Džaferbeg Kulenovic
Encyclopedia
Dr. Džafer-beg Kulenović (1891 - 1956) was the Vice President of the Independent State of Croatia
(NDH) between 1941 and 1945, being one of the highest ranking Muslims in the NDH. He was also President of Yugoslav Moslem Organization
since 1939.
on February 17, 1891.
He served as president of the Yugoslav Moslem Organization
, the largest Bosniak political party at the time, following the death of Dr. Mehmed Spaho
in 1939. He was a minister in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
's government before the Second World War.
He became the vice-president of the Independent State of Croatia
(NDH) on November 7, 1941 and held the position to war's end. He had actually succeeded his older brother Osman Kulenović
in this position.
After the fall of the NDH, Kulenović immigrated to Syria
. He lived there until his death on October 3, 1956 in Damascus
. While in Syria, the Croats in Argentina published a collection of his journalistic writings. In 1950, the Bosniak Community in Chicago published a speech he wrote for the Muslim Congress following World War II in Lahore, Pakistan. This twenty-two page pamphlet entitled "A Message of Croat Moslems to Their Religious Brethren in the World" detailed Serb aggression against Croatians of Islamic faith and promoted the idea of Croat unity.
Only a few months before his death, the Croatian Liberation Movement
was formed, with Dr. Kulenović being one of the founders and signatories.
secret police, UDBA
, in Munich
.
His grandson Džafer Kulenović is now one of the main Bosniak leaders in North America, having served as the Vice President of the Congress of North American Bosniaks (2002-2009) the largest Bosniak organization in the USA, President of the Islamic Cultural Center in Northbrook, Illinois
(2004-2009) (the oldest Bosniak mosque in North America), and as a member of the Governing Board of the Democratic Action Party (SDA) in Sarajevo
(2001-2009). He currently serves as President and CEO of Crescent Bancshares, a new bank venture being developed in the Chicago area catering to the Southeastern European and South Asian communities with a specialty in Islamic Banking.
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...
(NDH) between 1941 and 1945, being one of the highest ranking Muslims in the NDH. He was also President of Yugoslav Moslem Organization
Yugoslav Moslem Organization
Yugoslav Muslim Organization was a Bosnian Muslim political party in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. It was founded in Sarajevo on February 16, 1919 and was led by Mehmed Spaho. In election campaigns the JMO did mobilize on religious slogans rather than Bosnian nationality, calling...
since 1939.
Biography
Kulenović was born in RajinovciRajinovci
Rajinovci is a village in the municipality of Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina....
on February 17, 1891.
He served as president of the Yugoslav Moslem Organization
Yugoslav Moslem Organization
Yugoslav Muslim Organization was a Bosnian Muslim political party in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. It was founded in Sarajevo on February 16, 1919 and was led by Mehmed Spaho. In election campaigns the JMO did mobilize on religious slogans rather than Bosnian nationality, calling...
, the largest Bosniak political party at the time, following the death of Dr. Mehmed Spaho
Mehmed Spaho
Mehmed Spaho was a prominent and influential Bosniak political figure. He was the leader of the Yugoslav Muslim Organization....
in 1939. He was a minister in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
's government before the Second World War.
He became the vice-president of the Independent State 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...
(NDH) on November 7, 1941 and held the position to war's end. He had actually succeeded his older brother Osman Kulenović
Osman Kulenovic
Osman Kulenović was a Bosniak politician.Osman Kulenović served as vice-president of the NDH government for a short period of time . Then he was replaced by his brother, Džafer-beg Kulenović...
in this position.
After the fall of the NDH, Kulenović immigrated to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. He lived there until his death on October 3, 1956 in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. While in Syria, the Croats in Argentina published a collection of his journalistic writings. In 1950, the Bosniak Community in Chicago published a speech he wrote for the Muslim Congress following World War II in Lahore, Pakistan. This twenty-two page pamphlet entitled "A Message of Croat Moslems to Their Religious Brethren in the World" detailed Serb aggression against Croatians of Islamic faith and promoted the idea of Croat unity.
Only a few months before his death, the Croatian Liberation Movement
Croatian Liberation Movement
The Croatian Liberation Movement is a right-wing party originally formed by Croatian emigrants and headed by former leaders of the Axis allied Independent State of Croatia in 1956.It was headed by Ante Pavelić, former leader of the NDH...
was formed, with Dr. Kulenović being one of the founders and signatories.
Legacy
His son Nahid Kulenović continued working with this Movement, but was assassinated by the YugoslaviaYugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
secret police, UDBA
UDBA
The Department of State Security was the secret police organization of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.Although it operated with more restraint than other secret...
, in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
His grandson Džafer Kulenović is now one of the main Bosniak leaders in North America, having served as the Vice President of the Congress of North American Bosniaks (2002-2009) the largest Bosniak organization in the USA, President of the Islamic Cultural Center in Northbrook, Illinois
Northbrook, Illinois
Northbrook is a village located at the northern edge of Cook County, Illinois, which is also a North Shore suburb of Chicago. The population was 33,170 at the 2010 census....
(2004-2009) (the oldest Bosniak mosque in North America), and as a member of the Governing Board of the Democratic Action Party (SDA) 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....
(2001-2009). He currently serves as President and CEO of Crescent Bancshares, a new bank venture being developed in the Chicago area catering to the Southeastern European and South Asian communities with a specialty in Islamic Banking.