Ilija Krpić

Ilija Krpić (August 8, 1887 – August 16, 1932) was a Serbian
archpriest who worked on the promotion of Serb national interests in  Medna. He is one of the
founders of the Serbian Cultural-Educational Society “Prosvjeta”. Due to his resistance against the
policies of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he was persecuted by the Austro-Hungarian
authorities. Krpić founded the Agricultural cooperative and spread cooperative awareness among
the peasants, earning him a great reputation among them. Due to his growing popularity, Krpić
became a threat to his political opponents. This led to his assassination in Mrkonjić Grad on August 16, 1932.

Life and work

Ilija Krpić was born on August 8, 1887, in  Popovac near Čelinac.Sonja Eskić Rodić - Moji snovi, Srpski genealoški centar, Belgrade (2015),  He graduated from high school
and seminary in Reljevo. He was engaged in national work very early.Vreme 18.8.1932, p. 5
/ref>  He participated in all
student organizations that were opposed to Austria-Hungary, so he was persecuted by the Austro-
Hungarian authorities.Vrbaske novine 18.8.1932, p. 6
/ref>  He is one of the 29 founders of the Serbian educational and cultural society "Prosvjeta".  The application for the establishment of Prosvjeta was submitted in 1901, and the
authorities, after much suspicion and hesitation, approved the establishment of Prosvjeta in
1902.

After finishing the seminary, he was ordained a deacon on July 31 and a priest on August 1,
1911. He was appointed parish priest in  Medna  near Mrkonjić Grad.  When the World War I broke out, the Austro-Hungarian authorities began huge reprisals against the Serbian
population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ilija Krpić was first taken as a hostage to the Bočac
camp.  Later he was imprisoned in Bosanski Brod, and at the end interned in  Arad, where his
health deteriorated.  By 1917, he returned to Medna.

After the liberation and the establishment of the Kingdom of SHS, he became involved in politics. He
was an active member and one of the founders of the Agrarian Party. He became a member of the
Regional Assembly in Travnik. He founded the agricultural cooperative in  Medna , Through his
efforts, he managed to develop a strong cooperative consciousness among the population,
particularly among the peasants.Politika, 17.8.1932, p. 5
/ref> This led to him gaining a great reputation among the peasants,
which made his political opponents consider him a big threat to their interests. Unfortunately, he was
killed on August 16, 1932, in Mrkonjić Grad by his political opponent, the state's forest officer Nikola
Čulić. 

Legacy

Ilija Krpić left behind his wife Stana and four children: Mica, Milorad, Smilja, and
Leposava.Glas Srpske, 19.07.2007
/ref>  Milorad and Mica joined the ranks of the Yugoslav Partisans. Milorad unfortunately died fighting in the partisans, while Mica became a prominent fighter. In honor of her contributions, the school in her
birthplace Medna was named after Mica Krpić.  Ilija's eldest daughter Leposava was a school
director in Belgrade, while her daughter Branislava Bošković was a professor of French language,
married the Yugoslav diplomat and ambassador  Petar Bošković .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krpic, Ilija
1887 births
1932 deaths
Serbian Orthodox clergy
Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina