Puniša Racic
Encyclopedia
Puniša Račić (12 July 1886, Slatina, Andrijevica
, Montenegro
- October 1944) was a Montenegrin Serb politician, a member of the Yugoslav
Parliament from the People's Radical Party
, who assassinated Pavle Radić and Đuro Basariček, Croatian Peasant Party
representatives, mortally wounded Stjepan Radić
, leader of Croatian Peasant Party at the time and wounded Ivan Pernar
and Ivan Granđa.
, Montenegro
. After the First World War he was involved in the pacification of Macedonia
which had become part of Serbia
at the time. Allegations that he had acquired property there in dubious circumstances began to circulate from that time.
In September 1927 he was elected to Parliament on the Radical list.
On June 19, 1928, the Croatia
n member of parliament Stjepan Radić
had attacked the government supporters for the way they absented themselves during debate only turning up to vote, calling them "cattle". Račić and fellow radical Toma Popović reacted angrily, charging at Radić and while being held back cried out that "here will fall a dead head!" Račić reacted similarly crying out that "Radić has to get a beating."
When Ninko Perić again opened the session he called on Račić to speak. Račić made a provocative speech that produced a stormy reaction from the opposition Peasant
-Democrat Coalition but Radić stayed completely silent as he had done the whole session. Finally, Ivan Pernar shouted "Thou plundered bey
s!". At this point, Račić moved out from the benches and onto the main speaker platform at the front of the assembly and pulled out a revolver. "Whoever tries to place themselves between me and Pernar will die," he shouted. Ninko Perić then declared the session closed and left quickly. Račić then shot down Ivan Pernar who fell with a bullet lodged next to his heart. He then fired at Stjepan Radić. The first bullet hit Granđa, who was trying to protect Radić, in the arm but the second hit Radić in the stomach. Both fell to the floor. Račić then aimed at Svetozar Pribičević
but he ducked and instead Račić hit Đuro Basariček who had run forward. Pavle Radić also ran forward shouting "What are you doing if God knows!" As Pavle turned to Stjepan Radić, Račić, saying "You're just who I'm looking for", shot Pavle Radić in the side. Račić fired two more shots into the benches where Radić had fallen and then left unhindered assuming wrongly that Pernar and Radić were both dead.
had suspended the parliament and proclaimed a dictatorship. By that time, the opposition deputies, including the two who survived being shot by Račić, had decided to boycott the trial because they suspected a cover-up. Račić was convicted of the crime, but was sentenced to house arrest
in Požarevac
. He was allowed to have visits from his cousin Nikola Bošković several times a week, and was later released. Toma Popović and another deputy accused of being accomplices were fully acquitted.
During World War II, he was captured by Yugoslavian Partisans
and in October 1944, he was tried by a military court of the Partisan 21st Serbian division and executed.
Andrijevica
Andrijevica is a town in north-eastern Montenegro. It has a population of 1,073 . Its territory is outspread on 340 km2 and it is surrounded by massives of mountains Komovi, Bjelasica and Prokletije....
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
- October 1944) was a Montenegrin Serb politician, a member of the Yugoslav
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...
Parliament from the People's Radical Party
People's Radical Party
The People's Radical Party of Serbia was a political party formed on January 8, 1881, which was active in the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes...
, who assassinated Pavle Radić and Đuro Basariček, 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...
representatives, mortally wounded Stjepan Radić
Stjepan Radic
Stjepan Radić was a Croatian politician and the founder of the Croatian Peasant Party in 1905. Radić is credited with galvanizing the peasantry of Croatia into a viable political force...
, leader of Croatian Peasant Party at the time and wounded Ivan Pernar
Ivan Pernar
Ivan Pernar was a Croatian politician of the Croatian Peasant Party . He was a member of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes....
and Ivan Granđa.
Life
Račić hailed from BeraneBerane
Berane , formerly Ivangrad, is a town in north-eastern Montenegro. It has a population of 11,776 .Berane is the centre of municipality and one of the centres of Polimlje area, named after the Lim River, on which Berane is situated.-History:During the medieval period the Montenegrin land of Berane...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. After the First World War he was involved in the pacification of Macedonia
Vardar Macedonia
Vardar Macedonia is an area in the north of the Macedonia . The borders of the area are those of the Republic of Macedonia. It covers an area of...
which had become part of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
at the time. Allegations that he had acquired property there in dubious circumstances began to circulate from that time.
In September 1927 he was elected to Parliament on the Radical list.
On June 19, 1928, the Croatia
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 member of parliament Stjepan Radić
Stjepan Radic
Stjepan Radić was a Croatian politician and the founder of the Croatian Peasant Party in 1905. Radić is credited with galvanizing the peasantry of Croatia into a viable political force...
had attacked the government supporters for the way they absented themselves during debate only turning up to vote, calling them "cattle". Račić and fellow radical Toma Popović reacted angrily, charging at Radić and while being held back cried out that "here will fall a dead head!" Račić reacted similarly crying out that "Radić has to get a beating."
The parliament session of 20 June 1928
During the parliament session, the next day June 20, Lubomir Maštović made a speech protesting how Toma Popović and Račić had made death threats against Radić and they had not even received a warning from the president of the Assembly, Ninko Perić. Toma Popović spoke next and far from retracting his words of the previous day added, "if your leader, if Stjepan Radić, who shames the Croatian people, further continues to with insulting, I guarantee that his head will fall here." When Toma Popović finished his speech amitst uproar from the opposition, Ninko Perić called a 5 minute recess and left the hall into the Ministers room followed by Račić.When Ninko Perić again opened the session he called on Račić to speak. Račić made a provocative speech that produced a stormy reaction from the opposition Peasant
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...
-Democrat Coalition but Radić stayed completely silent as he had done the whole session. Finally, Ivan Pernar shouted "Thou plundered bey
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
s!". At this point, Račić moved out from the benches and onto the main speaker platform at the front of the assembly and pulled out a revolver. "Whoever tries to place themselves between me and Pernar will die," he shouted. Ninko Perić then declared the session closed and left quickly. Račić then shot down Ivan Pernar who fell with a bullet lodged next to his heart. He then fired at Stjepan Radić. The first bullet hit Granđa, who was trying to protect Radić, in the arm but the second hit Radić in the stomach. Both fell to the floor. Račić then aimed at Svetozar Pribičević
Svetozar Pribicevic
Svetozar Pribićević was an ethnic Serb politician from Croatia who worked hard for creation of unitaristic Yugoslavia. However, he later became a bitter opponent of the same policy and of the dictatorship of king Aleksandar Karađorđević...
but he ducked and instead Račić hit Đuro Basariček who had run forward. Pavle Radić also ran forward shouting "What are you doing if God knows!" As Pavle turned to Stjepan Radić, Račić, saying "You're just who I'm looking for", shot Pavle Radić in the side. Račić fired two more shots into the benches where Radić had fallen and then left unhindered assuming wrongly that Pernar and Radić were both dead.
After the Assassination
Račić gave himself up a little later and was arrested. His court hearing was repeatedly delayed and opened after King AlexanderAlexander 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:...
had suspended the parliament and proclaimed a dictatorship. By that time, the opposition deputies, including the two who survived being shot by Račić, had decided to boycott the trial because they suspected a cover-up. Račić was convicted of the crime, but was sentenced to house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
in Požarevac
Požarevac
Požarevac is a city and municipality in eastern Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Braničevo District of Serbia...
. He was allowed to have visits from his cousin Nikola Bošković several times a week, and was later released. Toma Popović and another deputy accused of being accomplices were fully acquitted.
During World War II, he was captured by Yugoslavian Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
and in October 1944, he was tried by a military court of the Partisan 21st Serbian division and executed.