VERA PEŠIĆ AND RADOSLAV DJURIĆ ONE WARTIME EPISODE FROM SOUTHERN SERBIA

Abstract

At the end of 1943 and in the first half of 1944 in the southern of Serbia, dramatic events took place in the Command of South Serbia of the Ravna Gora Movement, whose actors were Lieutenant Colonel Radoslav Djuric, Commander of the 110 Command and German informant Vera Pesić, who was captured by the members of Ravna Gora Movement. Although on opposite sides, during the occupation they both showed affection and cooperated with the People’s Liberation Movement, and the end of the war led them to seek a stronger tie with this movement. The short-term collaboration of Djurić and Pešić resulted in gaining support of a local Albanian population for the Ravna Gora Movement, but also with the great dissatisfaction of members of the Ravna Gora Movement who did not accept and approve the presence of Pešić in their Command. The influence of Vera Pešić was often inflated and greater importance was attributed to her than she had. She was considered responsible for Djurić’s decisions, especially regarding the appointment of commanding officers. Dissatisfaction culminated in the rebelion in the 110 Command when Vera Pesic was shot, while Radoslav Djurić joined the National Liberation Movement. Although he retained significant positions, Radoslav Djurić, as a close associate of Draža Mihailović, never gained the trust of the National Liberation Movement, while Vera Pešić continued to live in stories about “Serbian Mata Hari” making it difficult to discern the legend from the truth.