Have You Seen The Boxes?

At three o’clock sharp, the enemy must be crushed by your mighty charge, torn to pieces by your grenades and bayonets.

The honor of Belgrade must be spotless.

Soldiers, heroes, the Supreme Command has erased our names from its roll. Our regiment is sacrificed for our King and Fatherland. You don’t have to worry anymore about your lives that no longer exist. So forward, to glory! Long live the King! Long live Belgrade!

Oh Sweet Maiden, Please Don’t Leave!

Have You Seen The Boxes?

Oh Sweet Maiden, Please Don’t Leave!

Nathaniel Grann

The roots of a Serbian run deep. It’s an

in Prizren (Prizren), Kosovo. The city of Prizren

analogy that has been commonly used within

(Prizren), although facing little damage during

the Serbian community and while cryptic in

the war, sustains one of the largest targeted

nature, explains a fair amount about this ethnic

Kosovar Serb populations in revenge-related

identity. Sava Nemanja, the third son of Stefan

attacks. The Gadzic’s witnessed the anti-

Nemanja, could be seen as the deepest root.

Serbian events of Prizren (Prizren) as they were

Finishing the Zakonopravilo (The Nomocanon

forced from their home following the return

of Saint Sava) in 1219, the very foundation of

of the Albanian majority. Not able to actually

the Serbian empire and identity was created by

flee Kosovo, the couple found shelter in a

Sava Menaja, more commonly known as Saint

local church where they hid before traveling

Sava. An importance around the Patriarchate of

to home’s of relatives. The couple returned

Peć, located right outside of Peć, Kosovo was

in 2003 to find that their house had been

established, forming a Serbian claim to Kosovo

completely destroyed and that the majority

as the birthplace of the Serbian Orthodox

of their neighbors and friends had suffered

church.

similar fates. It would take eight years for the Gadzic’s to finally move back into their home

“This place [Kosovo] is very important to us

in Prizren (Prizren). During that time they lived

Serbs.” said Radmila Gadzic “Our roots are

with seven other internally displaced Serbs in a

based within that land, it is our birthplace

common house in downtown Prizren (Prizren),

because it is where Saint Sava gave birth to our

with 24-7 protection and a razor wired fence

church. That is why we fight for it.”

leftover from the war. All of the Serbs living there shared similar stories, as the Gadzic’s but

Radmila Gadzic and her husband, Tomislav

not all have been as lucky in having a known

Gadzic, experienced that fighting first hand

moving out date back to their home.

during and after the Kosovo war while living

I pray everyday that nothing like this happens again, if it was possible I would ask that the last twelve years be erased. The momentum that led to the events in ‘99 should never have been allowed to happen, just like our humiliation.

Radmila Gadzic - 2011

“I want my house, that’s all.” said Radmila

thinking that these terms were worse then what

“I have no hatred towards the Albanians or

the Austrian-Hungarian negations brought.”

anyone at all. I just want to get back to my life

Milomir Ognjanovic is the economic advisor to

with my husband. We want to go home. We

the Serbian consulate office in Chicago, Illinois.

want to be Serbian again.”

Ognjanovic while he grew up in Serbia, has always related more to American and western

Although eleven years have now passed since

culture, even since his youth. That relation

the Kosovo war, Albanian and Serbian relations

and trust within American culture though

remain tense as political, economic and

was brought on edge when the Kosovo war

social issues continue to bind the two ethnic

broke out. While studying at the University of

groups together. The Kosovar civic identity is

Hawaii, Ognjanovic, admitting it might have

something that again has been proposed as a

been just within his head, recounted feeling as if

tool to bring these conflicting groups together,

a sudden villain persona had been placed upon

but acceptance has been limited. While it may

him.

be easy to write off these hostilities as the product of Serbian nationalism, there are many

“It was like I was a member of [Slobodan]

layers to this uneasiness.

Milošević’s youth brigade rather then a student.” said Ognjanovic “It was a strange

“I remember watching the peace negotiations

feeling but again, it mostly only happened

taking place in ’98.” said Milomir Ognjanovic

when I was around other Yugoslavs, not just

“It was a bit like a joke to be honest, I remember

typical Americans.”

Our Lord, our savior, the one true voice came and told us, “Rise up and see. Rise up and live. Rise up.” The mountains parted through the destruction and as we ran back to our homes, the vengeance became clear…the vengeance came swiftly.

Vojska Srbije i Crna Gore literature - 1998

Prince Lazar led the battle but lost which led to the disruption and fall of Greater Serbia. But this wasn’t a typical battle, it was either conform or die and they chose death. It’s a symbol and gesture that is still remembered today by us Serbs.

Milomir Ognjanovic - 2012

This discomfort felt by Ognjanovic has

A Serbian acceptance to the Kosovar civic

transgressed into feelings of betrayal and

identity would be a major victory for those

distrust within some Serbians. While many

advocating it but likely it would be a hallow

do not refute the atrocities that Milošević

one. This is where the roots of a Serbian run

prompted, it’s also important for the Serbs that

deep, and as history has shown, Serbians have

the West realizes the vicious act of aggression

adapted to other names in the past but have

that NATO and the KLA committed during

always retained the Serb ethnic identity. While

the Kosovo War. These feelings of betrayal

a Kosovar Serb may be willing to accept local

and general distrust create great amounts of

regulations and tolerate the current status of

difficulties towards the creation of the Kosovar

sovereignty, integration into the community is

civic identity and may be a larger issue then the

unlikely.

sovereignty of Kosovo.

This goes beyond stubbornness to adapt Centrist Serbians towards the issue have

though and thrives more in the foundation of

seemed to start coming to terms with the

the Serbian ethnic identity. The Kosovar civic

issue of Kosovo sovereignty and have shifted

identity can be seen as a tool to remove the

activism towards the awareness to the wrongs

Serbian roots, to remove the foundation of

that were committed by the West. “We really

who these people are. While it may be extreme,

can’t expect the land [Kosovo] to return to

many cannot help but recall the decision Prince

Serbia anymore.” said Radmila Gadzic “We

Lazar had to make back in 1389 before the Battle

have lost that battle for now and I can live that

of Kosovo; conform to the Ottomans or die.

as long as I can continue to live my life. We are

While death is clearly not what is being asked

Serbs and we may live in Kosovo but to us, it is

of them, an identity crisis is at the very least

still Serbia.”

starting to form. A crisis that if not addressed will likely ensure the Serbians continued rejection of the Kosovar.

This isn’t a thing you can wear on your sleeve. It’s about being true to your self and your identity. I’m only half Serbian but it makes all the difference of who I truly am. I am proud to call myself a Serb and because of that community, we can get through anything. Things may have been or may not have been taken from us but we’ll come out stronger in the end.

Chicago Serbian - 2012

Ha ve Yo u Se e n Th e B oxe s?

Oh S weet Mai den, P l e a se D on’t L e a ve !

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