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Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia

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143-833: The Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia ( Croatian : Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske ; ZNDH), was the air force of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), a puppet state established with the support of the Axis Powers on the territory of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia during World War II. The ZNDH was founded under German authority in April 1941, following the German-led Axis invasion of Yugoslavia . Although it could not be considered

286-455: A Serbian Orthodox Church , was built in 1834 during Ottoman rule. Austria-Hungary took control over Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878 and ruled the region until the aftermath of World War I in 1918, when it became part of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs and then Yugoslavia . During this period, Mostar was the main urban centre of Herzegovina . In 1881, the town became the seat of

429-634: A Bosniak-majority old City and east bank (with ca. 50,000 residents), with the frontline running parallel to the Neretva River. Most Serbs had fled the city. Since the end of the wider war in 1995, great progress has been made in the reconstruction of the city of Mostar under the European Union Administration of the City of Mostar (EUAM). Over 15 million dollars has been spent on restoration. A monumental project to rebuild

572-461: A common polycentric standard language is used, consisting of several standard varieties , similar to the existing varieties of German , English or Spanish . The aim of the new Declaration is to stimulate discussion on language without the nationalistic baggage and to counter nationalistic divisions. The terms "Serbo-Croatian", "Serbo-Croat", or "Croato-Serbian", are still used as a cover term for all these forms by foreign scholars, even though

715-593: A common South Slavic literary language. Specifically, three major groups of dialects were spoken on Croatian territory, and there had been several literary languages over four centuries. The leader of the Illyrian movement Ljudevit Gaj standardized the Latin alphabet in 1830–1850 and worked to bring about a standardized orthography. Although based in Kajkavian-speaking Zagreb , Gaj supported using

858-623: A credible threat against the insurgents, by then a new menace was arriving from the other side of the Adriatic. On 30 June 1943, the first Allied reconnaissance flights were reported, followed by the first USAAF bombers, when 61 B-24 Liberators of IX Bomber Command overflew the NDH on a deep penetration raid on the Austrian city of Wiener Neustadt on 13 August. The ZNDH's 3rd Flak Group, defending Brod na Savi ( Slavonski Brod ), managed to shoot down

1001-712: A flying training school equipped with gliders and trainers, originally at Rajlovac airfield near Sarajevo and then at Velika Gorica and Pleso airfields in Zagreb . Its parachute and paratroop school was located in Koprivnica . The ZNDH came into being as early as 19 April 1941, just nine days after the proclamation of the NDH. Its commander was Colonel Vladimir Kren , a former captain of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force ( Serbo-Croatian : Vazduhoplovstvo Vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije ; VVKJ), who had defected to

1144-641: A group of former tanneries round an open courtyard. Once again, the 19th-century commercial buildings are predominantly neoclassical. A number of elements of the early fortifications are visible, namely the Hercegusa Tower dating from the medieval period. By contrast, the Ottoman defence edifices are represented by the Halebinovka and Tara Towers – the watchtowers on the ends of the Old Bridge, and

1287-824: A huge variety of spare parts. During the middle part of 1941, some of the ZNDH's man-power capacity (one fighter squadron and one medium bomber squadron) was sent to the Eastern Front as part of the Luftwaffe , the Croatian Air Force Legion ( Croatian : Hrvatska Zrakoplovna Legija ; HZL; German : Kroatische Luftwaffen Legion ). Most of the Croatian Air Force Legion's personnel were back on NDH territory by late 1942 (bomber squadron)/early 1944 (fighter squadron) to help counter

1430-713: A large German offensive against the Partisan forces in eastern Bosnia. Initially, the Regia Aeronautica also participated in this campaign, but after an incident where an Italian bomber mistakenly attacked German positions near Vlasenica, the German command assigned the ZNDH the responsibility for providing the entire aerial support mission for formations on the ground. At this time there were no significant Luftwaffe forces based in Yugoslavian territory. In support of

1573-455: A large air arm in the wider context of World War II, the ZNDH nonetheless had on its charge at one time or another some 650 aircraft between April 1941 and May 1945, as well as anti-aircraft and paratroop units. From humble beginnings in 1941, the ZNDH was still providing some measure of air-support (fighter, attack and transport) until the last days of World War II in Europe. The ZNDH maintained

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1716-517: A mixture of all three principal dialects (Chakavian, Kajkavian and Shtokavian), and calling it "Croatian", "Dalmatian", or "Slavonian". Historically, several other names were used as synonyms for Croatian, in addition to Dalmatian and Slavonian, and these were Illyrian (ilirski) and Slavic (slovinski) . It is still used now in parts of Istria , which became a crossroads of various mixtures of Chakavian with Ekavian, Ijekavian and Ikavian isoglosses . The most standardised form (Kajkavian–Ikavian) became

1859-606: A number of attacks on army units (armed with hand-made pipe bombs) before either being shot down (the Breguet on 4 June) or destroyed on the ground (the Potez on 6 July). The two other defections occurred in July and October, with a Blenheim bomber in each case flying to Turkey . In January 1942, the ZNDH formed a parachute unit, known as the 1st Light Infantry Parachute Company ( Croatian : Prva laka padobranska satnija , 1 PLS). It had

2002-471: A result of the determined re-supply effort by the ZNDH, the Rogatica garrison succeeded in holding out until relieved by German-NDH forces on 17 April. As the weather improved towards the summer, flying activity intensified. Some 325 missions were flown during April, with a further 350 sorties during May, including direct combat support, reconnaissance and supply missions, as well as leaflet dropping. Most of

2145-523: A separate language that is considered key to national identity, in the sense that the term Croatian language includes all language forms from the earliest times to the present, in all areas where Croats live, as realized in the speeches of Croatian dialects, in city speeches and jargons, and in the Croatian standard language. The issue is sensitive in Croatia as the notion of a separate language being

2288-688: A series of stalemates. The Croat–Bosniak conflict ended with the signing of the Washington Agreement in 1994, and the Bosnian War ended with the Dayton Agreement in 1995. Around 2,000 people died in Mostar during the war. Two wars (Serb forces versus Bosniak and Croatian and Croat-Bosniak war) left Mostar physically devastated and ethno-territorially divided between a Croat-majority west bank (with ca. 55,000 residents) and

2431-401: A single bomber en route to its target. The best aircraft that the ZNDH could put up to defend its homeland at the end of 1943 were 20 Morane-Saulnier M.S.406s, 10 Fiat G.50s, six Fiat CR.42s, five Avia BH-33s and two Ikarus IK-2 fighters – aircraft that had been obsolete in 1940. By the end of 1943 the ZNDH was 9,775 strong and equipped with 295 aircraft, having lost 61 shot down, destroyed on

2574-426: A slow moving aircraft. Visual reconnaissance missions using hand-held cameras were also flown. Aerial reconnaissance supplied the army with vital data about Partisan movements and positions and about the situation in Partisan territory in general. This was all the more important because the army desperately lacked radio equipment of all kinds. Light aircraft were frequently used for liaison duties, particularly connecting

2717-486: A strength of 120 men and was based in the northern town of Koprivnica, near the border with Hungary. An Avia Fokker F.7 tri-motor transport aircraft was assigned to the unit on a permanent basis, with other transports assigned as required. The paratroops were equipped with rifles, sub-machine guns, light machine guns and light mortars. After a period of training, 1 PLS made a demonstration mass tactical jump on 6 July 1943 at Borongaj airfield, Zagreb. Forty five paratroopers made

2860-548: A stretch of the ramparts. The oldest single arch stone bridge in Mostar, the Kriva Cuprija ("Sloping Bridge") , was built in 1558 by the Ottoman architect Cejvan Kethoda. It is said that this was to be a test before the major construction of the Stari Most began. The Old Bridge was completed in 1566 and was hailed as one of the greatest architectural achievements in the Ottoman [Balkans]]. The single-arch stone bridge

3003-582: A substantial territory in the eastern part of Yugoslavia, but they encouraged rebellion all over the country. The German, Italian and NDH governments were aware of this danger and they used every means available to destroy the Partisan forces. They planned several large-scale operations for this purpose in which air support played a very important role. The first half of 1942 was marked by several deliveries of new or refurbished aircraft from Germany and Italy, aside from those received from Ikarus in Zemun. First of all

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3146-596: A successful jump from three Avia Fokker transports. On 6 November 1943, three brigades of the Partisans, supported by artillery and heavy machine-guns mounted an attack on the town of Koprivnica, which they took on 9 November. The paratroops of 1 PLS held out at their base for three days before withdrawing into Hungary and continuing the battle with other NDH and German defending forces until 29 November. They received direct air support from ZNDH Dornier Do 17Ks, as well as supplies from light aircraft, but were unable to prevent

3289-761: Is controversial for native speakers, and names such as "Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian" (BCMS) are used by linguists and philologists in the 21st century. In 1997, the Croatian Parliament established the Days of the Croatian Language from March 11 to 17. Since 2013, the Institute of Croatian language has been celebrating the Month of the Croatian Language , from February 21 ( International Mother Language Day ) to March 17 (the day of signing

3432-735: Is a home of music festival named Melodije Mostara (Mostar Melodies), which has been held annually since 1995. Theatre festivals include Mostarska Liska (organized by the National Theatre Mostar ) and The Mostar Spring (organized by the Matica hrvatska Mostar). Mostar art institutions include: Mostar cuisine is balanced between Western and Eastern influences. Traditional Mostar food is closely related to Turkish , Middle Eastern and other Mediterranean cuisines . However, due to years of Austrian rule and influence, there are many culinary influences from Central Europe . Some of

3575-399: Is a perfect semicircle 8.56 m (28.1 ft) in width and 4.15 m (13.6 ft) in height. The frontage and vault are made of regular stone cubes incorporated into the horizontal layers all along the vault. The space between vault, frontal walls and footpath is filled with cracked stone. The bridge footpath and the approaching roads are paved with cobblestones, as are the main roads in

3718-447: Is also official in the regions of Burgenland (Austria), Molise (Italy) and Vojvodina (Serbia). Additionally, it has co-official status alongside Romanian in the communes of Carașova and Lupac , Romania . In these localities, Croats or Krashovani make up the majority of the population, and education, signage and access to public administration and the justice system are provided in Croatian, alongside Romanian. Croatian

3861-566: Is also open to the public and is accessible from inside the mosque. Just around the corner from the mosque is the Tepa Market. This has been a busy marketplace since Ottoman times. It now sells mostly fresh produce grown in Herzegovina and, when in season, the figs and pomegranates are extremely popular. Local honey is also a prominent specialty, being produced all around Herzegovina. Magazine Most , along with Šantić 's Poetry Evenings,

4004-475: Is an exact replica of the original bridge that stood for over 400 years and that was designed by Hajrudin, a student of the great Ottoman architect Sinan. It spans 28.7 m (94 ft) of the Neretva river, 21 m (69 ft) above the summer water level. The Halebija and Tara towers have always housed the guardians of the bridge and during Ottoman times were also used as storehouses for ammunition. The arch

4147-424: Is clearly a single language with a single grammatical system." Croatian, although technically a form of Serbo-Croatian , is sometimes considered a distinct language by itself. This is at odds with purely linguistic classifications of languages based on mutual intelligibility ( abstand and ausbau languages ), which do not allow varieties that are mutually intelligible to be considered separate languages. "There

4290-426: Is commonly characterized by the ijekavian pronunciation (see an explanation of yat reflexes ), the sole use of the Latin alphabet, and a number of lexical differences in common words that set it apart from standard Serbian. Some differences are absolute, while some appear mainly in the frequency of use. However, as professor John F. Bailyn states, "an examination of all the major 'levels' of language shows that BCS

4433-659: Is considered an exemplary piece of Islamic architecture in the Balkans . Human settlements on the river Neretva, between Mount Hum and the Velež Mountain , have existed since prehistory, as witnessed by discoveries of fortified enceintes and cemeteries. Evidence of Roman occupation was discovered beneath the present town. As far as medieval Mostar goes, although the Christian basilicas of late antiquity remained in use, few historical sources were preserved and not much

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4576-403: Is known about this period. The name of Mostar was first mentioned in a document dating from 1474, taking its name from the bridge-keepers ( mostari ); this refers to the existence of a wooden bridge from the market on the left bank of the river which was used by traders, soldiers, and other travelers. During this time it was also the seat of a kadiluk (district with a regional judge). Since Mostar

4719-410: Is named after the goldsmiths who traditionally created and sold their wares on this street, and still sells authentic paintings and copper or bronze carvings of the Stari Most, pomegranates (the natural symbol of Herzegovina), or the stećaks (medieval tombstones). The Koski Mehmed Paša Mosque, built in 1617, is open to visitors. Visitors may enter the mosque and take photos free of charge. The minaret

4862-399: Is no doubt of the near 100% mutual intelligibility of (standard) Croatian and (standard) Serbian, as is obvious from the ability of all groups to enjoy each others' films, TV and sports broadcasts, newspapers, rock lyrics etc.", writes Bailyn. Differences between various standard forms of Serbo-Croatian are often exaggerated for political reasons. Most Croatian linguists regard Croatian as

5005-640: Is no regulatory body that determines the proper usage of Croatian. However, in January 2023, the Croatian Parliament passed a law that prescribes the official use of the Croatian language, regulates the establishment of the Council for the Croatian language as a coordinating advisory body whose work will be focused on the protection and development of the Croatian language. State authorities, local and regional self-government entities are obliged to use

5148-1099: Is officially used and taught at all universities in Croatia and at the University of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Studies of Croatian language are held in Hungary (Institute of Philosophy at the ELTE Faculty of Humanities in Budapest ), Slovakia (Faculty of Philosophy of the Comenius University in Bratislava ), Poland ( University of Warsaw , Jagiellonian University , University of Silesia in Katowice , University of Wroclaw , Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan ), Germany ( University of Regensburg ), Australia (Center for Croatian Studies at

5291-648: Is the standardised variety of the Serbo-Croatian pluricentric language mainly used by Croats . It is the national official language and literary standard of Croatia , one of the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina , Montenegro , the Serbian province of Vojvodina , the European Union and a recognized minority language elsewhere in Serbia and other neighbouring countries. In

5434-403: Is the largest financial center in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of three largest banks in the country has its headquarters in Mostar. Bosnia and Herzegovina has three national electric, postal and telecommunication service corporations; the seat of one per each group is placed in Mostar (electric utility provider Elektroprivreda HZHB , postal service company Hrvatska pošta Mostar and HT Eronet ,

5577-723: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Croatian (2009 Croatian government official translation): Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in English: Mostar Mostar ( Serbian Cyrillic : Мостар , pronounced [mǒstaːr] ) is a city and the administrative centre of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina , an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina , and

5720-632: The Croat–Bosniak War escalated and by mid-April 1993 Mostar had become a divided city with the western part dominated by HVO forces and the eastern part controlled by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH). Fighting broke out in May when both sides of the city came under intense artillery fire. The city was divided along ethnic lines, with a number of offensives taking place, resulting in

5863-715: The Declaration on the Name and Status of the Croatian Literary Language ). In the late medieval period up to the 17th century, the majority of semi-autonomous Croatia was ruled by two domestic dynasties of princes ( banovi ), the Zrinski and the Frankopan , which were linked by inter-marriage. Toward the 17th century, both of them attempted to unify Croatia both culturally and linguistically, writing in

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6006-566: The Latin alphabet and are living in parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina , different parts of Croatia , southern parts (inc. Budapest ) of Hungary as well in the autonomous province Vojvodina of Serbia . The Institute of Croatian Language and Linguistics added the Bunjevac dialect to the List of Protected Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Croatia on 8 October 2021. Article 1 of

6149-982: The Macquarie University ), Northern Macedonia (Faculty of Philology in Skopje ) etc. Croatian embassies hold courses for learning Croatian in Poland, United Kingdom and a few other countries. Extracurricular education of Croatian is hold in Germany in Baden-Württemberg , Berlin , Hamburg and Saarland , as well as in North Macedonia in Skopje , Bitola , Štip and Kumanovo . Some Croatian Catholic Missions also hold Croatian language courses (for. ex. CCM in Buenos Aires ). There

6292-421: The Netherlands , and Croatia . A grand opening was held on 23 July 2004 under heavy security. In parallel, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and the World Monuments Fund , with funding provided by the World Bank , undertook a five-year-long restoration and rehabilitation effort to regenerate the most significant areas of historic Mostar, and particularly the urban tissue around the Old Bridge. Also in July 2004,

6435-460: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mostar-Duvno and, in 1939, it became a part of the Banovina of Croatia . During World War II , Mostar was annexed into the Nazi German fascist puppet state , the Independent State of Croatia . During the period of Austro-Hungarian rule (1878–1918), Mostar's city council cooperated with the Austro-Hungarian administration to implement sweeping reforms in city planning: broad avenues and an urban grid were imposed on

6578-400: The 17th century, Turkish traveler and author Evliya Çelebi wrote of the bridge thus: the bridge is like a rainbow arch soaring up to the skies, extending from one cliff to the other... I, a poor and miserable servant of Allah, have passed through 16 countries, but I have never seen such a high bridge. It is thrown from rock to rock as high as the sky. The first church in the city of Mostar,

6721-427: The 1st Group, comprising the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 19th Squadrons was formed at Zagreb, and then the 2nd Group with the 4th, 5th and 6th squadrons and the 3rd Group with the 7th, 8th and 9th Squadrons at Sarajevo's Rajlovac airfield, whilst the 6th Group was formed at Banja Luka's Zaluzani airfield in June 1942 to cover operations in central Croatia and western Bosnia. These reinforcements came just in time to participate in

6864-442: The 20th century for ideological reasons or by bombardment. One of the two 19th-century Orthodox churches has also disappeared, while the early 20th-century synagogue , after suffering severe damage in the World War II , has been converted into a theatre. Several Ottoman inns also survived, along with other buildings from this period of Mostar's history, such as fountains and schools. The majority of administrative buildings are from

7007-441: The 50th anniversary of the Declaration, at the beginning of 2017, a two-day meeting of experts from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro was organized in Zagreb, at which the text of the Declaration on the Common Language of Croats, Bosniaks, Serbs and Montenegrins was drafted. The new Declaration has received more than ten thousand signatures . It states that in Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro

7150-461: The Adriatic coast and invigorated the economy of the city. The results of this ten-year project earned Mostar an Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1986. According to the 1991 census , Mostar had 127,000 inhabitants with roughly an equal number of Bosniaks (34.6%) and Croats (34%), 18.8% Serbs , and 13.6% of those who declared themselves Yugoslavs or Others. After Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia in April 1992,

7293-594: The Allies. They had landed in North Africa while the Soviets were undertaking their great winter offensive, endangering, and eventually defeating, the German 6th Army around Stalingrad. The Partisan movement in Yugoslavia, aside from some smaller territories, established a large liberated territory extending west of the rivers Neretva and Bosna, in the direction of the cities of Zagreb and Rijeka . The Partisan force had grown stronger – it had more than 60,000 armed fighters in this so-called "Tito's State" who were both well trained and supported by artillery. On 20 January 1943,

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7436-505: The Austro-Hungarian period and have neoclassical and Secessionist characteristics. A number of surviving late Ottoman houses demonstrate the component features of this form of domestic architecture – upper storey for residential use, hall, paved courtyard, and veranda on one or two storeys. The later 19th-century residential houses are predominantly in neoclassical style. A number of early trading and craft buildings still exist, notably some low shops in wood or stone, stone storehouses, and

7579-419: The Croatian elite. In the 1860s, the Zagreb Philological School dominated the Croatian cultural life, drawing upon linguistic and ideological conceptions advocated by the members of the Illyrian movement. While it was dominant over the rival Rijeka Philological School and Zadar Philological Schools , its influence waned with the rise of the Croatian Vukovians (at the end of the 19th century). Croatian

7722-433: The Croatian language. The current standard language is generally laid out in the grammar books and dictionaries used in education, such as the school curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Education and the university programmes of the Faculty of Philosophy at the four main universities . In 2013, a Hrvatski pravopis by the Institute of Croatian Language and Linguistics received an official sole seal of approval from

7865-579: The Dornier Do 17Ks from 3rd and 9th Squadrons were extensively used to attack Partisan positions in Bihać , Bugojno , Livno and Duvno and Bosnia. Owing to the availability of increased numbers of aircraft, the 6th Group was formed at Banja Luka comprising the 13th, 16th, 17th and 18th Squadrons. Not only did this medium bomber force fly reconnaissance and bombing missions against Partisan forces, but also flew deep into territory under Partisan control and attacked railway stations, road traffic, agricultural depots and food stocks. The Partisan forces were aware of

8008-409: The German HQ in Yugoslavia launched an offensive codenamed Case White ( German : Fall Weiss ), intending to regain the lost territory. The attack was supported by aircraft from the Luftwaffe, Regia Aeronautica and the ZNDH. Aircraft from the 2nd and 3rd Groups from Sarajevo and the 6th Group from Banja Luka were involved in bombing raids as well as leaflet dropping missions. The Banja Luka air base

8151-437: The German ordered dispersal of aircraft around the airfield's perimeter, in case of air attack, made the aircraft especially vulnerable to just this type of ground attack. By mid-1943, following the capture of southern Italy, Allied aircraft started to appear over the Balkans . NDH military command was aware of this danger and was trying to persuade the Germans to provide at least two squadrons of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters to

8294-405: The Germans in Graz in his Potez 25 on 4 April 1941 and declared himself an Ustaše supporter. The first task of the new air force, the backbone of which was provided by 500 former VVKJ officers and 1,600 NCOs, was the acquisition or salvage of aircraft, weapons, machinery, equipment and fuel that had survived the fighting and had not been confiscated by the German or Italian forces. Following

8437-542: The Holy Widow Judith Composed in Croatian Verses ". The Croatian–Hungarian Agreement designated Croatian as one of its official languages. Croatian became an official EU language upon accession of Croatia to the European Union on 1 July 2013. In 2013, the EU started publishing a Croatian-language version of its official gazette. Standard Croatian is the official language of the Republic of Croatia and, along with Standard Bosnian and Standard Serbian , one of three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina . It

8580-403: The Ikarus aircraft plant in Zemun, including 11 Dornier Do 17K , three Bristol Blenheim Mk I and one Caproni Ca.310 bombers, 15 Rogožarski PVT and 11 Rogožarski R-100 attack aircraft, which had been fitted with bomb racks to carry 100-kilogram (220 lb) bombs, plus a few Breguet 19s, Potez 25s, Zmaj Fizir FNs and Zmaj Fizir FP-2s. From Prague in Czechoslovakia (under German occupation),

8723-411: The Ministry of Education. The most prominent recent editions describing the Croatian standard language are: Also notable are the recommendations of Matica hrvatska , the national publisher and promoter of Croatian heritage, and the Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography , as well as the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts . Numerous representative Croatian linguistic works were published since

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8866-566: The NDH. The Dorniers proved a welcome addition to the strike power of the Axis forces fighting the Partisans in Yugoslavian territory right up to the end of 1944. In late 1943, a second squadron, 2./(Kroat.)KG was formed to provide operational training. It was equipped with Italian designed and built CANT Z.1007 and Fiat BR.20 medium bombers. During the course of 1942, the ZNDH flew some 4,800 sorties, of which 30% were combat missions, with 35 aircraft being lost. Of these losses, 19 were to Partisan ground fire, 12 to accidents and four deserted. By

9009-437: The NDH. They were immediately put to good use and eased the work of the already overstretched ZNDH. The Dornier Do 17s of the ZNDH proved to be especially well suited for such tasks. June also saw Kren returned to his previous position as head of the ZNDH. Croatian language North America South America Oceania Croatian ( / k r oʊ ˈ eɪ ʃ ən / ; hrvatski [xř̩ʋaːtskiː] )

9152-431: The Nebojša Tower was built on the left bank of the Neretva, which belonged to the late medieval county still known as Večenike or Večerić. The earliest documentary reference to Mostar as a settlement dates from 3 April 1452, when Ragusans from Dubrovnik wrote to their fellow countrymen in the service of Serbian Despot Đorđe Branković to say that Vladislav Hercegović had turned against his father Stjepan and occupied

9295-411: The Neretva. The city was a major industrial and tourist center and prospered economically during the time of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . Between 1948 and 1974 the industrial base was expanded with construction of a metal-working factory, cotton textile mills , and an aluminum plant. Skilled workers, both men and women, entered the work force and the social and demographic profile of

9438-422: The Old Bridge, which was destroyed during the Bosnian War by HVO, to the original design, and restore surrounding structures and historic neighbourhoods was initiated in 1999 and mostly completed by spring 2004. The money for this reconstruction was donated by Spain (who had a sizable contingent of peacekeeping troops stationed in the surrounding area during the conflict), the United States , Turkey , Italy ,

9581-464: The Partisans mostly over eastern and western Bosnia, as well as over other parts of the NDH. By September, the ZNDH introduced larger aircraft for bombing Partisan forces and territory. Two bombers, an Avia Fokker F.IX derived F.39 and a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 were available for operations and had the added advantage of being able to carry 100-kilogram (220 lb) bombs. They were extensively used for bombing villages and road communications. However it

9724-405: The Potez 25s could carry about half that amount. Both types were also armed with three 7.7-millimetre (0.30 in) machine guns . Altogether the ZNDH eventually came to possess 50 Breguet 19s and 45 Potez 25s. The operational use of these light bombers was not limited to fighting the Partisans; the aircraft were also used to supply isolated or surrounded army strong points. The emblem of the ZNDH

9867-416: The Stari Grad Agency was launched to operate and maintain the restored buildings, including the Old Bridge complex, and promote Mostar as a cultural and tourist destination. In July 2005, UNESCO inscribed the Old Bridge and its closest vicinity onto the World Heritage List . International reconstruction efforts also aimed at the reunification of the divided city. The February 1996 Mostar Agreement led to

10010-412: The USAAF bomber formations, often stressing their old engines beyond the limit. They were no match for the escorting Mustang and Thunderbolt USAAF fighters and suffered heavy losses, both in the air and on the ground. By the end of 1944 the HZL squadron had handed in its remaining worn-out Macchis for brand new German Messerschmitt Bf 109G & K fighters. A total of 21 Bf 109s had been delivered to

10153-416: The ZNDH a Breguet and a Potez aircraft, both of which crash landed after being hit by Partisan ground fire. The ZNDH crews had little chance of survival after being hit, as flying suits, helmets and parachutes were not available at the time – hence their desperate crash-landings. Similar actions continued throughout 1941. The ZNDH flew many missions in support of Army troops in limited scale operations against

10296-624: The ZNDH by year's end. Allied aircraft specifically started targeting ZNDH and Luftwaffe bases and aircraft for the first time as a result of the Seventh anti-Partisan Offensive , including Operation Rösselsprung in late May 1944. Until then Axis aircraft could fly inland almost at will as long as they remained at low altitude. Partisan units on the ground frequently complained about enemy aircraft attacking them while hundreds of Allied aircraft flew above at higher altitude. This changed during Rösselsprung as Allied fighter-bombers went low en-masse for

10439-475: The ZNDH had a brief role in the subsequent anti-Partisan offensive, Case Black ( German : Fall Schwarz ) in mid-1943, its main involvement was on the front in the central NDH. As always, the Partisan resistance displayed frustrating survivability and effectiveness and new events started to influence the fighting in Yugoslavia. The Partisan forces were well aware of the constant threat of air attack posed by

10582-561: The ZNDH had first to be repaired and/or overhauled at the Ikarus plant in Zemun. In late 1941 the ZNDH had 95 aircraft distributed in four groups and eight squadrons. Fighting the Yugoslav Partisans from the air had begun already in late June 1941, when Breguet 19 and Potez 25 bombers had proved most suitable. The Breguets could carry a bomb load of up to 400 kilograms (880 lb) using 24 12-kilogram (26 lb) bombs, whilst

10725-714: The ZNDH received 10 brand new Caproni Ca.311 M medium bombers from Italy. These aircraft had been ordered and paid for by the Yugoslav Government for service in the VVKJ, but the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia prevented delivery. The ZNDH also purchased 20 AVIA FL.3 basic trainers, nine Fiat G.50bis fighters and one Fiat G.50B two-seat fighter trainer. The Fiat aircraft were to provide the ZNDH's fighter pilots with some operational training on more modern aircraft. Other batches of overhauled ex-VVKJ aircraft also arrived from

10868-465: The ZNDH received seven Avia Fokker F.7 transports, one Avia Fokker F.9 and one Avia Fokker F.18. Of these, the F.7s and F.18 were pre-war Czech airliners. As the ZNDH suffered from a total lack of transport aircraft, these were immediately pressed into service, after only minor adjustments. Some were even used to provide scheduled air-line services. The nine Fiat G.50bis fighters took off from Turin - Fiat Aviazione on 12 June 1942, but before crossing

11011-464: The ZNDH's medium bomber force and on 10 August 1943 undertook a devastating night attack by a brigade on Sarajevo's Rajlovac airfield. The three and a half hour assault on the airfield left 10 ZNDH bombers, plus another five Luftwaffe bombers and transports, destroyed, with another 17 aircraft damaged. Although some aircrews returned fire from the machine-gun turrets of their aircraft, Partisan losses were less than 20. Afterwards ZNDH Command complained that

11154-567: The ZNDH. However, instead of Bf 109s, the only reinforcement fighters that came from Germany were the first of a batch of 36 overhauled captured French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighters in October, plus another dozen which arrived in December. The Germans also supplied 25 Beneš-Mráz Beta-Minor sporting two seater monoplanes, which were dispatched between the squadrons for liaison duty, as the lack of radio communications equipment at squadron level

11297-575: The ZNDH. The Luftwaffe subsequently also supplied the HZL fighter squadron with about 20-25 Fiat G.50s captured by German troops on Regia Aeronautica airfields in the Balkans . The capitulation of Italy also brought with it the real threat of an invasion by the Allies of the Dalmatian coast. As a result, on 9 September, orders were received by 1./(Kroat.)KG to execute two coastal reconnaissance sorties over

11440-603: The adoption of the Interim Statute of the city the same month, and to a 1-year period of EUAM, headed by former Bremen mayor Hans Koschnick , until early 1997. After six years of implementation, in 2003 OHR Paddy Ashdown established an "international commission for reforming Mostar", whose final report noted how the HDZ/SDA power-sharing in Mostar had entrenched division and corruption, with "rampant parallelism" in administrative structures and usurpation of power by

11583-622: The aircraft were more or less damaged and action was undertaken to repair as many of them as possible. Former VVKJ pilots of Croatian background and other personnel of aeronautical specialty were approached and offered instant rehabilitation (most of them were in German POW camps), jobs and safety for their families. Kren also initiated the formation of an early warning system, anti-aircraft batteries (armed with German and Czech weapons) and various training and servicing departments, ammunition stores and workshop facilities. The fuel necessary for

11726-400: The annual International Economic Fair Mostar ("Međunarodni sajam gospodarstva Mostar") which was first held in 1997. In 2013 the municipality had a total population of 105,797 according to the census results and the city itself had a population of 60,195. Its population consists of the following ethnic groups: Croats (48.4%); Bosniaks (44.1%) and Serbs (4.1%). The city of Mostar has

11869-468: The beginning of 1943. The Headquarters (HQ) of the ZNDH had plans to re-arm at least one Group with more modern aircraft of German or Italian origin. The Italians refused to supply the requested Macchi C.200 and Macchi C.202 fighters, as the Regia Aeronautica needed every aircraft to fill its own squadrons in the beginning of 1943. This was because the situation began to change in favour of

12012-604: The beginning of the 20th century, in addition to designing a phonological orthography. Croatian is written in Gaj's Latin alphabet . Besides the Shtokavian dialect, on which Standard Croatian is based, there are two other main supradialects spoken on the territory of Croatia, Chakavian and Kajkavian . These supradialects, and the four national standards, are usually subsumed under the term "Serbo-Croatian" in English; this term

12155-441: The besieged army garrison at Rogatica . They would land under fire at a small improvised grass landing strip, unloading ammunition and other supplies while keeping their engines running and taking off as soon as was possible. On 23 March, a ZNDH Potez 25 was shot down by the Partisans and the crew were killed. Three days later an Avia Fokker F.9 was damaged whilst dropping ammunition to Rogatica but managed to return to base safely. As

12298-483: The border they were stopped by an order from Capo di Stato Maggiore Cavallero, that was afraid the ZNDH pilots could defect with the new Fiat aircraft. The G.50 aircraft had to wait until 25 June before being delivered to the 16th Squadron at Banja Luka, but during the course of 1942, five were transferred to the 1st Squadron stationed in Zagreb in order to strengthen the defence of the NDH capital. Their deployment between

12441-520: The brief April War , the Germans had captured over 300 ex-VVKJ aircraft. They considered them to be of little use for the Luftwaffe, so it was decided to equip the ZNDH with an appropriate number of these aircraft. These aircraft, scattered in every corner of Yugoslavia, were then collected, minor damage repaired and stocks of fuel and spare parts stored at airfield workshops. Naturally, the majority of

12584-490: The central and south Adriatic each morning and afternoon. On 10 October one of its Dornier Do 17Zs was intercepted by eight Spitfire Mk.VIII fighters of No. 92 Squadron RAF near the coast of Italy. All of the fighters made firing passes on the Dornier, which was shot down, the crew bailing out. One Spitfire was hit by return fire and crashed into the sea, killing its pilot. After this, reconnaissance sorties were confined to

12727-432: The city was broadened dramatically; between 1945 and 1980, Mostar's population grew from 18,000 to 100,000. Because Mostar's eastern bank was burdened by inadequate infrastructure, the city expanded on the western bank with the construction of large residential blocks. Local architects favored an austere modernist aesthetic, prefabrication and repetitive modules. Commercial buildings in the functionalist style appeared on

12870-577: The conduct of the vote in Mostar on 20 December 2020. Mostar has architecturally noteworthy buildings in a wide range of styles. Historicist architectural styles reflected cosmopolitan interest and exposure to foreign aesthetic trends and were artfully merged with indigenous styles. Examples include the Italianate Franciscan church, the Ottoman Muslibegovića house , the Dalmatian Ćorović House and an Orthodox church which

13013-698: The cultivated language of administration and intellectuals from the Istrian peninsula along the Croatian coast, across central Croatia up into the northern valleys of the Drava and the Mura . The cultural apex of this 17th century idiom is represented by the editions of " Adrianskoga mora sirena " ("The Siren of the Adriatic Sea") by Petar Zrinski and " Putni tovaruš " ("Traveling escort") by Katarina Zrinska . However, this first linguistic renaissance in Croatia

13156-452: The dishes include ćevapčići , burek , sarma , japrak , musaka , dolma , sujuk , sač , đuveč , and sataraš . Local desserts include baklava , hurmašice , sutlijaš , tulumbe , tufahije , and šampita . Mostar's economy relies heavily on the aluminium and metal industry, banking services and the telecommunication sector. The city is home of some of the country's largest corporations. Along with Sarajevo and Banja Luka , it

13299-471: The east (Bosniak-majority) had 34,712 voters. The ethnic composition of the city of Mostar, per indicated census years: The City of Mostar (aside from city proper) includes the following settlements: After the Bosnian War , following the Dayton Agreement , the villages of Kamena , Kokorina and Zijemlje were separated from Mostar to form the new municipality of Istočni Mostar (East Mostar), in

13442-440: The eastern part of Yugoslavia, which they had liberated in the autumn of 1941. The ZNDH flew daily supply missions with their Avia Fokker F.39 and due to the lack of other aircraft also used the venerable Breguets and Potez. These could land on hastily prepared strips and performed very well in airlifting supplies to the surrounded garrison of Višegrad . In 1942, fighting with the Partisans intensified. Not only had they liberated

13585-485: The end of the year the ZNDH aircraft park consisted of 191 aircraft, formed into 14 squadrons. 1942 had seen the first desertions of aircraft from the ZNDH, the first on 23 May when a Breguet and a Potez had defected to the Partisan forces. The army conducted an intensive search for the aircraft and in response the Partisans produced two decoy scale-model aircraft, made of wood and canvas, which were duly destroyed by ZNDH bombers. Both "destroyed" aircraft were able to perform

13728-410: The fact that three dams are situated on the city of Mostar's territory, the city has a solid base for further development of production. There is also an ongoing project for the possible use of wind power and building of windmills. The private sector has seen a notable increase in small and medium enterprises over the past couple of years contributing to the positive business climate. Mostar also hosts

13871-898: The fighting. Among them were the Catholic Cathedral of Mary, Mother of the Church , the Franciscan Church and Monastery, the Bishop's Palace and 12 out of 14 mosques in the city. After the VRS was pushed from the city, the Serbian Orthodox Žitomislić Monastery and the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity were demolished. Throughout late 1992, tensions between Croats and Bosniaks increased in Mostar. In early 1993

14014-401: The first time, establishing full aerial superiority. Consequently, both the ZNDH and Luftwaffe were forced to limit their operations in clear weather to early morning and late afternoon hours. In June, the ZNDH finally received from Germany the long-promised airdrop containers for aerial resupply of ammunition and other equipment, constantly in need by besieged and encircled garrisons all over

14157-562: The ground defence of this important air base and also performed ceremonial guard duties in Zagreb itself. By late January 1945 the unit was equipped with white winter jackets for camouflage and attached to the NDH Motorized Brigade, seeing its first action on this new sector, south of Zagreb. 1 PLB remained in constant action against the advancing Partisans until the last unit surrendered in Austria on 14 May 1945, one week after

14300-572: The ground forces, the ZNDH flew 121 combat missions in January, 100 missions in February and 350 in March. Although the Axis ground forces generally succeeded in their operations in January and February, in March they were forced to release the pressure as other Partisan units attacked several solitary NDH garrisons, threatening to destroy them. Aside from constant bombing sorties, Potez 25 and Breguet 19 aircraft were also used for daily supply missions to

14443-584: The ground, in accidents and five desertions. With the capitulation of Italy, the ZNDH lost an important source of new aircraft and the tide turned significantly when Allied air raids on targets in the Balkans became a reality. The Luftwaffe fighter squadrons stationed in Ljubljana , Zagreb, southern Austria and northern Italy fought heavy battles to stop the American USAAF heavy bomber armada. The ZNDH

14586-422: The growing Allied air threat. The personnel of the ZNDH took over and re-activated the airfields at Zagreb, Sarajevo, Mostar , Banja Luka and Zemun , where the Ikarus and Zmaj aircraft plants were located. By June 1941, the Germans had begun to pass on to the ZNDH various captured VVKJ aircraft, including eight Bristol Blenheim I and five Potez 25 bombers. These and most of the 211 ex-VVKJ aircraft received by

14729-420: The historic eastern side of the city as well, replacing more intimate timber constructions that had survived since Ottoman times. In the 1970s and 1980s, a healthy local economy fueled by foreign investment spurred recognition and conservation of the city's cultural heritage. An economically sustainable plan to preserve the old town of Mostar was implemented by the municipality, which drew thousands of tourists from

14872-682: The historical capital of Herzegovina . Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest city in the country. Mostar was named after the bridge keepers ( mostari ) who guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva during the Ottoman era. The Old Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site , commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most visited landmarks, and

15015-564: The independence of Croatia, among them three voluminous monolingual dictionaries of contemporary Croatian. In 2021, Croatia introduced a new model of linguistic categorisation of the Bunjevac dialect (as part of New-Shtokavian Ikavian dialects of the Shtokavian dialect of the Croatian language) in three sub-branches: Dalmatian (also called Bosnian-Dalmatian), Danubian (also called Bunjevac), and Littoral-Lika. Its speakers largely use

15158-473: The largest population of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As in many other cities, its demographic profile was significantly altered after the Bosnian War; in the case of Mostar, most of the Serbs left or were forced out of the city . According to the official data of the local elections of 2008, among six city election districts, three western ones (Croat-majority) had 53,917 registered voters, and those three on

15301-555: The loss of their base, together with 20 men, all of their parachute equipment and their transport aircraft. The ZNDH also lost a Dornier Do 17K bomber and a Bücker Bü 131 biplane shot down during this period. The unit was re-deployed in 1944 to Borongaj airfield in Zagreb and in June 1944 grew in strength with the addition of three further companies and was re-designated as the 1st Light Infantry Parachute Battalion ( Croatian : 1 Padobranska lovačka bojna , 1 PLB). They were responsible for

15444-474: The mid-18th century, the first attempts to provide a Croatian literary standard began on the basis of the Neo-Shtokavian dialect that served as a supraregional lingua franca – pushing back regional Chakavian , Kajkavian , and Shtokavian vernaculars . The decisive role was played by Croatian Vukovians , who cemented the usage of Ijekavian Neo-Shtokavian as the literary standard in the late 19th and

15587-491: The missions were performed by the 2nd and 3rd Group's squadrons based at Sarajevo, which was the strongest operational base at that time. The Zagreb air base was principally employed in attacking Partisan positions in western Slavonia and Bosnia. The 10 new Caproni Ca.311Ms were tried out during the successive attacks on Partisan territory. They were equally divided between 3rd Squadron (Zagreb) and 7th Squadron (Rajlovac). During September and October Blenheims from 8th Squadron and

15730-534: The more populous Neo-Shtokavian – a version of Shtokavian that eventually became the predominant dialectal basis of both Croatian and Serbian literary language from the 19th century on. Supported by various South Slavic proponents, Neo-Shtokavian was adopted after an Austrian initiative at the Vienna Literary Agreement of 1850, laying the foundation for the unified Serbo-Croatian literary language. The uniform Neo-Shtokavian then became common in

15873-458: The most important characteristic of a nation is widely accepted, stemming from the 19th-century history of Europe. The 1967 Declaration on the Status and Name of the Croatian Literary Language , in which a group of Croatian authors and linguists demanded greater autonomy for Croatian, is viewed in Croatia as a linguistic policy milestone that was also a general milestone in national politics. On

16016-558: The municipalities over the City. A new Statute was negotiated, and finally imposed in February 2004 by OHR Paddy Ashdown . In November 2010, the Constitutional Court struck down as discriminatory the electoral framework for Mostar. The Bosniak and Croat ruling parties were unable, however, to reach a new compromise. Lacking a legal basis, local elections could not take place in Mostar in 2012 and 2016 , and outgoing mayor Ljubo Bešlić (HDZ BiH) remained in office as

16159-529: The objective of which was to relieve Mostar and break the JNA siege of Dubrovnik . The offensive was supported by the HVO, which attacked the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) positions around Mostar. By 12 June the HVO secured the western part of the city and by 21 June the VRS was completely pushed out from the eastern part. Numerous religious buildings and most of the city's bridges were destroyed or severely damaged during

16302-433: The official end of World War II. At the beginning of 1943 the Axis forces had complete control of the airspace over Yugoslavian territory. No aerial opposition of any kind was expected and that was the primary reason that the bomber force could operate without any fighter cover, notwithstanding the fact that there was a total lack of any serious fighter force in the ZNDH's squadrons. However, the situation started to change by

16445-523: The only person authorised to allocate the city budget on an emergency basis. Almost a decade without administration led to a decline in service provision, including trash collection. In October 2019 Irma Baralija won a case against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the European Court of Human Rights for the lack of elections in Mostar. Finally, a political deal, agreed under international mediation in June 2020, enabled legislative amendments in July 2020 and

16588-674: The operations of the ZNDH was supplied by the Germans from former Yugoslav stocks in Kraljevo , Serbia. As early as May 1941, the NDH had asked Germany for, among other things, 22 Messerschmitt Bf 109s . Instead, they got some of the remaining largely obsolete aircraft of the VVKJ. At the same time, Germany appropriated six captured Dornier Do 17K bombers, which were then supplied to Bulgaria . Romania received six ex-VVKJ Hawker Hurricanes , as well as six Bristol Blenheims , whilst Finland received 20 half-completed Blenheims, together with manufacturing tools and production equipment, as well as

16731-469: The settlement, and mahala or a residential area. The town was fortified between the years 1520 and 1566, and the wooden bridge rebuilt in stone. In 1519 ( Hijri 925) the settlement was recorded as a castle and both as Mostar and as Köprühisar and it was inhabited by Muslims and Christians. It had four Muslim households and 85 Christian households. The stone bridge, the Old Bridge ( Stari most ),

16874-413: The site of the present-day Mostar along the right bank of the Neretva, including the sites of Zahum, Cim , Ilići , Raštani and Vojno . It was at the center of this area, which in 1408 belonged to Radivojević , who built Cim Fort (prior to 1443). Mostar is indirectly referred to in a 1454 charter of King Alfonso V of Aragon as Pons ("bridge"), for a bridge had already been built there. Prior to 1444,

17017-426: The speakers themselves largely do not use it. Within ex-Yugoslavia, the term has largely been replaced by the ethnopolitical terms Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, and Serbian. The use of the name "Croatian" for a language has historically been attested to, though not always distinctively. The first printed Croatian literary work is a vernacular Chakavian poem written in 1501 by Marko Marulić , titled " The History of

17160-473: The surrounding army garrisons and higher command. Often the Army requested one or two aircraft to be temporarily attached to particular army units to closely co-operate with ground troops. The ZNDH's fighter force was poorly equipped in every respect, consisting of 12 ex-VVKJ machines including four Ikarus IK-2s , seven ancient Avia BH-33 Es and one Hawker Fury II . Fortunately for this ill-equipped force, there

17303-469: The third largest telecommunication company in the country). These three companies (along with banks and aluminium factory) make a vast portion of overall economic activity in the city. Prior to the 1992–1995 Bosnian War , Mostar relied on other important companies which had been closed, damaged or downsized. They included SOKO (military aircraft factory), Fabrika duhana Mostar (tobacco industry), and Hepok (food industry). In 1981, Mostar's GDP per capita

17446-509: The threat to their operations that the ZNDH provided and were constantly trying to improve their anti-aircraft defence, which relied mainly on machineguns. December 1942 also saw the return of the HZL bomber squadron to Croatia from service on the Eastern Front, where they had flown more than 1,500 sorties. Upon its return the squadron was redesignated 1./(Kroat.)KG after having flown its nine Dornier Do 17Z bombers from Russia back to

17589-472: The town of Blagaj and other places, including “Duo Castelli al ponte de Neretua.” . In 1468 the region came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and the urbanization of the settlement began. It was named Köprühisar , meaning fortress at the bridge, at the centre of which was a cluster of 15 houses. The town was organized into two distinct areas: čaršija , the crafts and commercial centre of

17732-623: The town was besieged by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), following clashes between the JNA and Croat forces. The Croats were organized into the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and were joined by a sizable number of Bosniaks. The JNA artillery periodically shelled neighbourhoods outside of their control from early April. On 7 June the Croatian Army (HV) launched an offensive code named Operation Jackal ,

17875-409: The town. Stone steps enable people to ascend to the bridge from either side. During the armed conflict between Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats in the Bosnian War in the 1990s, the bridge was destroyed by the HVO (Croatian Defence Council). The Cejvan Cehaj Mosque, built in 1552, is the oldest mosque in Mostar. Later a madrasa (Islamic school) was built on the same compound. The Old Bazaar, Kujundziluk,

18018-442: The two squadrons was aimed to further familiarise the ZNDH fighter pilots with more sophisticated aircraft. Until that time, the only fighters available in numbers were the seven ancient Avia BH-33E biplanes and four Ikarus IK-2 gull wing fighters (for which there were very few spares), as well as 11 Rogožarski R-100 parasol wing fighter-trainers. Thanks to this extended aircraft park the ZNDH could now form new units: in January

18161-535: The vicinity of the Dalmatian coast. Attacks on Partisan forces continued, and on 3 October seven Dornier Do 17Zs caught 2. bataljon of Brigada Braća Radić (2nd battalion of the Radić Brothers Brigade) on the move at Šemovec, on the Varaždin -Ludbreg road. In over one hour's concentrated aerial bombardment, the battalion sustained some 60 casualties, including 42 dead. Although the ZNDH was now able to mount

18304-466: The western bank of the Neretva, and significant investments were made in infrastructure, communications and housing. City administrators like Mustafa Mujaga Komadina were central players in these transformations, which facilitated growth and linked the eastern and western banks of the city. Noteworthy examples of Austro-Hungarian architecture include Hotel Neretva , the Municipality building, which

18447-495: Was 103% of the Yugoslav average. Aluminum manufacturing company Aluminij Industries is the sole remaining large company that was prominent during the former Yugoslavia. It is one of the country's largest exporter companies and it has a number of international partners. It is one of the most influential companies in the region as well. The city of Mostar alone has direct income of €40 million annually from Aluminij. Considering

18590-591: Was also formed, designated 3./(Kroat.)JGr and equipped with Fiat G.50, Macchi C.200 and Fiat CR.42 fighters. After a period of operational conversion, the squadron commenced operations against the frequent incursions over the NDH by USAAF and RAF aircraft. During a period of intensive activity over the summer of 1944, the squadron claimed some 20 Allied aircraft shot down, while at the same time receiving six further Macchi C.202s, as well as four brand new Macchi C.205s . The ZNDH's long obsolete Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 and Fiat G.50 fighter aircraft also attempted to intercept

18733-432: Was also included in the defence with the newly formed 11th Fighter Group ( Croatian : 11 lovačka skupina ) consisting of the 21st, 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons ( Croatian : Lovačka jata ) equipped with Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 and Fiat G.50 aircraft. 1944 also saw the return of the HZL fighter squadron to the NDH from service on the Eastern Front. It was redesignated Kroat. JGr 1 and its operational fighter squadron

18876-504: Was built as gift from the Sultan. The Ottomans used monumental architecture to affirm, extend and consolidate their colonial holdings. Administrators and bureaucrats – many of them indigenous people who converted from Christianity to Islam – founded mosque complexes that generally included Koranic schools, soup kitchens or markets. Out of the thirteen original mosques dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, seven have been lost during

19019-465: Was designed by the architect Josip Vancaš from Sarajevo , residential districts around the Rondo, and Gimnazija Mostar from 1902 designed by František Blažek . After World War II, Mostar developed industries producing plastics , tobacco , bauxite , wine , aircraft and aluminium . Several dams ( Grabovica , Salakovac , Mostar ) were built in the region to harness the hydroelectric power of

19162-471: Was erected in 1566 on the orders of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and at 28 m (92 ft) long and 20 m (66 ft) high, quickly became a wonder in its own time. Later becoming the city's symbol, the Old Bridge was designed by Mimar Hayruddin , a student and apprentice of Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan . In the late 16th century, Köprühisar was one of the towns of the Sanjak of Herzegovina . In

19305-644: Was halted by the political execution of Petar Zrinski and Fran Krsto Frankopan by the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I in Vienna in 1671. Subsequently, the Croatian elite in the 18th century gradually abandoned this combined Croatian standard. The Illyrian movement was a 19th-century pan- South Slavic political and cultural movement in Croatia that had the goal to standardise the regionally differentiated and orthographically inconsistent literary languages in Croatia, and finally merge them into

19448-683: Was most important outlet for cultural and artistic production in the city and the region, offering space for upstart poets and writers. Dani Matice Hrvatske is one of city's significant cultural events and it is commonly sponsored by the Croatian Government and the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina . Mostar Summer is another umbrella event which includes Šantić Poetry Evenings, Mostar Summer Festival and Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina choirs/ensembles. The city

19591-467: Was no aerial opposition and some more modern fighter aircraft were received from 1942 onwards. Colder October and November weather limited aerial activities over the NDH. The Partisan operations spread to eastern Serbian territory and the squadrons based at Sarajevo airfield made their appearance on the Bosnian-Serbian border area. The Partisans were trying to secure and expand their territory in

19734-459: Was on the trade route between the Adriatic and the mineral-rich regions of central Bosnia , the settlement began to spread to the right bank of the river. Prior to 1474 the names of two towns appear in medieval historical sources, along with their later medieval territories and properties – the towns of Nebojša and Cimski grad. In the early 15th century the county ( župa ) of Večenike covered

19877-476: Was redesignated 2./(Kroat.)JGr . Soon after arrival 2./(Kroat.)JGr sent its ZNDH pilots to collect 12 brand new Macchi C.202 fighters direct from the plant near Milan in Italy. The Italian designed and built Macchi C.202 fighter was the first up-to-date fighter available to the ZNDH. These aircraft retained their Luftwaffe markings whilst in service with the unit. A second training/operational conversion squadron

20020-634: Was reinforced by a newly formed 5th Group after the end of Case White. The ZNDH now consisted of three air bases with six Groups and 14 squadrons. During 1943 new aircraft continued to arrive, with 30 overhauled Dornier Do 17E bombers delivered from Germany and divided between the 3rd Squadron (Zagreb), and the 13th and 15th Squadrons (Banja Luka). From Italy came 34 long promised ex-VVKJ Bücker Bü 131 Jungmans and 25 Saiman 200 light biplane trainers and liaison aircraft, which were dispatched to all three air bases. They were also used to deliver mail and fresh meat to isolated/surrounded towns and garrisons. Although

20163-441: Was soon established that the vintage biplane Breguet 19 and Potez 25 aircraft were ideally suited for missions against Partisan troop concentrations. Although they were outdated and certainly their use would be out of the question on any other front, their performance and armament made them very dangerous for an ill-armed enemy. The Partisans were scattered in villages, forests and mountains and their positions could only be detected by

20306-588: Was still evident. Mid-September 1943 saw the dismissal of Kren from command of the ZNDH. He was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Adalbert Rogulja, who initiated a major reorganisation. Following the capitulation of Italy in September 1943, around 60 Regia Aeronautica aircraft were found at Mostar and Zadar airfields and 33 machines were incorporated into the ZNDH. This number included further Fiat G.50 fighters, as well as six Fiat CR.42 biplane fighters. Some CANT Z.1007 and Fiat BR.20 bombers were also added into

20449-681: Was to be the red and white chequerboard insignia, ( Croatian : Šahovnica ), derived from the Croat coat of arms, dating back to the 10th century, carried on the fin. In January 1945 this was replaced by the black and white trefoil cross of King Zvonimir. As well as the Breguet and Potez aircraft, which were the most numerous types in the ZNDH inventory, Zmaj Fizir FP-2 light biplane trainers were also converted to carry six 12 kilograms (26 lb) bombs. These aircraft were used to bomb and strafe Partisan troops and positions in northern Bosnia but they also faced anti-aircraft fire. The first missions cost

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