Franjo Tudjman
This article's lead section may not adequately summarize key points of its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (June 2010) Vrhovnik Franjo Tuđman 1st President of Croatia In office 30 May 1990 – 10 December 1999 Prime Minister Stjepan Mesić (1990) Josip Manolić (1990–91) Franjo Gregurić (1991–92) Hrvoje Šarinić (1992–93) Nikica Valentić (1993–95) Zlatko Mateša (1995–99) Preceded by Ivo Latin (as President of the Presidency of Croatia) Succeeded by Vlatko Pavletić (acting) 1st President of the Croatian Democratic Union In office 1989–1999 Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Vladimir Šeks (acting) Personal details Born (1922-05-14)14 May 1922 Veliko Trgovišće, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (now Croatia) Died 10 December 1999(1999-12-10) (aged 77) Zagreb, Croatia Resting place Mirogoj, Zagreb, Croatia Political party Croatian Democratic Union Other political affiliations League of Communists of Yugoslavia (1942-1967) Spouse(s) Ankica Tuđman (née Žumbar) Alma mater Belgrade Military Academy Profession Politician, historian, soldier Religion lapsed Catholic (considered atheist by some), see Relation to the Catholic Church Signature Website Official website Military service Allegiance Yugoslavia Croatia Service/branch Yugoslav Partisans (1942–45) Yugoslav People's Army Ground Forces (1945–61) Croatian Armed Forces Years of service 1942–1961 1995–1999 Rank Major General (YPA) Vrhovnik (HV) Unit 10th Zagreb Corps Battles/wars World War II in Yugoslavia ^a 1st counting from the 1990 Croatian parliamentary election. 17th Croatian president overall. Franjo Tuđman (Croatian pronunciation: [frǎːɲo tûd ʑman] ( listen); 14 May 1922 – 10 December 1999) was a Croatian politician. Following the country's independence from Yugoslavia he became the first President of Croatia. In his youth he fought during World War II as a member of the Yugoslav partisans, becoming later the youngest general in the Yugoslav army.[citation needed] After his military career, he worked as a historian until coming into conflict with the regime. He lived relatively anonymously in the following years until the end of communism, whereupon he began his political career by founding the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in 1989. He became President in 1990, as the HDZ won the first post-communist multi-party elections, and a year later he proclaimed Croatian independence. He was re-elected twice and remained in power until his death in 1999. In May 2013, the ICTY, in a first-instance verdict against Jadranko Prlić, found that Tuđman was leader of the joint criminal enterprise against the non-Croat population of Bosnia and Herzegovina.