10.11.2013.

Milunka Savic buried in the Alley of the greats

To the sound of “Tamo daleko“ song and firing gun salute the remains of Milunka Savić, heroine of the First World War, have been buried today in the Alley of the Greats at the New Cemetery in Belgrade.
The ceremony held in the highest state and military honours, four decades after the death of Serbian “Jeanne d`Arc in the army coat“, was attended by the President of the Republic of Serbia Tomislav Nikolić, Milunka’s descendants, Minister of Defence Nebojša Rodić, Chief of General Staff General Ljubiša Diković, officials of the Ministry of Defence, Serbian Armed Forces, Government and the National Assembly, Belgrade municipalities, diplomatic corps, public and culture figures, as well as the representatives of the associations of liberating wars. Memorial service was held by Patriarch Srpski Irinej and Bishop Šabački Lavrentije.

Paying homage to Serbian heroine the President Nikolić said that it was never late to correct the evil deeds done by the others to Serbia and Serbian great figures pointing out that Serbia would keep the memory of the woman who among many brave men became the greatest heroine of the First World War.

- In this moment, by paying homage to Milunka Savić, on the day on the eve of signing the truce in the First World War, we, grateful descendants, are paying homage to all our courageous ancestors – emphasized the President of Serbia, stressing that with Milunka Savić go all the most beautiful Serbian words – heroine of the Great War, ikon and symbol of the First World War, Jeanne d`Arc in army coat, mother of the Serbian orphans, a paragon, forgotten hero. Milunka is the symbol of heroism, as he highlighted, with nine sour wounds because of her wish that Serbia should be free, the woman warrior admired by a whole world.

According to his words Milunka Savić is much the same as her country, brave when the need be, unconquerable and upright, ready to help everyone, but all the same neglected when it might be thought that being so big and strong it might make some kind of a trouble.

- With her immeasurable courage, knighthood and patriotism she was an example to her contemporaries while to the descendants she is a teacher showing them by her own example how to love and defend homeland – emphasized the President Nikolić. He also reminded the audience that Milunka Savić got the highest Serbian and foreign military decorations, among which the two Knight Medals of the Legion of Honour, and that she is the only woman of the mankind awarded by a French Medal Grand Cross with Golden Palm.

- On her way to the Alley of the Greats, where she belongs, with military honours as she deserves, Milunka Savić went once again past her Supreme Commander Vojvoda Radomir Putnik – said the President Nikolić who at the end of his speech added – “Eternal Glory be to Milunka Savić and the heroes of the Great War“.

Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej, addressing the audience after a religious ceremony, said that Serbian heroine Milunka Savić sacrificed herself fully and completely, experienced and endured all the horrors of war and suffering, and lived to see what she was fighting for – the freedom of Serbian people. This Serbian heroine, he added, is a unique figure not only in our world and time but also regarding a whole course of history due to her courage and patriotism she had shown.

- No one or very few people understood in such a way the relationship towards fatherhood, faith and everything what can be called Serbian – pointed out Patriarch, adding that when she realized that “each and every thing was against Serbia“, she took the gun and went fighting, not to kill but to defend her country.

Milunka Savić was born at the end of 19th century in the village of Koprivnica, not far from Raška. She was a participant of the Balkan Wars under the name of Milun Savić. Milunka’s “secret“ was revealed after she had been wounded in the breasts in Bregalnička Battle (1913). In the First World War she was a part of the famous “Iron Regiment“, the most elite Second Regiment of the Serbian Army “Knjaz Mihailo“.

After the war, the heroine of the Great War worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a cook, nurse, surveyor in the factory of military uniforms. Then she married Veljko Gligorović with whom she had daughter Milena, but soon afterwards she adopted three more daughters: Višnja, Radmila and Zorka.

However, the marriage did not last long so that Milunka brought up her four daughters alone. After the urgent plea made by her fellow-soldiers in 1929 she got a job as charwoman in the Mortgage Bank in Belgrade, where she spent a larger portion of her working life. She died on the 5th October 1973 and was buried in a family tomb at the New Cemetery.