Josip Križaj (pilot)
Encyclopedia
Josip Križaj also known in the Italianized
form as Giuseppe Krizai, nicknamed "Pepi", was a Slovene military pilot and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War
.
Križaj was born in Kopriva
on the Karst
plateau, then part of the Austro-Hungarian
county of Gorizia and Gradisca
. After World War I
, the region became part of the Kingdom of Italy
and Križaj became an Italian citizen. Already at a young age he showed a passion for flight, which led him to pursue a pilot course in the Royal officer school in Capua
near Naples
, Italy
.
Due to his Slovene ethnic origins, he was not allowed into the regular Italian Royal Air Force
, but he was nevertheless granted a place in reserve composition. Because of the physical hardships endured during the training and his pro-Slovenia
n and pro-Yugoslav national political stance, he flew with Fiat AS.1
airplane on 25 June 1932 from Gorizia
to Ljubljana
, crossing the border of Yugoslavia
, which led to much media interest. In 1934, he became a Yugoslav citizen. Following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War
, he joined the Yugoslav volunteers who went fighting on the side of the Spanish Republic. He was a member of the Squadron España, shot down once and captured during the war. After his return to Yugoslavia, he moved to Serbia
, where he lived during World War II
.
After the war, he became a SFR Yugoslav Air Force
military pilot. His life ended on 8 October 1948, when his plane Yakovlev Yak-3
crashed into the Snežnik
Mountain in south-western Slovenia, because of of poor visibility in dense fog.
Today, the Ajdovščina
Flying Club is named after Josip Križaj, and there is a monument to him located on Portorož Airport
.
Italianization
Italianization or Italianisation is a term used to describe a process of cultural assimilation in which ethnically non or partially Italian people or territory become Italian. The process can be voluntary or forced...
form as Giuseppe Krizai, nicknamed "Pepi", was a Slovene military pilot and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
Križaj was born in Kopriva
Kopriva, Sežana
Kopriva is a village in the Sežana Municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.The Parish Church in the settlement is dedicated to Saint Elijah and belongs to the Diocese of Koper....
on the Karst
Kras
Karst ; also known as the Karst Plateau, is a limestone borderline plateau region extending in southwestern Slovenia and northeastern Italy. It lies between the Vipava Valley, the low hills surrounding the valley, the westernmost part of the Brkini Hills, northern Istria, and the Gulf of Trieste...
plateau, then part of the Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
county of Gorizia and Gradisca
Gorizia and Gradisca
The County of Gorizia and Gradisca was a Habsburg county in Central Europe, in what is now a multilingual border area of Italy and Slovenia. It was named for its two major urban centers, Gorizia and Gradisca d'Isonzo.-Province of the Habsburg Empire:...
. 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...
, the region became part of the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
and Križaj became an Italian citizen. Already at a young age he showed a passion for flight, which led him to pursue a pilot course in the Royal officer school in Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
near Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Due to his Slovene ethnic origins, he was not allowed into the regular Italian Royal Air Force
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
, but he was nevertheless granted a place in reserve composition. Because of the physical hardships endured during the training and his pro-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...
n and pro-Yugoslav national political stance, he flew with Fiat AS.1
Fiat AS.1
-External links:* in Flight, April 4, 1930...
airplane on 25 June 1932 from Gorizia
Gorizia
Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
to Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, crossing the border 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...
, which led to much media interest. In 1934, he became a Yugoslav citizen. Following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, he joined the Yugoslav volunteers who went fighting on the side of the Spanish Republic. He was a member of the Squadron España, shot down once and captured during the war. After his return to Yugoslavia, he moved to 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...
, where he lived during 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...
.
After the war, he became a SFR Yugoslav Air Force
SFR Yugoslav Air Force
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslav Air Force , was the air force of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . Formed in 1945, it was preceded by the Yugoslav Royal Air Force which was disbanded in 1941, following the German occupation of Yugoslavia...
military pilot. His life ended on 8 October 1948, when his plane Yakovlev Yak-3
Yakovlev Yak-3
The Yakovlev Yak-3 was a World War II Soviet fighter aircraft.Robust and easy to maintain, it was much liked by pilots and ground crew alike....
crashed into the Snežnik
Snežník
Sněžník may refer to:*Děčínský Sněžník, a mountain in the Czech Republic, near Děčín*Králický Sněžník , a mountain on the Czech–Polish border*Králický Sněžník...
Mountain in south-western Slovenia, because of of poor visibility in dense fog.
Today, the Ajdovščina
Ajdovšcina
Ajdovščina is a small town and a municipality with the same name and a population of 7000 , located in the Vipava Valley , Slovenia....
Flying Club is named after Josip Križaj, and there is a monument to him located on Portorož Airport
Portorož Airport
-Airport Services:Although relatively small, a wide-variety of services are offered at Portorož Airport:modern airport facilities including technical and fuel service, services under contract , panoramic flights, business charter flights, a flight school, parachute jumping, minibus transfer, a...
.
Sources
- Kladnik, Darinka: »Zgodovina letalstva na Slovenskem« Ljubljana, 2008 ISBN 978-961-91035-6-2
- Emiliani, Angelo: Italiani Nell'Aviazione Repubblicana Spagnola, Edizioni Aeronautiche Italiane S.r.l., 1980.
- Matyáš, Svatopluk: Stíhačky nad Španělskem 1936 - 1939, Svět křídel, Cheb 1998.
- Polák, T.: Esa meziválečného období - Part II, in Plastic Kits revue, No. 44, 1995.
- Žirochov, Michail: «Krasnyj» italjanec, Aviacija i vremja, No. 2, 2003.