{"id":13117,"date":"2023-05-13T20:04:36","date_gmt":"2023-05-13T19:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/partizan\/drago-d-palavestra\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T13:46:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T13:46:35","slug":"drago-d-palavestra","status":"publish","type":"partizan","link":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/partizan\/drago-d-palavestra\/","title":{"rendered":"Drago D. PALAVESTRA\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

DRAGO PALAVESTRA, son of DU\u0160AN, born on May 20, 1925, in Mostar, a student of Gymnasium. A member of the League of Communist Youth (SKOJ) since 1941, an illegal activist, an active participant in the National Liberation War in Mostar. In the Battalion since July 1943. Fighter, captured in Kamena near Mostar in July 1943 while leaving Mostar with the detachment. Publicly hanged with a SKOJ member Alija Rizikalo<\/a> in Mostar on July 15, 1943, in Musala Square, in the park next to Neretva Hotel “for participation in the Partisans”. Both bravely held on before their death, shouting: “Long live the Communist Party of Yugoslavia”, “Long live Comrade Tito”, “Long live the Soviet Union”. According to some sources, “later the policemen who attended the trial and hanging told that, in response to a cynical question whether he had any desires, Palavestra replied: ‘I would like Germans to hang from the lampposts from Mostar to Berlin.'” In an article, it is stated that, by order of the authorities, the bodies were left in that position until 11:00 pm on July 25, 1943. A group of SKOJ members was preparing to kidnap the hanged comrades, but the bodies were continuously guarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During those days, posters of the SS department commander were plastered on the city streets, stating: “Sentenced to death by the Summary Court in Mostar: Drago Palavestra, a student, 18 years old, from Mostar; Alija Rizikalo, a carpenter, 19 years old, unmarried, from Mostar. Palavestra worked as a gatherer for the Partisans. Under the pretext of false facts, he lured his schoolmates in the evening hours to the outskirts of Mostar, where they were regularly attacked by Partisans and taken away\u2026 Rizikalo did not respond to the call of the Croatian Army and thus became a military deserter, joining the Partisans.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was described as “fearless, despite being young and inexperienced.” According to the archives of Radmilo Braca Andri\u0107, the remains of Drago Palavestra were transferred and buried in the Partisan Memorial Cemetery in Mostar. After the war, a Memorial Monument was erected at the site of Drago’s and Alija’s death. Drago’s name was recorded on a memorial plaque<\/a> in Mostar Gymnasium. The plaque was removed at the beginning of the wartime events in 1992-1995. One street in Mostar was named after Drago after the war.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DRAGO PALAVESTRA, son of DU\u0160AN, born on May 20, 1925, in Mostar, a student of Gymnasium. A member of the League of Communist Youth (SKOJ) since 1941, an illegal activist, an active participant in the National Liberation War in Mostar. In the Battalion since July 1943. Fighter, captured in Kamena near Mostar in July 1943 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":24800,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","categories":[314,305,315,316,325],"tags":[317,291,341,432,433],"prezime":[431],"class_list":["post-13117","partizan","type-partizan","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-18-25-g-en","category-35-g-en","category-poginuli-1943-en","category-poginuli-u-bih-en","category-ubijeni-u-mostaru-en","tag-bataljon-en","tag-foto","tag-gimnazija-u-mostaru-en","tag-objeseni-na-musali-en","tag-foto-na-mostu-en","prezime-p-en","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"ptb_metabox":{"ptb_partizan_izvori":"

grupa autora: Spomenica Mostara 1941-1945; \u0106emalovi\u0107, Enver (1986): Mostarski bataljon<\/a>, Mostar; Seferovi\u0107, Mensur (1964): Partizanski kolopleti<\/a>, \u201eNarodna armija\u201c, Beograd; grupa autora (1961): Hercegovina u NOB 1. dio<\/a>, Beograd, Vojno delo ; \u0433\u0440\u0443\u043f\u0430 \u0430\u0443\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430 (1986): \u0425\u0435\u0440\u0446\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0430 \u0443 \u041d\u041e\u0411, \u0411\u0435\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0434 ; https:\/\/www.tacno.net\/mostar\/dani-antifasizma-u-mostaru-2\/<\/a> ; Seferovi\u0107, Mensur (1958): \u201cBataljon u okupiranom gradu<\/a>\u201d, Sarajevo; Seferovi\u0107, Mensur: Mostarski kolopleti<\/a>, edicija \u201cMostar u borbi za slobodu\u201d, knjiga 8, Mostar; http:\/\/www.most.ba\/091\/015.aspx<\/a>; https:\/\/poskok.info\/mostarke-u-doba-okupacije-sloboda-nije-stigla-iz-bajke\/<\/a>;\u00a0http:\/\/istorijskenovine.unilib.rs\/view\/index.html#panel:pp|issue:UB_00064_19520603|article:article587|page:6|block:ComposedBlock46 ;\u00a0<\/a> http:\/\/istorijskenovine.unilib.rs\/view\/index.html#panel:pp|issue:UB_00064_19450710|page:2|query:%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%BE%20%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0<\/a> ; \u010dlanak \"Ulica Drage Palavestre\" \u0160 Pa\u0161i\u0107 (ustupio CIDOM)<\/p>\r\n

Photos<\/em>: S. Demirovi\u0107 (2018), https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zl3W0gy7x5I&ab_channel=KnjOrg<\/a>; https:\/\/www.xiwl.com\/w\/index.php\/Mostar_-_Spomenik_Aliji_Rizikalu_i_Dragi_Palavestri<\/a> ; https:\/\/znaci.org\/fotografija.php?br=10620<\/a>; https:\/\/znaci.org\/fotografija.php?br=10559<\/a><\/p>","ptb_partizan_datum_rodzenja":"(1925. Mostar \u2013 1943. Mostar)","ptb_partizan_godina":"18","ptb_partizan_galerija_1":{"url":["http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-23.png","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/P-Palavestra-Drago.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Sestic-salko-2-1.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Drago-Palavestra.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Rizikalo-1.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Rizikalo-Palavestra-1.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Drage-Palavestre-Dudina-ulica-1.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/NOVO-Palavestra.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/spomenik-Rizikalo-Palavestra-70te-2025-10-17-181758-1.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/SpomenikMusalaPark05-1.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/gimnazija-45.jpg","http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Drage-Palavestre.png"],"link":["","","","","","","","","","","",""],"title":["imageoriginal plaque of Drago Palavestra (1965.). Source: Filmski centar Sarajevo.","destroyed memorial plaque of Drago Palavestra. source: youtube","A group of SKOJ members on the street in Mostar in 1941. From left to right: Drago Palavestra, Salko \u0160esti\u0107, Muhamed Peku\u0161i\u0107","Drago Palavestra, detail from group photo"," Rizikalo and Palavestra hanged in Mostar in 1943."," Rizikalo and Palavestra hanged in Mostar in 1943.","article \"Ulica Drage Palavestre\" (Dudina), source: CIDOM"," Dear Palavestra's response before death, as an example, in an article from 1945.","enveiling of the monument on Musala to Rizikalo and Palavestra in Mostar, 1970s","Monument on Musala, recent photo","Memorial plaque to the fallen students and professors of the Mostar's Gymnasium. It went missing during the 1992-1995 war.","Drage Palavestre street in Mostar (google maps)"],"description":["","","","","","","","","","","",""]},"ptb_partizan_poruka_":"Do you have more information about this fighter? Share<\/a> your stories and photographs. Let's keep the memory alive!","ptb_partizan_ploca":{"1":"http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Palavestra-Drago-IMG_2931-rotated.jpg","2":"http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Palavestra-Drago-IMG_2931-rotated.jpg"},"ptb_partizan_spisak_info":["partizan_spisak_info_1","partizan_spisak_info_2","partizan_spisak_info_3"]},"ptb_taxonomy":{"category":[{"term_id":314,"name":"18-25 y\/o","slug":"18-25-g-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":314,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":415,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":305,"name":"35+ y\/o","slug":"35-g-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":305,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":83,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":315,"name":"died in 1943","slug":"poginuli-1943-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":315,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":183,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":316,"name":"died in BiH","slug":"poginuli-u-bih-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":316,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":518,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":325,"name":"killed in Mostar","slug":"ubijeni-u-mostaru-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":325,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":46,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[{"term_id":317,"name":"Fallen fighters of the Mostar Battalion.","slug":"bataljon-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":317,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"[gallery link=\"file\" size=\"medium\" ids=\"7114,7116,7122\"]\r\n\r\nMostar Battalion was formed as the \"Konji\u010dki\" in September 1941. Until the formation of the 13th Herzegovina Brigade in May 1944, 827 fighters passed through the Battalion, and 445 of them perished, including 211 from Mostar. Of the 86 women, 43 were killed. Mostar residents also fought in many other units of the NOVJ (People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia) and among the ranks of the activists of the National Liberation War in Mostar and other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina... According to the records of the organization SUBNOR Mostar, every third citizen was an activist of the National Liberation War, 670 fighters were killed, 1517 were victims of fascist terror, and 206 were civilian war victims. D\u017eemil \u0160arac, article \"Sa Mostarcima\" (\"With the People from Mostar\"), Hercegovina No. 9, p. 221.\r\n\r\n\"And we were all young. Those of us who were 17, 18 years old, some seemed old even though they were not older than 25. The ones over 30 were rare. There were girls and boys with different characteristics and temperaments, robust and calm, talkative and silent, recklessly brave and rational, ordinary and above-average, semi-literate and university-educated, workers and highly skilled craftsmen, high school students and university students, skilled singers and those who couldn't carry a tune, jokers and serious-minded individuals. From all our nations and religions: Muslims, Croats, Serbs, Jews, Orthodox Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Jews, atheists, and semi-atheists. Some were from straight from Mostar and others from the surrounding locations, from Konjic and outside Konjic.\" (Hercegovina Magazine No. 7, p. 238)\r\n\r\nGroups of new fighters arrived from Mostar every 10-15 days, and the Unit quickly grew into a solid military force. The guides for the groups from Mostar were Mehmed Arap, Vasa Maslo, Serif Buri\u0107, Husa Orman, Vojo Ivani\u0161evi\u0107, and Pero Krajina, who were among the bravest and most resourceful fighters. The groups regularly brought not only weapons but also medical supplies, sugar for the hospital, writing materials, large quantities of paper, books taken from the National Library (which formed the library at Borci), and other supplies for the needs of the Unit. (Source: https:\/\/www.cidom.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Hercegovina-u-NOB-1.pdf<\/u><\/a>)\r\n\r\nAfter the war, a street in Mostar was named after the Mostar Battalion.","parent":0,"count":240,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":291,"name":"foto","slug":"foto","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":291,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":316,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":341,"name":"Mostar's High school and its many fallen","slug":"gimnazija-u-mostaru-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":341,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"Three professors and nearly 50 students of the most famous high school\u00a0 in Mostar (located in the orange building on one of the main squares) gave their lives in the People's Liberation War (NOB). Read about them here.","parent":0,"count":54,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":432,"name":"Public hangings on the Musala square (1943)","slug":"objeseni-na-musali-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":432,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"\"\"In July 1943, under the cover of night, the Mostar Youth Detachment, led by Mladen Balorda, left Mostar to join the fight in the hills. However, their movement was reported to the SS Division \"Prinz Eugen,\" which attacked them near Kamena and killed a significant number of them. Some inexperienced fighters were captured and later executed in Ovojci. Two young fighters were singled out and publicly hanged in Mostar, as a warning, on July 15, 1943, at the Musala Square near the Neretva Hotel. Read more about them.","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":433,"name":"Three communist youths on the bridge (1941)","slug":"foto-na-mostu-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":433,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"\"\"\r\n\r\nThe three members of\u00a0the League of Communist Youth\u00a0from Mostar captured in this photograph (1941) did not live to see the end of the war. Read about them.","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"}],"prezime":[{"term_id":431,"name":"P","slug":"p-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":431,"taxonomy":"prezime","description":"","parent":0,"count":45,"filter":"raw"}]},"ptb_featured_image":{"url":"http:\/\/partizansko.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Palavestra-Drago-1-2.jpg","title":"Palavestra Drago 1","caption":""},"builder_content":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/partizan\/13117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/partizan"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/partizan"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/partizan\/13117\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35712,"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/partizan\/13117\/revisions\/35712"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13117"},{"taxonomy":"prezime","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/partizansko.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/prezime?post=13117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}