Žarko Todorović

Žarko P Todorović "Valter" (1907 Belgrade — Paris)^[2] was one of the leaders of the Intelligence service of Chetniks in the first phase of World War II in the German occupied Yugoslavia and first commander of the undercover Chetnik headquarter in Belgrade.^[3][4][5][6] According to former Chetnik officer Milan Deroc, the HQ Belgrade Command was established based on the secret list of Yugoslav military officers who returned from April war, composed by Žarko's brother, Boško Todorović.^[7] Žarko organized connection of the Chetnik movement with British Intelligence and Yugoslav government-in-exile.^[8] He sent a report about the establishment of the core of rebels against German occupation in Yugoslavia on Ravna Gora, presenting the initials of the commander of the uprising (D.M.) and providing short and long wave frequencies for communication.^[9] The message bore signature of General Staff Major Z.P.T. whose handwrinting was recognized to be of Žarko Todorović.^[10]

Before Second World War

Before the Second World War, Todorović was a Major in the Army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia who worked in the Intelligence of the Supreme Command.^[11]

Resistance at Ravna Gora

Monument to Draža Mihailović on Ravna gora

On 8 May 1941 a group of former Yugoslav officers established the first resistance movement on Ravna Gora which was nominally led by Draža Mihajlović.^[12] In May 1941 Todorović delivered an invitation to Dragomir Jovanović of Draža Mihajlović to join Chetniks.^[13]

Žarko organized connection of the Chetnik movement with British Intelligence and Yugoslav government-in-exile.^[14] He sent a report about the establishment of the core of rebels against German occupation in Yugoslavia on Ravna Gora, presenting the initials of the commander of the uprising (D.M.) and providing short and long wave frequencies for communication.^[15] The message bore the signature of General Staff Major Z.P.T. whose handwriting was recognized to be of Žarko Todorović.^[16] At his 1946 trial, Mihajlović stated that Todorović made contact with the American Legation.^[17]

Todorović also organized a radio communication between Stanislav Rapotec and Mihajlović.^[18] The delegate of Yugoslav government in exile Jovan Đonović reported to Masterson, the chief of the Belgrade mission of British intelligence, that Todorović (code-name ZPT — from Žarko P Todorović)^[19] organized the committee of thirty two (the Central National Committee).^[20]

Todorović was one of the leaders of the Intelligence service of Chetniks in the first phase of World War II in the German occupied Yugoslavia and first commander of the undercover Chetnik headquarters in Belgrade.^{[3][6][21][22]} According to former Chetnik officer Milan Deroc, the HQ Belgrade Command was established based on the secret list of Yugoslav military officers who returned from April war, composed by Žarko's brother Boško Todorović.^[23]

In July 1941 Todorović started with activities aimed to establish Chetnik undercover organization in German occupied Belgrade.^[24]

First arrest

While Todorović was in the position of commander of Belgrade, Germans managed to break the code Todorović used to communicate with Mihajlović's headquarters, and based on received data they located and arrested Todorović.^[25] The first official commander of Belgrade during World War II, Žarko Todorović, was arrested at the end of July 1941.^[26] German officer Bader boasted in the report he sent to his superior commander that arresting of Todorović was a heavy loss for Mihajlović's organization in Belgrade.^[27] He soon escaped. Against the order of the supreme command, Todorović went to Croatia after he entrusted position of the commander of Belgrade to Major Radoslav Đurić.^[28] Since the command was often target of Gestapo activities, its composition was frequently changed and after Đurić the commander was Dušan Manojlović, Saša Mihajlovića and then again Žarko Todorović.^[29]

Commander of Northern Provinces (Vojvodina and Slavonija)

According to Nikola Milovanović, Mihajlović established the Command of Northern Provinces already in 1941.^[30] Until mid 1943 Todorović was a chief of the Command of Northern Provinces (Vojvodina and Slavonija).^[31]

Second and third arrest

According to Nikola Milovanović, in February 1943 Gestapo decided to arrest Todorović after an illegal radio station was discovered in Belgrade. Milovanović emphasized that Todorović was transported to Zagreb for further interrogation where he again managed to escape from the prison thanks to helping of Ustaše intelligence officer Zvonko Katalinić and officer in Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Dr. Damić.^[32] After Todorović was released he was used by German attache with Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Hans Helm, to trace other members of his intelligence network. They infiltrated their agent Radoslav Spitler as Todorović's courier who delivered to Helm copies of all Todorović's correspondence with Belgrade. As soon as Helm collected all data about Todorović's intelligence network, he arrested him again and sent him to Mathausen concentration camp.^[33]

After Second World War

Todorović survived in Mauthausen until the end of the Second World War and decided to go to France where he lived as military officer of the French army until he was retired.^[34] According to Deroc, Todorović was a Lt. Colonel in the French Foreign Legion.^[35]

Legacy

The original promo poster of Otpisani

In 2000's a series of reports was published in newspapers in Serbia, emphasizing that Todorovic's biography was inspiration for a famous Serbian TV series Otpisani.^[36][37][38]

References

Sources