paja

The Scepter

Yes, of course, I was in the middle of writing my next post when I saw your question They were designed by Mihailo Valtrović and made by Falize Frères for the coronation of king Petar I Karađorđević in 1904. Falize Brothers used bronze taken from one of Karađorđe's cannons from the First Serbian Uprising. The Crown

Regalia, Historical Museum of Serbia

Thanks for sharing, interesting items. Published in "Free Woods and Mountains".

It is planned to restore the complex, project found here. The pyramid will be moved from the schoolyard and some of the tombstones placed between it and the central monument.

I've been searching the web for more information when I stumbled upon an interesting newspaper article. According to the author some work was done in the late '80s during Helmut Kohl's visit to Yugoslavia. At that time someone had a brilliant idea, they took the tombstones of people buried on New Cemetery whose families didn't pay the fee for over a decade and reused them here. The article shows a photo of a tombstone from 1975, the whole text can be read here.

During WW1 my great-grandfather was captured and he spent the rest of the war in German POW camp. I remember my grandfather talking about this photo when I was a kid. He told me it was taken prior to his release and that the other person on the image is the owner of the land on which he had worked. Two of them became quite good friends and before leaving he was given a silver pocket watch, we can see its chain on the photo. Sadly it was later taken from him during WW2 by a German soldier during house search. Anyway there's an inscription on the back side: Kammerad Milivoj und Franz Böderer Traunried Deutschland One more name appears: Johan Böderer The thing that I'd like to know is in which camp could he have been placed if he worked on the estate in Traunried? I've checked the list of enlisted men's camps and it seems to me that the closest one was in Lechfeld. Could this be the place?

Criteria was the percentage of physical disability, Golden Wound Medal for 61% or more (KIA included) and Silver Wound Medal for less. The number of wounds was indicated by the number of stripes on the ribbon. If one suffered more than 3 wounds oak branches were added on the ribbon.

One more photo from Mila Piletić's book.

Not really my field but I think the only difference is the way the order was supposed to be worn and because of that different type of ribbon. 3rd class was to be suspended from the buttonhole while the 4th class was worn on the left side of the chest. Also based on some of the examples I've seen 3rd class has larger suspension ring, I don't know if that's the case with every single order.

Frankly speaking that idea didn't even cross my mind but that just might be the case here, unfortunately. Now don't be too harsh on Michael Jackson, if I recall correctly he said that was his way of honoring the troops Jokes aside I find wearing decorations in public (for that matter indoors as well) as fashionable details very offensive and disrespectful. Not to mention the fact that he was wearing White Eagle around his neck during the child-molestation trial.

Order of St. Michael and St. George Order of St. Maurice and Lazarus Order of St. Vladimir with Swords Legion of Honor War Cross

In short Milan J. Alvirović was born on October 15th 1890. in Bosanski Petrovac (today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina). At the age of 18 he was conscripted into Austro-Hungarian army but switched sides on the Eastern front. In Russia he joined the First Serbian Volunteer Division and took part in many battles. During fights near Cocargea in September 1916 he was awarded with the Golden Soldiers' Order of the Star of Karađorđe with Swords! He also received Russian (we can see St. George's Cross on the photo), French (Legion of Honor), English and Romanian decorations. He spent most of WW2 in POW camps in Germany and after returning to country in April 1945 he joined the Partisan movement. He was one of the founders of the Association of Volunteers 1914-1918 and worked in other veterans' associations, particularly Association of War Invalids. In 1948 he was decorated with the Order of Merits for the People 3rd class. He died in 1980 in Belgrade.

I was going through older topics and stumbled upon this one again. I finally managed to read his handwriting! АЛВИРОВИЋ (Alvirović), knowing his surname the rest was easy! I checked the list of the Karađorđe Star with Swords recipients and turns out there is only one person with that surname, Milan Alvirović (Милан Алвировић) and the best thing - his short biography and picture from older days are available! Unfortunately my scanner is not working so I made photos, if you wish I can make better ones tomorrow during daytime.

A few more photos of the orders that belonged to vojvoda Bojović. First domestic: Order of the White Eagle with Swords 1st class Order of the Star of Karađorđe 3rd class Medal bar (upside down)

Thanks for additional photos, a very nice example. Compare the quality with this one for example. Photos found here.

Looks like soldering to me as well. If it was up to me I would leave it the way it is. I presume this was done by the recipient, I doubt some collector would do it.

Now here's the strange part, it's not only the German tombstones that are scattered around, there are Serbian ones as well. This gives you an idea of how much the new, post-WW2, Yugoslav authorities cared about WW1 military graveyards. My personal belief is that the only reason why the whole complex wasn't completely wiped away is the Mackensen's monument to Serbian troops. There were cemeteries in other parts of Belgrade and Yugoslavia, that were completely destroyed (I wrote about this in the Austro-Hungarian section of the forum). According to several sources earthly remains of Serbian soldiers were exhumed and placed inside the collective tomb on New Cemetery (Ново гробље). Some say the same thing happened with one French and one British soldier but I wasn't able to find out where did they move others. SERB LEUTNANT RADISAV LJUBISAVLJEVIĆ 3 KOMP. 4 BAT. 7 REG. Поручник Радисав Љубисављевић, 3. чета, 4. батаљон, 7. пук SERB. SOLDAT ŽIVOJIN MILOSAVLJEVIĆ 4. KOMP. 4. BAT. 7. REG. Војник Живојин Милосављевић 4. чета 4. батаљон 7. пук

LTN. D. RES. (Leutnant der Reserve) BÖTTGER AUGUST LTN. D. RES. (Leutnant der Reserve) SPITZER LUDWIG LTN. D. RES. (Leutnant der Reserve) BRAMSTEDT WILLY MUSKET. (Musketier) HAIN PAUL GEFR. (Gefreiter) SCHUPPENER WILHELM MUSK. (Musketier) MIENKUS JOHANN LTNT. HANS MÜLLER FUSARTL. RGT. 4 (Fuss-Artillerie-Regiment 4. ?) 17.10.1918 Forgive me if I made some mistakes, my German is not very good and I'm not so familiar with the Imperial German Army. Photos found here.

Look from the other side of the wall. Right in the corner is the old house in which the cemetery keeper used to live. It is still occupied today but the current residents have nothing to do with the graveyard.

As I walked around I noticed couple of German tombstones in the bushes behind the central monument, right in front of an old wall. Unfortunately I was in a hurry, after cleaning one of them I noticed that the inscription is almost unreadable. Next time I go I'll try to clean more of them and see if the inscription can be read. Iron Cross is clearly visible on the last photo.

The Pyramid, today within that private school's yard. I walked all the way around and couldn't see it from the outside. Luckily I stumbled upon a few photos here. The marble was supposed to be used for Ivan Meštrović fountain in city center but ended up there. After WW2 it was removed and only the bricks and concrete remained.

The Mackensen Bench now surrounded on two sides with a fence of the "Ruđer Bošković" private school.

Serbian monument with inscription in German "HIER RUHEN SERBISCHE HELDEN" and Serbian "ОВДЕ ПОЧИВАЈУ СРПСКИ ЈУНАЦИ" (Serbian Heroes Rest Here). In front of it, inscription in Serbian "Споменик српским ратницима јуначки изгинулим бранећи Београд у јесен 1915. године подигнут је по наређењу команданта немачке војске маршала фон Макензена као израз поштовања храбрим противницима" (Monument to the Serbian warriors heroically fallen while defending Belgrade in the fall of 1915. erected on the order of the commander of the German army field marshal von Mackensen as an expression of respect for the brave opponents).

There were metal plates with list of names on the back side, I'm not sure what exactly happened to them, unfortunately they might have been stolen. They can be seen on the 4th photo published in a newspaper article around a year and a half ago.