Peko Dapčević

Petar "Peko" Dapčević (Cyrillic: Петар Пеко Дапчевић; 25 June 1913 – 10 February 1999) was Yugoslav communist who fought as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, joined the Partisan uprising in Montenegro, and became commander of the Yugoslav 1st Proletarian Corps, 1st and 4th Armies.

Peko Dapčević
Dapčević in 1953
Birth namePetar Dapčević
Nickname(s)Peko
Born(1913-06-25)June 25, 1913
Cetinje, Kingdom of Montenegro
DiedFebruary 10, 1999(1999-02-10) (aged 85)
Belgrade, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia
AllegianceInternational Brigades
Yugoslav Partisans
Yugoslav People's Army
Years of service1937–1939
1941–1955
RankColonel general
UnitXV International Brigade
1st Proletarian Corps
First Yugoslav Army
Battles/warsSpanish Civil War
World War II
AwardsOrder of Freedom
Order of the People's Hero
Order of the Hero of Socialist Labour
Order of National Liberation
Order of the War Banner
Order of Kutuzov, 1st class
Order of Suvorov,1st class
Spouse(s)Milena Dapčević

Dapčević led the Partisan troops that, along with Soviet Red Army under General Vladimir Zhdanov, liberated Belgrade on October 20, 1944. He was the first person to be proclaimed as honorary citizen of Belgrade. He was also among the founders of FK Partizan, the football section of the Partizan Sports Society.[1]

In 1953, Dapčević was named Chief of the Yugoslav General Staff, but was demoted as a result of being indirectly involved in the Milovan Đilas troubles with the party.

Biography

Born in the area of Cetinje known as Ljubotinj, his father Jovan was an Orthodox deacon. He had one sister named Danica who was a public school teacher, and brothers Milutin (an officer in the Royal Yugoslav Army), Dragutin (Major of Yugoslav Armies) and Vlado who was a revolutionary, dissident and anti-revisionist.

Dapčević died at the age of 85 in Belgrade.

References
  1. cbnostalgija (2019-05-09). "Osnivači Partizana". Crno-bela Nostalgija (in Serbian). Retrieved 2019-08-03.
Military offices
Preceded by
Koča Popović		 Chief of the General Staff of Yugoslav People's Army
27 January 1953 – 29 April 1955		 Succeeded by
Ljubo Vučković
Sporting positions
Preceded by
New position		 President of KK Partizan
1945 – 1947		 Succeeded by
Sveta Šaper
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