Ante Pavelić first began using the title of "Poglavnik" when it was prescribed as the official title for the supreme leader of the
Ustaše movement in the organization's founding charter in 1930, while he was in exile in Italy. The organization (whose name at the time meant simply "rebels" in Croatian but which also lost its original meaning in modern usage), was organized as a movement which sought to create an independent
Croatian nation-state by means of
armed struggle at the time when Croatia was part of the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Following the 1941
invasion of Yugoslavia and the establishment of the puppet state called
Independent State of Croatia (commonly referred to by its Croatian-language
initialism NDH), the title continued to be used for Pavelić, and its meaning was taken to have evolved into "the supreme leader". The title is therefore usually compared and considered equivalent to other titles of ethno-political leadership used at the time such as
Führer (used by
Adolf Hitler, which was itself modeled after
Benito Mussolini's title
Duce). As a result, "Poglavnik" is sometimes translated as "Führer" in English-language sources. Legally, the exact role of the person carrying the title and its function were never officially stipulated in the constitution or in any other piece of legislation passed during NDH's existence. From May 1941 to October 1943 NDH attempted to be a kingdom and Ante Pavelić
de facto the country's Prime Minister. It embodied
Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta (
named Tomislav II) as a head of state, though he never ruled there. Later, he refused to assume the kingship in protest of the
Italian annexation of the
Dalmatia region, and is therefore referred to in sources as king designate. However, other sources refer to him as King Tomislav II and the nominal head of the NDH during its first two years (1941–1943). After the dismissal of
Mussolini on 25 July 1943, Aimone abdicated on 31 July as king on the orders of
Victor Emmanuel III. Following
Italy's exit from World War II in September 1943, Pavelić took on the role equivalent to head of state, while
Nikola Mandić was officially appointed Prime Minister of NDH. Thus, from September 1943 until the state's dissolution on 8 May 1945, the title can be taken to mean Head of State. Regardless of the official role of the title, Pavelić had unlimited authority to pass decrees and appoint government ministers throughout the existence of NDH. Since the state ceased to exist in 1945, the title was never claimed by any successor. It continued to be used informally as a nickname for Pavelić during his post-war exile until his death in Madrid in 1959, and has become synonymous with him ever since. ==See also==