Zvonimir Červenko
{{short description|Croatian general}}
{{Infobox military person
|name = Zvonimir Červenko
|image = Zvonimir Cervenko.jpg
|caption =
|birth_name =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1926|11|13|df=y}}
|birth_place = Prijepolje, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
|death_date = {{death date and age|2001|02|17|1926|11|13|df=y}}
|death_place = Zagreb, Croatia
|placeofburial = Alley of Croatian Heroes, Mirogoj Cemetery, Zagreb
|nickname =
|allegiance = {{flag|Yugoslavia}}
{{flag|Croatia}}
|branch = {{air force|Yugoslavia}}
{{army|Croatia}}
|serviceyears =
|rank = Lieutenant Colonel (JNA), Staff General (stožerni general), (Croatian Army)
|servicenumber =
|unit =
|commands = General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia
|battles = Croatian War of Independence
|battles_label =
|awards = Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV
Order of Duke Domagoj
Order of Ban Jelačić
|laterwork = Member of Parliament
}}
Zvonimir Červenko (13 November 1926 – 17 February 2001) was a Croatian general and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Croatia from 1995 to 1996.
Origin
Červenko's grand-grandfather was a Czech with a surname Červenka.Generalova priča : Zvonimir Červenko / Miroslav Mikuljan; priredio i uredio Mladen Pavković {{ISBN|953-7103-07-2}}
Croatian War of Independence
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2016}}
At the beginning of the Croatian War of Independence, Franjo Tuđman, president of the Republic of Croatia offered him the position of the minister of defence, but Červenko refused saying "I'm a soldier, not politician". He organized the defence of Zagreb, the blockade of enemy barracks, and started the process of forming 14 brigades in Zagreb. In January 1992, Červenko became the commander of Croatian Home Guard (Domobranstvo), becoming deputy of chief of the General Staff.
The top of his military career came just before the Operation Storm, when he succeeded Janko Bobetko in the position of Chief of the General Staff. He served as Chief of General Staff from 15 July 1995 until 16 November 1996. During his command, the Croatian Army executed the most successful operation of the war, Operation Storm. President Tuđman replaced him in November 1996.{{clarify|date=July 2016}} He later became a member of the Chamber of Counties of the Croatian Parliament (Sabor) on the electoral list of the Croatian Democratic Union. Beginning in 2000 he served as a member of the Amnesty Commission.
Death
Červenko died on 17 February 2001 in Zagreb. He was buried in Alley of Croatian Heroes at the Mirogoj Cemetery.{{cite web|url=http://www.hrt.hr/arhiv/2001/02/21/HRT0009.html|publisher=Croatian Radiotelevision|language=hr|title=Posljednji ispraćaj generala Zvonimira Červenka|date=21 February 2001|access-date=25 July 2016}}
Decorations
- Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV,
- Order of Duke Domagoj,{{cite web|url=http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/1995_07_46_930.html|publisher=Narodne novine|language=hr|title=Odluka kojom se odlikuju redom kneza Domagoja s ogrlicom|date=26 May 1995|access-date=25 July 2016}}
- Order of Ban Jelačić,
- Order of the Croatian Trefoil,
- Order of the Croatian Interlace,
- Commemorative Medal of the Homeland War,
- Medal for Participation in Operation "Flash"
- Medal for Participation in Operation "Summer '95"
- Medal for Participation in Operation "Storm"
References
- {{cite news | url = http://www.hrvatski-vojnik.hr/hrvatski-vojnik/1752008/vremeplov.asp | newspaper = Hrvatski vojnik #175 | language = hr | title = Vremeplov - Umro general Červenko | date = February 2008 | access-date = 2011-02-27}}
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Category:People from Prijepolje
Category:Military personnel from Zagreb
Category:Croatian army officers
Category:Croatian people of Czech descent
Category:Military personnel of the Croatian War of Independence
Category:Representatives in the modern Croatian Parliament
Category:Croatian Democratic Union politicians
Category:Order of Duke Domagoj recipients