|Allegiance|| Nazi Germany
Government of National Salvation
The Pećanac Chetniks, also known as the 'Black' Chetniks were a Chetnik force which operated in the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia under the leadership of Kosta Pećanac. They were loyal to the fascist government and fought against Yugoslav Partisans and the Chetniks of Draža Mihailović.
At the time of the invasion of Yugoslavia, Pećanac was located in southern Serbia. He was, before World War II and along with his rival Ilija Trifunović-Birčanin, one of the most well-known leaders of the various organizations that called themselves Chetniks, years before Draža Mihailović and his Ravna Gora movement began to use the name. Pećanac's Chetniks, which were already in existence before World War II, were an entirely different organization than Mihailović's, even though they could occasionnally be confused.
Pećanac kept the organizational structure of his detachments simple. All of the commanders were selected personally by Pećanac and consisted of former officers, peasants, Orthodox priests, teachers, and merchants.
Pećanac was assassinated on June 6, 1944 by Chetniks loyal to Mihailović.
- Pavlowitch, Stevan K. (2008). Hitler's New Disorder: The Second World War in Yugoslavia. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 1-85065-895-1.
- Tomasevich, Jozo (1975). War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941-1945: The Chetniks 1. San Francisco: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-0857-6.