Jaka Avšič

Jakob "Jaka" Avšič (nom de guerre Branko Hrast) (24 April 1896 – 2 January 1978)[1] was the first commander of Chetnik units (Plava garda) in Slovenia during the Second World War.[2] At the end of October 1941, Colonel Avšič and Major Karl Novak went to Ravna Gora and met with Draža Mihailović, who appointed Avšič as his representative in Slovenia.[3] Avšič soon deserted the Yugoslav Army in Fatherland and joined the communists. He was then instructed by the communist executive board to try to convince other Yugoslav army officers to desert and join the communists.[4] During the war he used the pseudonym Branko Hrast.[5]

Jaka Avšič
Avšič in 1966
Born(1896-04-24)April 24, 1896
Ljubljana, Duchy of Carniola, Austria-Hungary
DiedJanuary 2, 1978(1978-01-02) (aged 81)

During the war, Avšič asked Tito if Slovenian soldiers would be allowed to use Slovene in the units of the communist forces in Slovenia. Tito was quick to confirm that they would, but forgot his promise until 1945.[6]

References
  1. "Jakob Avšič, predsednik ljubljanskega MLO in vojaški general". www.kamra.si. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  2. (Крањц 2006, p. 20): " Prvi poveljnik slovenskih četnikov, konjeniški polkovnik (Rade) Jaka Avšič..."
  3. (Rant 2008, p. 60)
  4. Vojno-istoriski glasnik. 1983. p. 168. Pošto je prišao OF-u, pukovnik Avšič je od Izvršnog odbora dobio uputstvo da utiče na oficire kako bi ih privoleo da priđu narodnooslobodilačkom pokretu.
  5. Prispevki za zgodovino delavskega gibanja (in Slovenian). Inštitut. 1973. p. 198. Retrieved 7 January 2019. Jaka Avšič-Branko Hrast
  6. (Pirjevec 2018, p. 114)

Sources
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