial day in remembrance of the 1919 resolution to break away from Hungary.


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * {{refend 1918 in Croatia 1918 in Hungary 1918 in Yugoslavia Yugoslav unification December 1918 events