Ministry of defence Republic of Serbia
 
13.10.2015.

Exhibition about General and academic Zivko G. Pavlovic opened at the Central Military Club



In the Small Gallery of the Central Military Club, today, the exhibition "The sword and the Pen - Zivko G. Pavlovic, general and academic" was opened, in organization of Odbrana Media Centre in cooperation with the National Museum from Smederevska Palanka.

On behalf of the host, the guests were greeted by Deputy Director of Odbrana Media Centre Lt. Col. Zoran Krupez, who pointed out that, today, the impression is that the general public knows little about Zivko Pavlovic, although his name is unavoidable in the Serbian war history and military analytics.

- Under the roof of this institution, there is Odbrana magazine, which inherits the tradition of the first official newspaper of the Serbian army - "Warrior", where Zivko Pavlovic once published professional articles and translations - Lt. Col. Krupez said, adding that this, besides the undisputed brilliant military career, was another the reason why Odbrana Media Centre accepted to host this exhibition. That this is cooperation that will also continue in the future is best proven by the fact that on Friday opens the exhibition "Poetics and the fate of 20th Century" at the National Museum of Smederevska Palanka.

Director of the National Museum of Smederevska Palanka Stevan Martinovic said that he was honoured to have the opportunity to work with Odbrana Media Centre, a house which in recent years has become one of the most renowned exhibition institutions in the Serbian capital.

- It is my honour and pleasure to, in a symbolic way, thank the man who entered the pages of history not only of the Donja Jasenica area but of the entire country, in the year of celebrating the centenary of the First World War - Martinovic said, thanking curator Peter Dekic on the comprehensive setup which will be available for the citizens of Belgrade as of today.

Opening the exhibition about Zivko Pavlovic, Director of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, Prof. Dr Mile Bjelajac recalled the difficult life of one of the most famous uniformed Serbian academics.

-General Zivko Pavlovic gave his first contribution during the Balkan Wars, and since the autumn of 1914 he was the right-hand man of Duke Radomir Putnik. The whole epic retreat to the Albanian coast bears the stamp of the organization behind which stood the then colonel, chief of the operations department Zivko Pavlovic – Bjelajac said, adding that after the war Pavlovic, and the whole Supreme Command of Radomir Putnik, was degraded and "pushed aside".

According to the Director of the Institute for Recent History of Serbia, after retirement, Zivko Pavlovic worked on the history of our wars and military-professional subjects. The main knowledge in the field of science came to him already in 1921 when the Serbian Royal Academy enrolled him into its ranks. In its latest strategic assessment, he predicted events in the Second World War, the rise and collapse of fascist Germany, estimating well that Hitler's war machine would be stopped by the Soviet Union.


- None of his big strategic ideas failed the test of history. Unfortunately, the society failed - Bjelajac said, recalling that after the war, Pavlovic had to prove that the idea of the breakthrough of the Salonika Front was primarily his.

Through documents and photographs created during the Balkan Wars and the First World War in the top of the Serbian army the decisive role of Zivko Pavlovic in the most crucial moments of the struggle for the salvation of Serbia and his direct personal relations with King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, and then already famous Serbian dukes, Putnik, Misic and Stepanovic can be seen. The exhibition "The sword and the Pen - Zivko G. Pavlovic, general and academic" of the National Museum in Smederevo, on 19 billboards in 4 cabinets and through a video brings more than 70 documents and personal items that present the key points in the life and work of this outstanding military leader and scientist.

With details of the life and work of the significant Serbian military leader, audience can gain a better knowledge through organized curatorial guiding on 17 and 24 October 2015 from 13 o'clock. All interested visitors will have an opportunity to see the exhibition until 28 October 2015, every day, except Sundays, from 11 to 19 o'clock.