Zelenaši
Encyclopedia
Christmas Rebellion
*Baptist War, also known as the "Christmas Uprising" and the "Great Jamaican Slave Revolt of 1831"* Christmas Uprising - occurred in Montenegro after the First World War...
and later for supporting the existence of the fascist Kingdom of Montenegro during World War II.
Characteristics
The Zelenaši consisted of the highland tribes of Moracani, Piperi and Rovci, the Katun clans of Bjelice, CetinjeCetinje
Cetinje , Цетиње / Cetinje , Italian: Cettigne, Greek: Κετίγνη, Ketígni) is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro , with the official residence of the President of Montenegro...
, Cveto and Cuce and the Hercegovinian tribes of Nikšici and Rudinjani.
They originally existed from 1918 to 1926 in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
in the newly established Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, when they supported the House of Petrović-Njegoš
House of Petrovic-Njegoš
The House of Petrović-Njegoš was the Royal House of Montenegro from 1696 to 1918. Montenegro had enjoyed de facto independence from the Ottoman Empire from 1711 but only received formal international recognition as an independent principality in 1878.Montenegro was ruled from inception by...
of Montenegro over the House of Karađorđević of 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...
, and were opposed to the mode and manner in which the south Slavic unification was implemented, resulting in the disappearance of Montenegro as a political entity.
Zelenaši tended to emphasize the key role of Montenegro in Montenegrinhood and Slavhood and many favoured a federal Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. Notable leaders of the Greens included Krsto Zrnov Popović
Krsto Žrnov Popovic
Captain Krsto Todorov-Zrnov Popović was one of the leaders of 1919 Christmas Uprising in Montenegro against Serbian dynasty Karađorđević, organized by the greens , followers of dethroned King Nikola and Montenegrin dynasty Petrović-Njegoš...
, Jovan S. Plamenac and Novica Radović
Novica Radovic
Novica Radović was a Montenegrin politician.Radović took part in 1919's Christmas Uprising with the Zelenaši, an armed rebellion opposed to Montenegro's unification with Serbia in 1918...
.
Zelenaši re-gathered 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...
, under the command of Krsto Zrnov Popović who in turn acted under the auspices of fascist Italy
Fascist Italy
"Fascist Italy" refers to Italy under the rule of Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism. The Fascists led two polities:*The Kingdom of Italy , under the National Fascist Party, and,...
. They were organized into military unit called the Lovćen Brigade
Lovcen Brigade
The Lovćen Brigade was an armed force in World War II-Montenegro led by Krsto Zrnov Popović and the Zelenaši. The unit was formed in September, 1942 with the approval of Fascist Italy.The army was made up of:...
featuring four brigades that participated in the chaotic civil war raging on the ground in Montenegro and whose military activity was mostly directed against communist Partisans. After their military defeat, most of the surviving Zelenaši members joined Partisans while some joined Ustasha and minority joined Chetniks.
Name
The name of the Zelenaši derives from the green voting cards that were used by the supporters the Kingdom of MontenegroKingdom of Montenegro
The Kingdom of Montenegro was a monarchy in southeastern Europe during the tumultuous years on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World War I. Legally it was a constitutional monarchy, but absolutist in practice...
at the Podgorica Assembly
Podgorica Assembly
The Podgorica Assembly , in full the Great National Assembly of the Serb People in Montenegro , was an assembly held in Podgorica that served as the representative body of the Montenegrin people during the...
in 1918.
Christmas rebellionChristmas Rebellion*Baptist War, also known as the "Christmas Uprising" and the "Great Jamaican Slave Revolt of 1831"* Christmas Uprising - occurred in Montenegro after the First World War...
The Greens opposed the unification of the Kingdom of MontenegroKingdom of Montenegro
The Kingdom of Montenegro was a monarchy in southeastern Europe during the tumultuous years on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World War I. Legally it was a constitutional monarchy, but absolutist in practice...
with the Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
under the House of Karađorđević. With support from 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...
, the Greens organised an uprising in 1919 with the aim of bringing the House of Petrović-Njegoš
House of Petrovic-Njegoš
The House of Petrović-Njegoš was the Royal House of Montenegro from 1696 to 1918. Montenegro had enjoyed de facto independence from the Ottoman Empire from 1711 but only received formal international recognition as an independent principality in 1878.Montenegro was ruled from inception by...
back to the Montenegrin throne. Montenegrin Komiti were also known as Krilaši, after the Montenegrin Coat of arms on their caps (two headed eagle-"krila" means wings in Montenegrin
Montenegrin language
Montenegrin is a name used for the Serbo-Croatian language as spoken by Montenegrins; it also refers to an incipient standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect of Serbo-Croatian used as the official language of Montenegro...
).
The uprising might have taken a different course had King Nikola
Nicholas I of Montenegro
Nikola I Mirkov Petrović-Njegoš was the only king of Montenegro, reigning as king from 1910 to 1918 and as prince from 1860 to 1910. He was also a poet, notably penning "Onamo, 'namo!", a popular song from Montenegro.-Early life:Nikola was born in the village of Njeguši, the ancient home of the...
not been deceived by the Great Powers, who promised (and never fulfilled) to reestablish the sovereign state of Montenegro by diplomatic means if he would stop supporting the uprising. Based on this promise, he issued a proclamation in January 1919 asking for a stop to the resistance to save his people from further Serb crimes.
The rebellion failed and the rebels fled to Italy. Krsto Zrnov Popović
Krsto Žrnov Popovic
Captain Krsto Todorov-Zrnov Popović was one of the leaders of 1919 Christmas Uprising in Montenegro against Serbian dynasty Karađorđević, organized by the greens , followers of dethroned King Nikola and Montenegrin dynasty Petrović-Njegoš...
and Novica Radović
Novica Radovic
Novica Radović was a Montenegrin politician.Radović took part in 1919's Christmas Uprising with the Zelenaši, an armed rebellion opposed to Montenegro's unification with Serbia in 1918...
lead the uprising, along with Commander Savo Čelebić and Captain Đuro Drašković.
Guerrilla war and pacification
After the unsuccessful uprising, the Greens returned, starting a guerrilla war against Serb hegemony in June. The core of the revolt was subdued in 1922-1923, but low-level guerrilla resistance continued in the highlands for several more years. By 1926, most remaining forms of armed resistance ended. However, a few groups (most notably the militia led by Savo Raspopović) continued engaging in sqirmishes until 1929. Reportedly, the last rebel to lay down his arms did so on the promise that he would receive a sabre and medal from King Alexander I of YugoslaviaAlexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I , also known as Alexander the Unifier was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .-Childhood:...
.
World War II and their end
In World War IIWorld 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 Greens were organized yet again in Montenegro under the command of the Fascist
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
Italian occupation government and started a war against the Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
. Among the Montenegrin federalists, Krsto Zrnov Popović
Krsto Žrnov Popovic
Captain Krsto Todorov-Zrnov Popović was one of the leaders of 1919 Christmas Uprising in Montenegro against Serbian dynasty Karađorđević, organized by the greens , followers of dethroned King Nikola and Montenegrin dynasty Petrović-Njegoš...
returned from exile in Italy to attempt to lead the Greens. The Greens' forces were called the Lovćen Brigade
Lovcen Brigade
The Lovćen Brigade was an armed force in World War II-Montenegro led by Krsto Zrnov Popović and the Zelenaši. The unit was formed in September, 1942 with the approval of Fascist Italy.The army was made up of:...
. Soon, they were disorganized and one group of Greens joined the Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
, while another joined the Ustasha and some even joinedChetniks
Chetniks
Chetniks, or the Chetnik movement , were Serbian nationalist and royalist paramilitary organizations from the first half of the 20th century. The Chetniks were formed as a Serbian resistance against the Ottoman Empire in 1904, and participated in the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II...
/Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland.
After the Partisan victory in 1945, many leaders of the Greens were killed as the collaborators of the Italian occupation: the same Popovic was murdered in 1947. At the same time, the Communists were killing many potential opponents all over Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. This marked the end of the Greens.
Order of Freedom of Montenegro
See also
- Montenegrins
- King Nicholas I
- Krsto Zrnov PopovićKrsto Žrnov PopovicCaptain Krsto Todorov-Zrnov Popović was one of the leaders of 1919 Christmas Uprising in Montenegro against Serbian dynasty Karađorđević, organized by the greens , followers of dethroned King Nikola and Montenegrin dynasty Petrović-Njegoš...
- Kingdom of MontenegroKingdom of MontenegroThe Kingdom of Montenegro was a monarchy in southeastern Europe during the tumultuous years on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World War I. Legally it was a constitutional monarchy, but absolutist in practice...
- Kingdom of Montenegro (1941–1944)
- Christmas UprisingChristmas UprisingThe Christmas Uprising or Christmas Rebellion refers to the uprising of Montenegrin guerrilla fighters aimed against the planned unification of Montenegro with the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes...
- Lovćen BrigadeLovcen BrigadeThe Lovćen Brigade was an armed force in World War II-Montenegro led by Krsto Zrnov Popović and the Zelenaši. The unit was formed in September, 1942 with the approval of Fascist Italy.The army was made up of:...