brochure “Partizanski spomenik u Mostaru” (1980)
book “Spomenica Mostara 1941-1945.”
another document or proof of the memorial stone (e.g., a photograph).
Zijad H. VRGORA
ZIJAD ZIJO VRGORA, son of HASAN, born on November 8, 1925,* in Mostar, student of the Gymnasium, member of the League of Communist Youth (SKOJ) since 1942, in the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments since July 1943, in the Mostar Youth Detachment, and from July 1943, in the Mostar Battalion. He was a fighter and was killed in Kamena* near Mostar in July 1943. His brother Dževad Vrgora was arrested at that time.
Circumstances of Zijad’s death, as recorded:
“In the dawn of July 5th, thanks to the betrayal that was never determined, the Detachment was surrounded by soldiers from the 7th SS Division ‘Princ Eugen,’ who unleashed a hurricane of machine gun and automatic fire at the fighters who were sleeping before the guard could sound the alarm. Chaos ensued among the bewildered and inexperienced fighters. Anyone who rose to their feet was mowed down by gunfire or wounded if they did not surrender to the shouts of ‘Halt!’ Individuals and small groups managed to crawl away thanks to the uneven terrain, shrubs, and woods, as well as the scattered nature of the groups. Eighteen of them managed to escape the encirclement, which was not completely sealed in certain places. During this incident, 10 fighters were killed: BORO RADAN, the Detachment’s commissar, a student from Mostar, MUSTAFA BULJKO, the deputy commissar, a gardener from Mostar, NAZIF DŽEPO, a student from Mostar, RIZAH HADŽlMAHMUTOVIĆ, a student from Mostar, SAFET KURTOVIĆ, a student from Mostar, MARTA PAVIĆ, a student from Mostar, ALIJA SALKOVIĆ, a worker from Mostar, AVDO TATAREVIĆ, a student from Stolac, ZIJAD VRGORA, a student from Mostar, and DUŠAN VUJIČIĆ, a worker from Sarajevo.”
According to the archives of Radmilo Braca Andrić, the remains of Zijad Vrgora were transferred and buried in the Partisan Memorial Cemetery in Mostar. Zijad’s name was recorded on a memorial plaque at the Mostar Gymnasium after the war. The plaque disappeared without a trace during the war events of 1992-1995.
*Source: group of authors: “Memorial Book of Mostar 1941-1945.” The location of Zijad’s death is not Ovojci, but Kamena, which should be corrected on the new memorial plaque.
grupa autora: Spomenica Mostara 1941-1945; Ćemalović, Enver (1986): Mostarski bataljon, Mostar; https://poskok.info/mostarke-u-doba-okupacije-sloboda-nije-stigla-iz-bajke/
Photo of the memorial plaque: S. Demirović (2018), Večernji list, 14.5.81, pg. 24. Photo of the fighter: “Partizanski spomenik u Mostaru” (1980)
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