Jaka Avšič

Jakob "Jaka" Avšič (nom de guerre Branko Hrast) (24 April 1896 – 2 January 1978) was the first commander of Chetnik units (Plava garda) in Slovenia during the Second World War. At the end of October 1941, Colonel Avšič and Major Karl Novak went to Ravna Gora and met with Draža Mihailović, who appointed Avšič as his representative in Slovenia. Avšič soon deserted the Yugoslav Royal Army in the Fatherland and joined the Yugoslav Partisans. He was then instructed by the Communist executive board to try to convince other Yugoslav army officers to desert and join the Partisans. During the war he used the pseudonym Branko Hrast.