Mane Rokvić

Mane Rokvić (d. 1944) was one of the commanders of Serb rebels during the Drvar uprising who later became military officer of the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland. At the beginning of the uprising Rokvić was a commander of the 4th Partisan detachment of Sloboda Battallion. Together with many other rebel leaders, Manić joined the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland and to save Serbs from their most bloodthirsty enemy - Ustaše, temporarily collaborated with Italians and Germans. At the beginning of 1942 Manić was decorated by Slobodan Jovanović, president of the Yugoslav Government in Exile with Karađorđe's Star. Rokvić became commander of the Chetnik Regiment "King Aleksandar" and advanced to the rank of voivode. In October 1942 Rokvić was commander of the unit which led punitive expedition in the region around Split which resulted with Gata massacre with about 100 Croatian civilian victims. In 1944 Rokvić became missing.

Mane Rokvić
Photo of Mane Rokvić during the WWII
Native name
Мане Роквић
Died1944
Allegiance
Service
Years of service1941—44
Rankvoivode
Commands held
  • Unit of Serb rebels during the Drvar uprising
  • 4th Partisan detachment of Sloboda Battallion
  • Chetnik Regiment "King Aleksandar"
Battles/wars
Awards
  • Order of the Star of Karađorđe

Early life

Before the World War II Rokvić was mechanic.[1]

World War II

Rokvić was commander of rebel units around Drvar during the Drvar uprising.[2] During the uprising in Bosnian Krajina on 27 July 1941 Drvar was captured by the rebels under command of Mane Rokvić.[3][4] The headquarter of joint Partisan-Chetnik rebels had its seat in Drvar.[5] Rokvić was appointed as a commander of the 4th detachment of Sloboda Battallion in Medeno Polje.[6] Rokvić who was a member of the Communist party for 12 years decided to leave the Communist party.[7] According to former Chetnik officer, Nikola Plećaš, Rokvić left the party because Partisans under instructions of Croatian communists burned Serb populated Drvar before Italians entered it.[8]

He became Chetnik and together with several other rebel leaders organized peaceful integration of the Western Bosnian territory controlled by rebels into Italian zone of influence, temporarily saving local Serb population from genocidal actions of Croatia. The Chetnik leaders wished to save Serbs from their most bloodthirsty enemy - Ustaše, even if they had temporarily to accept rule of Italians and Germans.[9]

In January 1942 Rokvić was decorated by Slobodan Jovanović, president of the Yugoslav Government in Exile with Karađorđe's Star.[10] Rokvić was commander of the Chetnik Regiment "King Aleksandar" which for certain time was garrisoned in Drvar.[11] Rokvić and Bogunović were promoted to the rank of voivode by the commander of Dinara Chetnik Division, Ilija Trifunović Birčanin.[12] The leaders of the Serb rebels organized in Chetnik units of Dinara Division agreed on basic principles of their further struggle, presented in a document composed between 8 and 12 March 1942 and titled "Elaborat of Dinara Division" (Serbian: Елаборат Динарске дивизије).[13] The main objective of their struggle stipulated in elaborate signed by Momčilo Đujić, Pavle Popović, Pavle Omčikus, Branko Bogunović and Mane Rokvić, was establising of the Serb nation-state.[14] The unit commanded by Rokvić participated in the Gata massacre in October 1942 when about 100 Croat civilians were killed.[15]

In 1944 Rokvić became missing.[16]

According to Vojislav Šešelj, Rokvić was put on trial by the Military court of Dinara Chetnik Division and sentenced to death because his participation in the Gata massacre when he commanded the unit which killed around 100 Croat civilians.[17]

Legacy

Rokvić was mentioned in a novel Prolom authored by Branko Ćopić who depicted how Rokvić and other rebel leaders refused to struggle against Italians while communist party insisted to continue with the struggle.[18]

References
  1. (Milovanović 1984, p. 623)
  2. (Redžić 1998, p. 222):"Mane Rokvić , koji je komandovao u ustanku gerilskim jedinicama oko Drvara..."
  3. (Plećaš 1983, p. 176):"У станици у За падној Босни под воћством Мане Роквића, заузели су Дрвар , "
  4. (Plećaš & Dimitrijević 2004, p. 168):"...под вођством Мане Роквића, заузели су Дрвар"
  5. (Kadenić & Petković 1981, p. 564)
  6. Veze u NOB: ratna sećanja, 1941-1945. Vojnoizdavački zavod. 1981. p. 348. Mane Rokvić, dotadašnji komandant 4. odreda našeg bataljona »Sloboda«, u Medenom Polju
  7. (Plećaš-Nitonja 1975, p. 105):" После 12 година оданог чланства у комунистичкој Партији, Мане Роквић је тога дана престао да буде комуниста... "
  8. (Plećaš-Nitonja 1975, p. 105):" — Нису отишли да запале неко хрватско село где Италијани станују, него српско, као да досада нису већ толика изгорела, — грдио је Мане Роквић. "
  9. (Dizdar 2002, p. 155):"Mane Rokvić, Dobroslav Jevđević i Brana Bogunović; ... Vođe srpskih četnika... žele da zasad srpski narod spase bar od najkrvavijeg protivnika, ustaša, makar privremeno primio vlast Nemaca i Italijana"
  10. (Dedijer 1946, p. 387):"Rokvić i Bogunović, s Karađorđevim zvezdama kojim ih je odli1ovao Slobodan Jovanović..."
  11. (Milovanović 1984, p. 623)
  12. (Redžić 2005, p. 158)
  13. (Николић 2009, p. 84)
  14. (Николић 2009, p. 84):" „Елаборат" су потписали Момчило 'Бууий, Павле ПоповиН, Павле Омчикус, Бранко БогуновиН и Мане Роквип."
  15. (Dizdar 2002, p. 368)
  16. (Milovanović 1984, p. 623)
  17. (Šešelj 1992, p. 114):"Убијено је само сто људи. Четник Мане Роквић због тога је убијен. • Али и један је превише... - Мане Роквић је због тога кажњен, убијен... Четнички суд Динарске дивизије га је осудио на смрт."
  18. (Ćopić 1966, p. 482):"Мане Роквић одбио је да пуца на њих, одбили још неки. И ми ћемо се брзо наћи пред сличним проблемом. Радекић ... Па шта веле ... шта каже, овај . . . друг Милан? — Шта Партија вели? Партија, Милошу, тражи одлучну борбу."

Sources
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