Biographies - Home Defense Navy

Biographies - Home Defense Navy

Angeli, Edgar (1892-1945)

Rank: Rear Admiral

Assignments: commander of the Navy: April 1943- April 1944

Died: Dies in Yugoslav jail

Notes:

JakÄin, Djuro (1889-1944)

Rank: Admiral

Assignments: Commander of all NDH naval forces (riverine and sea-faring) from April, 1941 - late 1943.
With the Italian veto on a Croatian navy in the Adriatic, he serves as the Military AttachÃ© in Berlin till November, 1942.
Chief liaison officer with the Waffen SS "Prinz Eugen" Division till September of 1943.
Head of the diplomatic representation of the NDH in Sofia, Bulgaria till February, 1944, when he suddenly dies of natural causes.

Died:

Note:

Steinfel, Nikola (also Steinfl) (1889-1945).

Rank:

Assignments: Commander of the Croatian Navy in May, 1944. In August, 1944, he is named Minister of the Armed Forces.

Died: Executed post-war.

Vrkljann, Andro (born June 1st, 1902 in Sveti Rok, Croatia - apparently still living? in Austria)

Rank: Fregattenkapitan

Assignments: Commander of the Croat Naval Legion (part of the Kriegsmarine consisting of Croatian volunteers), established in July 1941 and consisting of some 900 officers and men and 47 fishing boats converted to serve as mine-sweepers in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. A coastal battery, also Croat, was added to the units complement in summer 1943, and genuine minesweepers were substituted for the fishing boats. The Legion fights with distinction, despite being poorly equipped. Vrkljan is decorated with the Iron Cross 1st Class. The Naval Legion returned to Croatia for Adriatic duty in Oct. 1943. In January, 1942, Vrkljan returns to Croatia, and is promoted to Battleship Captain (Kapetan Bojnog Broda), and he serves in the Croatian Naval High Command.

Died:

Notes: At the time of the Yugoslav capitulation of April, 1941, Vrkljan was a Frigate Captain (Kapetan Fregate) in the Royal Yugoslav Navy. He immediately volunteers for the newly founded Navy of the NDH. In May, 1945, together with NDH Minister Vjekoslav Vrancic, Vrkljan is sent to meet with British Field Marshall Harold Alexander (Vrkljan was fluent in English). At the meeting, Vrancic and Vrkljan were to deliver a memorandum from the government of the NDH, and negotiate terms of surrender for the Croatian armed forces. However, Vrkljan was arrested upon arrival in Venice by Allied troops, and was never allowed to meet with Alexander. Soon thereafter, Vrkljan was transported to Trieste, from where he was to be extradited to Yugoslavia. Just prior to the extradition, Vrkljan manages to escape, and emigrates to Argentina. He later moves to Austria, from where he continues to work on the cause of Croatian independence.

Rank:

Assignments:

Died:

Notes:

Rank:

Assignments:

Executed:

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Researched by Ivan Bajlo and Allen Milcic

Angeli, Edgar (1892-1945)
Rank:	Rear Admiral
Assignments:	commander of the Navy: April 1943- April 1944
Died:	Dies in Yugoslav jail
Notes:

JakÄin, Djuro (1889-1944)
Rank:	Admiral
Assignments:	Commander of all NDH naval forces (riverine and sea-faring) from April, 1941 - late 1943. With the Italian veto on a Croatian navy in the Adriatic, he serves as the Military AttachÃ© in Berlin till November, 1942. Chief liaison officer with the Waffen SS "Prinz Eugen" Division till September of 1943. Head of the diplomatic representation of the NDH in Sofia, Bulgaria till February, 1944, when he suddenly dies of natural causes.
Died:
Note:

Steinfel, Nikola (also Steinfl) (1889-1945).
Rank:
Assignments:	Commander of the Croatian Navy in May, 1944. In August, 1944, he is named Minister of the Armed Forces.
Died:	Executed post-war.

Vrkljann, Andro (born June 1st, 1902 in Sveti Rok, Croatia - apparently still living? in Austria)
Rank:	Fregattenkapitan
Assignments:	Commander of the Croat Naval Legion (part of the Kriegsmarine consisting of Croatian volunteers), established in July 1941 and consisting of some 900 officers and men and 47 fishing boats converted to serve as mine-sweepers in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. A coastal battery, also Croat, was added to the units complement in summer 1943, and genuine minesweepers were substituted for the fishing boats. The Legion fights with distinction, despite being poorly equipped. Vrkljan is decorated with the Iron Cross 1st Class. The Naval Legion returned to Croatia for Adriatic duty in Oct. 1943. In January, 1942, Vrkljan returns to Croatia, and is promoted to Battleship Captain (Kapetan Bojnog Broda), and he serves in the Croatian Naval High Command.
Died:
Notes:	At the time of the Yugoslav capitulation of April, 1941, Vrkljan was a Frigate Captain (Kapetan Fregate) in the Royal Yugoslav Navy. He immediately volunteers for the newly founded Navy of the NDH. In May, 1945, together with NDH Minister Vjekoslav Vrancic, Vrkljan is sent to meet with British Field Marshall Harold Alexander (Vrkljan was fluent in English). At the meeting, Vrancic and Vrkljan were to deliver a memorandum from the government of the NDH, and negotiate terms of surrender for the Croatian armed forces. However, Vrkljan was arrested upon arrival in Venice by Allied troops, and was never allowed to meet with Alexander. Soon thereafter, Vrkljan was transported to Trieste, from where he was to be extradited to Yugoslavia. Just prior to the extradition, Vrkljan manages to escape, and emigrates to Argentina. He later moves to Austria, from where he continues to work on the cause of Croatian independence.