Black Legion (Ustaše militia)
The Black Legion (Croatian: Crna Legija), officially the 1st Standing Active Brigade (Prvi stajaći djelatni sdrug), was an Ustaše Militia infantry unit active during World War II in Independent State of Croatia. The legion was formed in September 1941 as the 1st Ustaša Regiment. It consisted largely of Bosnian Muslim and Croat refugees from eastern Bosnia, where large massacres were carried out by Chetniks and to a small degree by the Yugoslav Partisans. It became known for its fierce fighting against the Chetniks and the Partisans and massacres against Serb civilians. The legion's commanders were Colonel Jure Francetić and Major Rafael Boban. It consisted of between 1,000 and 1,500 trained mechanized infantrymen.
| Black Legion (1st Standing Active Brigade) | |
|---|---|
Soldiers of the Black Legion in Sarajevo (April 7, 1942) | |
| Active | 3 September 1941 – 8 May 1945 |
| Disbanded | 8 May 1945 |
| Country | Independent State of Croatia |
| Branch | Ustaše Militia |
| Type | Mechanized infantry |
| Role | Anti-partisan and Anti-chetnik operations |
| Size | Regiment |
| Nickname(s) | Blacks (Crnci) |
| Motto(s) | Za poglavnika i za dom spremni! (Ready for Poglavnik and homeland) |
| Colors | Black |
| March | Evo zore, evo dana |
| Engagements | Operation Ozren Operation Trio Battle of Kozara Battle of Kupres Operation Vlasenica Operation Dinara |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Jure Francetić Rafael Boban |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol | Black uniform |
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