AGM 2019: Save the date

We are getting ready for Ghent.

Athens: lecture by Dr. Julie Rugg about Cemeteries in Western culture

ASCE is helping grow the international scientific cooperation in Europe.

Photoceramics: An Unsuspected European Cultural Heritage

Piazzale Cimitero Monumentale, Milano, MI, Italia  24/11/2018, Milan

Participation at the Adriatic Cemetery Days 2018

On Monday and Tuesday, 19 and 20 November 2018, the third conference Adriatic Cemetery Days took place in Zadar, Croatia.

WWI Armistice Centenary Walks thorough the New Cemetery in Belgrade (Serbia)

In a view of the WWI Armistice Centenary, two more guided strolls devoted to this important historical event were organized at the New Cemetery of Belgrade on November 4 and November 18, 2018.

Legendary WWI Military Commanders and Heroes Buried at the New Cemetery 

This guided stroll through the New Cemetery was devoted to immense courage, sacrifice and patriotism of the Great War participants. In the course of this inspiring stroll, our guide revived the memories of Legendary Serbian WWI Military Commanders, famous filed marshals, generals and majors, but also all those known and unknown man and women who significantly contributed to the Serbian WWI effort. One of the focuses of this stroll was the Memorial Ossuary of Belgrade Defenders (1914-1918), where the visitors were able to enter the crypt beneath the monument. This informative tour revealed many aspects of the Great War: locations, strategies, battles, and events, in addition to many intimate stories of hopes, fears, anger, pain, suffering, patriotism and love. 

Serbian She-Soldiers and Volunteer Nurses in the Great War 

Our visitors who showed up in significant number, disregarding the cold weather and the first snow, were able to hear emotional stories on the women in Great War.  The stories were related to the courageous she-soldiers who defended their country and were widely admired by the international community and press, but also the women who interrupted their successful careers or studies abroad to act as volunteer nurses or humanitarian workers, tending to the wounded at the battle fields or tirelessly travelling through the world, gathering aid in order to help their compatriots in these times of temptation.

We would like to share a story about a local lady, almost forgotten today, who played a significant role during the first days of the Great War in Belgrade. In spite of being a middle-class home maker, Vuka Popadic was considered one of the bravest citizens of Belgrade at the time. Upon first siege of Belgrade in the Great War, she started to gather around the hungry and frightened citizens of Belgrade. At her flat in down-town Belgrade, which was the center of military action, she organized an improvised field hospital, providing the first aid to the wounded soldiers and civilians and helping them to survive to the nearest hospitals. She even managed to capture a group of fifteen Austro-Hungarian soldiers, whom she later surrendered to the Serbian Army, but only after sheltered them in the safety of her home and treating them with fruit preserve (loc.: “slatko”) and fresh water in accordance with the local customs. 

Exposition "Memorabilijar" on the city cemetery “Pri Sv. Duhu” in Koprivnica

Municipal Utility Company Komunalac LLC Koprivnica, as a member of the ASCE Association, regarding All Saints' Day, on 1^st November, opened an exposition "Memorabilijar" by Gordana Špoljar Andrašić on October 26 in the area of an old morgue.

Remembrance Day – WWI Armistice Centenary (New Cemetery in Belgrade, Serbia)

Since the New Cemetery of Belgrade is one of the rare, urban civillian cemeteries comprising five WWI Military Cemeteries, each November is marked with the series of commemorations devoted to all victims of the Great War.

On the occasion of the Italian Armed Forces Day and WWI Armistice Centenary, on November 2, 2018, the commemoration was held at the Italian Military Cemetery within the New Cemetery of Belgrade, for the purpose of remembering the Italian soldiers killed in the Great War, as well as all the casualties of the Great War, other armed conflicts and peace-keeping missions.

Another   commemoration devoted to the victims of the Great War was held on November 10, 2018, at the Austro-Hungarian Military Cemetery. The ceremony of laying wreaths and paying respects was attended by high ranking state and church officials from Austria, Hungary and Serbia, representatives of the embassies and defense attaché offices accredited in Belgrade. 

This series of commemorations was finalized by the Central State Ceremony, at the very day of the WWI Armistice Centenary, November 11, 2018 at 10:00 hrs. The Central Ceremony commenced at the Commonwealth War Cemetery, followed by the central event in front of the Memorial Ossuary of Belgrade Defenders. The ceremony continued by laying wreaths at the WWI Russian Ossuary, whereas the finale was marked by commemoration at the WWI French Military Cemetery. 

The Remembrance Day is commemorated each year on November 11, as a token of remembrance of the WWI armistice signed in the railway wagon in Compiegne (France) and the hostilities formally ended on November 11, 1918 - "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" In accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, each country was obligated to maintain the war cemeteries at their territories, disregarding the fate or nationality. Based on the decision of the SHS Kingdom from 1919, the Municipality of Belgrade secured the area for French, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian military cemeteries. The cemeteries were constructed by their respective countries in the period between 1928 and 1934. From their establishing until this day, the foreign military cemeteries are treated as separate, ex-territorial units, within the New Cemetery of Belgrade.

Like the Remembrance Poppy – in Serbia the same symbolism is assigned to the Natealie’s Ramonda (lat. “Ramonda nathaliae”) – an endemic flower species, growing in Eastern parts of Serbia and Macedonia. The flower is considered a symbol of the Serbian Army's struggle during WWI, due to its sturdiness (i.e. it can survive temperatures well below zero degrees Celsius) and potential to recuperate after the most severe weather conditions. The plant was first described in 1884 by the local scientists and named after the Queen Natalija Obrenović of Serbia. 

Remembrance Day at Commonwealth War Cemetery

Impressions and Emotions - Belgrade High School Students Visiting the New Cemetery (Belgrade, Serbia)

On October 24 and 25, 2018, two groups of  of high school students visited the New Cemetery of Belgrade.

On October 24 and 25, 2018, we were privileged to receive the visit from two groups of high school students: students from „Tehno-Art“ High School for Technologies and Crafts and students from High School Student Dorms Association of Belgrade. Exploring the history of the New Cemetery in Belgrade, since its beginnings to the present day, the students were introduced to the burial culture and by extension the importance of establishing the first architecturally planned cemetery in Serbia.

Strolling through the cemetery Allies, the students got acquainted with the architecture of the New Cemetery in Belgrade, including headstones they viewed as the works of art, in addition to the sculptural works that attracted their attention. In a view of the upcoming commemoration of the WWI Armistice Centenary and their history curriculum, the students visited the WWI Serbian Ossuary. The idea of visiting the crypt, which commenced with some degree of fear, ended in exuberance and the wish to find out more and extend the walk. 

The students transformed their impressions into the inspiring texts and drawings you may see within our post.

 

Impressions: New Cemetery in Belgrade – Open Air Museum 

When we heard that we are going to visit the New Cemetery, we were really surprised, since we are used to go to the cemetery on different occasions. First, we were extremely surprised by sheer size of the cemetery.... The Alley of the Greats is the last resting place of the most prominent WWI Serbian Field Marshal Živojin Mišić ... At his grave there is an impressive sculpture of a beautiful lady with a palm branch... We also visited WWI Serbian Ossuary, where the remains more than 4000 identified and unidentified soldiers, who died during the Great War were buried... Through intriguing stories of our guide, we traveled to a different era, when the history of our Country and our Capital was  being made...by Vida Gojković – Medical High School and Aleksandra Ranković – High School of Economy 

Guided Strolls through the New Cemetery of Belgrade Continued...

Portraits of Serbian Politicians and Diplomats and Tales of Old Belgrade and its Citizens – featured at the New Cemetery of Belgrade, Serbia

To our great satisfaction and much to visitor’s delight, the New Cemetery in Belgrade continued honoring 2018 European Heritage Days in a form of two additional them guided strolls held on September 30 and October 21, 2018.

Portraits of Serbian Diplomats and Statesmen

The significant number of visitors who attended the event, were able to hear the intriguing stories about people who chose politics and diplomacy as their careers, in addition to those who entered into this merciless arena from other professions. 

For the first time, the visitors heard the tales about diplomatic service of the significant authors and poets, representatives of so-called „Golden Age of Serbian Diplomacy" (between the two World Wars), including the tales on decisive moments in history, love and deception, intrigues and scandals.  

Tales of Old Belgrade and its Citizens 

This most intriguing of all the guided through the New Cemetery in Belgrade was highly anticipated by our visitors. Our inspiring colleague, who guided this themed stroll shared numerous interesting stories and led the visitors to an unforgettable journey through time. The visitors heard the stories on the eccentric Law professor who hated draught and was an accomplished card player, genius mathematician who was also the professional river fisherman, beautiful actresses who caused duels, industrialist with the soft spot for soccer and may others.

St. George’s Cemetery at Hermoupolis, Syros

Vafiadakis Family Monument. 

Photo: Loukia Roussou (2007)

Syros is a rocky island located approximately in the center of the Cyclades group of islands in the Aegean Sea.