Vladimir Ćopić

Vladimir Ćopić during Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).

Vladimir "Senjko" Ćopić (8 March 1891 – 19 April 1939) was a Yugoslav revolutionary, politician, journalist and communist leader of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia from April 1919 to August 1920.

Biography[]

Born into a family of mixed Croat and Serb descent from Senj, Croatia-Slavonia as part of Austria-Hungary, Ćopić had been conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I, and subsequently captured by the Russian Red Army.^[1] He was a chess player and musician and had briefly been a communist deputy in Yugoslavia. Later, under the name of 'Senko', he had been a leading member of the Yugoslav Communist Party in Moscow.^[2]

Spanish Civil War[]

In February 1937, Colonel Gal was promoted to General to command a division and was replaced as commander and political commissar^[3] of the XV International Brigade by Ćopić.^[2] He was one of the highest ranking Yugoslav volunteers in the war.^[4]

On the Battle of Jarama, the official report by Ćopić of fighting on 12 February, barely mentioned the appalling level of casualties under his command, but focused on the 'staunch heroism' of his troops repelling 'violent fascist attacks causing heavy losses on the enemy'.^[5] The final act of the Battle was the futile attack by the Lincoln Battalion on 27 February. The battalion commander, Captain Robert Hale Merriman begged Ćopić (described as "rather inept") not to launch the attack fearing slaughter. Ćopić insisted it proceed and promised air and armoured support, which never came. Merriman was almost immediately wounded and the Battalion suffered 136 deaths.^[6]^[7]

In August 1937 at the Battle of Belchite, he tasked Peter Daly's unit with capturing the town of Quinto and they were commanded on 25 August to capture Purburrel Hill, a height south of the town, on which 500 Rebel troops were entrenched behind barbed wire and concrete pill-boxes. Finding themselves unsupported and outnumbered against the defenders, the unit took heavy casualties and Peter Daly was wounded in the abdomen. Daly was taken away for aid while Paddy O'Daire took charge refusing the orders of his superior, Ćopić, to continue the suicidal attack, keeping his men dug in on the exposed hillside until nightfall and safe withdrawal. On the 26 August O'Daire, this time supported by the XV International Brigade's anti-tank battery, succeeded in breaking the enemy lines,^[8] leading to the capture of 300 troops.

By April 1938 Spanish communist leaders wanted the replacement of many International Brigade commanders due to poor performance, and although André Marty disagreed, he had to compromise and General Walter and Ćopić were replaced.^[9]

Following the end of the war and Republicans' defeat, he was recalled to Moscow. Due to his Trotskyist views regarding communist governance, he was killed in Stalinist purges in 1939^[10] along with many other leading Yugoslav communists in the country.

His brother, Milan Ćopić, was in the International Brigades' prison at Camp Lucász.

References and sources[]

^ Cecil Eby, Comrades and Commissars, pp 66-67
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Thomas, Hugh (2012). The Spanish Civil War (50th Anniversary ed.). London: Penguin Books. p. 576. ISBN 978-0-141-01161-5.
^ Baxell, Richard (2014). Unlikely Warriors. London: Aurum Press. p. 139. ISBN 978-1-78131-233-9.
^ Ivan Očak: Još jednom o Vladimiru Ćopiću
^ Baxell (2014) p.149
^ Clifford, Alexander (2020). Fighting for Spain. Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military. pp. 93–94. ISBN 978-1-52677-438-5.
^ Baxell (2014) p.161
^ Clifford (2020) p.131-132
^ Beevor, Antony (2001). The Spanish Civil War. London: Cassell Military Paperbacks. p. 327. ISBN 0-304-35840-1.
^ Thomas (2012) p.926

External links[]

Photo of Vladimir Ćopić - Senjko

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[1] Cecil Eby, Comrades and Commissars, pp 66-67

[Tho-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b Thomas, Hugh (2012). The Spanish Civil War (50th Anniversary ed.). London: Penguin Books. p. 576. ISBN 978-0-141-01161-5.

[3] Baxell, Richard (2014). Unlikely Warriors. London: Aurum Press. p. 139. ISBN 978-1-78131-233-9.

[4] Ivan Očak: Još jednom o Vladimiru Ćopiću

[5] Baxell (2014) p.149

[6] Clifford, Alexander (2020). Fighting for Spain. Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military. pp. 93–94. ISBN 978-1-52677-438-5.

[7] Baxell (2014) p.161

[8] Clifford (2020) p.131-132

[9] Beevor, Antony (2001). The Spanish Civil War. London: Cassell Military Paperbacks. p. 327. ISBN 0-304-35840-1.

[10] Thomas (2012) p.926

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show v t XV International Brigade – "Abraham Lincoln"
Commanders	János Gálicz (Jan–Feb 1937) Vladimir Ćopić (Feb–Jul 1937) (Jul–Aug 1937) Vladimir Ćopić (Aug 1937–Mar 1938) Robert Hale Merriman (Mar–Apr 1938) Vladimir Ćopić (Apr–May 1938) (May–Sep 1938)
Battalions	British Battalion Lincoln Battalion (incl. American Medical Bureau & Connolly Column) Dimitrov Battalion Sixth of February Battalion 24 Battalion Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion Washington Battalion
People	William Aalto Bernard Ades Bill Alexander Edward K. Barsky James Walker Benét Alvah Bessie Delmer Berg Herman Bottcher Edward A. Carter Jr. Christopher Caudwell Lewis Clive Morris Cohen Fred Copeman John Cornford Jock Cunningham Peter Daly Peko Dapčević Carmelo Delgado Delgado Charles Donnelly Bob Doyle Petar Drapšin Frank Edwards Leo Eloesser Moe Fishman Hugh Garner John Gates Jason Gurney William Herrick Robert Hilliard Jack Jones Robert Klonsky Oliver Law Laurie Lee Maurice Levitas Yank Levy Matti Mattson Alex McDade Kosta Nađ Conlon Nancarrow George Nathan Steve Nelson Paddy O'Daire Michael O'Riordan Thomas Patten Will Paynter Koča Popović Harry Wayland Randall Patrick Read Esmond Romilly Frank Ryan Alfred Sherman George Sossenko Stephen Spender Wally Tapsell Robert G. Thompson Tom Wintringham Milton Wolff
Political parties	Communist Party USA Communist Party of Great Britain Communist Party of Canada Communist Party of Ireland Republican Congress Communist Party of Yugoslavia Communist Party of Cuba
Related	International Brigades Communist International Yankee Squadron International Brigade Memorial Trust Jarama Valley Songs of the Lincoln Battalion Viva la Quinta Brigada Jewish volunteers Yugoslav volunteers Irish volunteers Yugoslav Partisans Atomic spies Smith Act

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