Slavko Kvaternik

Slavko Kvaternik (25 August 1878 – 7 June 1947) was a Croatian military general and politician who was one of the founders of the ultranationalist Ustaše movement. Kvaternik was military commander and Minister of the Armed Forces (Domobranstvo) of the Independent State of Croatia. In 1941, he declared the creation of the Independent State of Croatia and became Ante Pavelić's right-hand man, the Doglavnik.

Kvaternik was an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army and was involved in World War I. After the collapse of Austria-Hungary, he was appointed by the National Council of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs to lead a successful incursion into Međimurje in late 1918. He later transferred to the Royal Yugoslav Army and remained there until 1921.

In 1929, he was one of the founders of the Ustasha – Croatian Revolutionary Movement in Italy. After Germany invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941, he declared the creation of the Independent State of Croatia on 10 April 1941 with the support of the Axis. In the newly created state, he became the Minister of the Armed Forces until 1943, when he retired. Kvaternik was executed for war crimes in 1947.