Zvonimir Červenko

Zvonimir Červenko (13 November 1926 – 17 February 2001) was a Croatian general and the chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia between 1995 and 1996.

Biography

Prewar life

Červenko was born in Prijepolje, in region of Sandžak, in Republic of Serbia. He started his military career at the Military Technical Academy in Zagreb, where he became a lecturer after 19 years.

During the Croatian Spring in the 1970s, he was a lieutenant colonel, and became involved by advocating Croatian interests. After the government crackdown, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison with rank and right to pension both withdrawn. Until 1990 he worked as bill collector for RTV Zagreb.

Croatian War of Independence

At the beginning of the Croatian War of Independence, 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.