Marble darkened after renovation: Monument to students killed during World War I in Kolašin still in poor condition

Conservation work carried out several years ago did not yield results, so the monument dedicated to students killed during World War I is still in poor condition.

The initiative to ensure that the municipality and the state do not forget this memorial was launched at the last session of the Kolašin Municipal Assembly by the opposition Voters' Group. On that occasion, it was explained that the restoration of the monument, carried out several years ago at the state level, was unsuccessful.

"The conservators did not treat the monument with appropriate means, which caused damage to the letters. In recent years, the Municipality of Kolašin has not proposed conservation work on the monument for funding to the Ministry of Culture, but rather a monument on the Soldiers' Square," the local administration announced at the municipal council session.

The monument, which has the status of a cultural asset, is located in the yard of the “Sestre Radović” kindergarten and near the old building of the “Risto Manojlović” elementary school, and is fenced off only on two sides. There is no arranged access or fence from the street. Unlike in previous years, when it was overgrown with weeds and uncut grass, the area around the memorial is now landscaped.

The Cultural Center recently announced that they will soon attempt to build stairs to facilitate access from the street side.

By erecting this monument, the people of Kolašin in the third decade of the last century paid tribute to their fellow citizens, who "interrupted their studies in Belgrade upon being called to defend their beloved homeland of Montenegro."

The monument was erected in memory of Jovan Radović, Toško Vlahović i Radoš Dragović, philosophy students, Malina Mujovića, a student of engineering, you Marko Puletić i Sava Radulović, law students.

“The idea of ​​erecting a monument came from students in the Kolašin district in 1920. The money was provided by voluntary contributions and donations from our emigrants from America, but also by selling postcards with images of those who died.

The photo was taken by Milić Obrenović, originally from Kolašin, who at that time had a photography shop in Nikšić. The monument was unveiled on August 26, 1928. There was great interest in the entire region for this ceremony. The town was decorated with flags, shops were closed, and people came from all over to attend the ceremony and pay tribute to the young students who laid down their lives for the honor and glory of their homeland,” said the director of the Kolašin Cultural Center. Branislav Jeknic.

On the north side of the monument is the inscription: “The fairies will seize you for ages, to weave you worthy wreaths”. On the other side it says: “What would the people teach chivalry if it were not for their martyrs, whose graves the light reminds us, there is no resurrection without death”. The inscription on the upper part of the monument is now no longer readable.