Ivan Ribar

Ivan Ribar (Croatian pronunciation: [ǐvan rîbaːr]; 21 January 1881 – 2 February[1] 1968) was a Croatian politician who served in several governments of various form of Yugoslavia. Ideologically a Pan-Slavist and communist, Ribar was a prominent member of the Yugoslav partisans, who resisted the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia.

Ivan Ribar
Ivan Ribar in 1968
1st President of the Constituent Assembly of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
In office 12 December 1920 – 19 October 1922
Prime Minister	Ljubomir Davidović
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Ljubomir Jovanović
1st President of the Presidency of the National Assembly of Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia
In office 29 December 1945 – 14 January 1953
Prime Minister	Josip Broz Tito
Preceded by	Office established King Peter II^a (as King of Yugoslavia)
Succeeded by	Josip Broz Tito^a (as President of Yugoslavia)
Personal details
Born	21 January 1881 Vukmanić, Croatia-Slavonia, Austria-Hungary
Died	2 February 1968 (aged 87) Zagreb, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Citizenship	Yugoslav
Nationality	Croat
Political party	SKJ (1942-1968) DS (1919-1929) HSK (1905-1918)
Profession	Lawyer and politician
^a Between 1945–53, the President of the Presidency of the National Assembly was also the de jure head of state of Yugoslavia. From 14 January 1953 the office of parliamentary speaker was no longer head of state, but was succeeded in that role by the office of the President of Yugoslavia which was first occupied by Josip Broz Tito, and held by him up to his death in 1980.

Biography

Ribar was born in Vukmanić (part of Karlovac) and held a PhD in law. He worked as an attorney in Zagreb, Đakovo and Belgrade.[2]

Ribar lost his entire family during World War II: his two sons, Jurica and Ivo, and his wife, Antonija. Both Jurica and Ivo were killed in action in 1943 fighting for the Partisans, while Ribar's wife was executed by the Germans in 1944.[3] Ivo Lola Ribar, his younger son, was in charge of the Young Communist League of Yugoslavia (SKOJ) during the war, and was proclaimed posthumously a People's Hero of Yugoslavia.[4]

Josip Broz Tito inspects 1st Proletarian Brigade. Next to him are: Ivan Ribar, Koča Popović, Filip Kljajić, Ivo Lola Ribar, Danilo Lekić and Mijalko Todorović.

Ivan Ribar (left) and Partisan commander Tito during the Battle of the Sutjeska

Politics

In politics, he was: President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1920–22)[2] President of Executive Committee, Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (26 October 1942 – 4 December 1943), Chairman of the Presidium of the Provisional People's Assembly (4 December 1943 – 5 March 1945), Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly (29 December 1945 – 14 January 1953)

From the proclamation of a republic in 1945 until 1953, Ribar was the de jure head of state of Yugoslavia; his position as parliamentary speaker was constitutionally made equivalent to that of president. In 1953, Communist Party leader and Prime Minister Josip Broz Tito, the country's de facto leader since 1945, was elected to the new post of President of the Republic.

Death

Ivan Ribar spent his last years in Zagreb, where he died in 1968, aged 87.[2]

See also

• List of honorary citizens of Skopje

References

1. Lentz, Harris M. (2014-02-04). Heads of States and Governments Since 1945. Routledge. ISBN 9781134264902.
2. "Ribar, Ivan". arhinet.arhiv.hr (in Croatian). Zagreb: Croatian State Archives. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
3. https://www.vreme.com/cms/view.php?id=1154247
4. Ivan Ribar profile Archived 2013-10-04 at the Wayback Machine, gimnazija-karlovac.hr; accessed 12 July 2015. (in Croatian)