Osman Kulenović
| Osman Kulenović | |
|---|---|
| 1st Vice President of the Government of the Independent State of Croatia | |
|
In office 16 April 1941 – 7 November 1941 |
|
| Leader | Ante Pavelić |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Džafer Kulenović |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 December 1889 Rajinovci, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 7 June 1947 (aged 57) Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia |
| Nationality | Croat |
| Political party | Yugoslav Muslim Organization (until 1941) |
| Relations | Džafer Kulenović (brother) Nahid Kulenović (nephew) |
| Alma mater | University of Vienna |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Osman Kulenović (15 December 1889 – 7 June 1947) was a Croatian politician and lawyer, most notable for serving as the Vice President of the Government of the Independent State of Croatia in 1941.
Osman Kulenović was born to a wealthy Bosniak family in Rajinovci, present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina. When he entered the University of Zagreb he joined the Party of Rights. During Austrian-Hungarian rule he was among the younger representatives in the Croatian Sabor.
His colleague was Ante Pavelić, the future Poglavnik of the Independent State of Croatia. Kulenović graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Vienna in 1917, where he gained his Ph.D. as well. At the beginning of the 1920s he was the municipality president of Kotor Varoš, but due to his Croatian nationalist views, he was removed from the office. In 1923, after he was removed from the municipal post, he worked as a lawyer in Bihać.
After the proclamation of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) in April 1941, Pavelić invited Kulenović to Zagreb and named him vice president of the Government of the Independent State of Croatia on 16 April. Soon Banja Luka and Sarajevo became important political centres of the NDH, alongside Zagreb. Pavelić even considered moving several ministries to Banja Luka. As part of this policy, the vice presidency moved to Banja Luka, where Kulenović continued to work. As vice president, Kulenović visited towns and moved among the people. He informed Pavelić about the atrocities committed against the Serb population. After three months working for the government, Kulenović tendered his resignation, which Pavelić accepted only when he named Osman's brother, Džafer, to the post. In November, the seat of the vice presidency was returned to Zagreb.
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