21.12.2016
The 75th anniversary of the formation of the First Proletarian brigade marked
Alliance of Associations of the National Liberation War Veterans (Serbian SUBNOR) marked the 75th year since the establishment of the First Proletarian brigade in the Bosnian town of Rudo, on 21 December 1941, by appropriate programme in the Conference Hall of the Central Military Club in Belgrade.After a minute of silence in honour of the fallen soldiers of the First Proletarian brigade, partisans in the Second World War and all the combatants in the liberation wars of Serbia, Dušan Čukić, President of SUBNOR, welcomed those present, reminding that this organization represents more than 130,000 members, descendants of soldiers who set out on 7th July 1941 from Bela Crkva, and over Rudo, Sutjeska, Neretva, Kozara, in that order, liberated extermination sites in World War II, coming to the northern cities of the former Yugoslavia.
- These are the descendants, admirers of all those who fought for independence and freedom of our country at a time when we were attacked for no reason. Those who were in combat ranks in 1941, in Rudo, never asked for any privileges; neither the current generation of their successors asks for that. We are proud and pleased that the last two years especially, our country has been trying in every way to help this organization, so that, inter alia, it was adopted that the 4th December is celebrated as Veterans Day, in memory, remembrance and tribute to all those who have fought for decades for freedom in this region, as well as for independence and the right path that Serbia and the Serbian people are particularly distinguished with.
One of the few still living partisans of the First Proletarian brigade, fighter for the liberation of Belgrade in October 1944, Zdenko Duplančić, member of the Serbian SUBNOR National Committee, gave a brief history lesson on the establishment and functioning of the brigade, originator of the victorious Yugoslav Army, which liberated homeland with its forces, and in coordination with the forces of the anti-fascist coalition, contributed to the victory over fascist Germany and its satellites.- Unfortunately, five combatants of the brigade, from the first line in the town of Rudo, including our friend, national hero Dana Milosavljević, Aleksandar Perović and Nikola Jokić, for health reasons are not with us today, Duplančić said at the end of his speech, urging those present to greet the two present combatants of that line, Miroslav Vojić and Albin Pibernik, who came within the Slovenian delegation.
Minister for Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, Aleksandar Vulin, said that today we remember the generation that was on the right side, thanks to which we have become part of the winning and a better world.- Remove the merits of the generation of the First Proletarian brigade, and see what has left. Had it not been for their struggle, there would be no us today. Would we be standing so proud and confident? Would we have on whom to rely? Or we would stand in a corner of history with our head bowed, unsure of the future, because our ancestors have not left the past to be proud of? On that cold day in Rudo, the future of generations yet to come was created. Children who will be walking behind us are obliged to remember who and how they originate from, they are obliged to rely on the great memory of their ancestors. Today we remember the best and bravest of us. Their courage still inspires, inspires and guides the way which we ought to walk on.
Choir "Baruch Brothers" and Zoran Tutunović on the accordion (a member of the Stanislav Binički Artistic Ensemble of the Ministry of Defence), performed in the artistic part of the programme, performing the famous partisan war songs.
PHOTOGALLERY
