A Scarce Yugoslav Spanish Civil War Medal and Order of People’s Hero; Awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Pavle Vukomanović

Republic of Yugoslavia, Order of People’s Hero (Order of National Hero), in bronze gilt, hollow center, unmarked, but of typical IKOM, Zagreb manufacture, in worn condition (originally this award was made of solid gold, however, later examples were made of bronze gilt-approximately 1400 awarded); Yugoslavia, Spanish War Commemorative medal, in bronze gilt, 34.5mm, in extremely fine condition, with ribbon bar (approximately 400 of these medals were issued); a hard covered booklet, with recipient’s photo, “Organization of the Former Yugoslav Volunteers of the Spanish Republican Army”, numbered #293, issued in 1955, named to Pavle Vukomanović, stating that he “served as in Spain as Lieutenant in Balkan machinegun Battalion”, and that was “wounded three times in Madrid”; together with a membership card of the “Organization of the Yugoslav Volunteers of the Spanish Republican Army”, numbered #271, issued in 1971, also named to Pavle Vukomanović. Footnote: Pavle Vukomanović - Stipo (Upper Kusonje, near Slatina, 26 June 1903 - Zagreb, 13 June 1977) was a participant in the Spanish Civil War and during WW2 an Officer of the People’s Army and the National Hero of Yugoslavia. He was born in 1903 in Upper Kusonja at Slatina, Croatia. After graduating, he worked in construction companies and mines. He was an active participant in a series of workers' strikes, and was active against Royalist Yugoslav regime during 1930’s. After the outbreak of the civil war in Spain, Pavle was amongst the first Yugoslavs to join Spanish Republican Forces, coming through France, crossing on foot the Pyrenees and joined the ranks of the International Brigades. During the war, he distinguished himself as a commando and an explosives expert, and eventually achieved the rank of lieutenant of the army of the Spanish Republic. He was wounded three times in the battles for Madrid. After the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War, along with remaining members of International Brigades, Pavle was sent to a French concentration camps. In 1941, he returned to Yugoslavia and joined the anti-fascist fighters in Slavonia, northern part of Croatia. As an experienced Spanish fighter, in 1941 he became commander of Moslavačka partisan company, one of the first partisan units in the area of Moslavina and Slavonia. He and his company took part in locally well-known Battle of Garic, which lasted 24 hours. His troops in hard fought battle won against more powerful enemy forces. At the end of 1942, he was appointed commander of the Second Operational Zone. Soon after, he was transferred to duty of explosive expert, being active alongside Ivan Haris-Gromovnik, who was the most famous partisan explosive expert- commando. In 1943, Pavle was appointed Head of commando section at the Sixth Slavonian Corps of the National Liberation Army. Its sections cover the entire area of Slavonia. In early 1945, the Vukomanović was active in the territory of Hungary. There, he was ambushed as he was taken to Budapest, where the Hungarian captors transferred him to the Germans. Although they did not know whom they have as a prisoner, the Germans had him under heavy guard headed into the interior of Germany. However, Vukomanović managed to jump out of the train and escape. He returned to occupied Yugoslavia and re-joined the Slavonian partisans. After the War, he remained in the Yugoslav People's Army for a few years after the war, after which he retired. After that, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Yugoslav People's Army reserves. He died on June 13, 1977 in Zagreb. He was buried in the tomb of the National Heroes in the cemetery Mirogoj, in Zagreb.