Koča Kolarov was a revolutionary, poet, and participant in the People's Liberation Struggle. He was born in Melenci on August 2, 1914. His father, Marko Kolarov, died in World War I. With his mother Emilija, he moved to Veliki Bečkerek, where he completed high school. Vladimir was closely aligned with communist ideals from an early age.
He wrote the poem "About a Young Worker in a Large Factory," which caused him some trouble in school. Even as a high school student, he became a member of the League of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia (SKOJ). He studied architecture in Belgrade, where he became involved with numerous cultural organizations, wrote for magazines, and participated in theater activities. At the same time, he organized cultural events in Petrovgrad. He became a member of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia in 1937, and in 1940, he was arrested along with several other party members in a large anti-communist raid. Kolarov remained silent and was released after multiple interrogations. When the April War began, he volunteered and traveled to Sarajevo via Pančevo, Belgrade, and Užice.
As the Kingdom of Yugoslavia's army quickly collapsed, the volunteer unit was not formed, so Koča returned to Petrovgrad, where he immediately began organizing the anti-fascist struggle. He was arrested on July 23, 1941, and executed at Bošnjakov's farm on July 26, 1941. His mother Emilija joined the People's Liberation Movement after his death and entered the liberated Petrovgrad on October 22, 1944. Streets in Novi Sad, Zrenjanin, and Novi Kneževac were named after Vladimir – Koča Kolarov. The Zrenjanin Gymnasium bore his name until 1993.
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