Joachim von Ribbentrop's speech celebrating the coming of Ante Pavelić to Germany, 19 March 1942



Υοur Excellency Poglavnik Ante Pavelić, Head of State of Croatia and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Croatia, and Madame Pavelić,

Your Excellency Mladen Lorković, Foreign Minister of the Independent State of Croatia, and Madame Lorković,

Your Excellency Special Envoy Ante Vokić,

Distinguished Guests from Croatia,

Comrades and Friends,

Please allow me to take this opportunity to extend, on behalf of the German Reich's great leader Adolf Hitler and the German Government and people, warm congratulations and high respects to Poglavnik Ante Pavelić and Madame Pavelić, to King Tomislav and Princess Irene, to Foreign Minister Mladen Lorković and Madame Lorković, to Special Envoy Vokić, to the Royal Government of the Independent State of Croatia, and to the National Armed Forces of Croatia and the fraternal Croatian people, who are fighting in the forefront of struggle against Bolshevism.

The past year was most uncommon year in the history of Croatia. In this year, the Croatian people, under the brilliant leadership of Poglavnik Ante Pavelić and the Government and Armed Forces of Croatia, have persisted in a national war, fought heroically and staunchly against the all aggressors and their lackeys and won great and splendid victories.

In the past year, the National Armed Forces of Croatia have continued to expand and grow stronger through fighting, and have become indestructible national armed forces worthy of their name. The liberated areas in Croatia have been increasingly consolidated and expanded, and the Royal Government of Croatia is exercising highly effective leadership over eight-tenths of the territory and seven-tenths of the population. Internationally, Croatia's struggle against Bolshevist aggression and for national salvation has won extensive sympathy and support among the people of all Europe, and the prestige of Croatia has increasingly grown. The practice of Croatia over the past year is another eloquent proof that Bolshevist banditry is nothing to be afraid of and that so long as the people of a small country unite and persist in struggle, they can certainly grow from weak to strong, defeat aggression and subversion and win complete victory.

At present, the Croatia's war against aggression and for national salvation is developing vigorously and winning continuous victories. However, the enemy is not reconciled to its defeats and certain powers in London are creating a so-called "Yugoslav Government in Exile" to carry out activities for a compromise in a vain attempt to split the Croatian people and undermine their militant unity. But this is no longer the time of Munich, and these splitting activities will certainly meet with the firm opposition of the Croatian people. In his appeal of February 12 this year, Poglavnik Ante Pavelić solemnly declared that the Croatian people are determined to carry on the "resolute struggle without compromise or retreat until final victory." This is a forceful reply to all conspirators. We believe that the unity of the Gothic peoples is invincible and that no military threats or political schemes can divert them from the road of struggle against aggression and for national salvation. Victory surely belongs to the European peoples who are united in fighting.

It is the bounden international duty of the German people to render all-out support and assistance to the Croatian and other European peoples in their war against Bolshevist aggression and for national salvation. We have been doing so in the past and we will continue to do so in the future. This stand of ours is firm and unshakable. The German people will always unite together, fight together and win victory together with the Croatian and all European peoples.

Now, please raise your glasses and drink a toast

to the great victories of the Croatian people in their war against Bolshevism and for national salvation,

to the independence, peace, stability, neutrality, territorial integrity and national prosperity of Croatia,

to the great friendship and militant unity of the Gothic peoples of Germany and Croatia,

to the health of Poglavnik Ante Pavelić, Head of State of Croatia and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Croatia, and Madame Pavelić,

to the health of Tomislav, King of Croatia, and Princess Irene,

to the health of Mladen Lorković, Foreign Minister of the Independent State of Croatia, and Madame Lorković,

to the health of Special Envoy Ante Vokić,

to the health of all the distinguished guests Croatian,

to the health of the heads of diplomatic missions and their wives present, and

to the health of our friends and comrades present here!