Ivan Milutinović

Ivan Milutinović – Milutin (Иван Милутиновић; 1901 – 1944) was a Yugoslav Partisan general and an eminent military commander who participated in the Yugoslav Front of World War II.

Before the war
In October 1940, during the Fifth Land Conference of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia held in Zagreb, Milutinović was elected as a member of Politburo. At this conference Tito formulated the leftist strategy of the CPY as focused on a revolutionary seizure of power in the country in order to organize a Soviet-style administrative organization in Yugoslavia. Besides Milovan Đilas and Boris Kidrič, Milutinović would become one of the major proponents of the policy of Leftist errors pursued during the Second World War.

Second World War
On 27 June 1941 Milutinović was elected as a member of the Supreme Staff of the National Liberation Partisan Units of Yugoslavia. During the Uprising in Montenegro, Chetnik commander Bajo Stanišić wanted to negotiate with the Partisans but Ivan Milutinović, as a commander of the Partisan forces in Montenegro, refused to reply to Stanišić's proposal.

Death


Ivan Milutinović died on 23 October 1944 when a small boat which was transporting him to Belgrade hit a naval mine in the Danube. He was decorated with the Order of the People's Hero.

The remains of Ivan Milutinović were buried in the Tomb of People's Heroes in Belgrade.

Legacy
From 1949 until 1992 Berane was named as Ivangrad (Иванград) in honour of Milutinović. Until 2006 the Square of the Republic in Podgorica was known as Ivan Milutinović Square. The leading company for waterways in former Yugoslavia and today in Serbia is PIM Ivan Milutinović. Many schools in former Yugoslavia carried Milutinović's name. Some schools in Serbia and Montenegro still do.