23 Facts About Vladimir Dedijer

Vladimir Dedijer was a Yugoslav partisan fighter during World War II who became known as a politician, human rights activist, and historian.

Vladimir Dedijer taught at the University of Belgrade and served as a visiting professor at several universities in the United States and Europe.

Vladimir Dedijer participated in the Russell Tribunal in 1967, reviewing United States forces activities in Vietnam, and in later tribunals.

Vladimir Dedijer was born to a Serbian family in Belgrade, in the Kingdom of Serbia, which later was absorbed into Yugoslavia.

Vladimir Dedijer's family originated from Cepelica, Bileca in Bosnia and Herzegovina and were Orthodox Christians.

Vladimir Dedijer's father, Jevto Dedijer, was a professor of geography at Belgrade University and his mother, Milica, was a social worker.

Vladimir Dedijer was the middle of three sons: Borivoje, Vladimir, and Stevan.

Vladimir Dedijer joined Yugoslav partisans in 1941 in their struggle against the Nazi Germany occupiers.

Vladimir Dedijer was wounded then and on two later occasions.

Vladimir Dedijer became a history professor at the University of Belgrade.

In 1952, Vladimir Dedijer became a member of the Party's Central Committee.

Vladimir Dedijer was the sole member of the Central Committee to side in 1954 with Milovan Djilas when Djilas was deposed by Tito for criticizing a "New Class" of party bureaucrats and advocating the rule of law in socialism.

Vladimir Dedijer defended Djilas's right to freedom of expression before the Central Committee of the CPY in January 1954.

Djilas was jailed and Vladimir Dedijer received a suspended prison sentence of six months.

Vladimir Dedijer taught at University of Belgrade and served as visiting professor of history at universities in the United States: Michigan, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and Yale; and in Europe: Paris, Manchester, and Stockholm, Sweden.

Vladimir Dedijer is known for his book, The Yugoslav Auschwitz and the Vatican: The Croatian Massacre of the Serbs During World War II, which was translated into several languages.

Vladimir Dedijer wrote about the violent repression and genocide committed by Ustashe Catholics in Croatia against ethnicities and religions that they considered heretics.

Vladimir Dedijer estimated a total of 750,000 Orthodox Serbs; 60,000 Jews; and 26,000 Sinti and Roma were massacred by the Ustashe.

Vladimir Dedijer donated all his income from that book to charities.

Vladimir Dedijer wrote two important accounts of Yugoslav Partisan history: Diary and Tito, both of which have been published in English.

Vladimir Dedijer was considered a leading authority on genocide in the twentieth century.

Vladimir Dedijer presided over the Third International Russell Tribunal, which was constituted in Darmstadt and held on 16 October 1977.

Vladimir Dedijer's ashes were returned for interment at Zale Central Cemetery in Ljubljana, Slovenia.