Herta Haas
Encyclopedia
Herta Haas was a Yugoslav Partisan during World War II
and the second wife of Josip Broz Tito
, leader of the Partisans and a future President of Yugoslavia.
Haas was born 1914 in Maribor
, Slovenia
, which was part of the Austrian Empire
at the time. She joined the revolutionary workers movement in high school
and worked as a courier
between groups in Yugoslavia
and France
.
Haas met Tito in Paris
, France, in 1937, a year after he had divorced his first wife, Pelagija "Polka" Belousova. In 1940, Haas travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, to delivered a passport
to Tito, who was returning from a trip to Moscow
, Soviet Union
. Their relationship soon turned romantic, according to Tito's authorized biography, The Loves of Josip Broz Tito. The couple married in 1940 and returned to Yugoslavia using alias
es. They lived in Zagreb
until the Invasion of Yugoslavia
, when Tito moved to Belgrade, while Haas, who was pregnant with their only child, remained in Zagreb.
In May 1941, Haas gave birth to their only son, Aleksandar Mišo Broz
, who was a Croatia
n ambassador
to Indonesia
from 2004 to 2009. Partisan supporters hid Haas and her son from Nazi German authorities and their allies, but she was eventually caught and arrested. She was swapped for a German officer in a 1943 prisoner exchange between the Germans and the Partisans.
By the time Haas was released and rejoined the Partisans in 1943, Tito was having an affair with Davorjanka Paunović, who was code named Zdenka. Haas and Tito suddenly separated in 1943 in Jajce
during the second meeting of AVNOJ
after she reportedly walked in on him and Davorjanka Paunović, his personal secretary. Haas spent much of the rest of World War II in Slovenia, away from Tito.
Haas reportedly met Tito only once after World War II during a visit to his presidential office in Belgrade. Following the end of the war, Haas worked at several Yugoslavia
n state government institutions. She remarried and gave birth to two daughters. She lived much of her later life in relative obscurity.
Herta Haas died in Belgrade
, Serbia
, on March 5, 2010, at the age of 96.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the second wife of Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
, leader of the Partisans and a future President of Yugoslavia.
Haas was born 1914 in Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, which was part of the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
at the time. She joined the revolutionary workers movement in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and worked as a courier
Courier
A courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for...
between groups in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Haas met Tito in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France, in 1937, a year after he had divorced his first wife, Pelagija "Polka" Belousova. In 1940, Haas travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, to delivered a passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
to Tito, who was returning from a trip to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Their relationship soon turned romantic, according to Tito's authorized biography, The Loves of Josip Broz Tito. The couple married in 1940 and returned to Yugoslavia using alias
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
es. They lived 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...
until the Invasion of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
, when Tito moved to Belgrade, while Haas, who was pregnant with their only child, remained in Zagreb.
In May 1941, Haas gave birth to their only son, Aleksandar Mišo Broz
Mišo Broz
Aleksandar Mišo Broz is a Croatian retired diplomat. He is the son of Yugoslav marshall Josip Broz and Herta Haas . He has held diplomatic positions in Russia and Egypt. From 2004 to 2009 he served as Croatian ambassador to Indonesia.Josip Broz, then Chairman of the League of Communists of...
, who was a Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
from 2004 to 2009. Partisan supporters hid Haas and her son from Nazi German authorities and their allies, but she was eventually caught and arrested. She was swapped for a German officer in a 1943 prisoner exchange between the Germans and the Partisans.
By the time Haas was released and rejoined the Partisans in 1943, Tito was having an affair with Davorjanka Paunović, who was code named Zdenka. Haas and Tito suddenly separated in 1943 in Jajce
Jajce
Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
during the second meeting of AVNOJ
AVNOJ
The Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Yugoslavia, known more commonly by its Yugoslav abbreviation AVNOJ, was the political umbrella organization for the national liberation councils of the Yugoslav resistance against the World War II Axis occupation, eventually becoming the...
after she reportedly walked in on him and Davorjanka Paunović, his personal secretary. Haas spent much of the rest of World War II in Slovenia, away from Tito.
Haas reportedly met Tito only once after World War II during a visit to his presidential office in Belgrade. Following the end of the war, Haas worked at several Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n state government institutions. She remarried and gave birth to two daughters. She lived much of her later life in relative obscurity.
Herta Haas died in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, on March 5, 2010, at the age of 96.