Koca Popovic
Encyclopedia
Konstantin "Koča" Popović (Константин Коча Поповић) (14 March 1908 - 20 October 1992) was a communist volunteer in the Spanish Civil War
, 1937-1939 and Divisional Commander of the First Proletarian Division in Josip Broz Tito
's Partisan army. Sometimes he was known as "the man who saved YPA" because he broke trough the German lines during the crucial Battle of Sutjeska and saved Tito and Yugoslav People's Army
(JNA). Popović came from a prosperous Belgrade family and at university studied philosophy. After university he moved to Paris
where he mixed with the Left Bank world of poets, writers, artists and intellectuals.
and headed by Tito which was used to feed volunteers from the Balkans to the Republicans
in the Spanish Civil War
. Popović was drafted through this center along with a select group of Party members. Popović fought with Spanish Republican forces and not the International Brigades
, holding the rank of artillery captain. At the close of the Spanish Civil War Popović escaped through France and made his way back to Yugoslavia.
In 1940, as a reserve officer in the Royal Yugoslav Army
he was mobilised and told by his Colonel to watch out for subversive activities within the regiment.
After the surrender of the Royal Yugoslav Army to the German Army
in April 1941, Popović organised the Kosmaj
detachment during the rising in Serbia. On the formation of the First Proletarian Brigade, Popović became its commander, and subsequently commanding the First Proletarian Division.
During his time leading the Partisans he encountered William Deakin
, leader of the British military mission to Tito's headquarters, who wrote of Popović:
After the establishment of a communist regime in Yugoslavia
in 1945, he served as the Chief of the Yugoslavian General Staff
from 1946-1953. In this function he also conducted negotiations with the representatives of Western powers associated with the modernisation of the JNA during the conflict with the Soviet Union
(i.e., Informbiro
).
Consequently, he became the foreign minister
of Yugoslavia in 1953 and held this office until 1965. As the Foreign Minister, he was the head of the Yugoslav delegation to the UN General Assembly sessions on several occasions.
From 1965 until 1972 he acted as a Member of the Federal Executive Council
and the Vice-President of Yugoslavia from 1966 until 1967.
He was decorated with the Order: People's Hero of Yugoslavia
, and with other high Yugoslav and foreign decorations.
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, 1937-1939 and Divisional Commander of the First Proletarian Division in Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
's Partisan army. Sometimes he was known as "the man who saved YPA" because he broke trough the German lines during the crucial Battle of Sutjeska and saved Tito and Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
(JNA). Popović came from a prosperous Belgrade family and at university studied philosophy. After university he moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he mixed with the Left Bank world of poets, writers, artists and intellectuals.
Background
From this youthful indulgence he moved to involvement with the then illegal Yugoslav Communist Party. In Paris there was a center run by CominternComintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
and headed by Tito which was used to feed volunteers from the Balkans to the Republicans
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. Popović was drafted through this center along with a select group of Party members. Popović fought with Spanish Republican forces and not the International Brigades
International Brigades
The International Brigades were military units made up of volunteers from different countries, who traveled to Spain to defend the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939....
, holding the rank of artillery captain. At the close of the Spanish Civil War Popović escaped through France and made his way back to Yugoslavia.
In 1940, as a reserve officer in the Royal Yugoslav Army
Royal Yugoslav Army
The Royal Yugoslav Army was the armed force of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from the state's formation until the force's surrender to the Axis powers on April 17, 1941...
he was mobilised and told by his Colonel to watch out for subversive activities within the regiment.
After the surrender of the Royal Yugoslav Army to the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
in April 1941, Popović organised the Kosmaj
Kosmaj
Kosmaj is a mountain south of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. With an elevation of 626 meters, it is the highest point of the entire Belgrade City area and is nicknamed one of two "Belgrade mountains" .- Location :The Kosmaj, is located 40 kilometers south-east of Belgrade...
detachment during the rising in Serbia. On the formation of the First Proletarian Brigade, Popović became its commander, and subsequently commanding the First Proletarian Division.
During his time leading the Partisans he encountered William Deakin
William Deakin
Frederick William Dampier Deakin, Sir William Deakin was a historian, World War II veteran, and literary assistant to Winston Churchill....
, leader of the British military mission to Tito's headquarters, who wrote of Popović:
After the establishment of a communist regime in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in 1945, he served as the Chief of the Yugoslavian General Staff
Chief of the General Staff of Yugoslav People's Army
The Chief of the General Staff was the chief of staff of the General Staff of Yugoslav People's Army. He was appointed by the President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, who was the commander-in-chief.The first Chief of the General Staff was Lt...
from 1946-1953. In this function he also conducted negotiations with the representatives of Western powers associated with the modernisation of the JNA during the conflict with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(i.e., Informbiro
Informbiro
Informbiro was a period in the history of Yugoslavia characterized by conflict and schism with the Soviet Union...
).
Consequently, he became the foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
of Yugoslavia in 1953 and held this office until 1965. As the Foreign Minister, he was the head of the Yugoslav delegation to the UN General Assembly sessions on several occasions.
From 1965 until 1972 he acted as a Member of the Federal Executive Council
Federal Executive Council
The Federal Executive Council is the formal body holding executive authority under the Constitution of Australia. It is equivalent to the other Executive Councils in other Commonwealth Realms such as the Executive Council of New Zealand and is equivalent to the Privy councils in Canada and the...
and the Vice-President of Yugoslavia from 1966 until 1967.
He was decorated with the Order: People's Hero of Yugoslavia
People's Hero of Yugoslavia
The Order of the People's Hero was a Yugoslav gallantry medal, the second highest military award, and third overall Yugoslav decoration. It was awarded to individuals, military units, political and other organisations who distinguished themselves by extraordinary heroic deeds during war and in...
, and with other high Yugoslav and foreign decorations.
See also
- Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaSocialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaThe 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,...
- Yugoslav People's ArmyYugoslav People's ArmyThe Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
- Yugoslav Partisans
- TitoismTitoismTitoism is a variant of Marxism–Leninism named after Josip Broz Tito, leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, primarily used to describe the specific socialist system built in Yugoslavia after its refusal of the 1948 Resolution of the Cominform, when the Communist Party of...
- Josip Broz TitoJosip Broz TitoMarshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...