Museum Exibits

The first series of Museum exibits were issued since 1975 in Yugoslavia. Serbian post continued this tradition, issuing stamps titled as "Museum exibits". These stapmps depict different types of museum items, kept in many museums in Serbia. They are proof of exceptional cultural heritage of Serbia.

2006. Museum exibits

Stamps from this edition depict jewelry as museum items.
16,50 RSD - crown, 19th century
16,50 RSD - ring, 18-19th century
46 RSD - earrings, beginning of the 20th century
46 RSD - necklace, beginning of the 19th century

It seems like this commemorative edition was an inspiration for three 2009-2018 regular stamps.

2007. Gamzigrad - Felix Romuliana

Felix Romuliana is archological site located near city of Zaječar in eastern Serbia. It is the imperial palace of the Roman emperor Gaius Valerius Maximianus Galerius (305-311, period of Tetrachy). It was built in 3rd or 4th century. Galerius named the palace Felix Romuliana after his mother Romuliana. On the site were found well preserved palaces and temples, with mosaics, sculptures and other artifacts. In 2007 the palace got protection as UNESCO world heritage site (WHS) and theat was the reason to issue these stamps. Two stamps were issued, both with 46 RSD face value. They depict ruins of the archeological site, with logo of UNESCO.

2008. Children's folk costumes

Folk costumes are usual items kept in etnographic museum collections. 46 RSD stamp depicts children folk costume from Šumadija and 50 RSD stamp depicts the one from Kumodraž. Motifs on both stamps are actually watercolor paintings created by painter Olga Benson during her stay in Serbian villages 1947-1948. These works are part of etnographic-folklore collection of the Institute of Etnography, which is part of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

   

2009. Dinosaurs of Argentina in Belgrade

The biggest exibition in 2009. in Serbia took place in Natural history museum in Belgrade. It was exibition of dinosaurs from Argentina. The exibition was named "Dinosaurs of Argentina - Giants of Patagonia". The exibition presented 20 species of dinsouarus and around 40 skeletons or skeleton parts, dinosaur eggs, bones, nests, footprints. There were 7 completely reconstructed skeletons. The exibition was opened from June 2009 to March 2010 (the duration was even increased because of the great attendance). Issued stamps depict two skeletons which visitors could have seen: Herrerasaurus ischigualatensis on 22 RSD stamp and Gigantosaurus carolinii on 46 RSD stamp.

2010. 60 years since the founding of the Museum of Applied Arts in Belgrade

Museum of Applied Arts was founded in 1950. It is museum specialised for collecting, protecting, studying, exhibiting and publishing works of applied arts. The Museum's collections reflects the development of objects of applied art in a 2400 years span. The Museum disposes around 37000 objects of applied art sorted in collections such as metal and jewellery, furniture, textille and costume, photography, ceramics, glass and porcelan, contemporary designs, urbanism and architectural design. The stamps issued for this occasion depict: a glass from Serbia, the end of the 16th century, on 22 RSD stamp and a figure from Germany, 19th century, on 44 RSD stamp.

   

2011. 100 years of the Dužijanca celebration

Dužijanca is celebraion of the end of the harvest, which has been celebrated in city of Subotica. It is custom of Bunjevci people and it is an expression of faith and culture, a kind of combination of prayer and thanksgiving. The first church manifestation was organised in 1911 and the first civil manifestation was held in 1968, and they were both united in 1993. The 22 RSD stamp depicts the model of Cathedral in Subotica and the 55 RSD stamp depicts '100 th Dužijanca' crown. Both items are kept in the Museum of Roman-Catholic Diocese of Subotica.

2012. National museum of Kruševac

The National Museum of Kruševac was founded in 1951. It has been developed into a museum which treasures more than 23000 exhibits, gathered in collections such as archaeology, history, numismatics, nature, ethnology. 22 RSD stamp depicts the bronze statuette of a Roman. It was found during archaeological researches of the Lazar City (medieval Kuševac). The statuette represents a young Roman dressed in toga, holding a spear in his right hand, and a scroll or a money bag in the left hand. The exhibit comes from the fourth century A.D. 55 RSD stamp depicts a parade officer sabre. It belonged to the infantry second lieutenant Dragobrat Ž. Petrović from Kruševac. Upon formation of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, all the officers received the sabres with ornate knuckleguard and the basket decorated with the coat of arms of the newly-formed country. The name of the supplier "OFFICERS COOPERATIVE" is engraved on the blade, incorporating the Kingdom coat of arms.

   

2013. 50 years of the Historical museum of Serbia

The Historical museum of Serbia was founded in 1963. The Museum’s primary mission is to collect, register, preserve, handle, study and exhibit materials related to the Serbian people and Serbia from ancient times to the present. Chronologically, the subject matter of the Museum, which covers all the important processes of the development of the Serbian entity with particular stress on the periods of national liberation, is divided into several parts: the Middle Ages, the period of foreign domination, the period from 1804 to 1918, the period after World War One, the period of the National Liberation War 1941–1945, and the post-war development of Serbia. Musum has many collections such as weapons, flags, maps, uniform, coins, medals, documents, and so many more. Unfortunatelly, the Museum doesn't have permanent exibition in it's main bulding. Authorities are trying to solve some administrative problems so the Museum could get new building and space that it deserves.

22 RSD stamp depicts the Gospel of King Aleksandar Obrenović from 19 century. It was a gift from the brotherhood of the monastery Zograf, 1896, made in Kiev Pechersk Lavra. It was made of black enamel, gold, enamel and precious stones. 50 RSD stamp depicts the Crown of King Petar I Karađorđević, made in 1904 in the Falize Frères jewellery workshop in Paris. It was made according to the draft of Mihailo Valtrović, cast from the handle of Karadjordje's cannon.

2014. Serbian heraldry

The Serbian heraldry and heraldic badges have originated during the medieval Serbian state among the then nobility. Serbian heraldry belongs culturally to the Byzantine tradition. This edition depicts two coat of arms which are modern sketches from the II Belgrade Armorial from 17th century. II Belgrade Armorial is collection of 158 paginated pages with images of coats of arms of South Slavic countries, states of Emperor Dušan and Uroš, and 141 coat of arms of noble families. The collection dates back from the 17th century. The 23 RSD stamp depicts the coat of arms of Serbian medieval Nemanjić dynasty. The animal of this dynasty was two-headed eagle. The 69 RSD stamp depicts coat of arms of Branković dynasty, with the lion as the main part of the coat of arms.

   

2015. Religious works

From 2015 Museum exibits editions contain more than two stamps. 2015 edition is dedicated to anniversaries of three religious works. All three works are kept in The Gallery of Matica Srpska in Novi Sad. 

23 RSD - 200 Years of the Saint Peter and Paul with the Presentation of Bela Crkva Copperplate. This work is coloured copperplate on paper by unknown copperplate engraver from 1815. The graphic sheet of this copperplate is dominated by a rectangular field with the saints between which is the temple-front of the Bela Crkva church. On the left and the right there is a text containing a short explanation of the represented, written in big cyrillic letters. In the lesser rectangular, under the saints’ feet, the panorama of Bela Crkva is shown with three parts of the settlement.

35 RSD: 275 Years of the Monastery Studenica Copperplate. This is copperplate on paper from 1740 (the 1965) print by Gotfrid Dirst. Almost nothing is known about the author of the copperplate, the Pest graphic, Gotfrid Dirst. The central part of the composition belongs to the Church of the Dormition, an endowment and a crypt of the founder of the Serbian state and the monastery itself, Stefan Nemanja.

70 RSD: 275 Years of the Saint Demetrius Icon. This work is tempera on wood, created from 1735 to1740 by Hristofor Žefarović. Saint Demetrius, the patron of town Sremska Mitrovica, is painted on a rearing fiery horse, as he stabs Bulgarian tsar Kaloyan, who falls on the grassy surface covered with bunch of tiny flowers. Icon was found in the bell tower of the Church of Three Holy Hierarchs in Novi Sad (Almas church).

2016. Stećci

Stećak or stećci in plural are monumental medival tombstones. They were found lie scattered across Bosnia and Herzegovina and the border parts of Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro. It is assumed they first appeared in the second half of the 12th century. They were most intensively hewed in the 14th and 15th century. They are mostly founded in poor condidtion. In Serbia were found about 2100 sećci. Stećci – Medieval Tombstones Graveyards in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and Serbia were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List on 15th July 2016. For that occasion sećci were presented in 2016 Museum exibits edition.

23 RSD. Three of life (14th century), found at Burđića Rast necropolis neear town Krupanj.
46 RSD. Dragon (14th century), found at Mramorje at Lipenović necropolis near town Krupanj.
50 RSD. Arcades (14/15th century), found at Greek Cementery in village Hrta near town Prijepolje.

2017. The House of Jevrem Grujić

Jevrem Grujić was a Serbian lawyer, politician, statesman and diplomat in the mid to late 19th century. He was an important figure of Sebian political liberalism in that period. He was a minister a few times, judge in the Great Court and diplomat in Istanbul, Paris, London and Brussels. His house was designed as a one-storey urban villa inspired by French neo-baroque and neo-renaissance styles. The house is the first cultural monument protected by the Institute of Protection of Cultural Heritage of the City of Belgrade after its foundation in 1961, and in 1979 the building was declared the cultural heritage of great significance for the Republic of Serbia. In 2015, thanks to the generosity of heirs of Jevrem Grujić, a section of the house was made into Museum, in which a part of the rich collection of Jevrem Grujić’s House is now displayed. The House of Jevrem Grujić gives an atmosphere of late 19th century, lived by upper class.
The stamps depict four paintings which are displayed in this museum - all represented even with their frames:
23 RSD. Painting "Jevrem Grujić", by Steva Todorović, oil on canvas, 1888,
46 RSD. "Mileva Naumović", by Uroš Knežević, oil on canvas, 1854,
50 RSD. "Jelena Milojević with Daughters Milica and Milena", by V. Volkov, oil on canvas, 1925,
70 RSD. "Queen Natalija Obrenovitć", by Steva Todorović, oil on canvas, 1884.

2018. 95 years since the founding of the PTT Museum

PTT Museum (Postal-Telegraphic-Telephone Museum) is a technical museum that collects and presents objects and documents related to the operation and development of postal, telegraphic and telephone communications. It was founded in 1923. Today it functions as a museum within the Public Enterprise Post of Serbia. The museum exhibition is divided into six sections and it represents a chronological overview of the development of PTT communications from 1815 to now, with various exhibits that interdependently and mutually illuminate the social, cultural and economic history in addition to the history of communication of the modern Serbian state. Reconstructed museum space and new permanent exhibition were officially opened for public in 2013.

Stamps issued in this edition depict some items kept in PTT Museum and represent history of communication.

23 RSD. Mail coach from 19th century manufactured in Milan, Italy, in company of Cesare Sala. It was made according to the look of English royal mail coaches.

46 RSD. Inductor telephone type 'Ericson'. It was personal telephone of the King Petar I Karađorđević, he used from 1904 to 1911. In the background of the stamp can be seen the King.

50 RSD. Inductor telephone exchange from Sarajevo. This one was used to report news that Gavrilo Princip killed Franz Ferdinand on 28th June 1914.

70 RSD. Hughes' printing telegraph. Created by British inventor David Edward Hughes, this machine was used in the Kingdom of Serbia since 1891.

2019. 175 years of the National Museum in Belgrade

The National Museum in Belgrade is the oldest and probably the most important museum in Serbia. It conserves, studies and exhibits more than 450,000 of museum items which represent a unique whole of the cultural heritage of Serbia, Central Balkan, as well as Europe. It is located in the very centre of Belgrade at the Republic Square. The National Museum conserves representative cultural goods, testimonies of development and civilization changes in the territory of today’s Serbia and the closest surroundings, from the prehistoric times until the late Medieval period, as well as the representative works of the key artistic styles and movements. Except works of national artists, the Museum keeps some works of the most important European artists such as Bosch, Brueghel, Van Gogh, Mondrian, Corot, Pissarro, Degas, Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall and others. The Museum has 4 collections: archeological, numismatic, artistic and historical.
The 2019. issues is contained of two stamps. One represents a national piece of art, and the other one represents a piece of European art.
23 RSD. Sculpture 'The Boy Plucking the Thorn' by Simeon Roksandić, bronze, 1922.
74 RS. Painting 'Bather' by Auguste Renoir, around 1915.

2022. 

After 2 years break, the 2022 issue doesn't have unique theme. There were issued three stamps about three anniversaries.

a) 175 Years of the founding of The Gallery of Matica Srpska
The Gallery of Matica Srpska is one of the oldest national art museums. The Gallery was established as part of Matica Srpska, the oldest cultural and scientific organisation of Serbs. As the Matica Srpska, the Gallery was also established in Budapest, Austo-Hungarian Empire. The Gallery was established in 1847, with contributions from Sava Tekelija who left a valuable family portrait collection to the Matica Srpska, and other Serb merchants who made endowments and donations to the gallery. Today, both Matica Srpska and the Gallery are located in Novi Sad, Serbia. The Gallery is independent institution since 1958. The collection, primarily oriented towards painting, numbers 10,000 works of art. It is divided into 16 collections and includes examples of paintings, graphics, sculptures, drawings, applied art.
The stamp depicts the painting 'Anka Topalović née Nenadović', by Katarina Ivanović (1837).

b) 175 Years of the Founding of the Museum of Vojvodina
The roots of the Museum of Vojvodina are also connected to the Matica Srpska. In 1847 Matica Srpska decided to establish the Serbian national collection or museum. The first museum collection was created from the legacy of Sava Tekelija, and was presented only after the opening of the Museum of Matica Srpska in 1933. After the Second World War, part of the material was separated from here and the Vojvodina Museum was established as a museum of a complex type, the largest of its kind in Serbia, with collections ranging from archaeology, ethnology, history, art history to zoology, botany, geology, palaeontology and mineralogy. From the funds of the Vojvodina Museum, many institutions in the sphere of cultural and nature protection branched out, such as Museum of the City of Novi Sad, Theatre Museum of Vojvodina, Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, Institute for Nature Protection. Today, this institution has a rich collection of around 400,000 items and a specialized library.
The stamp depicts Roman gilded helmet from 4th century AD. The Museum has two more helmets of this type. Those helmets are one of a kind in this part of Europe and that is why they are considered to be an informal trademark of the Museum.

c) 75 years since the founding of the Institute of Archaeology
The Institute of Archaeology was founded in 1947 in Belgrade with Professor Vladimir Petković appointed as its first Administrator. One of the goals was to study of the development process of human civilization based on archaeological material in the territory of Serbia and in its surroundings. From its foundation until today, the institution has carried out a series of large-scale researches of archaeological sites of various forms and scopes, as well as performed the protection of material cultural assets. The work of the Institute in recent times is particularly characterized by fruitful cooperation with institutions and colleagues from the country and abroad, which is reflected through the introduction and application of modern scientific methods in research practice. By studying the material remains with the implementation of modern scientific approaches, results are obtained that allow us to more clearly reconstruct the way of life, culture, art and the scope of human mind in Serbia over the centuries, which today represents the most important scientific activity of the Institute.
The stamp depicts a photo of members of the Serbian arcehological society, who participated in founding the Institute of Archaeology. On the upper right part of the stamp you can also see logo of the Institute.

2025. 

After 2 years break, the 2022 issue doesn't have unique theme. There were issued three stamps about three anniversaries.

a) 75 Years of the founding of Museum of Applied Arts

As in 2010, this stamp is also about Museum of Applied Arts. The stamp depicts the building and logo of the Museum, decorated dessert tray, illustration of Aleksandar Joksimović, signet ring.

b) 75 years of the Railway Museum

The Railway Museum, preserves history of railways in this region. It is located in the building of the former Ministry of Transport in Belgrade. The Museum was founded in 1950.  It preserves the memory of the people who built the railways, operated the trains and took care of their maintenance. The Railway Museum was founded as the only museum of its kind in Yugoslavia. The museum collections are as follows: Technical, Historical, Applied Art Collection and Art Collection. Through its collections, Library and Archives, the Museum allows visitors to enter the world of railways. The stamp depicts building of the museum, the medal encrusted with emeralds (obverse) awarded by the Wagons-Lits company to its employee Milan Ciganović in 1938, George Stevenson’s 1875 steam locomotive model.

World War I

 World War I is one of the most famous events in history of the world. It was also very important in Serbian history, since Kingdom of Serbia was the first attacked country. World war in Serbia in short: Autria-Hungrary declared war on Serbia on 28th July 1914 because of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. After successful defenses during 1914 battles on Drina river, Kolubara river and Cer mountain, Central powers broke Serbian defense during 1915. Serbian army was forced to retreat with the king Petar Karađorđević and prince-regent Aleksandar Karđorđević. They had to leave the country for Great retreat over Albania (1915-1916, Albanian golgotha), on their way to Greece. Serbia was occupied and divided in two parts: Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian occupation zone. The army was evacuated on Greek island Corfy and Tunisian city of Bizerta. Many soldiers died during the Great retreat and of typhus and relapsing fever epidemic. After the recovery, the army with allies made breakthrough of the Macedonian front and started liberation of Serbian cities. The consequences of the war in Serbia: 450.000 military deaths, 600.000 civilian deaths, lost 16-27% of total population; thousands of wounded citizens, war invalids and infants.

Since 2014, Serbian post issued a few commemorative editions dedicated to the World War I. In this post, we will sort them in several subtopics.

THE GENERAL ISSUE

Cenentary of the First World War (2014)

This issue is contained of four stamps. All of them depict paintings about important events of Serbian history during World War 1, with some historical items. We can say this is a general issue about Serbia in World War I.

23 RSD stamp. Painting "Crossing of the Serbian Army Through Albania", 1915, by Miloš Golubović and Serbian regimental flag.

35 RSD stamp. Painting "Another View", 1915/1916, by Miloš Golubović with the Medal for the war for liberation and unification and sabres of Serbian army.

46 RSD stamp. Painting "Arriving of the Serbian Army to the Sea", 1916, by Vasa Eškićević and Serbian regimental flag and Serbian helmet type Adrian.

70 RSD stamp. Painting "Through Albania 1915", 1920, by Miloš Golubović and Order of the star with swords of Karađorđe of the III degree and infranty officer's sword. 

IMPORTANT EVENTS

There were several editions depicting some events that were important for Serbian army during the war.

Cenentary of the great defence of Belgrade in the First World War (2015)

Defence of Serbia in 1914 was successful. But the economy colapsed and typhus epidemic was spreading the country, causeing many deaths. The Central forces prepared new attack on Serbia. The attack has begun with Belgrade bombing on 5th October 1915. Two days after, after a few attempts, enemy foces passed over Danube river. The capital was defended by soldiers, women, children and old men. Due to the lack of weapon, ammunition, equipment and food, Serbian army had to leave Belgrade and retreat to the south of the country with a strong resistance. Belgrade fall on 14th October 1915. After that the army was forced to retreat to Greece. However, the defence of Belgrade is remembered as great resistance of brave people.

The stamp depicts Regent Aleksandar and British admiral Thrubridge on the position of the defense of Belgrade.

Cenentary of the Battle of Kaymakchalan (2016)

Kaymakchalan is one of the peaks of a large mountain range called Nidze. This mountain is in the far south of today's North Macedonia, then Kingdom of Serbia, and it practically represents the border with Greece. The Battle of Kaymakchalan is considered to be one of the greatest battles of the Serbian Army in the First World War. It lasted from 12thto 30th September 1916. Conflicts occurred between the units of the First Serbian Army led by General Petar Bojović and excellently fortified units of the Bulgarian Army. By liberating Kaymakchalan, the Serbian Army stepped on the territory of its fatherland, again, after almost a year. In these bloody battles, the Serbian Army lost almost 4,500 people. But the position at Kaymakchalan made it possible for the Serbian First Army and Allied troops to prolong the operations which resulted in the final liberation of the city of Bitola. This victory regained soldiers’ self-confidence and gave them hope in the final victory. Later, by the order of the king Alexander I Karađorđević, on the very top of the mountain, was built a monumental complex, with a small church dedicated to St. Ilija, which is at the same time a memorial chapel dedicated to the soldiers perished in the Battle of Kaymakchalan. Built in a nontraditional Christian spirit, this building resembles towers from the Gothic period.

The stamp depicts photo by the military priest Risto Šuković "Below the Ploče at Kaymakchalan, 105 mm cannon, Drina Division in action, аrtillery battery commander Captain Garalović (with beard)". Other war photos by this priest you can see here.

Italian Navy for the Serbian Army in the Great War (2020)

In the middle of the winter of 1915/1916 the Serbian Army, in the jaws of the army of the Central Powers, was forced to retreat followed by masses of people. On the Albanian coastline of the Adriatic they were all saved thanks to the magnificent humanitarian-military operation of the Italian Royal Navy. From 12th December 1915 to 29th February 1916, the Italian Navy evacuated from Albania: 260,895 Serbian soldiers and refugees, 24,000 Austrian soldiers – prisoners of war of the Serbian Army, 10,153 horses, 68 cannons and 300,000 tons of food and supplies. Along with the Serbian Army and people, the Serbian Parliament, Government, Church, head of the Military, King, archives and treasures were evacuated. A total of 248 water crossings were conducted utilizing 350 ships. After long years of grueling trench warfare, only the Serbian Army was able to break through the Salonika Front and with continuous progress it determined the victory of the Allies in the Great War.

The edition is consisted of four stamps depicting photos of these events. The first stamp show picture from Albanina town Medua. The rest of stamps show phots from Italian port city Brindisi.
27 RSD. "Medua: Italian ships were waiting for them".
40 RSD. "Brindisi: His Royal Highness Prince Aleksandar of Serbia and His Excellency Slobodan Jovanovic unloading. Accompanying them His Excellency Vice Admiral Emanuele Cutinelli Rendina, Commander of Operations for the transport of the Serbian Army".
54 RSD. "Brindisi: Serbian Field Marshal Radomir Putnik disembarking from an Italian antitorpedo boat".
70 RSD. "Brindisi: Serbian officers disembarking".

100th Anniversary of Toplica Uprising (2017)

Toplica Uprising was the only uprising in one territory occupied by the Army of Central Powers in World War I. iI affected Toplica and Jablanica districts in Serbia, spreading to other parts of country as well.
During the occupation, Autria-Hungraian and Bulgarian foces were exploating Serbia. Bulgarian forces abused Serbs, trying to bulgarize them. At the end of 1916, the Bulgarian occupation forces announced the recruitment of all males 19 to 40 years old to fight for Bulgaria. In Prokuplje and Toplica, the recruitment was planned for 20-27th February 1917. Those who failed to appear were faced with the death penalty. To this the Serbian population responded with the Uprising. The Uprising began in town Kuršumlija, on 26th February 1917 and on 3rd March town Prokuplje was freed as well. The Uprising spread to the entire area of Toplica and Jablanica, Pusta Reka, Kopaonik, Ibar Valley, all the way to Rudnik and Ozren in the east. The Serbian Army, commanded by the Dukes Kosta Pećanac and Kosta Vojinović consisted of 12,762 privates and 364 horsemen. After two weeks, the liberated territory was attacked by three occupying divisions that were withdrawn from the fronts. Kuršumlija was once again occupied by the Bulgarians on 17th March and the Uprising was finally crushed between 4th and 7th of April. The Toplica Uprising prevented the bulgarization of those parts occupied by the Bulgarian army, which, during the occupation of Serbia and crushing of the Toplica Uprising, violated all military laws and rules, by vandalistically destroying the culture of a nation and by trying to strip an entire nation of its national identity. According to the historical sources retrieved from the archives of the Historical Department of the main Headquarters, 8,767 people were killed during the Uprising, out of which 5,383 only in Toplica, and 43,484 buildings were burned.
In the front, the stamp depicts iliustration of fighters in Toplica Uprising. In the back is depicted the Monument to the fallen people from Toplica in 1912-1918 Wars in town Prokuplje.

Liberation of Serbia in the Great War by the joint French-Serbian army (2018)

From 15th September to 1st November 1918, the Serbian and French army broke through the Macedonian front and forced the Bulgarian and Austro-Hungarian army to capitulate. Joint forces of the Serbs and the French took over Štip on 25 September, Veles on 26th September, Skopje on 29th September, liberated Vranje on 5th October, Leskovac on 7th October, Niš on 12th October, Jagodina on 25th October, Kragujevac on 26th October, Požarevac on 29th October, Smederevo on 30th October, and finally Belgrade on 1st November 2018. This military operation of the joint armies of France and Serbia was also very significant for the break of the Central Forces at the western front. Bulgaria signed the truce on 29th September while the Austro-Hungarian did the same on 3rd November, and the capitulation of the German Empire on 11th November marked the end of the First World War. In the liberation of Serbia in 1918, the French army was commanded by the generals Franchet d’Esperey, Prosper Henrys and Juino-Gambetta and the Serbian generals were Mišić, Stepanović and Vasić.Today these events are considered to be one of the fundamental elements which represents the basis of the traditional friendship between Serbia and France.

The stamps depict Serbian and French military leaders in the front, with pictures from the war on the back:

- Comandeer Stepa Stepanović. At the Salonika front, before the liberation of Bitola, in autumn 1916.

- General Franchet d’Espèrey. Prince Regent Alexander Karađorđević with General Franchet d’Espèrey, Comandeer Živojin Mišić and General Petar Bojović at Jelak, the Macedonian front, 1918.

- Comandeer Živojin Mišić. Danube division marching after Grunište, 1917, photo by photographer Dragomir Glišić.

- General Auguste Charles Tranier. Entrance of the joint foces into the liberated Prokuplje, October 1918, photo by Dragomir Pavlović, photographer.

- Comandeer Petar Bojović. Prince Regent Alexander Karađorđević with General Petar Bojović and the Serbian Officers on Patron Saint Day at the Macedonian front.

- General Paul Prosper Henrys. Comandeer Živojin Mišić awarding the Order of the White Eagle to the French General Prosper Henrys, 1918.

The life and work of Duke Živojin Mišić (2021)

Živojin Mišić (1855-1921) was one of the most important military strategists of the 20th century, the most famous military leader of the First World War and Serbian war history He began his education in Ribnica, Kragujevac and Belgrade, where, in 1874, he was admitted to the 11th class of the Artillery School (Military Academy). After two years of schooling, he gained his first war experiences as a cadet sergeant, later a lieutenant, in the Serbian-Turkish wars. He also graduated from the Austro-Hungarian School of Shooting in Bruck on Leitha and completed two years of preparation for the General Staff profession, and he also taught strategy at the Military Academy. 

He published the book “Strategy”. He retired for the first time in 1903, but was reactivated in 1909, at the personal request of General Radomir Putnik, the Chief of the Supreme Command. In the Balkan wars, Mišić was the assistant chief of staff of the Supreme Command of General Putnik, and after the Battle of Kumanovo, he was promoted to the rank of general. After the end of the Second Balkan War, Mišić retired for the second time.

He was reactivated on the eve of the very beginning of the First World War and was appointed assistant chief of staff of the Supreme Command. During the Battle of Kolubara, General Mišić took command of the First Army and, thanks to his brilliant strategy, won the decisive battle. After that he was promoted to the rank of duke.

After retreating through Albania, Duke Mišić was removed from the position of army commander and sent to France for treatment. However, in the middle of 1916, he again took command of the First Army, and in June 1918 he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command. He commanded the Serbian army during the breakthrough of the Thessaloniki front. 

During his forty-year military career, he was awarded 39 times, including the French Legion of Honour the First and Second Order for services in the liberation of Bitola, and King George V of England awarded him the Order of St. Michael and George, one of the highest British decorations.

100th Anniversary of the Albanian Commemorative Medal (2021)

After the armies of the Central Powers surrounded Serbia in the fall of 1915, Prince Regent Aleksandar, with the state leadership and commanders of his armies, decided to cross Albania. The withdrawal of the Serbian army and civilians over the snow-capped mountains of Albania and Montenegro, from November 1915 to January 1916, has been recorded as the Albanian Golgotha or The Great Retreat. Thanks to the allies, the tortured Serbian soldiers who reached the Albanian coast, were transferred to the Greek island of Corfu.

King Aleksandar I Karađorđević, who as well participated in the Albanian Golgotha, established the Commemorative Medal of the Great Serbian Retreat i.e. the Albanian Commemorative Medal in memory of the retreat through Albania, with which he decorated 142,148 officers, non-commissioned officers, corporals, privates, military chaplains, and priests - all those who were on military duty during the crossing of Albania, as well as members of foreign military missions who retreated through Albania together with the Serbian Army. The day of official decoration of Serbian heroes with the Medal, was set for 23 November 1921. The Medal was awarded at the suggestion of the Minister of the Army and Navy, with a decree made according to the draft of Đorđe Čarapić, and reproduced at the Military Geographical Institute in Belgrade. The Medal is in the shape of a double-headed eagle with a Serbian shield on its chest and a royal crown on the upper part. On the obverse side, under the eagle, there is a medallion framed with a laurel wreath with the head profile of Aleksandar Karađorđević, framed with the inscription: TO HIS COMRADES IN ARMS – ALEKSANDAR. On the reverse side, there is an inscription in three lines: FOR LOYALTY TO THE HOMELAND. The medals were made by the Parisian company “Arthus-Bertrand“.

The stamp depicts the front side of the medal with two examples of awarding decrees.

MEDICAL HELP IN WAR

During the War, medical help were required to help wounded soldiers and civilians. But, situation during the First World War was complicated because of the typhus and relapsing fever epidemic, brought to Serbia in 1914 by enemy soldiers. Numeber of Serbian war victms was big because of the epidemic.

The British heroins of the First World War in Serbia (2015)

More than 600 women from Great Britain were helping Serbian people during the War. Many of them were doctors and nurses. This issue is dedicated to six British heroins.

Flora Sandes (1876-1956). She came to Serbia as nurse in the Infirmary of Saint John. She joined to Red Cross and worked as nurse in Serbian army. She was fighting for Serbian army in "Iron regiment". She was the only female officer of Serbian army during the war and the only woman from Great Britain in the active military service.

Dr. Katherine Stewart McPhail (1887-1974). She came to Serbia in 1915 with the Scottish Women's Hospital and worked in Belgrade with patients suffering from replasing fever, while she was ill too. After convalescence in spring 1916, she returned to humanitarian work and worked in France, in hospitals where Serbian soldiers were also treated. After the war she remained in Serbia and in 1921 she founded English-Serbian hospital, the first hospital for childern in Serbia. In 1934 she founded the English-Yugoslavian hopital for treatment of osteoarticular tuberculosis in Sremska Kamenica, which she ran until 1947.

Elsie Maud Inglis (1864-1917). After the outbreak of the First World War she founded an organization called “Scottish Women’s Hospitals”. In early 1915 she goes to Serbia and establishes the first war hospital. During the retreat of the Serbian army, She refuses to leave behind the hospital equipment and to retreat with the army, so she gets imprisoned in November 1915 in Kruševac, and afterwards repatriated. She died and was buried in Scotland, and her funeral was attended by the representatives of the Serbian and the Brittish royal families.

Dr. Isabel Emslie Galloway Hutton (1887 – 1960). She was a volunteer since 1915, as a psychiatrist and a member of the Scottish Women’s Hospital. From France, she was transferred to Gevgelija and than to Thessaloniki, Macedonian Front. In summer 1918 she was appointed the Chief Hospital Officer and was transferred to Vranje. She arrived with another 11 physicians and 40 nurses, treating soldiers and civilians in the town where the epidemic typhus and Spanish influenza raged. She remained in Vranje till October 1919 and helped found the local civilian hospital for which she bestowed medical equipment and surgical instruments. Medical highschool in Vranje is named after her.

Evelina Haverfield (1867-1920). She was women’s rights activist. She came to Serbia in 1915. Together with Elsie Inglis and other members of of the Scottish Women’s Hospital in Kruševac, she was imprisioned by the occupier together with the wounded. After the repatriation in 1916 she took part in the organization of the Serbian Relief Fund. In the spring of 1917 she unites with Flora Sands, Emily Simonds and Anna McGlade and establishes the Sands – Haverfield Soup Kitchens which were opened in the Macedonian front. After the liberation she raised a Home for the War Orphans in Bajina Bašta and she helped the tuberculosis patients to be accomodated. She died of pneumonia and was buried in the church yard in Bajina Bašta where, in the memory of her, “The Home – Hospital of Evelina Haverfield” was opened in 1930. Somewhat later, the “Home of Evelina Haverfield” was opened in the curch building.

Dr. Elizabeth Ness MacBean Ross (1878-1915). She is one of the first women with the doctor diploma in Great Britain who came to Serbia as a volunteer. First she went to Niš, then to Kragujevac, which was called the Dead City because of the raging typhus. At the First Reserve Military Hospital at the time of her arrival, there was about 200 patients, and all the doctors and nurses either had already died or were lying among the patients. As Dr. Ross fell down with typhus herself, she worked alone in hard conditions. At the beginning of January 1915 the first unit of the Scottish Women’s Hospital came to Kragujevac, so the staff of the Scottish Women’s Hospital helped their compatriot. After 13 days of fighting typhus fever Dr. Elizabeth Ross died on 14 February 1915 on her 37th birthday. Dr. Elizabeth Ross was buried with full military honours at the cemetery in Kragujevac.

100 years since the end of the Great War - Great doctors of the Great War (2018)

Immense contribution in treating of patients and civilians, development of medical science and practice during the First World War, along with 409 doctors and 203 medical workers of the Serbian ambulance team, gave the foreign medical missions – the English, the French and the Russian one. The Red Cross teams of doctors, as well as individuals – the volunteers, were helping their Serbian colleagues. The greatest merit for the control of epidemics of three types of typhus, which cut down 58% of the Serbian doctors and medical staff (paramedics, nurses volunteers) had the English mission led by Dr. William Hunter. Without the help of the foreign doctors, the typhus epidemics would have hardly been controlled, and the number of the deceased (about 135,000) would have been greater by far.

Professor Dr. Vojislav Ј. Subotić (1859–1923). A founder and dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, chief of the surgical department ODB in Belgrade, father of the Serbian surgery. In the First World War he operated the wounded in Belgrade and Niš. After the retreat through Albania, he went to Paris and London where he was a Serbian delegate in the allied commission. At the beginning of 1918 he left for the Macedonian front and worked at the First Field Surgical Hospital in Dragomanci. He constructed femoral brace in 1916, and his method of reparation of blood vessels injuries was used until the end of the Korean War (1954). He recieved the most important awards, medals and recognitions. He was the president of the Serbian Medical Society.

Dr. William Hunter (1861–1937). A commander of the English military mission in Serbia during the typhus epidemics in 1915, he suggested measures which prevented the spreading of the epidemics. As of 16th March all suggested measures were undertaken throughout Serbia, both in military and among citizens. On 25th March, a movable railway disinfector was set in Kragujevac, and on 6th April the same was done in Niš; in the meantime, on 2nd April, the first English ambulance train for vaccinations was formed. With the railway traffic interruption and abolition of military leaves, depediculation was initiated with the help of the Serbian barrel. The result of all those activities was a radical turnover in the battle against typhus and pediculosis, so that the epidemic was supressed as early as 17 th May. The work of Hunter’s mission showed what the effect of the preventive measures was when they were applied on the entire endangered territory.

Dr. Miloš Đ. Popović (1876–1954). He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Vienna in 1901. In 1904 he founded the first military dentist station at the General Military Hospital in Belgrade, and the other one in 1909 in Niš. He was the author of the first books on dentistry in Serbian language. He founded the Sobriety Society in 1901, the Union of the Sober Youth in 1907, the Union of Scouts and Women Mountaineers in 1911 and the Society of Doctors and Abstainers in 1911, as well. In Voden, at the Macedonian front, on 1st January 1917 at the Reconvalescent Ward he founded a dentist station which evolved into a dentist clinic. After the war, in 1919, he established the State Ward for Children’s Protection at the Ministry of Social Policy.

Dr. Edward Ryan (1883–1923). As chief of the American Red Cross mission in Serbia, he arrived in Belgrade in September 1914. In March 1915, Dr. Ryan organized a mission to fight against the typhus epidemic in Belgrade. During this epidemic Dr. Ryan came down with a difficult form of typhus fever. Dr. Ryan and his staff performed over 8,000 surgeries and coordinated the Red Cross help programme for thousands of Serbian refugees, scattered across the entire country. He died on 18 September 1923, having succumbed to malignant malaria.

Professor Dr. Mihailo Mika Petrović (1863–1934). A founder of the surgical ward of the Military Hospital in Niš and a surgeon consultant at the First Field Hospital in Dragomanci at the Macedonian front, where he stood out as a restless war surgeon. In the Balkan Wars and the First World War, he became an outstanding surgeon. He introduced many innovations into the war surgical doctrine, and one of them is the treatment of war wounds by all the principles of asepsis and antisepsis. He was a professor of surgery at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade and the president of the Serbian Medical Society. After his death, his heart was built in the wall of the surgical hall of the Main Military Hospital in Belgrade. On his urn the following was written: "My soul to God, my body to earth, and my heart to surgery".

Professor Dr. Ludwik Hirszfeld (1884–1954). He came to Serbia in February 1915 and at his own request he was sent to Valjevo where he organized systematic disinfection and depediculation of the entire town, thanks to which the typhus epidemic began to wane. After the retreat through Albania, he worked at the Macedonian front as a leading bacteriologist of the Serbian army. He isolated the causitive agent of paratyphus C, now called Salmonella hirszfeldi. He produced a pentavalent vaccine, which was used to vaccinate the whole army. At the Serbian hospital of Prince Regent Alexander, in 1918, he organized the first bacteriological course for the ambulance officers and medical staff. After the breakthrough of the Macedonian front, he was appointed as a chief of the bacteriological ward of the Military Hospital in Belgrade. 

100 years of the end of the Australian medical mission in Serbia (2024)

This issue is dedicated to volunteers from Australia who treated wounded and sick soldiers and civilians as part of medical and Red Cross missions.

James Blair Donaldson  (1888–1971) came to Serbia in 1915 as a member of the Allies War Relief organisation. In the hospital in Kragujevac, he was in charge of an X-ray unit. Later, he served in the French Army field hospital, Hospital d’Evacuation, No. 2, on the Greek border, where he also performed surgical procedures. In the years after World War I, he returned to Australia with his wife and son, where he worked as a medical doctor.

Ethel May Gillingham (1884–1952) came to Serbia with the Second British Red Cross Serbian Mission and, as a volunteer nursing sister, she served in Vrnjačka Banja from May 1915 to October 1915. She was detained during the Austro-Hungarian occupation offensive on Serbia, but was set free in February 1916, so she continued her mission as a nursing sister in Egypt. After the war, Ethel married captain Richard Ewans had three children.

Thomas Alexander Palmer Benbow (1886–1971) came to Serbia in November 1914 with the British Red Cross Number One Unit and with a valedictorian degree of the Jefferson College of Medicine in Philadelphia. Until June 1915, he worked in the Serbian Fourth Reserve Hospital in Skopje, treating the wounded and those sick with typhus, which he himself contracted during his service. He was awarded the Order of Saint Sava, Class IV. After the war, he returned to Australia where he establsihed a medical practice.

Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (1879–1954), Australian writer, voluntarily joined the Scottish Women's Hospitals in 1917 and reported for service at the "America" hospital near Ostrovo, performing the duties of hospital cook and taking care of the warehouse. After the War, she described her wartime experiences in the memoir "Ne mari ništa: Six months with the Serbs" and in the play "By far Kajmacktchalan: A Play of the Balkan Front Today".

Olive May Kelso King (1885–1958)  came to Serbia in 1915, with her own light truck converted into an ambulance, as a driver in the Scottish Women's Hospitals, and in 1916, she joined the Serbian army on the Salonika front. As an ambulance driver on the Salonika front, she was promoted to the rank of sergeant, and for her service was awarded the Medal for Zealous Service, the Cross of Mercy, the Silver Medal for Bravery and the Order of Saint Sava, Class V.

Mary Clementina De Garis (1881–1963) joined the Scottish Women's Hospitals after the death of her fiancé, who was killed in action on the Western Front. She began her service as a medical officer in the hospital "America" near Ostrovo, on the territory of Macedonia, which was supporting the Serbian army. She was appointed Chief Medical Officer of the hospital in 1917 after Dr Agnes Bennett, the CMO of this hospital, retired from her duties, and was at its head until 1918. For her selfless and self-sacrificing engagement in the organization of medical support for the Serbian army, she was awarded the Order of Saint Sava, Class III.

   

REMEMBERING THE HEROES

The Album of remembrance to our ancestors from the First World War (2018)

The project “The Album of Remembrance to Our Ancestors from the First World War” was initiated by the Association of Descendants of the Warriors from Serbia in 1912–1920, The aim of the project was to pay homage to an individual, a Serbian soldier, that little man involved in the Great War for civilization, his unselfish sacrifice for justice, freedom and truth. There was a public call launched for the citizens of Serbia and the Serbs in the region and the diaspora to deliver the photographs and other documents from the First World War and participate in creating the album. The album represents a part of collected historiographic material from the period of First World War, that the descendants had sent in honor of their ancestors, the participants of the Great War. There are over 4000 units in the gallery of the Commemorative Album. They are first-class testimonies of the War: photographs, war diaries, military letters, correspondence cards, memorials and other historiographic material of the First World War participants. These are unique testimonies of the war adventures and sufferings of the Serbian soldier in the war years, depressed from the pages of world history.

The stamps depicts some photos collected through this project. These are pictures of ordinary people, drawn into war to fight for the country.

- photo of Radenko Krivokuća
- photo of Pantelija Sparić, Katarina and unknown fellow fighter
- photo of Mako Ivković
- photo of Miloš Stanojević and unknown fellow fighter
- photo of Dragoljub Janković
- photo of Milan Spasojević with his mother Saveta, wife Kostadina and daughter Smiljana
- three vignette stamps in the middle: Krsta Pavlović, shoemaker, with his fellow fighters.

110 years of commemoration of the heroes of the First World War (2024)

This stamp was issued for 110 years since the beginning of the First World War. It depicts Momument to the Unknown Hero on Avala mountain near Belgrade. It is the First World War memorial, designed by the sculptor Ivan Meštrović. he monument was ordered by the King Aleksandar Karađorđević in order to commemorate victms of the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) and the First World War. The memorial was built in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, from 1934 to 1938. The monument has the form of sarcophagus made of black granite. The tomb is marked by the date 1912-1918. Tha sarcopagus is surrounded by eight caryatids (feminine statues) - they represent Bosnian, Montenegrian, Dalmatian, Croatian, Slovenian, Vojvodina's, Serbian and South Serbian women. They represent mothers of the falled soldiers. The whole monument is 14,5 meters high. The whole monument is placed on the five-step pyramid, which symbolizes five centuries of Ottoman rule over Serbia.