Krsta Cicvarić
Encyclopedia
Krsta Cicvarić (September 14, 1879 – October 31, 1944) was a Serbian
political activist and a journalist. He is considered to be the father and the leading figure of the Serbian anarcho-syndicalism
. He was a well-respected journalist with an international reputation, and was praised by greats such as Winston Churchill
. He was shot on October 31, 1944 by Josip Broz Tito
's partisans after the liberation of Belgrade
.
, near Užice
, then part of the Principality of Serbia. He attended the Gymnasium
in Užice. Because of the confrontations with his professor Nastas Petrović (a member of the People's Radical Party
), who claimed Cicvarić's political views to be "demonic", and because of the refusal to attend then mandatory religious education
due to the fact he was an atheist
, he left the Užice Gymnasium end left for Belgrade
, where he finished the Gymnasium and studied Philosophy at the Belgrade University. Later, he enrolled in the University of Vienna
, but he decided to leave the University and return to Serbia where he became a prominent journalist and anarchist
activist. He was arrested and imprisoned several times for his writings. He founded anarchist newspapers "Hleb i sloboda" (Bread and Freedom) and "Radnička borba" (Worker's Struggle) in 1905 and 1907, respectively. He was drafted in the army during the Balkan Wars
, but he deserted. He was drafted again in World War I
, and became an Austrian
POW. After the war, he became the independent publisher and editor of "Beogradski dnevnik" (Belgrade Daily). He was one of the most prominent journalists in Yugoslavia
, although his style of writing inflammatory and scandalous articles was criticized by many, so much that he was even compared with William Randolph Hearst
. During these years, he was also a strong critic of the Soviet
communism. He spent the final years of his life living in Belgrade, almost completely blind. However, after the liberation of Belgrade in World War II
, the Yugoslav communists
accused him of being the co-editor of the collaborationist
newspaper "Balkan", He was shot without trial in the night between 30th and 31st October 1944. His burial site remains unknown to this day.
, communism, social democracy
and imperialism
.
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
political activist and a journalist. He is considered to be the father and the leading figure of the Serbian anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. The word syndicalism comes from the French word syndicat which means trade union , from the Latin word syndicus which in turn comes from the Greek word σύνδικος which means caretaker of an issue...
. He was a well-respected journalist with an international reputation, and was praised by greats such as Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
. He was shot on October 31, 1944 by 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...
's partisans after the liberation of Belgrade
Belgrade Offensive
The Belgrade Offensive or the Belgrade Strategic Offensive Operation was an offensive military operation in which Belgrade was conquered from the German Wehrmacht by the joint efforts of the Yugoslav Partisans and the Soviet Red Army...
.
Life
Cicvarić was born on September 14, 1879 in the village of NikojevićiNikojevici
Nikojevići is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 416....
, near Užice
Užice
Užice is a city and municipality in western Serbia, located at the banks of the Đetinja river. It is the administrative center of the Zlatibor District...
, then part of the Principality of Serbia. He attended the Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Užice. Because of the confrontations with his professor Nastas Petrović (a member of the People's Radical Party
People's Radical Party
The People's Radical Party of Serbia was a political party formed on January 8, 1881, which was active in the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes...
), who claimed Cicvarić's political views to be "demonic", and because of the refusal to attend then mandatory religious education
Religious education
In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...
due to the fact he was an atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, he left the Užice Gymnasium end left for 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...
, where he finished the Gymnasium and studied Philosophy at the Belgrade University. Later, he enrolled in the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, but he decided to leave the University and return to Serbia where he became a prominent journalist and anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
activist. He was arrested and imprisoned several times for his writings. He founded anarchist newspapers "Hleb i sloboda" (Bread and Freedom) and "Radnička borba" (Worker's Struggle) in 1905 and 1907, respectively. He was drafted in the army during the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, but he deserted. He was drafted again in 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 an Austrian
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...
POW. After the war, he became the independent publisher and editor of "Beogradski dnevnik" (Belgrade Daily). He was one of the most prominent journalists in 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...
, although his style of writing inflammatory and scandalous articles was criticized by many, so much that he was even compared with William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
. During these years, he was also a strong critic of the Soviet
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....
communism. He spent the final years of his life living in Belgrade, almost completely blind. However, after the liberation of Belgrade 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...
, the Yugoslav communists
League of Communists of Yugoslavia
League of Communists of Yugoslavia , before 1952 the Communist Party of Yugoslavia League of Communists of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Savez komunista Jugoslavije/Савез комуниста Југославије, Slovene: Zveza komunistov Jugoslavije, Macedonian: Сојуз на комунистите на Југославија, Sojuz na...
accused him of being the co-editor of the collaborationist
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
newspaper "Balkan", He was shot without trial in the night between 30th and 31st October 1944. His burial site remains unknown to this day.
Works
Cicvarić wrote only a couple of books in philosophy, and most of his works were political. He was a columnist in a lot of newspapers and was a fierce critic of the Serbian philosopher Branislav Petronijević. His entire life was devoted to writing books on anarchism and critique of the Western civilization. He was a fierce opponent of monarchismMonarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
, communism, social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
and imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
.