Mustafa A. BJELAVAC 

MUSTAFA MUJA (AVDE) BJELAVAC, born on October 25, 1897, in Mostar. Sajdžija. Member of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ) since 1922, member of Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ) for Mostar, seasoned fighter, arrested multiple times and sentenced to long-term imprisonment. Prominent activist in the Workers’ Cultural and Artistic Society “Abrašević” in Mostar, leader of the tamburica section. Functionary of FC “Velež”. Arrested on September 2, 1940, due to a protest general strike in Mostar involving over 2,000 workers, all companies, craft workshops, and the Dark Coal Mine, provoked by the ban on the activities of “Velež” as a center of progressive ideas. Transferred to the Lepoglava prison. In the same group, the following individuals were arrested: Nikola Abramović Bjelica, Mustafa Bjelavac, Rade Bitanga, Mustafa Alajbegović, Smajo Brkić, Hasan Krešo, Slavko Balać, Luka Knežić. In the second group, the following individuals were arrested: Mustafa Humo, Velija Hujdur, Vasilije Tošić, Mile Ćećez, Ljubo Ajvaz, Rade Majstorović and Rudolf Hrozniček. Handed over to the Ustashe in April 1941, and killed my them on July 28 that same year.

EXCERPT FROM AN ARTICLE (1977):

“The repertoire mainly consisted of sketches and one-act plays. And with them, there were dance parties. Nothing could be imagined without the tamburitza section, led by Mustafa Bjelavac, who was also killed in Lepoglava. The stage would be set on beer barrels and crates, with a paper backdrop and a curtain made of red fabric. Tickets were priced at five dinars.”