Josip Kraš
Encyclopedia
Josip Kraš was a Croatia
n communist and partisan
who died in World War II
and was proclaimed a People's Hero of Yugoslavia
.
Kraš was born in the village of Vuglovec (near Ivanec
and Lepoglava
) to a poor family of a miner Valent Kraš and his wife Bara (née
Videc). He joined the workers' movement after World War I
and became a trade union
activist. In 1920 he was made one of the leaders of the League of Workers with Food and Water (lixae or živežari - salespeople in markets, workers in food storages, cooks, waiters, waterworkers)
After the January 6, 1929 dictatorship was proclaimed in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, the State Court for the Protection of the State in Belgrade
sentenced him to five years in prison, which he served in Sremska Mitrovica
. After he got out of prison, he was forced to live back home in Ivanec, and there he helped organize the miner strikes of 1936 and 1937, which resulted in higher salaries and better working conditions for the miners in the region.
Because of his political work, he was incarcerated eleven times up to 1940, and after that when Nazi Germany
invaded Yugoslavia in 1941, he went underground. He died the same year in Karlovac
, around the age of 40, as one of the early organizers of the partisan units
in the region.
Posthumously he was awarded with the title of people's hero
, and the municipality of Ivanec made his house in Vuglovec a memorial museum in 1965.
The confectionery factory Kraš
in Zagreb is named after him.
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 communist and partisan
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
who died in World War II
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 was proclaimed a People's Hero of Yugoslavia
People's Hero of Yugoslavia
The Order of the People's Hero was a Yugoslav gallantry medal, the second highest military award, and third overall Yugoslav decoration. It was awarded to individuals, military units, political and other organisations who distinguished themselves by extraordinary heroic deeds during war and in...
.
Kraš was born in the village of Vuglovec (near Ivanec
Ivanec
Ivanec is a town in northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin and east of Lepoglava, north of the mountain Ivanščica.In the 2011 census, the population of the municipality is 13,765, in the following settlements:* Bedenec, population 731...
and 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...
) to a poor family of a miner Valent Kraš and his wife Bara (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Videc). He joined the workers' movement after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and became a trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activist. In 1920 he was made one of the leaders of the League of Workers with Food and Water (lixae or živežari - salespeople in markets, workers in food storages, cooks, waiters, waterworkers)
After the January 6, 1929 dictatorship was proclaimed 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...
, the State Court for the Protection of the State 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...
sentenced him to five years in prison, which he served in Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica is a city and municipality located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia, on the left bank of the Sava river. As of 2002 the town had a total population of 39,041, while Sremska Mitrovica municipality had a population of 85,605...
. After he got out of prison, he was forced to live back home in Ivanec, and there he helped organize the miner strikes of 1936 and 1937, which resulted in higher salaries and better working conditions for the miners in the region.
Because of his political work, he was incarcerated eleven times up to 1940, and after that when 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...
invaded Yugoslavia in 1941, he went underground. He died the same year in 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...
, around the age of 40, as one of the early organizers of the partisan units
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
in the region.
Posthumously he was awarded with the title of people's hero
People's Hero of Yugoslavia
The Order of the People's Hero was a Yugoslav gallantry medal, the second highest military award, and third overall Yugoslav decoration. It was awarded to individuals, military units, political and other organisations who distinguished themselves by extraordinary heroic deeds during war and in...
, and the municipality of Ivanec made his house in Vuglovec a memorial museum in 1965.
The confectionery factory Kraš
Kraš
Kraš is a Croatian food company based in Zagreb, specializing in confectionery products.The company traces its origins from two factories from the early 20th century - "Union", founded in 1911, the oldest surviving chocolate manufacturer in southeastern Europe - and "Bizjak", founded in 1923, which...
in Zagreb is named after him.