Kosta Pecanac
Encyclopedia
Kosta Milovanović Pećanac ' onMouseout='HidePop("48636")' href="/topics/Decani">Dečani
– 6 June 1944) was a Chetnik voivoda during the Second World War.
) on the monastery. He arrives in Serbia in 1892, at the age of 14. He worked as a mercenary
, and in his 21s, he joined the compulsory army.
(near Pčinja
) and Čelopek
, near Matejče monastery.
The deacon
of the Vladika of žiča
, voivode Jovan Grković-Gapon, suggested giving Pećanac the title of voivode. In the great meeting on Christmas
, 1904, Pećanac received the title, at the time 25 years old.
In 1910 the struggles in Macedonia intensified, he left his his children and pregnant wife, and returned to the battlefield.
, Pećanac was mobilised in the Third army, holding the title of sergeant
(narednik) in the Morava division. He defeated the Albanians in Merdare
. He took part in the battle of Kumanovo
and the liberation of Metohija
.
In the Second Balkan War
, which Pećanac called the "Bulgarian War", he was at the front at Kitka, on the Osogovo
mountain, along the Zletovska and Bregalnica
rivers. His troops chases out the Bulgarians at Grljani.
along with the retreating Serbian army and government. After the Chetniks began an uprising in Toplica in 1917, Pećanac rejoined the battle.
Between the two World Wars he was the most prominent figure in the dormant Chetnik movement.
, Pećanac did not share the view of resisting the occupying forces, as did Chetnik Draža Mihailović
. The Chetniks were split in two, and when the quisling Serbian regime
was formed, he made a deal with Nedić, the puppet Prime Minister of Serbia.
During the war, his Chetnik movement struggled for recognition against the rival Chetniks led by Draža Mihailović
.
During World War II, units of Kosta Pećanac committed numerous crimes against the Albanian
population of border villages between Kosovo
and Sandzak
.
Decani
Decani is the side of a church choir occupied by the Dean. In English churches this is typically the choir stalls on the south side of the chancel, although there are some notable exceptions, such as Durham Cathedral and Southwell Minster...
– 6 June 1944) was a Chetnik voivoda during the Second World War.
Origin
Kosta Milovanović was born in 1879, the exact date is not known as his military paper only has the year of birth. His father was a guardian of the Visoki Dečani monastery. His parents both died during an attack by Albanians (remnants of the League of PrizrenLeague of Prizren
The League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation commonly known as the League of Prizren was an Albanian political organization founded on 10 June 1878 in Prizren, in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire....
) on the monastery. He arrives in Serbia in 1892, at the age of 14. He worked as a mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
, and in his 21s, he joined the compulsory army.
War in Macedonia
In 1895, war broke out in Macedonia against the Ottoman Empire. Serb, Greek, Bulgarian and Albanian groups also began to struggle against each other. Pećanac joined the struggle in the Serb organization, fighting in Šuplja StenaŠuplja Stena
Šuplja Stena is an suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Voždovac.-Location:...
(near Pčinja
Pcinja
Pčinja may refer to:*Pčinja District, a district of Serbia*Pčinja , the left tributary of the Vardar river...
) and Čelopek
Celopek
Čelopek is a village in Republic of Macedonia. It is a part of the Brvenica municipality.-Notable citizens:*Ljube Boškoski - former Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia*Nastoski Gavro-member of MRO and courier of Pitu Guli's guard...
, near Matejče monastery.
The deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
of the Vladika of žiča
Žica
Žiča is an early 13th century Serb Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first King of Serbia, Stefan the First-Crowned and the first Head of the Serbian Church, Saint Sava....
, voivode Jovan Grković-Gapon, suggested giving Pećanac the title of voivode. In the great meeting on Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, 1904, Pećanac received the title, at the time 25 years old.
In 1910 the struggles in Macedonia intensified, he left his his children and pregnant wife, and returned to the battlefield.
Balkan Wars
In the First Balkan WarFirst Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
, Pećanac was mobilised in the Third army, holding the title of sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
(narednik) in the Morava division. He defeated the Albanians in Merdare
Merdare
Merdare is a village in the municipality of Kuršumlija, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 139 people. Merdare will be the end point of the Kosovan part of the Albania-Kosovo Highway that will further continue into Serbia at the E80....
. He took part in the battle of Kumanovo
Battle of Kumanovo
The Battle of Kumanovo or Battle of Kumanova on 23 – 24 October 1912 was a major battle of the First Balkan War. It was an important Serbian victory over the Ottoman army in Vardar Macedonia, shortly after the outbreak of the war...
and the liberation of Metohija
Metohija
Metohija , is a large basin and the name of the region covering the southwestern part of Kosovo.It encompasses three of the seven districts of Kosovo, namely the historical :* District of Peć * District of Đakovica * District of Prizren...
.
In the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
, which Pećanac called the "Bulgarian War", he was at the front at Kitka, on the Osogovo
Osogovo
Osogovo or Osogovska Planina is a mountain and ski resort between southwestern Bulgaria and northeastern Republic of Macedonia,...
mountain, along the Zletovska and Bregalnica
Bregalnica
Bregalnica is the second largest river in the Republic of Macedonia. It starts as a spring near the mountain city of Berovo and it passes near the cities of Makedonska Kamenica, Kočani, Vinica and Štip, before joining the river Vardar on its way to the Aegean Sea...
rivers. His troops chases out the Bulgarians at Grljani.
First World War
During the First World War he escaped to CorfuCorfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
along with the retreating Serbian army and government. After the Chetniks began an uprising in Toplica in 1917, Pećanac rejoined the battle.
Between the two World Wars he was the most prominent figure in the dormant Chetnik movement.
Second World War
With the start of the Second World War in the Kingdom of YugoslaviaKingdom 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...
, Pećanac did not share the view of resisting the occupying forces, as did Chetnik Draža Mihailović
Draža Mihailovic
Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović was a Yugoslav Serbian general during World War II...
. The Chetniks were split in two, and when the quisling Serbian regime
Nedic's Serbia
Serbia under German occupation refers to an administrative area in occupied Yugoslavia established by Nazi Germany following the invasion and dismantling of Yugoslavia in April of 1941...
was formed, he made a deal with Nedić, the puppet Prime Minister of Serbia.
During the war, his Chetnik movement struggled for recognition against the rival Chetniks led by Draža Mihailović
Draža Mihailovic
Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović was a Yugoslav Serbian general during World War II...
.
During World War II, units of Kosta Pećanac committed numerous crimes against the Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
population of border villages between Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and Sandzak
Sandžak
Sandžak also known as Raška is a historical region lying along the border between Serbia and Montenegro...
.
Sources
- Jovan Deroko, Toplički ustanak i oružani otpor u okupiranoj otadžbini 1916-1919, Beograd, 1940.
- Radoje Kostić, Toplički ustanak 1917., Niš, 1987.
- Jozo Tomašević, Četnici u Drugom svjetskom ratu 1941-1945, Zagreb, 1979.
- Stanislav Krakov, Plamen četništva, Beograd, 1930.