Official Montenegro and its political elites have their mouths full of declarative swearing in anti-fascism, but not two thousand martyred compatriots, among them the legendary commander Sava Kovacevic and the heroes from Ljuba's grave, were not enough reason to mark eight decades since the greatest partisan epic - the Battle of Sutjeska.
The Valley of Heroes on Tjentište was visited in the past Sunday by numerous admirers of the National Liberation War from Montenegro and other republics of the former SFRY, but the country remained silent on the issue of the bloodiest partisan battle during the Second World War, in which a victory was won for the restoration of statehood. ..
The fifth enemy offensive, also known as Operation "Schwarz" (Black), was conducted from May 15 to June 15, 1943, with the aim of destroying the main part of the Partisan forces and the Supreme Headquarters with Josip Broz Tito at the head. About twenty thousand partisans, with about three thousand seriously wounded, "slaughtered" for a month with about 127 thousand Germans, Italians, Bulgarians and local traitors. They managed to break through the ring, and the battle had a decisive influence on the fate of the partisan movement, and thus on the post-war SFRY and Montenegro. The price was terrifying - about 7.500 dead fighters, who are still remembered today by the monumental monument at Tjentište - the largest grave of Montenegrin partisans...
Zaria is no longer there either
Today, unimaginable heroism and togetherness and other messages that the Battle of Sutjeska carries with it, did not deserve the organization of public manifestations in Montenegro this year. The schools remained silent, the academies of science as well, which is not surprising if it is known that the most famous partisan battle in the last thirty years fell on only half of the pages of the History textbook for the ninth grade, which "Vijesti" previously wrote about...
Not even a man from Podgorica could remember Sutjeska's hero this year Zarija Vukašinović - the last living hero from Ljuba's grave died in November 2022 at the age of 101.
"The Germans attacked with mortars and infantry, so when we repelled those attacks, we retreated from the very top of the pass, because then planes - 'pikes' - attacked. The balance of the two-day battles is that out of fifty partisan fighters, all from Montenegro, thirteen of them survived. I think we were sacrificed, our company (the second company of the third battalion of the Fourth Montenegrin), Tito told us that Ljuba's grave must be defended at the cost of our lives. The majority in our company were from Bjelopavlić, three of us from Zeta and one soldier from Bugojno (BiH). Radisav Raspopović he was the commander of the company", Vukašinović told earlier in one of the interviews for "Vijesti"...
The defenders of Ljuba's grave, repelling all enemy attacks, sent a famous message to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ) and the Supreme Headquarters:
"As long as you hear the shots of our rifles at Ljuba's grave, the Germans will not pass. And when that doesn't happen, know that there are no more living proletarians on it"...
On June 9, the commander of the Fourth Montenegrin was killed on Sutjeska Vasilije Vako Đurović. He was killed by the same bomb Đuro Vujović, a Spaniard and a member of the English military mission Bill Stewart, and Tito was also wounded. Đurović and Vujović are among 258 fighters awarded the Order of the National Hero, of which 45 died...
A banner of honor and freedom
Veteran associations from Montenegro paid their respects to the shadows of heroes from Sutjeska again this year, and the honor of the country, which has every reason to be proud of the famous battle, was defended yesterday by the KIC pop choir - of course, with the famous song about Sava, the legendary commander of the Third Division who was martyred on June 13, only to be declared a national hero on July 6...
Organized by the Alliance of Anti-Fascists and Fighters of the National Liberation War (SABNOR) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), 80 years of the life-and-death battle were marked yesterday at Tjentište. Admirers of the national liberation struggle of all the peoples and nationalities of Yugoslavia were also there on June 13, when the "liberation ceremony" was organized by the Government of Republika Srpska and the Union of Associations of NOR Fighters (SUBNOR) RS.
"The end of the Sutjeska cold water, the banner of honor and freedom", used to be sung. It is still sung today, but separately, and 80 years ago it was sung together. Back then, they didn't count blood cells, "measure" patriotism and look at the color of the flag. This is evidenced by the monumental monument monument, the work of sculptors and architects Miodrag Živkovića, and the memorial ossuary where the remains of 3.301 fighters were collected and buried after the war.
The central ceremony was attended yesterday by anti-fascists from almost all municipalities of Montenegro, together with the delegation of the Union of Associations of NOR Fighters and Anti-Fascists of Montenegro (SUBNOR), which included the vice presidents Stevan Radunovic i Milojica Dakić and Secretary General Dragan Mitov Đurović. A delegation of the Yugoslav Communist Party of Montenegro was also in the Valley of Heroes...
Members of the JKPCG attended the event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Sutjeska. On behalf of JKPCG Mirko Vuković, Dragije Strunjaš and Slavka Perović laid a wreath at the monument to the fallen fighters.
"We are here to pay tribute to the legendary heroes, Sava Kovačević, Vak Đurović, Vojin Katnić... to the partisan heroines and knights from Ljubina's grave, fighters of all brigades, Dalmatian who lost the most, Montenegrin, Serbian... to everyone from all the former Yugoslav territories for whom the freedom of all nations was more important than life," he said. Bozidar Budo Brajović, president of Danilovgrad anti-fascists.
The future on the idea of Sutjeska and Neretva
Sead Đulić, president of SABNOR BiH, said that the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, who have a heritage, do not hate each other and that there is hope for these new generations.
"These nations do not hate each other, these nations have learned to live together. They have the same overall and especially anti-fascist heritage that brought us together here. Let's get inspired here and finally decide all of us - let's build a common anti-fascist future on the idea of Sutjeska, Neretva, Igman, Kadinjača..."
A ninety-six-year-old man also attended the ceremony Ivo Karamatić from the First Dalmatian Brigade, one of the few living fighters from Sutjeska and Neretva
Montenegrin anti-fascists also visited the place where Sava Kovačević was killed and the monument on Popova Most where the Fourth Montenegrin Proletarian Brigade was formed, for which, because of its courage, Tito said: "The Fourth Montenegrin is four brigades".
The anti-fascists of Žabljak are most concerned about this memorial.
"The monument is 'endangered' because buildings are being built on the area next to it. That is why the competent authorities, and especially the anti-fascists of Montenegro, must prevent this, because that memorial is a holy place that bears witness to Montenegrin's brave freedom fighters", said the president of the Association of Fighters and Anti-Fascists in Žabljak. Dragomir Gajo Vojinović.
According to numerous historical sources, the First Proletarian Division broke through the German encirclement near Balinovac on May 10, after a self-initiated maneuver by its commander. Koča Popović. The breakthrough was preceded by the speech of another Montenegrin - the commander Danil Lekić...
Bonus video:
