05.06.2014.

Marking the centenary of the beginning of work of Rudolph Archibald Reiss

On the occasion of marking the centenary of the beginning of work of Rudolph Archibald Reiss in Serbia, a commemorative ceremony has been held today. On this occasion, wreaths were laid at the monument of Dr Reiss in Topcider Park by Tomislav Nikolic, President of the Republic of Serbia, His Excellency Jean-Daniel Ruch, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation in Belgrade, Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali and President of the Society for preserving tradition of Serbian liberation wars.

After the wreath laying ceremony and paying tributes, with playing the anthems of the two countries, the participants were addressed by Aleksandar Vulin, Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment, and Social Policy and Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation in Belgrade.

President Nikolic said that Archibald Reiss was a comrade and hero who endured Golgotha of the Great War not as a stranger, but sharing the destiny of the Serbian Army and the people, and who remained in Belgrade until his death, devoted to desire to contribute and help Serbia. According to him, this is an opportunity to express special gratitude to Archibald Reiss for numerous articles that he published in prestigious European newspapers and magazines, often even on the front page, which he sent as a correspondent during the war..

- Mostly thanks to his articles, the European and world public was impartially and timely informed about the truth in Serbia and about Serbia. And then, as it is today, if something was not in the media it has never happened. He was a comrade and hero who endured Golgotha of the Great War not as a stranger among the Serbian soldiers and the people, but as one of us, Nikolic said. He recalled of the political testament of Archibald Reiss "Listen, Serbs" on the virtues of our people, and that he bequeathed his deed to be read after his death because of the second part, in which he lovingly points to the flaws of the Serbian people that we most often disregard.

- As befits him, Archibald Reiss has brought together today around his name and fame the representatives of the Serbian and Swiss states, whose peoples live in friendship and understanding. It could not be any other way since this sincere and lasting friendship was initiated by a Swiss Dr Rudolph Archibald Reiss, who gave his knowledge, dedication, thoughts and finally heart to Serbia, the President said.

Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Policy, said that Reiss remained touched by suffering of the Serbian people, its size and beauty.

- The Serbs know how to be the most beautiful people when everything around them ugly, to be the highest when humanity around them is reduced and the best when all around them become ill. The importance of a nation is measured by the size and power of its enemies. The Serbs have always had big, biggest and most powerful enemies. But the value and virtues of a nation are measured by the significance, size and goodness of its friends. The Serbs have always had the biggest and best friends, Vulin said.

Swiss Ambassador to Serbia, Jean-Daniel Ruch reminded that at a time when Serbia is dealing with the consequences of massive floods, it must be remembered that Reiss was driven by his care for the victims.

- The pain one feels when seeing their loved ones suffer was not the only thing that fostered Archibald Reiss' empathy for the victims of war. The founder of the Lausanne-based Scientific Police Institute also realised that the victims want to understand and that they seek justice. Once he said that there is no neutrality about crimes, Ruch said.

Within the commemorative ceremony, an exhibition of photographs about the life and work of Dr. Rudolph Archibald Reiss was opened.

The commemoration was attended by the representatives of the Serbian Government, the diplomatic corps, foreign military attaches and people from cultural and public life of Serbia.