Day of the Republic / November 29th Museum of AVNOJ

Day of the Republic / November 29th

On this day in 1943 the Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (Antifašističko vijeće narodnog oslobođenja Jugoslavije, AVNOJ) at its second session in Jajce declared that Yugoslavia would be “built on a democratic, federal principle” as “a community of equal nations/peoples  who freely expressed their wish to live in Yugoslavia,” called Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, comprising 6 equal republics (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia). Leader of the Partisan resistance, Tito was named the head of the provisional government and also elevated to the rank of Marshal on that day.

Two years later, on 29 November 1945, at AVNOJ’s next biennial session, King Petar II transferred power to Tito as the new country’s prime minister. The country thus ceased to be a monarchy and became a republic, now renamed to Federal National (People’s) Republic of Yugoslavia. The second Yugoslavia was thus born.

Throughout its subsequent history, Yugoslavia marked the anniversary as the Republic Day (Dan Republike), commemorating the 1943 event. Republic Day honored the achievements of the partisans’ fight and glorified the basic principle of Yugoslavia’s economic and political system.

In Jajce, meanwhile, there is still an AVNOJ Museum, housed in the same brick building where the council held its historic second session in 1943. The museum hosts an annual “Days of AVNOJ” event every November 29th and 30th.

Museum of AVNOJ today

Museum of AVNOJ today