Miroslav Navratil
Encyclopedia
Miroslav Navratil (19 July 1893 in Sarajevo
– June 1947 in Zagreb
) was a Croatian soldier, pilot, and general who served in the armies of Austria-Hungary
, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, and the Independent State of Croatia
.
, within the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina
in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He attended gymnasium in Sarajevo, and finished cadet's school in Graz
. In World War I
he served in the military of Austria–Hungary, as a fighter pilot in the Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops. While on the Eastern
and Italian fronts, he scored a victory with Flik 41J on 14 April 1918,
before assuming command of Flik 3J on 9 June 1918. Flying Albatros D.III
s, he scored nine more victories. He attained the rank of Oberleutnant. His victory string ran until 31 August, when he downed a Bristol F.2 Fighter
, but lost all four of his inexperienced wingmen in the process. Navratil blamed himself for their loss. He largely removed himself from combat operations. On 21 October, during a test flight of an Albatros D.III
, his seat broke, and he was injured in the resultant crashlanding. He did not recover before the Armistice.
on 10 April 1941 Navratil was brought back into active service. He was named as a military representative in Bucharest
. He served as minister of the armed forces from 2 September 1943 to 29 January 1944. After he was relieved of his post because of his complaints about the brutality of the government, he travelled to Vienna
where his family was located and remained there until the end of World War II. In 1945 he moved to Zell am See where he lived until he was found by American troops in 1946. He was sent back to communist Yugoslavia in 1947, where he was executed in June of that same year on the charge of war crimes, for his participation in the facist, genocidal NDH.
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
– June 1947 in 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...
) was a Croatian soldier, pilot, and general who served in the armies of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
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...
, and the Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
.
Until the end of World War I
Navratil was born in SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, within the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He attended gymnasium in Sarajevo, and finished cadet's school in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
. In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he served in the military of Austria–Hungary, as a fighter pilot in the Imperial and Royal Aviation Troops. While on the Eastern
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
and Italian fronts, he scored a victory with Flik 41J on 14 April 1918,
before assuming command of Flik 3J on 9 June 1918. Flying Albatros D.III
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
s, he scored nine more victories. He attained the rank of Oberleutnant. His victory string ran until 31 August, when he downed a Bristol F.2 Fighter
Bristol F.2 Fighter
The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
, but lost all four of his inexperienced wingmen in the process. Navratil blamed himself for their loss. He largely removed himself from combat operations. On 21 October, during a test flight of an Albatros D.III
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
, his seat broke, and he was injured in the resultant crashlanding. He did not recover before the Armistice.
Between the World Wars
In 1918, Austria-Hungary dissolved and Navratil moved to the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, where he took on a position in the royal army. He rose to the rank of general, but was eventually retired from the army in 1940 because of conflict with Serb officers within its ranks.World War II
With the establishment of the Independent State of CroatiaIndependent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
on 10 April 1941 Navratil was brought back into active service. He was named as a military representative in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. He served as minister of the armed forces from 2 September 1943 to 29 January 1944. After he was relieved of his post because of his complaints about the brutality of the government, he travelled to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
where his family was located and remained there until the end of World War II. In 1945 he moved to Zell am See where he lived until he was found by American troops in 1946. He was sent back to communist Yugoslavia in 1947, where he was executed in June of that same year on the charge of war crimes, for his participation in the facist, genocidal NDH.