10.11.2016.
Exhibition Field Marshal Petar Bojovic - symbol of glory and honour in a guest visit to Kragujevac
President of the Republic of Serbia Tomislav Nikolić opened tonight in Kragujevac the exbition “Field Marshal Petar Bojović - symbol of glory and honour”, which moved from the Palace of Serbia and Central Military Club in Belgrade to the Residence of Prince Mihailo in the National Museum Kragujevac.President Nikolić stressed that Petar Bojović was a symbol of Serbian soldier, officer, parent.
He also added that by the exhibition “Field Marshal Petar Bojović - symbol of glory and honour” we would like to repay a debt and tell our descendants the story about a unique Serbian officer.
Among numerous guests, the ceremony was attended by Serbian Armed Forces Deputy Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Jovica Draganić, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, citizens of Kragujevac.This is the most complete collection of decorations of some of four Serbian field marshals. Petar Bojović received 25 national and 16 international decorations. Six of them have not been saved whereas four are not complete, but even without them this is a precious whole.
Besides national decorations, the collection includes the international ones given to Petar Bojović by almost all important European countries such as the Order of Karađorđe’s Star with swords 1st degree from 1933. Among international decorations you can find French Order of the Legion of Honour 1st degree from 1936.
In addition to decorations given to Petar Bojović by the allies of World War I, it is interesting that he received decorations before the Great War by rulers of the countries which were adversaries to Serbia from 1914 to 1918. Thus Franz Joseph I of Austria gave to Bojović as a young officer in 1884 Knight’s Cross 3rd degree whereas Ferdinand I of Bulgaria gave him the Medal for military merits 2nd degree in 1904.
After Kragujevac, the exhibition will be open in military clubs in larger cities of Serbia such as Novi Sad, Niš, Kraljevo with the aim to get to know rich historic heritage of ancestors in the year when we mark a century since the Great War. The coordinator of this project, besides the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic of Serbia is Media Centre Odbrana.
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