Mladen Lorković
Encyclopedia
Mladen Lorković was a Croatian
politician, lawyer and Ustasha leader.
. Because he was opposed to the regime of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia
he was reportedly threatened with arrest. After the king invoked the January 6th Dictatorship
in 1929, Lorković moved to Austria
and later to Germany
. He continued with his political activities, primarily opposing Yugoslavia and supporting the idea of an independent Croatian state. He continued to study law at Innsbruck and Berlin, earning his doctorate. He later became a close associate of Ante Pavelić
, and represented the Ustaša in Nazi Germany
and, later for all European countries except for Italy
. He continued to advocate the unification of all Croatian parties into one superparty to secede from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
.
. In 1939 he returned to Yugoslavia
. He was an associate editor of the Hrvatski narod (Croatian Folk) journal and the editor of the underground journal Hrvatska pošta (The Croatian Post).
In 1940, by court order of the Banate he was arrested and taken to prison at Lepoglava
, and later to a camp near Krušić. In 1941 he escaped and began participating in preparations to declare the Independent State of Croatia
in Zagreb
. He was one of five people who signed a document dated 30 March 1941, asking the Third Reich for assistance in establishing the Croatian state.
Pavelić named Lorković as Foreign Minister of Croatia. On 28 April 1943 he was released of his duties as Foreign Minister. After that he was named state minister without Portfolio and he was in charge in activities with German Army
. In 1943 he initiated an ultimately unsuccessful negotiation with the vice-president of Croatian Peasant Party
, August Košutić, about a possible coalition. On 11 November 1943 he became Minister of the Interior of Croatia.
, minister of Armed Forces, he attended secret meeting with the Croatian Peasant Party
's August Košutić and Ivanko Farolifi. At the meeting they allegedly made plans to change sides, and for the Domobranstvo
(regular Croatian Army) to attack Germany, to join the "Anglo-American Allies" who would presumably sponsor an independent Croatia. Lorković and Vokić informed head of state Ante Pavelić
about their plans, and he supported them.
On 21 August 1944 Pavelić informed Siegfried Kasche
, a German ambassador to Croatia, about their activities. On 30 August 1944 Pavelić revealed the conspiracy and conspirators. August Košutić escaped but the rest were jailed in Lepoglava
.
On 30 April 1945, Lorković, Ante Vokić, and Croatian Peasant Party representatives Ivanko Farolifi and Ljudevit Tomašić were executed.
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...
politician, lawyer and Ustasha leader.
Early life
Lorković was born in Zagreb on 1 March 1909. As a high school student he was a supporter of Croatian Party of Rights, later joining the Croatian Youth Movement. He studied law at the University of ZagrebUniversity of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
. Because he was opposed to the regime of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Alexander I , also known as Alexander the Unifier was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .-Childhood:...
he was reportedly threatened with arrest. After the king invoked the January 6th Dictatorship
January 6th Dictatorship
The January 6th Dictatorship was a royal dictatorship established in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes by King Alexander...
in 1929, Lorković moved to Austria
First Austrian Republic
The Republic of Austria encompasses the period of Austrian history following the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of September 1919, the settlement after the end of World War I which put an end to the Republic of German Austria, continuing up to World War II...
and later to Germany
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. He continued with his political activities, primarily opposing Yugoslavia and supporting the idea of an independent Croatian state. He continued to study law at Innsbruck and Berlin, earning his doctorate. He later became a close associate of Ante Pavelić
Ante Pavelic
Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...
, and represented the Ustaša in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and, later for all European countries except for Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
. He continued to advocate the unification of all Croatian parties into one superparty to secede from 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...
.
Acitivity in Ustaše
He swore his Ustaše oath in 1934 and was arrested three years later. After that, he went to HungaryKingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. In 1939 he returned to 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...
. He was an associate editor of the Hrvatski narod (Croatian Folk) journal and the editor of the underground journal Hrvatska pošta (The Croatian Post).
In 1940, by court order of the Banate he was arrested and taken to prison at Lepoglava
Lepoglava
Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin, west of Ivanec and northeast of Krapina.A total of 8,271 people in the municipality lives in the following settlements:* Bednjica, population 214...
, and later to a camp near Krušić. In 1941 he escaped and began participating in preparations to declare 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...
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...
. He was one of five people who signed a document dated 30 March 1941, asking the Third Reich for assistance in establishing the Croatian state.
Minister in Independent State of Croatia
After establishing of 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...
Pavelić named Lorković as Foreign Minister of Croatia. On 28 April 1943 he was released of his duties as Foreign Minister. After that he was named state minister without Portfolio and he was in charge in activities with German Army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. In 1943 he initiated an ultimately unsuccessful negotiation with the vice-president of Croatian Peasant Party
Croatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
, August Košutić, about a possible coalition. On 11 November 1943 he became Minister of the Interior of Croatia.
Lorković-Vokić coup and death
In May 1944 along with Ante VokićAnte Vokić
Ante Vokić was a Croatian politician, Ustaše krilnik and putschist.-Youth:Vokić was born in Mostar on 23 August 1909. He finished gimnasium in Sarajevo and attended Faculty of Law at University of Zagreb. He ended his study in 1929 and started working in train service in Sarajevo...
, minister of Armed Forces, he attended secret meeting with the Croatian Peasant Party
Croatian Peasant Party
The Croatian Peasant Party is a center and socially conservative political party in Croatia.-Austria-Hungary:The Croatian People's Peasant Party was formed on December 22, 1904 by Antun Radić along with his brother Stjepan Radić. The party contested elections for the first time in the Kingdom of...
's August Košutić and Ivanko Farolifi. At the meeting they allegedly made plans to change sides, and for the Domobranstvo
Croatian Home Guard
Croatian Home Guard or also, known as the "Homeland Defenders," was the name used for the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia which existed during World War II.- Formation :...
(regular Croatian Army) to attack Germany, to join the "Anglo-American Allies" who would presumably sponsor an independent Croatia. Lorković and Vokić informed head of state Ante Pavelić
Ante Pavelic
Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...
about their plans, and he supported them.
On 21 August 1944 Pavelić informed Siegfried Kasche
Siegfried Kasche
Siegfried Kasche was an SA Obergruppenführer and ambassador of the Third Reich to the allied Independent State of Croatia during the Second World War. He was tried for "complicity in deportations and murders" by a Yugoslav court and was executed in June 1947.Kasche was born in Strausberg in...
, a German ambassador to Croatia, about their activities. On 30 August 1944 Pavelić revealed the conspiracy and conspirators. August Košutić escaped but the rest were jailed in Lepoglava
Lepoglava
Lepoglava is a town in Varaždin County, northern Croatia, located southwest of Varaždin, west of Ivanec and northeast of Krapina.A total of 8,271 people in the municipality lives in the following settlements:* Bednjica, population 214...
.
On 30 April 1945, Lorković, Ante Vokić, and Croatian Peasant Party representatives Ivanko Farolifi and Ljudevit Tomašić were executed.
Books
Lorković published two books:- The Croatian people and their lands (Narod i zemlja Hrvata; 1939)
- [The] Croatian struggle against Bolshevism (Hrvatska u borbi protiv boljševizma; 1944)
Sources
- Dizdar, Zdravko Tko je tko u NDH. Zagreb: Minerva, 1997. Print.
- “Mladen Lorković” Hrvatska enciklopedija. Zagreb: LZMK, 2009. Print.
- Pavlowitch, Stevan K. Hitler's new disorder: the Second World War in Yugoslavia. Columbia University Press, 2008. Print, p. 246
- Tomasevich, Jozo War and revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941-1945: occupation and collaboration Stanford University Press, 2001. Print, p. 37