Vučer Franjo

Franjo Vučer, Rear Admiral, Head of the Naval Office at the Ljubljana National Council (Dolenja Brezovica near Šentjernej, 13 January 1875 – Drča near Šentjernej, 22 May 1956, buried at Šmarje near Šentjernej)

Franjo Vučer was born at Dolenja Brezovica near Šentjernej, in the farming family of father Ignac and mother Ema Vučer. He attended the primary school in his village, and eventually a classical grammar school in Ljubljana from 1884 to 1892. After graduating, he joined the Austro-Hungarian Navy in Pula as an officer candidate on 1 October 1892. On 1 May 1898, he passed the officer exam and acquired the rank of Lieutenant. In 1900, he accomplished a torpedo course, in 1904 a diving course, and in 1912 an artillery course.

 

In 1905, he advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and in 1907 to the rank of Lieutenant Commander 1st class. During World War I he held the rank of Commander (1 May 1914). He served as commander of the destroyer "Ulan" and, as a highly experienced mariner, of the rescue ship "Herkules". On 1 May 1918, at the end of the war, he was promoted to the rank of Captain.

 

After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he immediately joined the Army of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, identified himself as Yugoslav and was initially the Head of the Naval Office at the Ljubljana National Council. Later, he carried out numerous duties in the Yugoslav Navy. During the coup, the National Council (Narodni svet) in Zagreb selected him as the commander of the port and fortress of Pula. He was also in charge of the naval arsenal in Tivat (1 October 1919 to 16 August 1923). On 12 July 1921, he was promoted to the rank of the Second Class Commodore and was also appointed the chief commanding officer of the Navy in Boka Kotorska - commander of the 3rd Marine-Coastal Zone at Kumbor (17 August 1923 – 8 January 1926) and the 1st Marine-Coastal Zone at Sušak near Reka, and later at Selce (9 January 1926 – 3 October 1931). On 17 December 1930, he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. On 31 December 1931, he retired.

 

During his prolific naval career, he received a number of decorations, including the Order of the White Eagle 5th degree, the Order of St. Sava 3rd degree, and the Order of the Yugoslav Crown 4th degree.

 

After retiring, he lived in Zagreb, while during World War II he decided to move to his estate at Drča near Šentjernej, a village under the mighty Gorjanci Mts. near the Pleterje Charterhouse. With his family, he took part in the national liberation movement. After the capitulation of the Yugoslav Army, his daughter Vera and her husband, Second Class Commodore Karl Levičnik, and their son Jurij Levičnik also settled at Drča.

 

He was an ardent amateur painter. He died on 22 May 1956 at his home at Drča and was buried at Šmarje near Šentjernej in a common grave with his loved ones and his son-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel General Karl Levičnik.

 

Prepared by Nadja Terčon

 

 

SOURCES

 

Museum photo documentation

 

Vučer, Franjo, Enciklopedija Slovenije 14, p. 399

 

Gspan – Prašelj, Nada: Vučer Franjo, Slovenski biografski leksikon, https://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi825843/, accessed 30 July 2025

 

Kambič. Mateja: VUČER, Franjo. (1875-1956). Obrazi slovenskih pokrajin. Mestna knjižnica Kranj, 2020. https://www.obrazislovenskihpokrajin.si/oseba/vucer-wutscher-franjo/, accessed 30 July 2025

 

Kranjc, F. Marjan: Pozabljeni trije dolenjski generali vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije, https://freeweb.t-2.net/Vojastvo/Z11-pozabljeni.html, accessed 30 July 2025

 

Jadranska straža, 1924. broj 5, p. 199