Davorjanka Paunović (1921 - 1946) was Serbian Communist activist, best known as secretary and lover of Yugoslav Communist leader Josip Broz Tito.

She was born in Eastern Serbian town of Kučevo as the daughter of Milutin Paunović and Bisenija "Bisa" née Miletić. Her father, a teacher and decorated WW I veteran, was highly respected member of community. On her mothers' side she was related to Vera Miletić, who would later be one of Party's leaders in WW2 Serbia. Family later moved in city of Požarevac. She had older sister Branka (1912 - 1932), that died of malaria.

In Požarevac Davorjanka Paunović went to Požarevac Gymnasium together with Vera Miletić who became her best friend. Two girls soon became interested in politics and in 1936 joined League of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia (SKOJ). In 1938 Paunović became member of the Party. She went to Belgrade and enrolled in University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy where she studied French and literature. She was very active in students' organisation and advanced in SKOJ ranks. In 1939 she began romantic relationship with young Montenegrin Communist Jovo Kapičić.

After World War II started in Europe, Party, which was still banned by interwar Yugoslav authorities, wanted to set up new, more reliable communication network based on radio stations and couriers who were less likely to cause suspicion by authorities. Paunović as young woman from well-to-do family began to serve in that capacity. In February 1941 she was sent to Zagreb to learn operating radio station. She took room in Esplanade Hotel where she met Tito.

In March 1941 she began to serve as main liaison between Party leadership in Zagreb and Regional Committe for Serbia in Belgrade.

As the war quickly approcahed, she went underground and took alias "Zdenka Horvat", earning a nickname "Zdenka" she would have for the rest of her life.

She stayed in Zagreb in few weeks after invasion and occupation of Yugoslavia and followed Tito when he came to Belgrade on May 8th 1941.

She spent next few months in Belgrade under German occupation, living in Rumunska Street, close to Nenadović villa at Dedinje, where Tito lived. She worked as his personal courier until September 1941 when she followed Tito to Partisan-controlled territory later known as Republic of Užice. From that point onwards, she served as Tito's personal assistant, typist and secretary and became his common-law wife. She took followed Tito during the most difficult military campaigns, including Battle of Sutjeska and Raid on Drvar; the fighting and exhuasting marches through Bosnian and Montenegrin mountains took heavy toll on her health.

When Tito relocated to relative safety of Adriatic island of Vis in June 1944 and had already established logistics and transport contacts with Allies, he asked Davorjanka to seek treatment in Soviet Union. After some hesitation, she listened and went there, but hearing about Partisan successful offensive in Serbia, she returned to Tito shortly before takeover of Belgrade. The couple lived in Rumunska Street, and later in Beli dvor, which would be Tito's residence.

Although they were never formally married, Davorjanka served as de facto First Lady of new Communist Yugoslavia. Tito treated her parents as his in-laws and often hosted them in their residence. Her health continued to decline and in Spring 1946 she was sent to sanatorium in Slovenian village of Golnik where she died. She was buried in Beli dvor according to her wishes.

Official histories of Communist Yugoslavia recognised Davorjanka Paunović's wartime service as Tito's secretary and assisstant, but the real nature of their relationship was taboo topic until Tito's death in 1980.

First one to mention Davorjanka Paunović as Tito's romantic partner was historian Vladimir Dedijer in his book Novi prilozi za biografiju Josipa Broza Tita in 1981.

After that Davorjanka Paunović appeared as character in couple of television shows covering the period.

In Odlazak ratnika, povratak maršala, two-part 1986 docudrama dedicated to Tito's wartime departure and return to Belgrade, she is played by Olivera Ježina.

In Tito, 2010 Croatian docudrama series she is played by Zrinka Cvitešić.

In 2013 Serbian TV series Ravna gora she is portrayed by @Milena Jakšić.