Abstract: The paper is focused on the career of Dušan Drašković (Douchan Drachkovitch), a diplomat of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes/Yugoslavia between 1926 and 1945. It analyzes the development of his official career, contribution to the activities of the Yugoslav diplomatic service with the particular emphasis on the phases of his work in Switzerland and France, as well as his family situation to the extent it had influenced his work and career. The article is based on the archival documents, domestic diaries, memoirs and the relevant historiographical literature as well as the witness’ interviews.

Keywords: Dušan Drašković, diplomacy, Yugoslavia, Switzerland, France, League of Nations, International Labour Office, International Committee of the Red Cross

Summary

The article deals with the life and career of Dušan Drašković [Douchan Drachkovitch] (1898–1966), starting with his school years, through his participation in the First World War, university studies in Geneva, with the special emphasis on the years he spent as a diplomat of the Kingdom of SCS/Yugoslavia (1926–1945). Throughout his diplomatic career, Drašković worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belgrade, Permanent Delegation to the League of Nations in Geneva, Consulate General in Marseille and the Royal Legation in Paris, later in Vichy, and finally in the Delegation of the Yugoslav Red Crossin Geneva. During those years, he had not only acquired diplomatic skills and experience by working with well-known Yugoslav diplomats and high-level officials of that time, but also participated in historic events preceding and during the Second World War by giving his best to serve the State and the people, often in very difficult circumstances. While he was unreservedly devoted tohis diplomatic calling, he was at the same time a caring husband and a father of four (later five) children. After the war, he decided not to return to Yugoslavia and remained in France until he passed away in 1966. His impeccable diplomatic career was interrupted by the Second World War.