Nikola Mandic
Encyclopedia
Nikola Mandić was a Croatia
n politician.
Mandić was born in what was then Ottoman
Bosnia and Herzegovina
in Travnik
in 1869 (the county soon came into the hands of the Austrian Empire
). Mandić finished gymnasium in Sarajevo
. He later doctored in law at Vienna in 1894. In 1907 he helped found, and became president of, the Croatian National Union (Hrvatska narodna zajednica), a political party representing Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina's Regional Parliament. He was elected to the parliament in 1910
and became its president in 1912. From 1914 Mandić took on the role of assistant to the nation's regional governor, originally Oskar Potiorek
, later a fellow Croat, Stefan Sarkotić
.
After 1918 Bosnia and Herzegovina became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. Mandić was elected into its Constitutional Assembly in 1920 under the Croatian People's Party (Hrvatska pučka stranka).
His final political acts came in the late stages of his life. The Independent State of Croatia
was proclaimed in 1941 and included all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He had little involvement with the regime until September 2, 1943 when he was named president of the government of the Independent State of Croatia. He held this position until the state's collapse in 1945. In the late stages of World War II
as Croatian forces retreated towards Austria
, Mandić, along with other members of the government, were taken captive by the British. The British handed Mandić over to the Yugoslav
authorities which tried and executed the then 76-year-old Mandić.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n politician.
Mandić was born in what was then Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
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 Travnik
Travnik
Travnik is a city and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, 90 km west of Sarajevo. It is the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton, and is located in the Travnik Municipality. Travnik today has some 27,000 residents, with a metro population that is probably close to 70,000 people...
in 1869 (the county soon came into the hands of the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
). Mandić finished gymnasium in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
. He later doctored in law at Vienna in 1894. In 1907 he helped found, and became president of, the Croatian National Union (Hrvatska narodna zajednica), a political party representing Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina's Regional Parliament. He was elected to the parliament in 1910
Bosnia and Herzegovina parliamentary election, 1910
-Results:...
and became its president in 1912. From 1914 Mandić took on the role of assistant to the nation's regional governor, originally Oskar Potiorek
Oskar Potiorek
Oskar Potiorek was an Austrian general who served as the Austro-Hungarian governor of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1911 and 1914...
, later a fellow Croat, Stefan Sarkotić
Stefan Sarkotic
Stjepan Freiherr Sarkotić von Lovćen was an Austro-Hungarian Army general of Croatian ethnicity who served as Governor of Bosnia and Herzegovina during World War I.-Early life and education:Stjepan Sarkotić was born in Sinac near Otočac on 4 October 1858 as one of four siblings...
.
After 1918 Bosnia and Herzegovina became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. Mandić was elected into its Constitutional Assembly in 1920 under the Croatian People's Party (Hrvatska pučka stranka).
His final political acts came in the late stages of his life. 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...
was proclaimed in 1941 and included all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He had little involvement with the regime until September 2, 1943 when he was named president of the government of the Independent State of Croatia. He held this position until the state's collapse in 1945. In the late stages of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as Croatian forces retreated towards Austria
Bleiburg massacre
The Bleiburg massacre, which also encompasses Operation Keelhaul is a term encompassing events that took place during mid-May 1945 near the Carinthian town of Bleiburg, itself some four kilometres from the Austrian-Slovenian border....
, Mandić, along with other members of the government, were taken captive by the British. The British handed Mandić over to the Yugoslav
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The 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,...
authorities which tried and executed the then 76-year-old Mandić.