Osman Rastoder
Quick Facts
Biography
Osman Rastoder (1882 – 23 January 1946) was a cleric (hodja) and commander of the Muslim militia in upper Bihor during the Second World War. He was a collaborator with the Italians during their World War II occupation of Sandžak.
After Italy's capitulation he collaborated with occupying German forces. Rastoder belonged to the supporters of the annexation of Sandžak by the Greater Albania.
World War II
At the beginning of 1941 the relations between towns Petnjica and Police worsened due to the killing of Rastoder's son, Avdul (or Avdulah), in Berane.
During the Uprising in Montenegro a detachment of the Muslim militia from Bihor commanded by Rastoder attacked insurgents toward Berane. In autumn 1941, Rastoder was appointed to command the Muslim militia detachment in upper Bihor with its seat in Petnjica.
Together with Muslim militia commanders (including Sulejman Pačariz and Husein Rovčanin) he participated in a conference in village of Godijeva, and agreed to attack Serb villages near Sjenica and other parts of Sandžak.
On 31 March 1942, Chetnik leader Pavle Đurišić met with Rastoder and offered him a peace agreement, which Rastoder refused.
The detachment of Muslim militia commanded by Rastoder, supported by Albanian irregulars and German forces, attacked and killed 35 Partisans and 19 Italian irregulars of the Garibaldi Battalion on 22 January 1944 near the village of Vrbica (Berane). The circumstances of his death remain unclear.
Family
One of three sons of Avdulhodza Rastoder, Osman married twice, to Hajrija Sacirovic and Pasa Hadrovic, and had a total of seven children, Ferida, Smajo, Mejrema, Husein, Nurka, Avdulah and Suljo.
Legacy
In February 2013, members of the Bosniak community in Luxembourg established the Mulla Osman Hrastoder, an award named for Rastoder in his honor.