Velebit uprising
| Velebit uprising | |
|---|---|
| Part of Interwar period | |
| Type | Sabotage |
| Location | Brušane, Gospić |
| Planned | 28 August 1932 |
| Planned by | Ante PavelićGustav PerÄecVjekoslav Servatzy |
| Target | Yugoslav police station |
| Date | 6–7 September 1932 |
| Executed by | Ustaše |
| Casualties | 1 dead Ustaše |
The Velebit uprising or Lika uprising (Croatian: Velebitski ustanak; LiÄki ustanak) was a small-scale sabotage action made by the UstaÅ¡e on the 6th and 7 September 1932.
In the area near Gospić, the UstaÅ¡e had a strong organization led by a lawyer Andrija Artuković. Some other notable members of Gospić's UstaÅ¡e branch were landowner Marko DoÅ¡en, former Austrian-Hungarian officer Juraj Juco Rukavina, traders Josip Tomljenović and Nikola OreÅ¡ković, and tax clerk Josip JapunÄić.[1]
Rukavina had one of the more important roles in the uprising. He visited a number of villages to gain support from local inhabitants for the uprising. The UstaÅ¡e spread propaganda stating that Italians supported Croatian independence, and that the UstaÅ¡e would help them to gain the area near the Triglav and Ljubljana mountains, while the Italians would give Rijeka and Trieste to Croatia. Since the main goal was sabotage of the military depot and garrison in Gospić, the UstaÅ¡e tried to establish contact with some military personnel, but without major success. The UstaÅ¡e from Gospić were in contact with the UstaÅ¡e in emigration, constantly exchanging information and advice. Before the beginning of the action, Italian authorities gave permission to the UstaÅ¡e to start the action. The UstaÅ¡e leader Ante Brkan was responsible for transferring arms from Italy through Zadar,[2] which was then part of the Italian state. In early 1932 the first arms were transferred, with a major shipment of arms arriving in August. At the same time the UstaÅ¡e prepared by enlisting men for the action. Two sergeants, Josip ÄŒaÄić and Ante MalbaÅ¡a agreed to participate. Five armed and uniformed UstaÅ¡e arrived from Italy, among whom was Rafael Boban.[1] They hid in a house of some peasants in Lukovo Å ugarje village, and were later followed by another five UstaÅ¡e.[2]
At a meeting held in Spittal in Austria held on 28 August 1932,[1] Ante Pavelić, Gustav PerÄec, and Vjekoslav Servatzy decided to start a small uprising. Servatzy was chosen to organize the action. Before the action started, Artuković and DoÅ¡en went to Zadar to avoid arrest by the Yugoslav police. During the night between the 6th and 7 September, the UstaÅ¡e launched an attack on a police station in BruÅ¡ane village near Gospić. Besides the ten UstaÅ¡e that arrived, some UstaÅ¡e from Gospić also participated in the attack. Before the attack, the UstaÅ¡e cut the phone lines to the police station in Gospić, then opened fire on the police station in BruÅ¡ane. The attack lasted for half an hour, after which the UstaÅ¡e who lived in Croatia returned to their homes, while those who came from Italy went to Zadar across the Velebit. Though the leader of the action, Artuković, escaped, he was arrested and put on trial in 1936 in Belgrade. He was accused, among other UstaÅ¡e, of destruction of the police station on the night of the action.[2]
After the attack the Ustaše pulled back to Velebit with no casualties. Despite the small scale of the uprising, the Yugoslav authorities were unnerved because the power of the Ustaše was unknown. As a result, major security measures were introduced. This action had an impact in the foreign media, especially among the Italian and Hungarian press.[2]
References
Notes
- 1 2 3 Marković 2003, p. 18.
- 1 2 3 4 Matković 2002, p. 14.
Bibliography
- Marković, Marko (2003). Povijest Crne legije: Jure i Boban (in Croatian).
- Matković, Hrvoje (2002). Povijest Nezavisne Države Hrvatske (in Croatian). Naklada PaviÄić. ISBN 953-6308-39-8.