Croatian History

Historical Events

  • 0852-03-04 Croatian Duke Trpimir I issued a statute, a document with the first known written mention of the Croats name in Croatian sources
  • 0879-05-21 Pope John VIII gives blessings to duke Branimir and to Croatian people, considered to be international recognition of the Croatian state
  • 0927-05-27 Battle of the Bosnian Highlands: Simeon I of Bulgaria is defeated by King Tomislav of Croatia
  • 0928-03-11 Trpimir II succeeds to the Croatian throne.
  • 1075-10-08 Dmitar Zvonimir is crowned king of Croatia
  • 1493-09-09 Battle of Krbava field, a decisive defeat of Croats in Croatian struggle against the Ottoman Empire invasion.
  • 1527-01-01 Croatian nobles elect Ferdinand I of Austria as king of Croatia in the Parliament on Cetin
  • 1671-04-30 Petar Zrinski, the Croatian Ban from the Zrinski family, is executed.
  • 1848-09-29 Battle of Pákozd: Hungarian forces defeat Croats at Pákozd; the first battle of the War of Independence
  • 1915-05-12 Croatians plunder Armenia, killing 250
  • 1917-07-20 Pact of Corfu signed: Serbs, Croats & Slovenes form Yugoslavia
  • 1919-05-29 The Republic of Prekmurje founded - a short-lived, unrecognised state, which on June 6, 1919 was incorporated into the newly established Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (renamed "Yugoslavia" in 1929)
  • 1919-10-03 Serbian, Croatian and Slavic Parliament passes an accord for an 8 hr work day
  • 1920-12-13 Netherland breaks contact with Kingdom of Serbia, Croatia and Slavia
  • 1925-07-20 Italian-Serbian/Croatian/Slav treaty about Dalmatie
  • 1926-08-17 Greek-Serbian, Croatian and Slavs peace treaty signed
  • 1927-01-28 Serbian-Croatian-Slavic government of Oezonowitsj falls
  • 1927-03-10 Albania mobilizes due to threats from the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

Event of Interest

1927-10-28 Josip Broz Tito begins 7 months jail sentence in Croatia

  • 1929-10-03 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats & Slovenes changes name to Yugoslavia
  • 1935-04-05 Croatian Farmers Party wins Yugoslavian election
  • 1939-08-26 Croatia gets autonomous status
  • 1941-06-04 Republic of Croatia orders all Jews to wear a star with the letter Z
  • 1943-01-20 Operation Weiss: German, Italian, Bulgarian & Croatian troops attempt to retake land liberated by Tito's partisans
  • 1976-09-10 5 Croatian terrorists capture TWA-plane at La Guardia Airport, NY

Event of Interest

1990-10-01 Serbs in Croatia proclaim autonomy

  • 1991-06-25 Slovenia and Croatia declare independence from Yugoslavia
  • 1991-10-08 The Croatian Parliament cuts all remaining ties with Yugoslavia
  • 1991-11-18 The Croatian city of Vukovar surrenders to Yugoslav People's Army and allied Serb paramilitary forces after an 87-day siege

Olympic Gold

1992-08-08 The original US 'Dream Team' wins the basketball gold at the Barcelona Olympics 117-85 over Croatia; features superstars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing

  • 1994-03-29 Serbs & Croats sign a cease-fire to end the war in Croatia

Wimbledon Men's Tennis

1994-07-03 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: American Pete Sampras successfully defends title against Goran Ivanišević of Croatia 7-6, 7-6, 6-0

  • 1995-05-01 Croatian forces launch Operation Flash during the Croatian War of Independence.
  • 1995-08-04 Operation Storm begins in Croatia, the Croatian army attacks territory under the Republic of Serbian Krajina in the largest land battle since WWII
  • 1995-08-05 The city of Knin, a significant Serb stronghold, is captured by Croatian forces during Operation Storm. The date is celebrated as the day of victory (Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day) in Croatia.
  • 2000-01-14 A United Nations tribunal sentences five Bosnian Croats to up to 25 years for the 1993 killing of over 100 Muslims in a Bosnian village.
  • 2000-02-18 Stjepan Mesić becomes the second President of Croatia
  • 2005-11-29 The new Croatian Communist Party (KPH) is founded in Vukovar.
  • 2005-12-04 94th Davis Cup: Croatia beats Slovak Republic in Bratislava (3-2)
  • 2005-12-08 Ante Gotovina, Croatian army general accused of war crimes, is captured in the Playa de las Américas, Tenerife by the Spanish police.
  • 2009-04-01 Croatia and Albania join NATO
  • 2009-07-06 Jadranka Kosor became first female prime minister of Croatia
  • 2012-06-23 A coach crashes in Croatia killing 8 Czech tourists and injuring 44
  • 2013-07-01 Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union
  • 2014-09-08 US Open Men's Tennis: Marin Čilić of Croatia wins his maiden grand slam title; beats Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
  • 2015-01-11 Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is elected as the first female President of Croatia
  • 2016-03-09 EU Migrant Crisis: Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia close their borders to migrants trying to reach Northern Europe
  • 2016-08-16 Croatian discus thrower Sandra Perković retains her Olympic title with a distance of 69.21m at the Rio de Janeiro Games
  • 2016-08-20 Rio de Janeiro Olympics: team sports - China beats Serbia, 3-1 for the women's indoor volleyball gold; in the men's water polo final, Serbia downs Croatia, 11-7 for first Olympic title

FIFA World Cup

2018-07-15 FIFA World Cup Final, Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia: Former captain Didier Deschamps becomes only the 3rd man to win the event as a player and coach as France beats Croatia, 4-2

Football Awards

2018-09-24 Real Madrid midfielder & Croatian World Cup captain Luka Modrić is named world's best male player at the FIFA Awards in London; Brazil & Orlando Pride forward Marta best female player; France's Didier Deschamps best men's coach

  • 2018-11-25 Davis Cup Tennis, Lille: Marin Čilić beats Frenchman Lucas Pouille 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 to wrap up the final for Croatia, 3-1

Famous Birthdays

  • 1434-08-29 Janus Pannonius, Hungarian poet and translator, born in Čazma, Croatia (d. 1472)
  • 1450-08-18 Marko Marulic/Marulus/Splichanin/Pechinich, Croatian poet, born in Split, Croatia (d. 1524)
  • 1461-02-06 Džore Držić, Croatian poet and playwright who is considered one of the fathers of Croatian literature, born in Dubrovnik, Croatia (d. 1501)
  • 1520-03-03 Matthias Flacius, Croatian Lutheran Protestant reformer, born in Labin, Venetian Republic (d. 1575)
  • 1575-08-15 Bartol Kašić, Croatian writer and linguist, born in Pag, Croatia (d. 1650)
  • 1587-04-17 Ivan Lukačić, Croatian composer, born in Šibenik, Croatia (d. 1648)
  • 1613-04-06 Stjepan Gradić, Croatian philosopher and scientist (d. 1683)
  • 1652-01-07 Pavao Vitezovic, Croatia, writer and historian, born in Senj, Hapsburg Empire (d. 1713)
  • 1703-12-02 Ferdinand Konščak, Croatian explorer and Jesuit missionary, born in Varaždin, Kingdom of Croatia (d. 1759)
  • 1718-10-28 Ignacije Szentmartony, Croatian Jesuit missionary and geographer, born in Kottori, Kingdom of Hungary (d. 1793)
  • 1732-01-06 Matija A Reljkovic, Habsburg military officer & Croatian writer (Satir iliti divji covic), born in Davor, Croatia (d. 1798)
  • 1806-11-24 Omar Pasha [Mihajlo Latas], Serbian-Ottoman field marshal (Crimean War) and Governor (Bosnia, Iraq), born in Janja Gora, Military Frontier, Austrian Empire (d. 1871)
  • 1809-07-08 Ljudwit Gaj, Croatian writer and poet of the Illyrian movement (Pjesma iz Zagorja), born in Krapina, Kingdom of Croatia (d. 1872)
  • 1810-06-30 Stanko Vraz [Jakob Frass], Slovenian-Croatian poet (illyrism), born in Cerovec in Lower Styria, Austrian Empire (d. 1851)
  • 1821-12-08 Josip Runjanin, Croatian Serb composer (Croatian National Anthem) and soldier, born in Vinkovci (d. 1878)
  • 1828-11-25 Franjo Rački, Croatian historian and politician, born in Fužine, Austrian Empire (d. 1894)
  • 1832-08-03 Ivan Zajc, Croatian composer and conductor, born in Rijeka, Croatia (d. 1914)
  • 1834-02-06 Ema Puksec, Croatian singer, born in Ogulin, Croatia (d. 1889)
  • 1838-07-06 Vatroslav Jagić, Croatian scholar of Slavic studies, born in Varaždin, Austrian Empire (d. 1923)
  • 1838-11-14 August Senoa, Croatian writer (Zlatarevo zlato), born in Zagreb, Croatia (d. 1881)
  • 1855-09-09 Anthony Francis Lucas, Croatian-American oil exploration pioneer, born in Split, Austria-Hungary (d. 1921)

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)

1856-07-10 Serbian-American physicist, electrical engineer and inventor who developed alternating current and the Tesla Coil, born in Smiljan, Austrian Empire (now Croatia)

  • 1856-10-25 Dragutin Gorjanovic-Kramberger, Croatian paleontologist (discovery and descriptions of the Neandertal remains from the Huŝnjakova rock shelter at Krapina in northwestern Croatia), born in Zagreb, Croatia (d. 1936)
  • 1856-12-13 Svetozar Boroević, Austro-Hungarian field marshal, born in Umetić, Croatian Military Frontier, Austrian Empire (d. 1920)
  • 1857-01-23 Andrija Mohorovicic, Croatian meteorologist & seismologist (Moho discontinuity), born in Opatija, Croatia (d. 1936)
  • 1858-07-20 Ivan Vucetic, Croatian anthropologist (d. 1925)
  • 1859-09-11 Vjenceslav Novak, Croatian Realist writer (Pavao Šegota), born in Senj, Croatia (d. 1905)
  • 1861-10-14 Artur Gavazzi, Croatian geographer, born in Split, Austria-Hungary (d. 1944)
  • 1862-09-02 Franjo Krežma, Croatian violinist, born in Osijek, Croatia (d. 1881)
  • 1863-08-24 Dragutin Lerman, Croatian explorer, born in Požega, Croatia (d. 1918)
  • 1864-01-25 Julije Kempf, Croatian historian & writer, born in Požega, Croatia (d. 1934)
  • 1864-05-27 Ante Trumbić, Croatian politician (23rd Mayor of Split), born in Split, Dalmatia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1938)
  • 1871-04-05 Mirko Seljan, Croatian explorer, born in Karlovac, Croatia (d. 1913)
  • 1871-07-11 Stjepan Radic, Croatian politician (founder of Croatian People's Peasant Party), born in Desno Trebarjevo, Austria-Hungary (d. 1928)
  • 1871-10-09 Didak Buntić, Croatian monk and scholar, born in Paoča, Bosnia and Herzegovina (d. 1922)
  • 1873-12-21 Blagoje Bersa, Croatian composer, born in Dubrovnik, Croatia (d. 1934)
  • 1875-04-18 Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, Croatian writer (The Brave Adventures of Lapitch), born in Ogulin, Croatian Military Frontier, Austria-Hungary (d. 1938)
  • 1875-08-19 Stjepan Seljan, Croatian explorer (Ethiopia, South America), born in Karlovac, Croatia (d. 1936)
  • 1877-01-02 Slava Raskaj, Croatian painter (d. 1906)
  • 1879-11-09 Milan Šufflay, Croatian historian and politician, born in Lepoglava, Croatia (d. 1931)
  • 1883-08-15 Ivan Meštrović, Croatian sculptor and architect, born in Vrpolje, Croatia (d. 1962)
  • 1887-09-13 Leopold Ružička, Croatian-Swiss chemist (Nobel 1939), born in Vukovar, Croatia (d. 1976)
  • 1887-10-12 Paula von Preradović, Croatian-Austrian poet and writer, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1951)
  • 1888-03-10 Krsto Odak, Croatian composer, born in Siverić (d. 1965)
  • 1888-09-01 Andrija Štampar, Croatian physician (d. 1958)
  • 1888-12-16 Alexander I, King of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (1921–29) and of Yugoslavia (1929–34), born in Cetinje, Montenegro (d. 1934)

Ante Pavelić (1889-1959)

1889-07-14 Croatian leader of Nazi Germany puppet Independent State of Croatia, born in Bradina, Austria-Hungary

  • 1890-01-22 Vinko Zganec, Croatian ethnomusicologist, born in Vratišinec, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (d. 1976)
  • 1891-07-05 Tin Ujević, Croatian poet (Žedan kamen na studencu), born in Vrgorac, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1955)

Josip Broz Tito (1892-1980)

1892-05-07 Yugoslav communist revolutionary and leader of Yugoslavia (1943-80), born in Kumrovec, Hrvatsko Zagorje, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia

  • 1893-07-07 Miroslav Krleža, Croatian writer (d. 1981)
  • 1894-09-21 Tullio Carminati, Austrian actor (War and Peace, Roman Holiday), born in Zadar, Croatia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1971)
  • 1895-03-31 Zlatko Baloković, Croatian-American concert violinist, born in Zagreb, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, Austria-Hungary (now Croatia) (d. 1955)
  • 1899-02-14 Lovro von Matačić, Croatian conductor and composer (Bruckner Medal), born in Sušak, Croatia (d. 1985)
  • 1899-11-29 Andrija Artuković, Croatian war criminal (d. 1988)
  • 1900-03-09 Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta, Italian king of Croatia (1941-43), born in Turin, Italy (d. 1948)
  • 1901-03-29 Andrija Maurovic, Croatian illustrator (The Tomb in the Rainforest), born in Muo, Austria-Hungary (d. 1981)
  • 1902-05-04 Cvjetko Rihtman, Bosnian composer, born in Rijeka, Croatia (d. 1989)
  • 1903-07-18 Božidar Kunc, Croatian concert pianist and composer, born in Zagreb, Croatia (d. 1964)
  • 1903-12-07 Danilo Blanuša, Croatian mathematician, born in Osijek, Austria-Hungary (d. 1987)
  • 1905-09-27 Vjekoslav Kaleb, Croatian writer (Splendor of the Fabric), born in Tisno, Croatia (d. 1996)
  • 1906-05-17 Zinka Milanov (née Kunc), Croatian soprano (Ljubljana Opera, 1927-34; NY Metropolitan Opera, 1937-66), born in Zagreb, Croatia (d. 1989)
  • 1906-07-07 William Feller, Croatian mathematician (d. 1970)
  • 1906-07-23 Vladimir Prelog, Croatian-Swiss organic chemist (Nobel 1975), born in Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary (d. 1998)
  • 1906-09-19 Dalibor Cyril Vačkář, Czech composer, born in Korčula, Croatia (d. 1984)
  • 1909-07-08 Petar Šegedin, Croatian novelist (Holy Devil), born in Žrnovo, island of Korčula (d. 1998)
  • 1909-11-01 Bruno Bjelinski [Weiss], Croatian composer, born in Trieste, Italy (d. 1992)
  • 1911-04-13 Ico Hitrec, Croatian footballer, born in Zagreb, Austria-Hungary (d. 1946)
  • 1912-02-14 Tibor Sekelj, Croatian explorer (d. 1988)
  • 1912-08-02 Vladimir Žerjavić, Croatian economist and UN statistician, born in Križ, Moslavania, Croatia (d. 2001)
  • 1913-07-30 Ivo Lhotka-Kalinski, Yugoslav composer, born in Zagreb, Croatia (d. 1987)
  • 1914-08-05 Stjepan Sulek, Croatian violinist and composer (Coriolan), born in Zagreb, Croatia (d. 1986)
  • 1914-10-02 Albe Vidaković, Croatian composer, born in Subotica, Serbia (d. 1964)
  • 1914-12-21 Ivan Generalić, Croatian painter, born in Hlebine, Croatia (d. 1992)
  • 1918-10-12 Emil Cossetto, Croatian composer, born in Trieste, Italy (d. 2006)
  • 1921-05-04 Edo Murtić, Croatian painter, born in Velika Pisanica, Bjelovar, Croatia (d. 2005)

Franjo Tuđman (1922-1999)

1922-05-14 Croatian politician and President of Croatia (1990-1999), born in Veliko Trgovišće, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

  • 1924-04-01 Čkalja [Miodrag Petrović], Serbian actor and one of the most popular comedians of former Yugoslavia, born in Kruševac, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (d. 2003)
  • 1924-11-24 Victor Grinich, Croatian-American businessman (d. 2000)
  • 1925-03-30 Ivo Malec, Croat-French composer (Miniatures pour Lewis Carroll; Lumina), born in Zagreb, Yugoslavia (now Croatia) (d. 2019)
  • 1925-05-12 John Simon, American author, literary and theater critic (NY Times), born in Subotica, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
  • 1925-10-10 Great Antonio [Antonio Barichievich], Croatian-Canadian strongman and eccentric, born in Zagreb, Yugoslavia (d. 2003)
  • 1926-12-26 Zlatko Pibernik, Croatian composer and music teacher, born in Zagreb, Croatia (d. 2010)
  • 1932-04-27 Petar Ozgijan, Yugoslav composer, born in Dubrovnik, Croatia (d. 1979)
  • 1934-12-24 Stjepan Mesić, president of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Secretary General of Non-Aligned Movement and president of Croatia.
  • 1935-02-18 Bosko Petrovic, Croatian jazz musician, founder of the Zagreb Jazz Quartet, born in Bjelovar (d. 2011)
  • 1938-10-03 Tereza Kesovija, Croatian popular music singer, born in Dubrovnik, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (now Croatia)
  • 1939-04-16 Boris Dvornik, Croatian actor, born in Split, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (d. 2008)
  • 1941-07-16 Mišo Kovač, Croatian musician (Mojoj vjernoj publici), born in Tribunj, Croatia

Ratko Mladić (81 years old)

1942-03-12 Bosnian Serb general during the Bosnian War (found guilty of war crimes 2017), born in Božanovići, Croatia

  • 1943-10-20 Dunja Vejzović, Croatian soprano, born in Zagreb, Croatia
  • 1946-07-27 Rade Šerbedžija, Croatian actor (Taken 2), born in Bunić, Croatia
  • 1948-11-26 Krešimir Ćosić, Croatian basketball player, born in Zagreb, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia (d. 1995)
  • 1949-09-04 Dado Topić, Croatian musician (Time; Dragonfly), born in Nova Gradiška, Croatia
  • 1952-04-20 Božidar Maljković, Serbian basketball coach (EuroLeague C'ship 1989, 90 Jugoplastika; 1993 Limoges CSP; 1996 Panathinaikos BC; FIBA Intercontinental Cup 1996; President OC of Serbia), born in Otočac, Croatia
  • 1953-04-11 Branimir "Johnny" Štulić, Croatian rock singer (Azra), born in Skopje, Yugoslavia
  • 1955-09-07 Mira Furlan, Croatian actress (Babylon 5), born in Zagreb, Croatia
  • 1955-09-15 Željka Antunović, Croatian politician, 1st female Minister of Defence, born in Virovitica, Yugoslavia
  • 1955-10-12 Ante Gotovina, Croatian army general accused of war crimes, born in Tkon, Croatia
  • 1956-04-03 Boris Miljković, Serbian TV and theatre director, writer and lecturer, born in Zagreb, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia

Famous Weddings

  • 1999-05-08 "ER" actor Goran Visnjic (34) weds Croatian artist Ivana Vrdoljak
  • 2006-11-04 Croatian princess Paola Doimi de Frankopan (37) weds son of the Duke and Duchess of Kent Lord Nicholas Windsor (37) at St. Stephen of Abyssina in Vatican City

Famous Deaths

  • 0976-10-08 Jelena of Zadar, Croatian queen
  • 1162-05-13 Géza II, King of Hungary and Croatia (1141-62)
  • 1301-01-14 Andrew III, Venetian King of Hungary and Croatia (1290-1301), dies at 50 ending the Arpad dynasty in Hungary
  • 1391-11-14 Nikola Tavelić, First Croatian saint (b. 1340)
  • 1501-09-25 Džore Držić, Croatian poet and playwright who is considered one of the fathers of Croatian literature, dies at 40
  • 1524-01-05 Marko Marulic/Marulus/Splichanin/Pechinich, Croatian poet, dies at 73
  • 1553-12-14 Hanibal Lucić, Croatian writer, dies at 68
  • 1564-10-04 Pietro P Vergerio, Italian theologist/bishop of Croatia, dies
  • 1567-05-02 Marin Drzic, Croatian playwright (Dundo Maroje), dies
  • 1575-03-11 Matthias Flacius, Croatian Lutheran Protestant reformer, dies at 55
  • 1617-01-17 Faust Vrančić, Croatian inventor (b. 1551)
  • 1626-04-11 Marin Getaldić, Croatian mathematician (b. 1568)
  • 1648-09-20 Ivan Lukačić, Croatian composer, dies at 61
  • 1683-05-02 Stjepan Gradić, Croatian philosopher and scientist (b. 1613)
  • 1713-01-20 Pavao Vitezovic, Croatian historian, dies
  • 1759-09-10 Ferdinand Konščak, Croatian explorer and Jesuit missionary, dies at 55
  • 1760-12-14 Kacic Miosic, Croatian poet (Razgovar Ugodni Naroda Slovinskoga), dies at 56
  • 1780-11-29 Maria Theresa, Holy Roman Empress, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia (1740-1780) only woman to rule Habsburg Empire in her own right, dies following illness at 63
  • 1793-04-15 Ignacije Szentmartony, Croatian Jesuit missionary & geographer, dies at 74
  • 1798-01-22 Matija A Reljkovic, Croatian writer (Satire of Wild Man), dies at 66
  • 1871-04-18 Omar Pasha [Mihajlo Latas], Serbian-Ottoman field marshal (Crimean War) and Governor (Bosnia, Iraq), dies at 64
  • 1872-04-20 Ljudwit Gaj, Croatian writer and poet of the Illyrian movement (Pjesma iz Zagorja), dies at 62
  • 1878-02-02 Josip Runjanin, Croatian Serb composer (Croatian National Anthem) and soldier, dies at 56
  • 1881-12-13 August Senoa, Croatian writer (Kletva [The Curse]), dies at 43
  • 1889-01-14 Ema Puksec, Croatian singer (b. 1834)
  • 1894-02-13 Franjo Rački, Croatian historian and politician, dies at 65
  • 1905-09-20 Vjenceslav Novak, Croatian Realist writer (Pavao Šegota), dies at 46
  • 1906-03-29 Slava Raskaj, Croatian painter (b. 1878)
  • 1918-07-12 Dragutin Lerman, Croatian explorer, dies at 54
  • 1921-09-02 Anthony Francis Lucas, Croatian-American oil exploration pioneer, dies at 65
  • 1922-02-05 Slavoljub Eduard Penkala, Croatian inventor (b. 1871)
  • 1923-08-05 Vatroslav Jagić, Croatian scholar of Slavic studies, dies at 85
  • 1925-01-25 Ivan Vucetic, Croatian anthropologist (b. 1858)
  • 1926-12-10 Nikola Pašić, Serbian nationalist and premier (over many periods from 1891 to 1926), dies at 80
  • 1928-08-08 Stjepan Radic, Croatian politician (founder of Croatian People's Peasant Party), shot and assassinated in parliament at 57
  • 1931-02-18 Milan Šufflay, Croatian historian and politician, dies at 51
  • 1934-06-06 Julije Kempf, Croatian historian and writer (b. 1864)
  • 1934-10-09 Alexander I, King of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (1921–29) and of Yugoslavia (1929–34), assassinated by a Bulgarian revolutionary at 45
  • 1936-06-07 Stjepan Seljan, Croatian explorer, dies at 60
  • 1936-12-24 Dragutin Gorjanovic-Kramberger, Croatian paleontologist (discovery and descriptions of the Neandertal remains from the Huŝnjakova rock shelter at Krapina in northwestern Croatia), dies at 80
  • 1938-09-21 Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, Croatian writer (The Brave Adventures of Lapitch), dies at 64
  • 1938-11-17 Ante Trumbić, Croatian politician (23rd Mayor of Split), dies at 74
  • 1943-11-27 Ivo Lola Ribar, Croatian communist and partisan, killed by a German bomb at 27
  • 1944-03-12 Artur Gavazzi, Croatian geographer, dies at 82
  • 1948-01-29 Tomislav II of Croatia, 4th Duke of Aosta, Italian aristocrat (b. 1900)
  • 1951-05-25 Paula von Preradović, Croatian-Austrian poet and writer, dies at 63
  • 1955-03-22 Ivan Šubašić, Kingdom of Yugoslavia prime minister and last ban of Croatia (b. 1892)
  • 1955-11-12 Tin Ujević, Croatian poet (Žedan kamen na studencu), dies at 64
  • 1958-06-26 Andrija Štampar, Croatian physician and United Nations diplomat (b. 1888)

Ante Pavelić (1889-1959)

1959-12-28 Croatian leader of Nazi Germany puppet Independent State of Croatia, dies from wounds received in an attempted assassination two years earlier at 70

  • 1960-02-10 Aloysius Stepinac, Croatian cardinal (b. 1898)
  • 1962-01-16 Ivan Meštrović, Croatian sculptor and architect, dies at 78
  • 1964-04-01 Božidar Kunc, Croatian concert pianist and composer, dies of a heart attack backstage after a performance with the Detroit Symphony at 60
  • 1964-04-18 Albe Vidaković, Croatian composer, dies at 49
  • 1965-11-04 Krsto Odak, Croatian composer, dies at 77
  • 1967-03-04 Vladan Desnica, Croatian and Serbian writer, dies at 61
  • 1970-01-14 William Feller, Croatian mathematician (b. 1906)
  • 1976-09-26 Leopold Ružička, Croatian-Swiss chemist (Nobel 1939), dies at 89
  • 1976-12-12 Vinko Zganec, Croatian ethnomusicologist (b. 1890)
  • 1981-12-29 Miroslav Krleža, Croatian writer (b. 1893)
  • 1985-01-04 Lovro von Matačić, Croatian conductor and composer (Bruckner Medal), dies at 86
  • 1987-08-08 Danilo Blanuša, Croatian mathematician, dies at 83
  • 1988-01-16 Andrija Artuković, Croatian war criminal (b. 1899)
  • 1988-09-23 Tibor Sekelj, Croatian explorer (b. 1912)
  • 1989-05-30 Zinka Milanov (née Kunc), Croatian soprano (Ljubljana Opera 1927-34; NY Metropolitan Opera, 1937-66), dies of a stroke at 83
  • 1992-11-27 Ivan Generalić, Croatian painter (b. 1914)
  • 1994-12-26 Sylvia Koscina, Croatian/Italian actress (Hercules), dies at 61
  • 1995-05-25 Krešimir Ćosić, Croatian basketball player, dies at 46
  • 1995-08-09 John Schofield, English BBC journalist, shot to death in Croatia at 29
  • 1996-04-13 Vjekoslav Kaleb, Croatian writer (Splendor of the Fabric), dies at 90
  • 1998-01-07 Vladimir Prelog, Croatian-Swiss organic chemist (Nobel 1975), dies at 91

Franjo Tuđman (1922-1999)

1999-12-10 Croatian politician and President of Croatia (1990-1999), dies of stomach cancer at 77

  • 2000-03-09 Ivo Robić, Croatian singer and songwriter (b. 1923)
  • 2000-12-07 Vladimir Gotovac, Croatian poet and politician (b. 1930)
  • 2001-09-05 Vladimir Žerjavić, Croatian economist and UN statistician, dies at 89
  • 2003-09-07 Great Antonio [Antonio Barichievich], Croatian-Canadian strongman and eccentric, dies at 77
  • 2005-01-02 Edo Murtić, Croatian painter, dies at 83
  • 2007-04-29 Ivica Račan, former Prime Minister of Croatia (b. 1944)
  • 2007-05-06 Đorđe Novković, Croatian pop singer-songwriter (Pro Arte), and television personality (Hrvatski Idol), dies at 63
  • 2007-06-27 Dragutin Tadijanović, Croatian poet (b. 1905)
  • 2008-03-04 Semka Sokolovic-Bertok, Yugoslavian-born Croatian actress (b. 1935)
  • 2008-04-03 Hrvoje Ćustić, Croatian football player (b. 1983)
  • 2008-09-07 Miljenko "Dino" Dvornik, Croatian singer known as "the Croatian King of Funk", dies of an overdose at 44
  • 2008-09-14 Domagoj Kapeć, Croatian hockeyplayer (b. 1989)
  • 2010-05-04 Zvonimir Levačić - Ševa, Croatian humorist and entertainer (b. 1943)
  • 2010-07-30 Zlatko Pibernik, Croatian composer and music teacher, dies at 83
  • 2010-10-25 Vesna Parun, Croatian poet (b. 1922)
  • 2011-01-03 Fadil Hadžić, Croatian film director, dies at 88
  • 2011-01-10 Bosko Petrovic, Croatian jazz musician, founder of the Zagreb Jazz Quartet, dies at 75
  • 2011-02-12 Mato Damjanović, Croatian chess grandmaster (b. 1927)
  • 2011-06-24 Tomislav Ivić, Croatian football manager (b. 1933)