On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the assassination in Marseille and with a desire to keep the memory of his grandfather, HM Knightly King Unifier, HRH Crown Prince Alexander hosted today the promotion of the book “King Alexander I Karadjordjevic” by Momcilo Vukovic Bircanin, late officer of the Royal Yugoslav Army, which was held at the Royal Palace. The patron of this edition of the book is His Royal Highness.
“King Alexander I was a great visionary, a ruler in the service of the people and the homeland. He put his whole life into the foundations of the state he was building, and of which he was the main and first guardian. After the tragedy in Marseille, Yugoslavia lost a great King, the one who looked after and protected the young country, under the attacks of great powers and internal problems. My grandfather was the first to see the danger that threatened the whole world from the extreme ideologies that were on the rise. Just as he wanted to ensure peace and stability for his people, to protect them from the evil that was coming, he wanted the same for Europe and the world.
He is also one of the most slandered figures in our history, from whose character, works and name the veils of lies and falsehoods have only recently begun to be removed, and all his greatness and merits, which were truly many, are being revealed. It is important to keep the memory of great people like the Knightly King the Unifier, my grandfather, Alexander I. That his legacy continues living. This book is another contribution to our national culture of remembrance, and I am happy that now, after so many years, it has finally been published in Serbia”, said the Crown Prince in his address.
The date of the promotion is symbolic, as it was on the 17th of October 1934 that the body of the late King was transferred from the Old Palace in Belgrade to the Cathedral Church (Saborna Crkva Ser.) from where he left for his final journey, to Oplenac, as the burial was the day later, on the 18th.
The promotion, which was held in the cinema of the Royal Palace, was also attended by HRH Hereditary Prince Philip and HRH Princess Danica, the Crown Prince’s son and daughter in law, as well as envoy of the Prime Minister of Serbia, Mr. Sava Stambolic, Their Excellencies Ambassadors of Argentina, Mr. Osvaldo Narciso Marsico, the Kingdom of Spain, Mr. Juan Jose Sanz Aparicio, Romania, Mrs. Silvia Davidoiu, Czech Republic, Mr. Jan Bondy, and Algeria, Mr. Fatah Mahraz, members of the Advisory Bodies of the Crown, representatives of cultural institutions, as well as many other distinguished guests from the spheres of business, art, culture, and the public life of Serbia.
The book was first published in Munich, in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1974 by the author. This is its premiere Serbian edition and presentation to the domestic audience. The author was an officer of the Royal Yugoslav Army in the cavalry of the Royal Guard of King Alexander I, and personal secretary of King Peter II after the Second World War, who published the book to keep the proper and dignifying memory of the Knightly King.
The book results from cooperation between the Historical Archives of Uzice and the Institution of Culture of Bajina Basta. The publication of the book about King Alexander I is a continuation of the publication of the work of Momcilo Vukovic Bircanin, as the elucidation of the foundations of our history.
The Serbian edition of this book was prepared by the Director of the Historical Archive of Uzice, Mr. Zeljko Markovic, who opened the book promotion. Mr. Predrag Markovic, writer and Crown Council member, and Mr. Dusan Babac, Chairman of the Advisory bodies of the Crown and author of one of the most detailed monographies of King Alexander, also spoke about the book and the late King.
Mr. Babac emphasized that until about twenty years ago, it was completely unimaginable that in the home that King Alexander built with great love for his family, now we are talking about Birčanin’s book in front of the grandson and great-grandson of the late King, while the great-great-great grandson and his sister are playing nearby, adding that it is a real positive miracle. “Today, fortunately, we are re-establishing our continuities, our symbols, our verticals, and this family is one of those long-lasting symbols. I consider this book to be one important pebble in that wonderful mosaic that is still in the process of making, and I hope that there will be more beautiful pieces of that mosaic. Let’s all leave some trace behind ourselves, to last.”
Director of Archives, Mr. Marković expressed great gratitude and satisfaction that the promotion of this book is happening in the home of the Royal Family, as the most natural place. “Birčanin has just now returned from exile to his home,” he said, among other things. He reminded of Birčanin’s published works and exhibitions and announced the promotion of books about Dragoljub Draža Mihailović, which would complete the life work of this author.
Mr. Predrag Marković pointed out that Birčanin’s books are extremely important because he is a “witness who does not lie”, and that it is “crucial for us to get the right information about our own past”. Mr. Marković also reminded of the sad fact that during the Second World War, all monuments to King Alexander, as well as other members of the dynasty, of which there were over 200 by 1941, were demolished by fascists and Nazis in the territory of all countries of the former Yugoslavia, except Serbia. In Serbia, they were all demolished by the communists, after the war. “The description of their behavior, of those who demolished the monuments,these are the followers of those who killed King Alexander – fascists and communists, and we always have to keep that in mind.”
The presentation was concluded with the quotation of the prophetic words of the late King Alexander I: “Does anyone think that I am not aware of the dangers I am exposing myself to? I know I can die. It may be unfortunate for me and my family, but that doesn’t matter! I am not at the head of the state to sit idly and look after my life! The King must fulfil his tasks!”
