Ivo Herenčić

Ivo Herenčić (28 February 1910, Bjelovar – 8 December 1978, Buenos Aires, Argentina) was a general of the Croatian World War II Ustaše regime in charge of the Independent State of Croatia during World War II.

By 1944 Herenčić rose to be the commander of all Ustaše units which had been merged with the regular Domobran army by this point. At war's end, and the postwar flight to Bleiburg, he was in command of the Fifth Ustaše Corps.

Herenčić was one of the officials responsible for organizing the surrender of Croatian troops to the British as part of Operation Keelhaul. Herenčić was one of the senior officers at the meeting with Brigadier Patrick Scott of the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade.

The result of this meeting was considered unsuccessful by Herenčić as it was decided that retreating Croat soldiers and civilians would not be allowed to pass further than the Austrian border. Herenčić had a second meeting, in Bleiburg, where Scott decided that his troops would have to surrender their arms to the Yugoslav Partisans.^[1]

Ironically, while he was not able to negotiate Croatian passage into Austria, he himself was able to break through the British occupiers, and made his way to Italy. From there he travelled to Argentina, where he died December 8, 1978 in Buenos Aires, aged 68.

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