Husein Rovčanin

Husein Rovčanin (1907 – 26 April 1944) was a Bosniak[1] commander of a detachment of Sandžak Muslim militia from Komaran (Brodarevo in Sandžak) during the Second World War.

Husein Rovčanin
Born	1907 Brodarevo, Ottoman Empire
Died	April 26, 1944 (aged 36–37) Biokovac
Allegiance	Independent State of Croatia  Italy  Germany
Rank	Captain
Unit	Detachment of Sandžak Muslim militia from Komaran (Brodarevo in Sandžak)
Battles/wars	World War II in Yugoslavia

World War II

When Axis forces occupied Yugoslavia in April 1941, Ustaše forces of the Independent State of Croatia occupied Sandžak and established detachments of Muslim militia. Rovčanin was a commander of a detachment of Sandžak Muslim militia from Komaran (Brodarevo in Sandžak).[2] Together with other commanders of Muslim militia (including Sulejman Pačariz and Osman Rastoder) he participated on the conference in village Godijevo[3] and agreed to attack Serb villages near Sjenica and other parts of Sandžak.[4]

After the Capitulation of Italy in September 1943, communists tried to negotiate surrender of Rovčanin and his troops. Since Rovčanin insisted that Komaran and Brodarevo should remain under the control of his detachment of Muslim militia, negotiations failed. At the end of October 1943 Partisans captured Komaran and Rovčanin and his militia had to retreat toward Sjenica.[5] Germans promoted him to the rank of Captain.[6] On 7 November 1943 Rovčanin led his forces of 300 — 400 militiamen from Sjenica toward Bijelo Polje.[7] On 8 November Partisans defeated them.[8]

Rovčanin was killed in the battle against Partisans on 26 April 1944 in the Biokovac village.[9][10] His militiamen wore German uniforms.[11]

Controversies

There are controversial interpretations of Rovčanin's role during the Second World War. According to some of them he cooperated with Chetniks and died protecting the retreat of Pavle Đurišić.[12] According to this predominantly Chetnik view, Rovčanin belonged to small group of commanders of Muslim Militia who refrained from attacks on Christian population and who pursued the policy of cooperation with Chetniks and correct attitude toward Serbs.[13] According to this view, this policy saved lives of many civilians (both Christian and Muslim) in Brodarevo, Prijepolje and Bijelo Polje.[14] Some postwar Chetnik sources say that Captain Rovčanin and his detachment from Komaran joined Chetniks without any conditions, and protected their region from communists.[15]

See also

• Rovca
• Rovčanin

References

1. Rovčanin, Husein. "Bosniak Commander in WW2". Sandžak Press.
2. Tomasevich, Jozo (1 January 1975). The Chetniks. Stanford University Press. p. 400. ISBN 978-0-8047-0857-9.
3. Pajović, Radoje; Željeznov, Dušan; Božović, Branislav (1987). Pavle Đurišić, Lovro Hacin, Juraj Špiler. Centar za informacije i publicitet. p. 245. ISBN 978-86-7125-006-1.
4. Redžić, Vučeta (2002). Građanski rat u Crnoj Gori: Dešavanja od sredine 1942. godine do sredine 1945. godine. Stupovi. p. 61. ...Растодер и др. одржали су састанак у селу Годијеву и договорили се о нападу на српска села у сјеничком и осталим...
5. Ćuković, Mirko (1964). "Proboj u Sandžak, borbe i neprijateljska ofanziva krajem 1943. godine". Sandžak: Na osnovu sakupljenog i obrađenog materijala knjigu napisao Mirko Ćuković. Nolit. p. 430.
6. Gledović, Bogdan; Drulović, Čedo; S̆alipurović, Vukoman (1970). Treća proleterska sandžačka brigada: zbornik sećanja. Vojnoizdavački zavod. p. 109.
7. Serbia), Vojnoistorijski institut (Belgrade. Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu naroda Jugoslavija. Vojnoistorijski institut. p. 207.
8. Gledović, Bogdan; Drulović, Čedo; S̆alipurović, Vukoman (1970). Treća proleterska sandžačka brigada: zbornik sećanja. Vojnoizdavački zavod. p. 88.
9. Gledović, Bogdan; Drulović, Čedo; ̆alipurović, Vukoman S (1970). Treća proleterska sandžačka brigada: zbornik sećanja. Vojnoizdavački zavod. p. 119.
10. Serbia), Vojnoistorijski institut (Belgrade (1969). Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu naroda Jugoslavija. Vojnoistorijski institut. p. 399.
11. Ćuković, Mirko (1964). Sandžak: Na osnovu sakupljenog i obrađenog materijala knjigu napisao Mirko Ćuković. Nolit. p. 434.
12. "Husein Rovčanin - Uvek hodža nikad četnik". Večernje Novosti (in Serbian). Retrieved 21 April 2014.
13. Aćin-Kosta, Miloš (1980). Draža Mihailović i Ravna Gora: Na oštrici hakenkrojca i srpa. p. 247.
14. "Zukorlić podiže spomenik Dražinom četniku!" (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 22 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
15. Glasnik Srpskog istorijsko-kulturnog društva "Njegoš". Njegoš. 1965. p. 59.