14.07.2015.

Memorial plaque in honour of General Jovan Dragasevic unveiled at the Central Military Club

In honour of General Jovan Dragasevic, warrior, writer and founder of the military press in our country, today, in the Central Military Club, a ceremonial unveiling of his memorial plaque was held. The low relief by Professor Dragoljub Dimitrijevic was unveiled by rector of the University of Defence Major General Prof. Dr. Mladen Vuruna.

General Jovan Dragasevic (1836-1915) was one of the founders of the military press in Serbia, the editor and publisher of first military magazines “Vojin” and “Warrior”, whose tradition is continued under the auspices of Odbrana Media Centre by magazine Odbrana and journals Military Act, Military Technical Courier and New Courier.

Director of Odbrana Media Centre Colonel Stevica S Karapandzin said that the institution had initiated a project of setting up plaques in the Hall of the Central Military Club early this year to symbolically mark important jubilees from the history of liberation wars and to preserve the memory of figures from Serbian cultural and artistic heritage.

- Choosing from the numerous, equally important names, we have chosen those great names that are substantially connected to the activities of the institutions that are located in this building. The Central Military Club has so far been decorated with low reliefs “Hawk eye on the bastion of defence of the state”, “Nadezda Petrovic – war nurse”, and “Djordje Vajfert”. I am particularly happy that this bronze, or “golden” line is continued by General Jovan Dragasevic, and today, on the centenary of his death – Colonel Karapandzin said.

Dragasevic left behind over 20 books from the fields of geography, history, stylistics, poetry, journals, dramas, and the saying well-known in our country: Only unity saves the Serbs, as is written on their coat of arms!”

The ceremony was also attended by writer Velisa Joksimovic, retired Lieutenant Colonel Slavoljub M Markovic, retired Colonel Prof. Dr. Miloje Prsic and Colonel Milivoje Pajovic, MSc, who spoke about the prose and poetry of General Dragasevic, his role in military archiving and history, and the paved way for military press and its creation.

A special detail was the reading of a letter of great-grandson of General Dragasevic, Borislav Dragasevic, which had arrived a few days ago from Toronto, in which he conveyed his gratitude to the hosts for the honour paid to his great-grandfather.

The cultural artistic part of the program featured Snezana Djokic, MSc, gusle player Slavko Jeknic, vocal soloist Aleksa Zarev, accordion soloist Slavisa Savic and Choire “Pokrov Presvete Bogorodice” of the Cathedral of Saint Sava’s and Venerable Mother Paraskeva in Surcin.