Date: Mon, 21 Aug 1995 09:48:11 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Civilization


On Mon, 21 Aug 1995, Cantsin wrote helpfully:

> A "historicist" footnote:
> 
> The "Ustashe" were the Croatian fascists who collaborated with Hitler in
> the systematic extermination of the Serbs during World War II. The
> "Tchetnics" were Serbian soldiers who served as the elite troops of the
> Austrian-Hungarian empire until World War I.
> 
> Cantsin
>
I'd want to add that the name "Chetnik" (as English-speakers spell it) 
was more usually applied to Serbian border raiders living in the 
territory of the former Ottoman Empire. 

Ottoman rule could be harsh on the non-Muslims they conquered. In the 
Balkans, poor Serbian farmers and outlawed men often took to the hills, 
living by robbery, smuggling and plunder. Since 
it was mainly the representatives of the conquerors they plundered, 
they were represented in legends as patriotic Serb rebels, leading a life 
of freedom, though against great odds. 

Many conquered or colonized nations have similar legends about free outlaw 
bands living in the hills.

The name "Chetnik" was adopted by the Serbian Royalist resistance during 
World War II, along with the traditional border raider dress. These 
Chetniks were a rival resistance force to Tito's Partisans. The Partisans 
prevailed, after Churchill persuaded the Allied forces to support them, 
and the Chetniks' leader was executed after the war for collaborating 
with the Nazis. (Whether he actually collaborated or not is still a 
matter of some controversy.)

The use of the name "Chetnik" by contemporary Serbian nationalists is 
thus intended to signify that theirs is a patriotic resistance to an 
alien occupying power. Few people outside Serbia would agree with this, 
of course.

Hope this helps. Sorry about length -- Balkan history is complicated, as 
I suppose we all know by now.
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