Jovo Stanisavljevic Caruga
Encyclopedia
Jovan "Jovo" Stanisavljević , known by his nickname Čaruga (Чаруга ; 1897 – February 27, 1925) was a 20th-century Serb
outlaw
(hajduk
) in Slavonia
in the early 20th century.
He has legendary status in former Yugoslavia
, as a "Robin Hood"-figure.
Orthodox family in the village of Slavonske Bare (part of Zdenci
) in the Virovitica County, autonomous Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
, Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was named after his paternal grandfather, Jovan, who went by the family nickname of Čaruga. His father Prokopija was a peasant, and his mother Ika died when he was ten. His father remarried, and the household wasn't the same, he got beaten a lot, and later ran away from home to Osijek
, where he would go to locksmith school. When the First World War broke out, he stopped his schooling and enrolled in the Austro-Hungarian Army
.
penitentiary.
However, he managed to escape from prison and had a warrant posted on his capture. He went back home, but was unwelcomed in the villages, so he started living in the woods. There he befriended the outlaw group Kolo gorskih tića (trans. a band of mountain birds) composed mostly of deserters, who all detested the rich Slavonian peasants and robbed them mercilessly, and were not afraid of killing people either.
The war was long over, but Čaruga and the tići were still pillaging the countryside, and became hunted by the Yugoslav
gendarmerie. Eventually in 1922 he decided to leave for Zagreb
, where he posed as a rich gentleman from Vinkovci
and also continued his life of thievery. He would later return to Slavonia to continue stealing together with his group members.
family estate in Ivankovo near Vinkovci. They killed one person at the site but another one sneaked out and called the gendarmerie. After the skirmish that ensued they managed to escape but without their loot. More importantly, the police got on their trail and soon captured them.
. He's also been referred to as his false names Nikola Drezgić and Mile Barić, and posthumously as the "Robin Hood
of Yugoslavia" or "of Slavonia".
by Rajko Grlić
, have appeared since. He remains a well-known historic figure in the Balkans.
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...
outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
(hajduk
Hajduk
Hajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans, Central- and Eastern Europe....
) in Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
in the early 20th century.
He has legendary status in former Yugoslavia
Former Yugoslavia
The former Yugoslavia is a term used to describe the present day states which succeeded the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
, as a "Robin Hood"-figure.
Early
Stanisavljević was born in 1897, into a SerbSerbs
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...
Orthodox family in the village of Slavonske Bare (part of Zdenci
Zdenci
Zdenci is a village and municipality in Croatia in the Virovitica–Podravina County. It has a population of 2,225 , 88% which are Croats....
) in the Virovitica County, autonomous Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia or Croatia Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was part of the Hungarian Kingdom within the dual Austro-Hungarian state, being within the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen or Transleithania...
, Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was named after his paternal grandfather, Jovan, who went by the family nickname of Čaruga. His father Prokopija was a peasant, and his mother Ika died when he was ten. His father remarried, and the household wasn't the same, he got beaten a lot, and later ran away from home to Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
, where he would go to locksmith school. When the First World War broke out, he stopped his schooling and enrolled in the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
.
Army, prison and Mountain Birds
He soon decided to desert from the front lines posing as an officer, and succeeded in that. Shortly afterwards, he killed a man who was courting his girlfriend, and after a local nobleman threatened to arrest him, he killed him too. He was eventually apprehended, tried, and convicted, and started serving his sentence in the Sremska MitrovicaSremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica is a city and municipality located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia, on the left bank of the Sava river. As of 2002 the town had a total population of 39,041, while Sremska Mitrovica municipality had a population of 85,605...
penitentiary.
However, he managed to escape from prison and had a warrant posted on his capture. He went back home, but was unwelcomed in the villages, so he started living in the woods. There he befriended the outlaw group Kolo gorskih tića (trans. a band of mountain birds) composed mostly of deserters, who all detested the rich Slavonian peasants and robbed them mercilessly, and were not afraid of killing people either.
The war was long over, but Čaruga and the tići were still pillaging the countryside, and became hunted by the Yugoslav
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...
gendarmerie. Eventually in 1922 he decided to leave for Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, where he posed as a rich gentleman from Vinkovci
Vinkovci
Vinkovci is a city in Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County. In the 2011 census, the total population of the city was 35,375, making it the largest town of the county...
and also continued his life of thievery. He would later return to Slavonia to continue stealing together with his group members.
Heist at Eltz family estate
On October 14, 1923, however, they attempted to rob the EltzEltz
The House of Eltz is a noted German noble family of the Uradel. The Rhenish dynasty has had close ties to the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia since 1736.-History:...
family estate in Ivankovo near Vinkovci. They killed one person at the site but another one sneaked out and called the gendarmerie. After the skirmish that ensued they managed to escape but without their loot. More importantly, the police got on their trail and soon captured them.
Death
By February 1925, Čaruga's trial at the court in Osijek was finished, and he was subsequently hanged in front of a crowd of 3,000.Names
His nickname Čaruga comes from the Turkish word çarik for opanakOpanak
Opanak are traditional peasant shoes worn in Southeastern Europe . The attributes of the Opanci are: a construction of leather, lack of laces, durable, and various ending on toes. In Serbia, the design of the horn-like ending on toes indicates the region of origin...
. He's also been referred to as his false names Nikola Drezgić and Mile Barić, and posthumously as the "Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
of Yugoslavia" or "of Slavonia".
In popular culture
Čaruga's demise attracted a lot of popular attention at the time, and numerous popular books, and a 1991 motion picture ČarugaCaruga (film)
Čaruga is a 1991 Croatian film directed by Rajko Grlić. Based on the novel by Ivan Kušan, it tells a true story about legendary Slavonian bandit Jovo Stanisavljević Čaruga....
by Rajko Grlić
Rajko Grlic
Rajko Grlić is Yugoslav film director and producer from Croatia of Jewish and Serbian decent...
, have appeared since. He remains a well-known historic figure in the Balkans.