Krsto Zrnov Popović
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| Krsto Zrnov Popović | |
|---|---|
| September 13, 1881- March 14, 1947 | |
 Krsto Zrnov Popović |
|
| Place of birth | Cuce, Kingdom of Montenegro |
| Place of death | Bojanje (Cuce), Montenegro, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia |
| Allegiance | Army of Montenegro Zelenaši Kingdom of Montenegro |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | Balkan Wars First World War Christmas Uprising St. Peter's Day Uprising Guerrilla War against Serbia |
Captain Krsto Zrnov Popović was one of the leaders of 1919 Christmas Uprising in Montenegro against Serbian dynasty Karađorđević, organized by the greens (zelenaši), followers of dethroned King Nikola and Montenegrin dynasty Petrović-Njegoš. After the uprising has failed, Popović immigrated to Italy, just to return in June of 1919 and start guerilla warfare.
He fought in the Balkan Wars and First World War in the Montenegrin army forces until being captured by Austro-Hungarian army in 1916.He was also one of the prominent heroes of the Battle of Mojkovac, where Montenegrins have helped Serbs, their close allies, to retreat before the Austro-Hungarian attacks. After spending two years in the Austro-Hungarian prisoner camp, he returned to Montenegro to become the leader of the Christmas Uprising on 7 January 1919 and Saint Petar's Day Uprising in July of same year, fighting against Serbian annexation of Montenegro. Between 1919 and 1922, he was the leader of Montenegrin komite, fighters for independence of Montenegro. In 1922, he was forced to emigrate to Argentina, and to Belgium in 1929.
Greens have fought for the independence of Montenegro, while the whites (bjelaši) supported the unification with the Kingdom of Serbia. However, in official newspapers of Montenegrin government in exile, Glas Crnogorca (Voice of Montenegrin), December 10, 1919 edition, Krsto Popović steted that "Montenegro is the land where the spark of Serb freedom was kept and preserved"[citation needed]. Meanwhile, only several months after his arrival to Montenegro, Krsto Popović has returned to Italy, where he serves in the army of Montenegrin government in exile, advancing to level of commander, and later to level of brigadier.
In 1929, from Belgium he sent the letter to King Alexander, where he asks the King to pardon him from responsibility for the civil war in Montenegro from December of 1918 until King Nikola's death. In this letter, he also proclaimed his loyalty to King Aleksandar Karađorđević. In October 18, 1929, in Belgium, government of province of Liege, immigration police, issued him a passport, under number 9121, with visa number 94. Among personal information, filled in this passport, Krsto Zrnov Popović declared himself as Serb.
In the same year, he returned to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, receiving a pension and living in retirement until World War II broke out when he organized his military formation Zelenaši. This militia was under fascist Italian occupation force influence, and it waged war against Montenegrin communists and Montenegrin branch of Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland. Militia official symbol was red-blue-white flag, Serb tricolor. Popovic's vision was gaining Montenegrin independence through cooperation with Fascist Italy, which led to his conflicts with both Montenegrin communists and Chetniks. During the war his militia has split; one group joined the Partisans, and others joined the Chetniks. Krsto Popović didn't join either side. He was killed in a communist ambush in 1947.
