Josip Torbar (politician, born 1889)

Josip Torbar (12 April 1889 – 5 January 1963) was a Croatian politician, lawyer, and member of the Croatian Peasant Party (Croatian: Hrvatska seljačka stranka, HSS). He was involved in leading the party through the interwar period during the tenure of Vladko Maček and during World War II. He was a member of the parliament of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and a minister in the governments of Dragiša Cvetković and Dušan Simović. During World War II, Torbar met several times with Ante Pavelić, the head of the puppet regime of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) ruled by Ustaše. In meetings, Torbar attempted to secure a more favourable position for the HSS, which the Ustaše had formally banned. Alternatively, Torbar tried to persuade Pavelić to change specific policies, remove certain officials from power, release arrested HSS members, or hand over power to the HSS if the Western Allies prevailed over the Nazi Germany.

In late 1943 and throughout 1944, Torbar was involved in planning the Lorković–Vokić plot designed to remove Pavelić from power in the NDH, align with the Western Allies, disarm German troops, and install the HSS in power. The plan failed, and the conspirators, including Torbar, were arrested and imprisoned. Torbar was released in May 1945, and he fled the country to Italy, Argentina, Canada, and finally to the United States.