10.11.2015.

Bronze bas-relief of Vladislav Petkovic Dis unveiled at the Central Military Club

In the hall of the Central Military Club today a bronze bas-relief with the image of Serbian poet and patriot Vladislav Petkovic Dis by author Mirko Mrkic Ostroski was officially unveiled. The ceremonial meeting was attended by Secretary of State Nenad Neric and granddaughter of the poet Radmila Lisa Brown.

Before the grand unveiling of the memorial, on behalf of the host, guests were addressed by Director of Odbrana Media Centre Colonel Stevica S Karapandzin. He pointed out that the idea that the central hall is turned into a kind of gallery had begun to be implemented on Statehood Day, Candlemas, when the President of Serbia unveiled the memorial "On the bastion of defence of the fatherland". Afterwards came the series of characters in bronze of Nadezda Petrovic, Djordje Vajfert, General Jovan Dragasevic, Stanislav Binicki, Archibald Reiss, General Koca Popovic, and now of Vladislav Petkovic Dis.

- These are figures that remind us that it is possible to be human in war, to give the best of ourselves to the people, fatherland, for all those who were, for those who will come, for eternity. Our debt to them is to remember and to keep a worthy legacy for future generations - Colonel Karapandzin said.

The bronze bas-relief was unveiled by academician Matija Beckovic, who then recalled of the figure of the poet:

- Dis is not only the pride of Serbian poetry and the creator of the finest melodies in the Serbian language, but also one of the brightest characters in the Serbian warfare for freedom. Although due to narrow chest he was freed from military duty, Dis did not spare himself the suffering through Albania. In 1913 he dedicated his collection of poems "We are awaiting the Emperor" to the commander of the First Army Crown Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, and predicted, named and described his own death in the poem "Drowned Souls", six years before it came true.

For author of bronze bas-relief sculptor Mirko Mrkic Ostroski, this is the third work exhibited in the Central Hall, next to the memorial "On the bastion of defence of the fatherland" and "Nadezda Petrovic". In his brief address, he revealed that the continuation of the final part was the credit of a lady – Dis’s granddaughter Radmila Lisa Brown. The artistic part of the program was announced with a Dis's poem by actress Biljana Djurovic.

Upon unveiling of the memorial, as a sort of homage to the poet, artistic program "Eternal songs - The Great War in songs" was performed, prepared by Odbrana Media Centre and the Association of Serbian war volunteers from 1912 to 1918.

The program also featured vocal soloists Danka Stojiljkovic, Danilo Zivkovic, Biljana Petkovic, Vesna Dimic, Ivica Stancic and Aleksa Zarev, in cooperation with the Art Ensemble of the Ministry of Defence "Stanislav Binicki". They sang songs that forever remain a valuable reminder of the events and situation in Serbia in the early 20th century, at a time of great challenges for the Serbian people and state.

Vladislav Petkovic Dis’s verses were recited by students of the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade Emilija Nestorovic and Olivera Guconjic from the class of Professor Vida Ognjenovic, and Nikola Ugrinovic and Aleksandar Petrovic from the class of Professor Bozidar Djurovic.