Kosta Kumanudi

Kumanudi.

Kosta Kumanudi (1874–1962) was a Serbian politician with the Democratic Party, and later with the Yugoslav Radical Peasant Democracy, forerunner to the Yugoslav National Party.^[1] PhD of Political Sciences, professor of administrative law at the University of Belgrade's Law School, reserve Captain in the Balkan Wars, World War I, and in World War II, a deputy of the Democratic Party, President of the Belgrade municipality, the Minister of Finance, Education, Forest and Mining, Trade and Industry, Chairman of the National Assembly. He was a writer and political philosopher.

Early life

Kumanudi's paternal family was of Greek origin, having settled Belgrade from Adrianople in ca. 1823 or 1829. Further back, it hailed from Trabzon (see Pontic Greeks). In 1840 there were three households in Belgrade with the surname. Members were bakers and later bankers and merchants. Konstantin "Kosta" (or "Koča") was the son of merchant Dimitrije Kumanudi (fl. 1854–d. 1885), and was brought up in Belgrade. He had a brother, Aleksa "Lesa".

Political career

From 1921 to 1922 Kumanudi was Finance Minister of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Minister of Internal Affairs for a short time in 1922. He was Mayor of Belgrade from 1926 to 1929.

In 1941 Kumanudi signed the Appeal to the Serbian Nation to collaborate with Serbia's quisling government.^[2] He was later tried as part of the Belgrade Process and was sentenced to time in jail for his role in establishing the quisling government with General Milan Nedić at its helm.

Decorations

White Eagle V, III and IV lines, and Saint Sava, and Karađorđeva Star IV lines and the Legion of Honor.

References

1. The three Yugoslavias: state-building and legitimation, 1918-2005 by Sabrina P. Ramet (2006)
2. Cohen, Philip J. Serbia's secret war: propaganda and the deceit of history, Texas A&M University Press, 1996

Sources

• Бачко, Александар (May 2012). "Кумануди (Куманудис, Куманудић)". Belgrade: Srpski despot.