Vicko Krstulović

Vicko Krstulović
Vicko Krstulović duringWorld War II.
3rdPresident of the Presidium of the Croatian Parliament[b]
In office February 1952 – February 1953
Prime Minister	Vladimir Bakarić
Preceded by	Karlo Mrazović
Succeeded by	Zlatan Sremec(asSpeaker of Parliament)
Minister of SR Croatia Internal affairs
In office April 1945 – January 1946
Minister of Labour
In office January 1946 – February 1951
Personal details
Born	(1905-04-27)27 April 1905 Split,Dalmatia, Austria-Hungary
Died	28 September 1988(1988-09-28)(aged 83) Split,SR Croatia,Yugoslavia
Nationality	Yugoslav(ethnicallyCroat)
Political party	League of Communists of Yugoslavia(1922-1988)
Awards	People's Hero of Yugoslavia
Military service
Allegiance	Yugoslavia
Branch/service	Yugoslav Partisans
Years of service	1941–1945
Rank	Major general
Commands	9th Dalmatian Division
Battles/wars	Yugoslav Front
^bThePresident of the Presidium of the Parliamentwas the office of the head of state, theSpeaker of Parliamentwas a separate office.

German troops entering theRivapromenade in 1943 (the corner of modern-dayMarmontstreet). The sign reads "Long live the IV. Operational Zone Commander, Comrade Vicko Krstulović".

Vicko Krstulović(27 April 1905 – 28 September 1988) was aYugoslavcommunist revolutionary, the most prominentPartisanmilitary commander fromDalmatiaduringWorld War II,and a post-war communist politician. He was an illegal communist activist during the 1920s and 1930s inSplitat a time when communist sympathizers were brutally persecuted by theYugoslav monarchy.As an officer in the Partisans during World War II, he was in charge of creating and organising the resistance movement in Dalmatia. InSocialist Yugoslavia,he worked in various government offices and was remembered for his work and contribution to his native Split.

Early years (1905–1918)

Vicko Krstulović was born on 27 April 1905 inSplitduring the formerAustria-Hungaryempire. He was born to a labour family. His father worked in the Split fields as an agriculturist. Vicko was introduced in politics thanks to his father who was asocial democrat.His father was the first person to carry the red flag during theLabour Dayparade in Split.

When his father was mobilised forWorld War I,Vicko was forced to carry on his work in the fields. His father returned from the war with an illness which prevented him from doing hard work. At that time, Vicko would hide people in his fields that escaped mobilisation for the war. Vicko like most Split residents supported theKingdom of Serbiaand was a fierce opponent of the Austria-Hungary empire which ruledDalmatiawith repression.

Communist revolutionary

Illegal political activism (1919–1937)

After the war, Vicko expected much from the newly formedKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenesbut it proved to be a disaster. In 1919, theCommunist Party of Yugoslaviawas founded and Vicko was attracted by its ideas. In 1920, after the Communists won a large number of the cities in the local elections, the government banned them from acting legally and they became a forbidden party.

At that time in 1920, Vicko became a member of theLeague of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia.He worked as an illegal and was obligated to spread forbidden communist material around the city (mostly books). In 1922, he officially joined the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. He became a member of the Dalmatian communist committee where he helped organise secret meetings, welcome foreign communist activists to the city and hide them. He also helped in organisingTrade unions.

In the 1930s, his house was under raid by the police, and he was arrested for dispatching illegal material. He was tortured and sentenced to prison. During that time, his mother died from illness after which he swore on her grave that he will avenge her.

Secretary of the Provincial committee of Communist party of Croatia for Dalmatia (1938–1941)

During the 1930s, the head of the Dalmatian communists was called Jelaska. He used the communists party in the city for his own pleasure and was neglecting the organisation. Vicko argued that he didn't expand the activity to theDalmatia hinterlandswhich would prove devastating in later years. In 1937, Vicko attended a meeting inZagrebwhere theLeague of Communists of Croatiawas established.

In 1939, Vicko was made the secretary of the Dalmatian communists. At the time, he was working at theSplit shipyard.Vicko began organising the party and expanding it. He welcomed high-ranking members of the party such asJosip Broz Tito,Edvard KardeljandRade Končar.He organised labour strikes in Split and managed to strengthen the party.

In 1940, Vicko attended the 5th state conference of the Communist party of Yugoslavia where the defence of Yugoslavia's independence and the mobilisation of the masses in the struggle to solve the internal social and national problems was discussed. Vicko was one of the organisers for the 1941Tripartite Pactprotests in Split. When theInvasion of Yugoslaviabegan, Vicko urged party members to join the army and fight against thefascistandcollaborators.When it was clear that Yugoslavia was losing, the party members were told to hide as many weapons as possible for the upcoming armed guerilla resistance.

World War II

Organising the first partisan detachments (1941)

After Yugoslavia lost the war, the Dalmatian coast along with Split was occupied by theItalianarmy. On 10 April 1941, the Germanpuppet stateand ItalianprotectoratecalledIndependent State of Croatia(NDH) was established in Zagreb. Soon after, Vicko Krstulović went to Zagreb for a meeting where the communist party planned an armed resistance. Since Vicko was the Dalmatian committee secretary, he was obligated to prepare and lead the resistance in Dalmatia. He was given only a few months to prepare.

Vicko expressed his concerns. He believed that it was impossible to prepare in such a low amount of time, but he was forced to do so. In August 1941, a fewpartisandetachments were sent from Dalmatian cities with the most notable one being the1st Split Partisan Detachmentwhich was made of 44 fighters. They went from Split to the Dalmatian hinterlands. Their goal was to reach theDinaramountains and connect with the resistance movement inBosnia.The detachment was quickly spotted by theUstaše militiaandItalian armyand engaged in combat. After a few hours of fighting, they were outnumbered by the Italian and Ustaše forces and were forced to surrender. 25 fighters were captured, and 13 fighters escaped back to Split. The 24 partisan prisoners were sentenced to death byNDHcourt in Sinj and executed by the Italians and Ustashe on 26 August 1941 at Ruduša nearSinj.

The rest of the partisan detachments that went from Dalmatia also failed. Most of them were forced to retreat from the hinterlands. Vicko Krstulović later received a letter from the Central committee for Communist party of Croatia where he was blamed for the failure of those actions, but he replied that it was their fault. The Central committee for Communist party of Croatia sent Rade Končar to help Krstulović organise another attempt of reaching the Dinara mountains.

Commander of the Dalmatian partisan units (1941–1943)

The staff of the 4th operational zone in September 1942. Krstulović is the second from the left.

In November 1941, Vicko managed to reach the Dinara mountains and he became the commander of the Dinara partisan detachment. That meant that all of the partisan units in Dalmatia were gradually coming under his command.The partisans in Dalmatia fought mostly against the Italian army, Ustaše militia,Croatian Home Guardand theChetniks.They usedguerrilla warfare.At first, they would use road ambushes against enemy vehicles and steal as many weapons and ammo as possible. They also attacked Ustaše guard posts in small villages. In 1942, the area aroundMućwas the first major liberated territory in Dalmatia. Vicko Krstulović became the commander of the 4th operational zone of Supreme HQ of Croatia in April 1942. The 4th zone was the entire territory of Dalmatia west from riverNeretva.

He also started creating national liberation committees in various liberated villages. They were created for the purpose of installing the new partisan government. He also worked hard on ensuring the arrival of new partisan recruits from the coastal areas and islands of Dalmatia.

Vicko also helped the local resistance movement inHerzegovinacalledStarac Vujadin.They wereSerbfighters who were under the threat of the Ustaše militia and Home guard. Vicko knew there was a danger of them joining the Chetniks, so he tried to keep them with the partisans. Vicko knew the importance Serbian settlers in Dalmatia at that time because they made more than half of the Dalmatian partisans. The Serbs were under the constant threat from the Ustaše government, and the Italians knew that so they would send them to Split as refugees and then they would be mobilised in the Chetniks who were allies with the Italian army. Vicko helped organise the partisan resistance inBukovicawhich was near the Chetnik-Italian controlled area ofKninska Krajina.

In July 1942, Vicko went to the mountainCincarto attend a meeting with the Supreme HQ of the National liberation army of Yugoslavia and the commander in chief, Josip Broz Tito. Vicko was given orders to create partisan brigades for the upcoming actions. In August 1942, he joined the liberation ofLivnoin Bosnia. There he created a Dalmatian liberation committee which would ensure better connections with the other committee branches in Dalmatia.

By the end of 1942 and beginning of 1943, there were 5 new brigades created in Dalmatia. On 13 February 1943 inImotski,the 3rd, 4th and 5th Dalmatian brigade merged into the9th Dalmatian Divisionunder the leadership of Vicko Krstulović.

Battle for the Wounded (February–April 1943)

In the beginning of 1943, the Germans launched theFourth Enemy Offensive.Their goal was to surround and destroy the partisan forces in western Bosnia and in other parts of Independent State of Croatia. Josip Broz Tito along with the Supreme HQ decided to evacuate the entire area and cross theNeretvariver. They were meant to reachMontenegro.

Vicko Krstulović and the 9th Dalmatian division were given a hard task to protect the flanks facingJablanicaand Neretva from the difficult and craggy terrain of Imotski andBiokovo.The division faced heavy attacks from the Germans, Italians, Ustashe and Chetniks. The enemy used heavyaviation,tanks andartillerywhich gradually forced all 3 partisan brigades to slowly retreat to the right shore of the Neretva River.

While the 9th division was under critical pressure from the enemy and forced to stay in the hills above Neretva, they were still obligated by the orders of Tito and the HQ to take and move the Central hospital and heavy wounded through the mountain terrain of Dinara, Bikovo,Kamešnicaand Dalmatia. Vicko refused to accept those orders because he knew they were impossible and suicidal.

After a meeting with the 9th division command, he went to see Tito in the village of Gračanica. He was determined that the only way to save the wounded was to cross the Neretva River on the right shore and go to Montenegro. After hours of talking, Vicko was allowed to continue his plan. He crossed the river with the 9th division and the Central hospital. They moved through the mountain range ofPrenjand territory ofGlavatičevoto theBoračko Lake.The fighters and wounded suffered fromTyphoid fever,HypothermiaandStarvation.The 9th division ended their 2-month long campaign with the liberation of the townNevesinje.

On 14 April 1943, the 9th Dalmatian division was disbanded in theKifino villagedue to a big number of wounded and deceased fighters. The order was given by Tito and the Supreme HQ. Vicko believed that it was a big mistake to disband the division. He thought that it was a conspiracy against the Dalmatian partisans.

Battle of the Sutjeska (May–June 1943)

After the 9th division was disbanded, Vicko joined the Supreme HQ and Tito. The entire Yugoslav liberation army was heading to cross theSutjeskariver. The Axis rallied 127,000 land troops and 300 aeroplanes for theFifth Enemy Offensive.Their goal was to eliminate Tito and central partisan forces.

Vicko and the Supreme HQ went through theDurmitormassive between theTaraandPivarivers in the mountainous areas of northern Montenegro. Vicko travelled with his family and with the famous poetVladimir Nazor.They faced heavy fog and slippery terrain in the mountains. The area was Chetnik controlled, and food supply was extremely low. In the early morning, they managed to cross theSutjeskariver under heavy rain and German mortar shelling. When the weather cleared that day, German aviation started advancing.

The partisans and HQ quickly advanced betweenGornjeandDonjeBare to the Hrčavka river. They were under German fire and Vicko almost lost his entire family. Tito was also wounded from an aviation bomb. The Supreme HQ managed to reachMiljevina.They settled there and were almost liquidated by a German task force, but the partisans managed to react first and execute the Germans. The HQ managed to reach the Red Rocks atRomanijaand Vicko at that point lost connection with them so he went to the 2nd Dalmatian brigade HQ.

Return to Dalmatia and the 1st liberation of Split (August–September 1943)

In the beginning of August 1943, Vicko was with Tito and the Supreme HQ at a party conference of the 1st Proleter brigade inPetrovo polje.Vicko was determined to go back in Dalmatia along with the 1st and 2nd Dalmatian brigade because he knew that the Italians were collapsing after theAlliedinvasion ofSicily.

He held a private conversation with Tito and managed to convince him of his plans. He was given only the 1st Dalmatian brigade because the 2nd brigade was going to Montenegro. After that, Tito relieved him of his commanding duty and made him responsible only for political assignments on the field. Vicko believed that he was being punished for disobeying his orders at Neretva.

Vicko returned to Dalmatia on 22 August 1943 with the 1st brigade and the 4th operational zone was again established. He became the zone commander but was limited to only political work. On 3 September 1943, theArmistice of Cassibilewas signed and Italy capitulated, but the Italians were still holding Split and refused to surrender to the partisan forces. After days of negotiations, the partisans finally got in contact with general Emilio Becucci. On 16 September 1943, the surrender of the Italian army was signed at the hotelParkin Split. GeneralKoča PopovićandIvo Lola Ribarsigned the treaty in the name of the Yugoslav army. After that, Split officially became the biggest liberated city in occupied Europe.Vicko entered Split along with the other high-ranking partisan officers on 10 September. On that day, Vicko and Ivo Lola Ribar started negotiating with general Becucci for the immediate handover of all weapons from the Italian army.

At that time, theSixth Enemy Offensivewas under way and the German forces were gradually coming closer to occupying the Dalmatian coast which was abandoned by the Italians. The partisans started transporting weapons and ammo from the city to the hinterland before the Germans occupy the city.

The1st Proletarian Brigadeand the other partisan units were holding theKlis-Sinjline against the enemy. Tito gave the order that the Germans were to be stopped from entering Split for as long as possible. The Germans were surrounded in Klis, Sinj andDicmobut the partisan units were badly synchronised due to a lack of communication. A great number of volunteers from Split joined the partisans and they were able to cover the loss in numbers. The 1st Proletarian brigade managed to repeal the German reinforcements inImotskibut the enemy kept reinforcing even more. The partisans saw a chance of conquering the larger Split area and repealing the Germans from it. The partisan units launched an offensive on Dicmo and Sinj but they all failed. The Germans quickly started a counter-offensive and began advancing on Split.

The 4th operational command gave the order to evacuate all weapons, military equipment, and personnel to Dinara. Vicko and Ivo Lola Ribar left Split and went throughKaštelato Muć andCetina.They made contact with the 4th Krajina division and managed to deliver the Italian equipment. On 25 September 1943, the partisans left their battle positions and on 27 September, the German forces entered Split.

Political work and the 2nd liberation of Split (1943–1944)

In October 1943, the8th Dalmatian Corpstook control of the 4th operational zone and Vicko was restricted to political work atZAVNOHandAVNOJ.On 29 November 1943, Vicko attended the famous 2nd AVNOJ meeting inJajcewhere theNational Committee for the Liberation of Yugoslaviawas established. It was the highest governing body of the new Yugoslav republic. Vicko was elected as a member of AVNOJ.

By late 1943, Vicko was stationed on the Adriatic island ofViswhich was occupied by theCommonwealthand American troops. He worked on the transport of injured soldiers and civilians to Italy andEl ShattinEgypt.He called Tito to join him on Vis where he could be safe from enemy attacks but Tito rejected the idea. In May 1944, Tito and the Supreme HQ were targets of aGerman airborne assaultinDrvar.Tito barely escaped from the German breach and was quickly transported to Vis by the British. Vicko was present during theTreaty of Vissigning between Tito and theroyalgovernment representative,Ivan Šubašić.

In September 1944, the 8th Dalmatian corps began with the offensive on Dalmatia. By mid-October, they managed to reach Split and liberate most of the Dalmatia region. On 21 October, the 2nd liberation of Split was underway. The Germans used heavy artillery from Klis to slow them from the north but theYugoslav Navymanaged to offload reinforcements just east of Split. The main assault began on 25 October and the partisan troops managed to defeat the German-Ustashe war machine in a day. On the morning of 26 October 1944, fighters of the 10th brigade from the 20th partisan division entered and liberated Split for the 2nd and final time.

On 27 October, Vicko Krstulović was the first to arrive in Split by boat with the famous composerIvo Tijardović.He was greeted by a big crowd in the Split port. This marked the end of Vicko's war campaign.

Postwar political career

Political functions in Federal Yugoslavia

In December 1944, Vicko was made the commissioner for industry and trade of ZAVNOH. He stayed in Split during the first few months of liberation. In April 1945, he became the minister of internal affairs of the newly establishedFederal State of Croatia. He moved to Zagreb after the Ustashe government fled from it in May 1945. In January 1946, he became the minister of labour and maritime affairs in theFederal Executive Councilof Yugoslavia. He then moved toBelgradewith his family.

In April 1951, he became the president of the regional committee CP Croatia for Dalmatia and in February 1952, he became thePresident of the Presidium of the Croatian Parliamentwhich was at the time the highest governing body in SR Croatia. After his term ended, he became the member of the Federal Executive Council in February 1953.

From 1954 to 1958, he was the committee president in theSR Croatia parliamentand a representative in the parliament from 1945 to 1963. From 1963 to 1967, he was the president of the budget committee in theFederal assemblyand a representative in the assembly from 1945 to 1967.

Unrealised ideas and criticism of the state policy

Vicko Krstulović was one of the designers of the SR Croatia coat of arms. Thanks to him, the sea was put in there. He also did much for his native Split and Dalmatia. As a committee president of Dalmatia, he was sent to Split in order to stop the chaos which was being done there. He helped on creating transportation systems in Split and connecting it more with the rest of the country.

Vicko represented the idea that the new railway should go fromSarajevoto Split, and not toKardeljevobut his idea was rejected. Vicko wrote theAdriatic Orientation of Yugoslavia.It was a book about the sea potential that Yugoslavia has and how it should be used. He tried to persuade Tito on reading it but it was never seriously taken.

Vicko criticised the new direction of the Communist party of Yugoslavia. He was against changing the party name in 1952 to League of Communist. He believed that the party was rejecting its revolutionary path and that it was starting to accept abureaucratic-dogmaticway of functioning. He knew that the party was slowly becoming open toextreme careerismand it was ignoring all the old party members. The party members who were longer in the party than Tito were especially ignored and put aside.

Vicko was later relieved of any important political duty after he made remarks that Tito and the otherold guardofficials should retire and leave the country to younger generations.

Final years

Vicko spent his last years of life in his native Split. He was still active in social life and he still gave interviews to journalists. In September 1988, he was admitted to the Military hospital in Split for treatment but during a routine therapy session, the doctors used electrical equipment not knowing he had apacemaker.On 28 September 1988, Vicko Krstulović died due to medical complications.

After his death, his son Vladimir Krstulović gave all of Vicko's possessions and archives to the Historical museum in Belgrade.

Private life

Vicko was married to Lucija Krstulović and had 4 children: Maksim, Nataša, Viborg and Vladimir. His wife and 3 children, Maksim, Nataša and toddler Viborg were with him during the Battle of Neretva and Sutjeska. During the long marches between those battles, his son Maksim fell off a horse and injured his arm which would leave permanent damage. His daughter Nataša suffered from typhoid fever at Neretva and almost died during the crossing of the river. His fourth and youngest son Vladimir was born after the war.

Maksim Krstulović became apainterand critical intellectual who wrote articles that were more to the left than the Yugoslav politics was at the time. He caused controversy and in 1974, he was killed at his apartment inLondon.The killer was never caught but some suspect that it was done by the YugoslavState Security Administration.

His youngest son Vladimir Krstulović was responsible for the publishing of Vicko's memoirs in 2012.