On December 21st, 1991, in the then small Bosnian and Herzegovinian (BiH) town of Rudo, the First Proletarian National Liberation Shock Brigade was founded, the first organized, mobile, and “regular” unit of the partisan army in the Second World War.
That event represents one of the most important turning points in the development of the National Liberation Struggle (NOB) and resistance to fascism in the territory of BiH and the then Yugoslavia.
The founding of the First Proletarian Brigade marked the transition of the partisan movement from the phase of local, territorially bound detachments into a new stage: the formation of a disciplined, mobile, and centrally commanded military force capable of operating throughout the occupied country.
Historical context: Europe in flames, Yugoslavia under occupation
By the end of 1941, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia had already been carved up among Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and their allies and puppet regimes, including the Independent State of Croatia. Brutal terror against the civilian population, mass crimes, and repression spurred the development of armed resistance, led by the partisan movement under the leadership of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and Josip Broz Tito.
After the collapse of the so-called Uzice Republic in western Serbia and strong offensives by occupying forces, it became clear that the existing way of fighting had to change. Instead of static detachments, it was necessary to create mobile units capable of rapid maneuvers, deep penetrations, and combat on varied terrain.
Why Rudo?
Rudo, located along the Lim River in the eastern part of BiH, was chosen as a suitable place to form the new brigade because of its geographical position, relative safety at that moment, and the presence of a large number of experienced partisan fighters withdrawing from Serbia and Sandzak.
In Rudo, on December 21st, 1941, around 1.200 fighters were assembled, organized into six battalions, four from Serbia and two from Montenegro. Among them were several dozen women.
Koca Popovic was appointed as the first commander of the First Proletarian Brigade, then a young but exceptionally capable military leader, later a general and one of the most significant military and political leaders of post-war Yugoslavia. Filip Kljajic “Fica” was appointed political commissar, whose role was to preserve ideological unity, morale, and the political awareness of the fighters.
From the very beginning, the brigade was conceived as an elite unit, not by privileges, but by discipline, mobility, and readiness to go wherever the fighting was most difficult.
War path and a symbol of resistance
The First Proletarian Brigade soon became the backbone of the National Liberation Army. During the war, it took part in some of the most difficult and significant operations, including the legendary winter march and the crossing of Igman, battles in eastern Bosnia, Sandzak, Montenegro, and Herzegovina, as well as the major battles on the Neretva and the Sutjeska.
Over more than three years of war, the brigade covered thousands of kilometers, participated in hundreds of battles, and made an immeasurable contribution to the defeat of occupying and collaborationist forces. Tens of thousands of fighters from all parts of the country passed through its ranks, and many commanders, political leaders, and National Heroes emerged from it.
The price of that struggle was enormous: thousands of killed, wounded, and missing fighters, but the First Proletarian Brigade became a lasting symbol of resistance, solidarity, and the common fight against fascism.
Legacy and remembrance
After the war, Rudo became one of the most important sites of antifascist remembrance in BiH. A monument to the First Proletarian Brigade was erected, and later a museum dedicated to its founding and wartime path. Although remembrance of the National Liberation Struggle has often been suppressed or politicized in recent decades, the historical fact remains unquestionable: the First Proletarian Brigade was the foundation from which the victorious partisan army grew, and it was founded precisely in BiH, Klix.ba writes.
Photo: Wikipedia
