Žikica Jovanović Španac

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Živorad "Žikica" Jovanović (1914 – March 12, 1942), better known as Žikica Jovanović Španac is credited for starting the anti-fascist struggle in Yugoslavia during World War II.

He was born in Valjevo and graduated from high school there, and then studied Yugoslav literature at the University of Belgrade. However, before graduating, he went to Spain where he fought in the Spanish Civil War, where he stayed until 1940. He was later nicknamed Španac (the Spaniard) for this.

When the Second World War started in Yugoslavia, he wanted to join the army, but was rejected under suspicion of anti-state activities. Three months later, after he joined the Partisan movement led by Josip Broz Tito, he started the war against fascist occupiers. On July 7, 1941, he shot two members of the gendarmerie at a fair in Bela Crkva. This was considered the beginning of the anti-fascist war in Yugoslavia.

He died in the village of Radovnica on March 12, 1942, in a battle against the Chetniks. He was proclaimed a Yugoslav national hero on July 6, 1945.