Duda Montiljo (birth name Leon Montiljo, 1909-1995) was born in Visoko, Austria Hungary (now Bosnia and Herzegovina) to Jakob and Rahele Montiljo. As an adult, he settled in Prnjavor and worked as a merchant. On April 6, 1941, Germany and Italy, supported by Hungary and Bulgaria, invaded Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia was partitioned, and central Yugoslavia, including Prnjavor, was formed into the independent State of Croatia, which was governed by the Ustaše and administered by the Germans. The regime enacted anti-Jewish laws, confiscated property and money, forced males to work hard labor and then began deporting Jews to camps. Dudo’s mother, Rahele, and his four siblings, Rene, Klare, Smoela, and Morica were deported to and killed in the camps. In 1943, Dudo joined the 3rd battalion of the 10th Brigade of the People's Liberation Army (Yugoslav partisans). He fought with the partisans in Yugoslavia during the war and lost three fingers, including the second and third fingers of his right hand. After recovery, Dudo worked in the People’s Liberation Committee in Hercegovina until the end of the war. After the war he retired from the military a lieutenant and was recognized as a disabled veteran due to his injuries. He was married to Anica Finci.
Leather pistol holster used by Dudo Montiljo, while he was a member of a partisan group that fought the Nazi occupation forces and Ustaše collaborators in Yugoslavia during World War II. Dudo lived in Prnjavor, where he worked as a merchant when Yugoslavia was invaded and partitioned by Germany and its allies in April, 1941. After the Yugoslav surrender, Dudo joined the 3rd battalion of the 10th Brigade of the People's Liberation Army (Yugoslav partisans). While fighting with the partisans Dudo lost three fingers, including the second and third fingers of his right hand. After his recovery, Dudo worked in the People’s Liberation Committee in Hercegovina until the end of the war. The Germans and their Croatian Ustaše collaborators deported and killed Dudo’s mother, Rahele, and his four siblings, Rene, Klare, Smoela, and Morica.
Handgun holster used by a Yugoslavian partisan
Dark brown, leather pistol holster with a rectangular pocket to store an additional magazine. The main body of the holster is made from one piece of leather that has been folded over on the right side and stitched with light brown thread along the left edge. The pocket is sewn on the right side which is long and straight. Stitched to the bottom tip of the holster is a hard leather cap. The top has a wide leather flap that folds down and snaps closed with a centered, brown button. The back has a rectangular piece of leather that narrows into a point stitched on to form a belt loop. The stitching on the left side is coming undone.
overall: Height: 7.500 inches (19.05 cm) | Width: 5.500 inches (13.97 cm) | Depth: 1.750 inches (4.445 cm)
No restrictions on use
The holster was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1993 by the Federation of Jewish Communities in Yugoslavia.
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