brochure “Partizanski spomenik u Mostaru” (1980)
book “Spomenica Mostara 1941-1945.”
another document or proof of the memorial stone (e.g., a photograph).
Šaćir M. PALATA
ŠAĆIR PALATA, son of MEHMET, born on September 13, 1914, in Mostar, construction worker, member of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ) since 1938. As a mason, he built a bunker for hiding materials in Jusuf Čevro’s house, as written materials were being duplicated there for a while. In August 1941, he went to eastern Herzegovina to organize the uprising. He joined the Battalion in September 1941. He was killed in Borci near Konjic on September 15, 1941, in a clash with the Ustasha forces. He was the first fallen fighter of the Mostar Battalion, “an exceptionally good comrade and brave fighter for workers’ rights, who stood out in demonstrations in the city.” A memorial plaque was erected at the site of his death after the war, with the following inscription: “On this spot on September 15, 1941, a group of partisans attacked and destroyed 17 Ustasha criminals. In that battle, Šaćir Palata, a worker from Mostar, was killed.”
According to the archives of Radmilo Braca Andrić, the remains of Šaćir Palata were transferred and buried in the Partisan Memorial Cemetery in Mostar.
Circumstances of Šaćir’s death:
“(…) The Ustasha changed direction and managed to pass, and we continued to wait. However, the Ustasha took a shortcut through the gorge and descended into Jezero. As it was already around 5-6 pm, the Ustasha entered the village and started to capture the villagers and tie them up. They tied up Đoko Šarić and began to mistreat him, beating the villagers in Jezero. When we saw that they had come down, we opened fire on the Ustasha who started to tie up the villagers. Frightened by armed people ready to resist, they released the villagers and started to retreat. It was already dusk. On the road from Jezero to Borci, our group, which had the task of intercepting them before they reached Jezero, awaited them in the gorge and blocked their path. It was already dark. In that battle, rifles and Ustasha machine guns started firing. The first casualty in that battle was Šaćir Palata from Mostar, who was hit by one Ustasha…”
Ćemalović, Enver (1986): Mostarski bataljon, Mostar; Seferović, Mensur: Mostarski kolopleti, edicija “Mostar u borbi za slobodu”, knjiga 8, Mostar; grupa autora (1986): Hercegovina u NOB 2. dio, Beograd; група аутора (1986): Херцеговина у НОБ, Београд ; grupa autora (1986): Hercegovina u NOB 4. dio, Beograd ; https://www.spomenicinob.info/search?search=palata
Photo: S. Demirović https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2217704698515097&set=nekada-je-tu-bila-bista-narodnog-heroja-rifata-frenje-ostao-je-samo-postament-ko ; https://scontent-yyz1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/41940965_263960670924993_1920911225349210112_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=CB-rj8nTSx0AX8hwKcM&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.xx&oh=00_AfDcVPO_q1WejYfQlkKGX0UI3tN2OYSCwceUpMA3DJnlbA&oe=6484A99F
Do you have more information about this fighter? Share your stories and photographs. Let’s keep the memory alive!