Ante Vokić
Encyclopedia
Ante Vokić was a Croatian
politician, Ustaše
krilnik and putschist.
on 23 August 1909. He finished gimnasium in Sarajevo
and attended Faculty of Law at University of Zagreb
. He ended his study in 1929 and started working in train service in Sarajevo. He participated in founding of Croatian Academic Club "Kranjčević" and newspapers "Svijest" ("Consciousness"). He also participated in activity of HKD Napredak
. Because of his political activity and threats given from Yugoslav Gendarmery, he moved a lot, firstly in Bosanski Brod
, then in Slavonski Brod
, Karlovac
and at the end, in Zagreb
.
, he was a member of Ustaše
's branch in Zagreb
. On 11 April 1941, by order of Slavko Kvaternik
, he was placed in service of Headquarters of Ustaška Nadzorna Služba ("Ustasha Surveillance Service"). Their main task was to lead the existing Ustaša combat formations, form and built up further formations. Soon, in the same year, he was Director of train service in Sarajevo. He was also a organizer and commander of all Traffic Ustaša Brigades. As an associate of Jure Francetić
he was a founding member of Crna legija
(Black Legion
). In 1943 he leavs Sarajevo and moves to Zagreb. On 11 October 1943 he was appointed as Ministers of Traffic.
On the suggestion of Mladen Lorković
he was promoted to a rank of Ustaše
's colonel
and named Minister of Armed Forces on 29 January 1944. That was done against the will of German ambassador Siegfried Kasche
and German military attache Edmund Glaise von Horstenau. On 13 July 1944 Ante Pavelić
promoted him to rank of Ustaše's highest rank, krilnik (General). He became close associate and friend of Mladen Lorković
. Lorković introduced him to high society of Baroness Vraniczany and Baroness Zlata Lubienski, who later became his good friends. At the beginning of August 1944 he was a best man on Lorković's wedding with Countess Nada von Ghyczy.
. The goal of the coup was switching sides of Croatia
, that is, declaring war on Nazi Germany
and alliance with Anglo-American allies. He often visited Domobran
and Ustaše
units and their officers and said that they should expect big event. He got sympathies of Domobran
officers, while lost sympathies of Ustaše
's officers, because they were loyal to Ante Pavelić
. He connected to attorney of Vladko Maček
, the president of Croatian Peasant Party
, Ivan Faroli. He told him about performance of coup which would bring down Ustaše's regime and give power to Croatian Peasant Party
. That included replacement of Ustaše's officers with Domobran
officers, loyal to Croatian Peasant Party
, and also disarmament of German units on Croatian territory and possible Ustaše's rebels. Ante Pavelić was also aware of the coup, and at first he supported the coup. He was always informed by his minister Mladen Lorković
. But, later, Pavelić got visit from Gestapo
officer and told about new weapons of Germany (V2
) which would turn the war. So, Pavelić, influenced by Gestapo officer, on 21 August 1944 informed Siegfried Kasche
about the coup and announced actions against putschists. He also accused German general Edmund Glaise von Horstenau for involvement in the coup, because von Horstenau was coaxing Pavelić to accept the coup. Vokić's best man and the best friend, Ante Štitić, high ranking Police official, who was also involved in the coup, wrote a report after the meeting with Lorković (24 August 1944) and Vokić (25 August 1944) on four pages about those meetings and handed it to commander of Ustaše
units Ivo Herenčić
, the old opponent of Vokić. Herenčić gave a report to Pavelić. That report was main proof against Mladen Lorković
and Ante Vokić on the trial for high treason.
Ante Pavelić
and Croatian allies, mainly Nazi Germany
. On the same day, they were removed from their duties and placed under house arrest. With Lorković, Vokić was brought in front of the court of Poglavnik's Bodyguard Unit. They convinced him on lost of rank and ban from the unit. Later, he was interned in Novi Marof
, from where he was moved to Headquarters in Koprivnica
, together with Lorković. After that he was jailed in Lepoglava
and on 8 May 1945 he was executed by lieutenant of Ustaše's Defence, Martin Grabovac.
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
politician, Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
krilnik and putschist.
Youth
Vokić was born in MostarMostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
on 23 August 1909. He finished gimnasium in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
and attended Faculty of Law at University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
. He ended his study in 1929 and started working in train service in Sarajevo. He participated in founding of Croatian Academic Club "Kranjčević" and newspapers "Svijest" ("Consciousness"). He also participated in activity of HKD Napredak
HKD Napredak
HKD Napredak is a cultural society of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. Because of his political activity and threats given from Yugoslav Gendarmery, he moved a lot, firstly in Bosanski Brod
Bosanski Brod
Brod also known as Bosanski Brod is a town and municipality located on the south bank of the river Sava in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the north-western part of the Republika Srpska and the western part of the Posavina region.-Name:Prior to the Bosnian War it...
, then in Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod
Slavonski Brod is a city in Croatia, with a population of 59,507 in 2011. The city was known as Marsonia in the Roman Empire, and as Brod na Savi 1244–1934. It is the sixth largest city in Croatia, after Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek and Zadar. Located in the region of Slavonia, it is the...
, Karlovac
Karlovac
Karlovac is a city and municipality in central Croatia. The city proper has a population of 49,082, while the municipality has a population of 59,395 inhabitants .Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County...
and at the end, in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
.
World War II
Before the establishment of Croatian stateIndependent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
, he was a member of Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
's branch in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
. On 11 April 1941, by order of Slavko Kvaternik
Slavko Kvaternik
Slavko Kvaternik was a Croatian military commander and a collaborator with Nazi Germany. He was noted for military service in World War I, later as a deputy leader and founding member of the Croatian Ustaša movement in the 1930s who then became one of the leaders of the "Independent State of...
, he was placed in service of Headquarters of Ustaška Nadzorna Služba ("Ustasha Surveillance Service"). Their main task was to lead the existing Ustaša combat formations, form and built up further formations. Soon, in the same year, he was Director of train service in Sarajevo. He was also a organizer and commander of all Traffic Ustaša Brigades. As an associate of Jure Francetić
Jure Francetic
Jure Francetić was an World War II Ustaše Commissioner of Bosnia and Herzegovina, responsible for the massacre of Bosnian Serbs and Jews.-Early life and activities prior to formation of NDH:...
he was a founding member of Crna legija
Crna Legija
The Black Legion was a militia unit active during World War II in Yugoslavia and later incorporated into the 5th division of the Croatian Armed Forces in December 1944...
(Black Legion
Black Legion
Black Legion may refer to:*Black Army of Hungary, an army of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 15th century*Légion Noire, an army of French criminals raised for the last invasion of Britain in 1797...
). In 1943 he leavs Sarajevo and moves to Zagreb. On 11 October 1943 he was appointed as Ministers of Traffic.
On the suggestion of Mladen Lorković
Mladen Lorković
Mladen Lorković was a Croatian politician, lawyer and Ustasha leader.-Early life:Lorković was born in Zagreb on 1 March 1909. As a high school student he was a supporter of Croatian Party of Rights, later joining the Croatian Youth Movement. He studied law at the University of Zagreb...
he was promoted to a rank of Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
's colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and named Minister of Armed Forces on 29 January 1944. That was done against the will of German ambassador Siegfried Kasche
Siegfried Kasche
Siegfried Kasche was an SA Obergruppenführer and ambassador of the Third Reich to the allied Independent State of Croatia during the Second World War. He was tried for "complicity in deportations and murders" by a Yugoslav court and was executed in June 1947.Kasche was born in Strausberg in...
and German military attache Edmund Glaise von Horstenau. On 13 July 1944 Ante Pavelić
Ante Pavelic
Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...
promoted him to rank of Ustaše's highest rank, krilnik (General). He became close associate and friend of Mladen Lorković
Mladen Lorković
Mladen Lorković was a Croatian politician, lawyer and Ustasha leader.-Early life:Lorković was born in Zagreb on 1 March 1909. As a high school student he was a supporter of Croatian Party of Rights, later joining the Croatian Youth Movement. He studied law at the University of Zagreb...
. Lorković introduced him to high society of Baroness Vraniczany and Baroness Zlata Lubienski, who later became his good friends. At the beginning of August 1944 he was a best man on Lorković's wedding with Countess Nada von Ghyczy.
Lorković-Vokić coup
Together with Mladen Lorković, Vokić lead a coup named Lorković-Vokić coupLorkovic-Vokic coup
Lorković-Vokić coup was a failed attempt plotted by Mladen Lorković and Ante Vokić to take over the power in Independent State of Croatia in August 1944. Mladen Lorković, Foreign Minister in government of NDH realized that Axis powers are going to lose World War II and decided it is time NDH...
. The goal of the coup was switching sides of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
, that is, declaring war on Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and alliance with Anglo-American allies. He often visited Domobran
Croatian Home Guard
Croatian Home Guard or also, known as the "Homeland Defenders," was the name used for the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia which existed during World War II.- Formation :...
and Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
units and their officers and said that they should expect big event. He got sympathies of Domobran
Croatian Home Guard
Croatian Home Guard or also, known as the "Homeland Defenders," was the name used for the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia which existed during World War II.- Formation :...
officers, while lost sympathies of Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
's officers, because they were loyal to Ante Pavelić
Ante Pavelic
Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...
. He connected to attorney of Vladko Maček
Vladko Macek
Vladko Maček was a Croatian politician active within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in the first half of the 20th century. He led the Croatian Peasant Party following the assassination of Stjepan Radić, and all through World War II.- Early life :Maček was born to a Slovene-Czech family in the village...
, the president of Croatian Peasant Party
Croatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
, Ivan Faroli. He told him about performance of coup which would bring down Ustaše's regime and give power to Croatian Peasant Party
Croatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
. That included replacement of Ustaše's officers with Domobran
Croatian Home Guard
Croatian Home Guard or also, known as the "Homeland Defenders," was the name used for the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia which existed during World War II.- Formation :...
officers, loyal to Croatian Peasant Party
Croatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
, and also disarmament of German units on Croatian territory and possible Ustaše's rebels. Ante Pavelić was also aware of the coup, and at first he supported the coup. He was always informed by his minister Mladen Lorković
Mladen Lorković
Mladen Lorković was a Croatian politician, lawyer and Ustasha leader.-Early life:Lorković was born in Zagreb on 1 March 1909. As a high school student he was a supporter of Croatian Party of Rights, later joining the Croatian Youth Movement. He studied law at the University of Zagreb...
. But, later, Pavelić got visit from Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
officer and told about new weapons of Germany (V2
V-2 rocket
The V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
) which would turn the war. So, Pavelić, influenced by Gestapo officer, on 21 August 1944 informed Siegfried Kasche
Siegfried Kasche
Siegfried Kasche was an SA Obergruppenführer and ambassador of the Third Reich to the allied Independent State of Croatia during the Second World War. He was tried for "complicity in deportations and murders" by a Yugoslav court and was executed in June 1947.Kasche was born in Strausberg in...
about the coup and announced actions against putschists. He also accused German general Edmund Glaise von Horstenau for involvement in the coup, because von Horstenau was coaxing Pavelić to accept the coup. Vokić's best man and the best friend, Ante Štitić, high ranking Police official, who was also involved in the coup, wrote a report after the meeting with Lorković (24 August 1944) and Vokić (25 August 1944) on four pages about those meetings and handed it to commander of Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
units Ivo Herenčić
Ivo Herencic
Ivo Herenčić was a general of the Croatian World War II Ustaše regime in charge of the Independent State of Croatia during World War II....
, the old opponent of Vokić. Herenčić gave a report to Pavelić. That report was main proof against Mladen Lorković
Mladen Lorković
Mladen Lorković was a Croatian politician, lawyer and Ustasha leader.-Early life:Lorković was born in Zagreb on 1 March 1909. As a high school student he was a supporter of Croatian Party of Rights, later joining the Croatian Youth Movement. He studied law at the University of Zagreb...
and Ante Vokić on the trial for high treason.
Death
On sudden assembly of Government on 30 August 1944, Vokić was, together with Mladen Lorković, accused of conspiring against PoglavnikPoglavnik
Poglavnik was the title used by Ante Pavelić, leader of World War II Croatian fascist movement Ustaše and of the Independent State of Croatia between 1941 and 1945.-Etymology and usage:...
Ante Pavelić
Ante Pavelic
Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...
and Croatian allies, mainly Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. On the same day, they were removed from their duties and placed under house arrest. With Lorković, Vokić was brought in front of the court of Poglavnik's Bodyguard Unit. They convinced him on lost of rank and ban from the unit. Later, he was interned in Novi Marof
Novi Marof
Novi Marof is a town in north-western Croatia, located south of Varaždin and east of Ivanec, in the Varaždin county.The population of the municipality is 13,238 , distributed in the following settlements:* Bela, population 62...
, from where he was moved to Headquarters in Koprivnica
Koprivnica
Koprivnica is a city in northern Croatia. It is the capital of the Koprivnica-Križevci county. In 2011 the city administrative area had a total population of 30,872, with 23,896 in the city itself.-Population:...
, together with Lorković. After that he was jailed in Lepoglava
Lepoglava
Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin, west of Ivanec and northeast of Krapina.A total of 8,271 people in the municipality lives in the following settlements:* Bednjica, population 214...
and on 8 May 1945 he was executed by lieutenant of Ustaše's Defence, Martin Grabovac.