User:Vidyapoky/Veljko Lukić Kurjak

Veljko Lukić Kurjak (Bukovica Donja, near Bijeljina, June 1917 — Kojčinovac, near Bijeljina, June 21st 1944) was a member of Yugoslav Partisans and a People's Hero of Yugoslavia.

Biography
Veljko Lukić Kurjak was born in June 1917. in village of Bukovica Donja, near Bijeljina. Kurjak's family was well established in the village. After finishing elementary school, Veljko remained at village working with father and brothers on an arable land.

Occupation of Yugoslavia and the creation of a Independent State of Croatia led by Ustasha regime in 1941, as well as Ustasha massacres and persecution of civilians have affected Veljko's decision to join Yugoslav Partisans. In September 1941, he joined the 1st Partisan Unit in Crnjelovo Gornje. It was a small unit with only 19 fighters and 3 guns. As a fighter, Veljko established himself already in the first few fight such as an attack on a police barracks in Dragaljevac Srednji, Crnjelovo Gornje, and other skirmishes. After being recommended by Fadil Jahić Španac, Veljko was accepted as a member of Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ) on a September 2nd, 1941.

After creating of Majevica Partisan Detachment, at the beginning of a year 1942, Veljko was placed in command of Sember's Partisan company. Veljko was once again prominent in company attacks on a Ustasha and Domobrani stronghold in Mijadine, near Brčko, in January of 1942. Because of his bravery and determination in fight, he received a nickname "Kurjak" (wolf).

During that time, in middle of the fiercest battles against Germans and Ustasha in eastern Bosnia, a conflict arose with Chetniks who attacked the headquarters of Majevica Partisan Detachment in February of 1942. During these hard times, as the detachment ran out of ammunitation, a retreat had to be made towards Birač and Šekovići. The retreat was made by road Zvornik-Tuzla, which was defended heavily by Ustasha forces. During the retreat, Veljko's company had a crucial role fighting in multiple clashes with Chetnik forces along the way and especially in Vukosavci.

In March 1942, Majevica Partisan detachment was renamed into 2nd Assault Battalion, and Veljko was placed in command of the 6th unit. After the formation of the 6th Proletarian Eastern Bosnia Assault Brigade in August 1942, Veljko's 2nd Assault Battalion was incorporated as well. After 5 months of fighting around Romanija, Zvijezda, valley of Krivaja and Konjuh, Veljko's battalion returned back to Majevica and Semberija. In October 1942 6th Proletarian Eastern Bosnia Assault Brigade was forced to retreat from Majevica over river Sava into Srijem. The Brigade headquarters has then decided that the Veljko's brigade will remain in Semberija.

After the Brigade returned to Semberija, at the end of 1942, Veljko was, due to his successes in fights against the Chetniks, placed as a Battalion commandeer. During these times, Battalion led heavy fights, and in one of them Veljko lost his eye. In clashes against Ustasha near Kladanj in February 1943, he was wounded again. He spent a good amount of time recovering in town of Šekovići, and after that he was transfered to Semberije. After partial recovery, in April 1943, Veljko Lukić was placed as a commander of a Third Majevica Partisan Detachment. With his unit, on June 11, 1943, he defeated and forced the whole Croatian Home Guard regiment to disband. Whole equipment and 1,256 members of Croatian Home Guard were captured. Third Majevice Detachment, as a part of First Battalion of Second Vojvodina Brigade, under the command of Veljko Lukić Kurjak, liberated Stari Ugljevik on June 16, 1943. In fights for liberation of Tuzla in September of 1943 the detachment liberated the village Lukavac and led fierce battles with Germans, who tried to break into recently liberated Tuzla.

After liberation of Tuzla, on October 10, 1943, Third Majevica Partisan Detachment was reformed into 17th Majevica Brigade with Veljko as its leader. During the Sixth Enemy Offensive, in December of 1943, in fight with German army on mountainZvijezda Veljko received severe spinal injury. He undertook surgery and treatment in a partisan hospital Šekovići; but as the injury took long to heal, he was transfered to a hospital in Semberija. Because Semberija was caught in enemy offensive in spring of 1944, most of wounded that were still mobile were placed in previously prepared dugouts. Veljko was then transfered to village Glogovac near Bijeljina.

Chetniks, having found out that there are several hidden wounded Partisans around Bijeljina, started searching for them. Due to this, Veljko was being transfered from a village to a village, however he was found and killed by Chetniks in village of Kojčinovac. His body was then given to Germans, who have then, as a warning to people, placed his body on a display in the center of Bijeljina.

By decree of leading body of Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ), on January 2, 1945 among the first Yugoslav Partisans, Veljko Lukić Kurjak was awarded the title of a  People's Hero of Yugoslavia.

In his honor in 1947 a village in the vicinity of Zrenjanin. was named Lukićevo