Slovenian intelligence operative Marcello/Marčelo Kralj?

[G. Trifkovic]

Hi,

I'm looking for any information on Marcello/Marčelo Kralj, intelligence operative of the 9th Corps of NOVJ in Slovenia.

I only know he was involved in negotiations with the prefect of Gorica in the summer of 1944: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=175060&hilit=+gorica

Thanks in advance,

G.

[trekker]

I'm looking for any information on Marcello/Marčelo Kralj, intelligence operative of the 9th Corps of NOVJ in Slovenia.

Do you realy mean Marčelo Kralj?
Or do you mean Marcello Taussic/Taussig ?!

Marcello Taussic was born 10.3.1905 in Triest. His father was Czech, his mother was Italian Jew. He spoke English, Italian, French, German and Czech. Having finished secondary school he studied economic science and made a doctorate. He travelled a lot and he attended a special course of diplomacy and state-law in Peruggia and in Paris. When in Paris in 1938 he became a member of the French Communist Party. He entered in its information service and worked in Italy. There he was arrested and sentenced to 20 years of prison. He escaped in September 1943 and participated in the fight of Slovene partisans with arriving German forces (»Goriška fronta«) in Miren near Gorica/Gorizia. He was first political official (»politkomisar«) in the range of a partisan battalion then intelligence operative covering Italian side. During talks with prefect Pace he was transferred from intelligence service of ONZ in Goriška area to IX. korpus intelligence. Apparently ONZ high command didn't trust him because of his Italian nationality. In September 1944 he was executed in Bela krajina because of his activity in talks with prefect Pace.

see for more on the matter at viewtopic.php?f=74&t=175060

[G. Trifkovic]

Do you realy mean Marčelo Kralj?
Or do you mean Marcello Taussic/Taussig ?!

Hi trekker,

I found the name Marčelo Kralj in "Zbornik", Part VI, Vol. 15, p. 129, in the footnote dealing with the negotiations. Could this have been his nom-de-guerre?

Cheers,

G.

[trekker]

I found the name Marčelo Kralj in "Zbornik", Part VI, Vol. 15, p. 129, in the footnote dealing with the negotiations.

I'm ignorant of "Zbornik". Can you tell me more so I can try to find? Or perhaps you can post the content of the footnote?

Could this have been his nom-de-guerre?

I haven't thought of it so I'll check if I have missed something. Considering nationalities of his parents it is probably the only possibility.

Regards

[G. Trifkovic]

Sorry, the full title of the edition is "Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda" (Belgrade, 1949-86).

I hope you can read Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian:

P.S. Note the part about how the "editorial team could not find all documents pertaining to this episode"

[trekker]

Note the part about how the "editorial team could not find all documents pertaining to this episode"

I suppose they were not allowed to view documents archived within Ministry of Interior which are now available, some of them published. But they did check state archive (Arhiv IZDG) so they found the name Marčelo Kralj either there or when talking to someone.

Here's what I found about Marcello's name:

In original documents published he is always mentioned as Marcello except in his own report dated 5.7.1944 where he typed his name as Marčelo.

Zavadlav mentioned a lot of people with their names and their noms de guerre, including Muzzolini (Muzzolini – Mirko), but he only used Marcello's first name. When he wrote Marcello's profile 27.6.1944 he wrote Marcello Taussic while in 1988 he repeatedly wrote Marcello Taussig. In a document of 15.8.1944 partisan public prosecutor wrote the name as Marcelo Tausik.

Kralj is a Slovene family name while partisans usually used Slovene first names as their noms de querre and sometimes fantasy names were used such as Tarzan or Blisk (lightning) etc. Considering that »kralj« means »king« in Slovene it is not impossible it was used as nom de guerre but it is not likely.

[trekker]

27.6.1944 Zavadlav wrote Marcello's profile. Information in my post of 7.2.2013 constitutes the first part of the profile. In the second part, the following is written:

He's a brilliant orator, capable in diplomacy, knowledgeable of administration and journalism, a good organizer. He is able in intelligence work but takes it as a sport not by conviction. In his work he needs to be constantly controlled otherwise he goes astray. He lacks of cautiousness because he tends to boast thus telling a lot. He believes he is more capable of others thus degrading others.
He is able but has to be assigned such kind of a work that he can be controlled and put under pressure so he works constantly. He can especially be used for administration, translation and propaganda work. It's better not to use him for operative work for a longer period of time but he can be used for operative work from time to time especially for contacts with high ranking people in Gorica/Gorizia. Care has to be taken of secrecy (in colloquial Slovene used by partisans: »konspiracija«).

Zavadlav's profile of Marcello, together with a report of the meeting with Pace 26.6.1944, was delivered to IX. korpus by Marcello, who was at that time transferred from ONZ to IX. korpus. Zavadlav wrote in 1988 that beacuse of his Italian nationality Marcello was not trusted by some of high ranking ONZ members, including those of ONZ high command, so he was placed out of ONZ even though local ONZ members disagreed.

End of June 1944 Marcello was back in Renče near Gorica/Gorizia to continue contacts with Pace on behalf of IX. korpus. He arrived in a new English uniform with an English Sten gun as Zavadlav recalled in 1988.

When questioned 29.4.1948 Zavadlav gave Marcello's physical description. He was tall, weak, bald, with glasses. Zavadlav met him in December 1943 when Marcello lived in Bilje near Gorica/Gorizia.

[trekker]

In 1988 Zavadlav wrote that it was Germans who offered armistice which was in their interest and that ONZ held talks to gain some intelligence information. Zavadlav and his colleagues were of opinion that being impatient Germans made a mistake when they let the day of armistice become public as it upset their Italian and domobran collaborators. In addition, it made partisans broke contacts. On the other hand, just to mention 5.7. as a possible date of armistice, even though conditionally, was a mistake made by Marcello. And it was a mistake made by IX. korpus to let Marcello contact adversary alone. While intelligence operatives of ONZ new that Marcello and Muzzolini tended to boast and took care to controll them, IX. korpus was not aware of that. That's why intelligence service of IX. korpus felt offended. Zavadlav wrote that Marcello was executed by the order of IX. korpus intelligence centre.

In a document dated 15.8.1944 public prosecutor by military court of IX. korpus informed ONZ in Primorska region that 14.7.1944 he stopped the criminal proceeding against Marcelo Tausik because allegations of his escape were found to be untrue. Prosecutor turned the case over to the intelligence centre of IX. korpus.
I couldn't find more on the matter but it seems to me it could be the first attempt to get rid of Marcello.