90th ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOLUBARA BATTLE

Belgrade, 9 December 2004 – HRH Crown Prince Alexander II has attended today the celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the Kolubara Battle.

The ceremony has started at the Church of Saint Dimitrije with the Holy Liturgy, officiated by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadija and other priests. After the Liturgy, in the crypt of the church, the Memorial Service for the victims of the battle was held. Crown Prince Alexander II has laid wreath and paid tribute to the fallen soldiers.

During the Second World War the church, dedicated to Saint Dimitrije, was bombarded by the Fascist Germany after receiving the information that His Majesty King Peter II was hiding in it.

After the memorial Service the Crown Prince together with his hosts and other guests went to Lazarevac, where he laid wreath on the monument to the Serbian soldier.

Apart from HRH Crown Prince Alexander II the ceremony to mark this important jubilee from our history was also attended by the President of the National Parliament Mr. Predrag Markovic, Vice President of the Republic government Mr. Miroljub Labus, the representative of President Tadic Vice Admiral Mr. Jovan Grbavac, the representative of the Military of Serbia and Montenegro general major Dragan Zivanovic, the commander of the Gendarmerie colonel Borivoje Tesic, the President of the Lazarevac Assembly Mr. Branko Boric, the representatives of the Association of soldiers as well as of the Association for cherishing traditions and numerous citizens from Lazarevac and neighbouring villages.

The battle of Kolubara is one of the biggest and the most important battles between the Serbian and Austro-Hungarian armies in the First World War. It had been fought for 30 days at the battlefield 200 kilometres long, against the enemy two times larger and immeasurable better equipped. After general Peter Bojovic was wounded, general Zivojin Misic took over as a head of the Serbian Army. He outwitted the enemy with his great talent and inflicted losses from which the Austro-Hungarian army never recovered. The complete operation of the Kolubara battle was supervised by His Majesty King Peter I the Liberator who took an active part in the battle as the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army.

After the liberation of Belgrade on 15 December 1914 the Serbian army achieved the greatest victory in the First World War, and the Kolubara battle entered the history of wars as an unique example how the army, anticipated to be crashed, in the short period of time was reorganized, and then has gone into a contra attack inflicting a decisive defeat on enemy.