Stjepan Cvijić and Dubrovnik

Stjepan Cvijić and Dubrovnik

Author(s)

Ljubomir Grgurević

Targeted Cultural heritage

Ex train station building in Dubrovnik
Radeljević family house

Location

Sinjska ul. 6, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Main character(s)

Stjepan “Štefek” Cvijić (historical)

Stjepan Cvijić was a Croatian communist, born in Zagreb in 1905. He was an activist of Communist Youth (SKOJ), which under the Kingdom of Yugoslavia ment illegal underground work, as the Communist Party was banned. He was also a publicist, writing for various communist papers, published a book. In 1933 in USSR he became the organisational secretary of Communist Youth Internationale. He was killed in Stalin’s purges in 1938.

Stjepan Cvijić was a real person. Short bibliography:
– Cvijić, Stjepan. Hrvatska enciklopedija, mrežno izdanje. Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleža, 2013 – 2024. Pristupljeno 27.3.2024.
– https://www.enciklopedija.hr/clanak/cvijic-stjepan
– Vraneš, Mihajlo. Oslobođenje uhapšenih komunista u Zagrebu. Četrdeset godina – zbornik sećanja aktivista jugoslovenskog revolucionarnog radničkog pokreta, 1, 1917-1929. Beograd: Kultura, 1960.
– Požar,Petar. Jugosloveni žrtve staljinskih čistki, Beograd, 1989., excerpt found at https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stjepan_Cviji%C4%87#cite_note-Po%C5%BEar-%C5%A0tefek-2
– Kapović, Mato. Revolucionarni pokret u Dubrovniku 1874.-1941. Dubrovnik: Historijski arhiv u Durovniku, 1985.
– Dabelić, Ivo & Đuraš, Mišo. Dubrovnik – Spomenici revolucije. Dubrovnik: Dubrovački muzej – Odjel socijalističke revolucije, 1987

Secondary character(s)

Ivan Sole, communist contact for Metković, really a police informant who betrayed Stjepan
Antun Lorenzini, Stjepan’s liaison in Dubrovnik
Bruno Radeljević, Stjepan’s host, hides him for two months in his family house

Except for this historical episode, Ivan Sole is of no historical significance. Antun Lorenzini worked as a bank clerk and was the activist of SKOJ, the communist youth organisation. All the characters really existed:
– Petar Požar, Jugosloveni žrtve staljinskih čistki, Beograd, 1989., excerpt found at https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stjepan_Cviji%C4%87#cite_note-Po%C5%BEar-%C5%A0tefek-2
– Kapović, Mato. Revolucionarni pokret u Dubrovniku 1874.-1941. Dubrovnik: Historijski arhiv u Durovniku, 1985.
– Dabelić, Ivo & Đuraš, Mišo. Dubrovnik – Spomenici revolucije. Dubrovnik: Dubrovački muzej – Odjel socijalističke revolucije, 1987.

Historical context

From July to September 1929

It is the period of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In that year, 1929, King Alexander abolished the Parliament, banned the political parties and introduced a dictatorship. Police and army rule. Communist party was banned already in 1920, but existed illegally.
The event of pursuit of Stjepan Cvijić for his killing of two gendarmes and his communist activity in general, is historically minor, but illustrative of the period, and important for the history of communist movement in Croatia. His warrant was signed by the prime minister Živković himself. A short but eventful, action-filled life of Stjepan Cvijić included connections with many important historical figures of Yugoslavia, like Tito and Krleža.

Sources:

Cvijić, Stjepan. Hrvatska enciklopedija, mrežno izdanje. Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleža, 2013 – 2024. March 27 2024 https://www.enciklopedija.hr/clanak/cvijic-stjepan
https://hbl.lzmk.hr/clanak/cvijic-stjepan
Vraneš, Mihajlo. Oslobođenje uhapšenih komunista u Zagrebu. Četrdeset godina – zbornik sećanja aktivista jugoslovenskog revolucionarnog radničkog pokreta, 1, 1917-1929. Beograd: Kultura, 1960.
Petar Požar, Jugosloveni žrtve staljinskih čistki, Beograd, 1989., excerpt found at https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stjepan_Cviji%C4%87#cite_note-Po%C5%BEar-%C5%A0tefek-2
Kapović, Mato. Revolucionarni pokret u Dubrovniku 1874.-1941. Dubrovnik: Historijski arhiv u Durovniku, 1985.
Dabelić, Ivo & Đuraš, Mišo. Dubrovnik – Spomenici revolucije. Dubrovnik: Dubrovački muzej – Odjel socijalističke revolucije, 1987.

Main character‘s quest

To find his liaison Antun Lorenzini in Dubrovnik, while avoiding being arrested. Later, to escape from Dubrovnik and Yugoslavia.

Conflict

The police are after Cvijić, first for his communist activity, and after he kills two gendarmes escaping the arrest, for the murders.

Raising action

He is approached by the police at Dubrovnik train station and taken to the police office at the station for identification. Cvijić realises it is not a random search, they are after him specifically.

Climax

Cvijić shoots his pistol into the gendarmes, running to the woods up the hill.

Falling action

Two days of hiding while trying to find his liaison Lorenzini, whom he doesn’t know, in an unknown city.
He finds him and is taken to Radeljevićs’ house for hiding.

Resolution

Spoiler alert!

A car is finally arranged for him to take him out of Dubrovnik, on his way back to Zagreb, and to escape abroad.

Main character(s)

Name surname (historical/fictional)

Description

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