Quick Facts
Biography
Husein Rovčanin (1907 – 26 April 1944) was a Bosniak commander of a detachment of Sandžak Muslim militia from Komaran (Brodarevo in Sandžak) during the Second World War.
World War II
When Axis forces occupied Yugoslavia in April 1941, Ustaše forces of the Independent State of Croatia occupied Sandžak and established detachments of Muslim militia. Rovčanin was a commander of a detachment of Sandžak Muslim militia from Komaran (Brodarevo in Sandžak). Together with other commanders of Muslim militia (including Sulejman Pačariz and Osman Rastoder) he participated on the conference in village Godijevo and agreed to attack Serb villages near Sjenica and other parts of Sandžak.
After the Capitulation of Italy in September 1943, communists tried to negotiate surrender of Rovčanin and his troops. Since Rovčanin insisted that Komaran and Brodarevo should remain under the control of his detachment of Muslim militia, negotiations failed. At the end of October 1943 Partisans captured Komaran and Rovčanin and his militia had to retreat toward Sjenica. Germans promoted him to the rank of Captain. On 7 November 1943 Rovčanin led his forces of 300 — 400 militiamen from Sjenica toward Bijelo Polje. On 8 November Partisans defeated them.
Rovčanin was killed in the battle against Partisans on 26 April 1944 in the Biokovac village. His militiamen wore German uniforms.
Controversies
There are controversial interpretations of Rovčanin's role during the Second World War. According to some of them he cooperated with Chetniks and died protecting the retreat of Pavle Đurišić. According to this predominantly Chetnik view, Rovčanin belonged to small group of commanders of Muslim Militia who refrained from attacks on Christian population and who pursued the policy of cooperation with Chetniks and correct attitude toward Serbs. According to this view, this policy saved lives of many civilians (both Christian and Muslim) in Brodarevo, Prijepolje and Bijelo Polje. Some Chetnik sources say that Captain Rovčanin and his detachment from Komaran joined Chetniks without any conditions, and protected their region from communists.
