Ustasha general Desovic

[cevo]

Hello,
Does anyone have some information about NDH general Milan Desovic? I know he was born in Pljevlja, and I am also interested if he joined Croatian Home Guard during time of NDH reign in Sandzak. Any info is appreciated

[Dr Eisvogel]

Hello,
Does anyone have some information about NDH general Milan Desovic? I know he was born in Pljevlja, and I am also interested if he joined Croatian Home Guard during time of NDH reign in Sandzak. Any info is appreciated

Try these sites:
1. http://www.generals.dk/general/Desovi%C ... oatia.html

2. http://www.jutarnji.hr/template/article ... id=1095421

Milan pl. Desović, hrvatski vojni ataše u Njemačkoj i Slovačkoj, bio je profesionalni vojnik, služio je u austrougarskoj, zatim jugoslavenskoj vojsci i konačno hrvatskoj. Od 1941. godine borio se prvo na Istočnoj fronti te potom protiv partizana u Bosni i Hercegovini. Od 1943. godine bio je vojni ataše. Bio je protivnik Tita i za nezavisnu Hrvatsku, “dobrih procjena i objektivan”, kako su zapisali saveznički stručnjaci. No, smatrajući da je njemački utjecaj više koristio Hrvatskoj nego li štetio, bio je “vrlo prijateljski nastrojen prema nacističkom režimu”.

3. http://books.google.hr/books?id=K0VWAgA ... 87&f=false

I think his father was serving in Pljevlja during the Austro-Hungarian military occupation of Sandžak between 1878-1908. That's why his family lived there and he was born in Pljevlja on April 24th 1895.

I don't think Milan pl. Desović has any family roots in Pljevlja region, because he stems from Croatian nobility (pl.[emeniti] = noble) native to Karlovac region in Croatia.

Best regards,
Eisvogel

[mostarac]

Desović certainly wasn't an Ustasha general, but he did serve as a general in the Croatian Home Guard. The book Hrvatska Legija (2012) has a fairly good biography of him. I'll just pull out a few key dates:

1895 - born in Pljevlja where his father Vilim commanded the Austro-Hungarian garrison
1913 - completed school at the Theresianum and subsequently enrolled in law
1914 - volunteered with the 7th Uhlans Regiment (Archduke Franz Ferdinand's)
1916, May 1 - promoted to Second Lieutenant
1916, June 26 - captured by the Russians
1918 - released and promoted to Lieutenant, postwar he joins the Royal Army in Yugoslavia
1940 - by now he was a Colonel in the Royal Army
1941 - joined the Croatian Home Guard
1941, August 21 - joined the Croatian Legion (369. Reinforced Infantry Regiment), serving with them on the Eastern Front
1942, February 25 - awarded Iron Cross second class
1942, March 26 - wounded in the head
1942, June 1 - awarded Iron Cross second class
1942, July 28 - wounded again
1942, August 24 - returned to Croatia
1942, September - commander of the Petrinja Brigade
1943, February 27 - named military attache in Berlin for Germany and Slovakia
1944, February 14 - promoted to General
1945, April 13 - leaves Berlin with other attaches, they are relocated to St. Gilgen near Salzburg
1945, May 6 - surrenders to U.S. 7th Army
1946, June 21 - repatriated to communist Yugoslavia
1947, September 8 - tried and sentenced to death, on appeal this was reduced to 15 years
1958, December 1 - released from jail
1962 - emigrated to Germany
1968, December 11 - died in Munich