Zeleni kadar – samosvojna muslimanska vojska u sjeveroistočnoj Bosni (1943-1945)
Green Cadre – Autonomous Muslim Army in Northeastern Bosnia (1943–1945)

Summary/Abstract: Muslim military units that emerged and operated in northeastern Bosnia under the name Green Cadre during the period from 1943 to 1945 functioned as an autonomous Muslim army. The historiographical treatment of the Green Cadre has long been neglected, especially during the era of federal Yugoslavia. Interest in this historical phenomenon, particularly among the Bosniak population of Bosnia and Herzegovina, significantly increased following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the emergence of new independent states, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. The precursor to the Green Cadre dates back to 1941 and the activity of the so-called Muslim Legion under the command of Muhamedaga Hadžiefendić. As elements of this Legion began to join the ranks of the 13th SS “Handžar” Division, the remaining members, especially after the fall of Tuzla to the Partisans in the autumn of 1943, began to form distinctly autonomous Muslim units, collectively referred to as the Green Cadre. These units operated independently, without a unified command structure, and were ideologically opposed to the secular communist goals promoted by the National Liberation Army and the Partisan forces of Yugoslavia (NOV and POJ). The Green Cadre focused primarily on the defense and self-protection of Muslim-majority towns and villages in northeastern Bosnia. The ideological foundations of the Green Cadre were rooted in two main currents, which had been developing since 1941 and were clearly articulated by Muslim religious leaders through public resolutions and demands: a strong Islamic religious identity and a distinct Bosnian-Herzegovinian territorial identity—either as an independent entity or autonomous within the framework of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH). For its survival and realization of its ideological and strategic goals, the Green Cadre sought support from German military and political forces. However, the Germans pushed them to integrate into the military structures of the NDH. Over the course of 1944, with varying levels of reluctance, all Green Cadre units were formally incorporated into the NDH’s Home Guard forces. The largest Green Cadre formation was the 10th Unit “Bosnian Mountaineers”, most often commanded by Professor Nešad Topčić. These units had distinct features that set them apart from other NDH forces: a red fez with a crescent and star, green flags, and a unique slogan, “All for One – One for All.” From 1943 to 1945, Green Cadre units fought numerous battles against Chetnik and Partisan forces, and toward the end of the war, even against Ustasha troops, as they sought to defend Muslim populations and key transport routes in Muslim-majority areas of northeastern Bosnia. As the Partisan and Yugoslav forces gained the upper hand, the Green Cadre retreated with German and NDH forces toward Austria, where they effectively disappeared by the end of World War II in May 1945. The Green Cadre, as a historical phenomenon in northeastern Bosnia (1943–1945), represents an inseparable and essential part of the history of the national identity of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Muslim population. Its legacy warrants deeper historiographical study, particularly through archival sources, to better understand the testimony and historical context of its existence and actions.

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