WWI WAS STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL FOR SERB PEOPLE AND TESTAMENT TO ANTI-FASCIST SPIRIT

Republika Srpska – Victory Day – culture of remembrance

DODIK: WWI WAS STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL FOR SERB PEOPLE AND TESTAMENT TO ANTI-FASCIST SPIRIT

BANJA LUKA, NOVEMBER 10 /SRNA/ – The First World War was a great historical golgotha for the Serb people, but also a magnificent testament to their spirit of freedom and anti-fascist values, President Milorad Dodik stressed.

Ahead of tomorrow's observance of Victory Day in the First World War of 1918, an event of republic importance, Dodik told the Media System of Republika Srpska – SRNA that November 1, 1918 was one of the most significant dates in modern European and world history.

"This is not merely the date when the guns fell silent, but a day that constantly reminds us of the enormous and painful price of peace, particularly of the magnitude of the sacrifice made by the Serb people in their struggle for freedom, as well as of the Serb heroes who, in the Great War, defended what is most sacred to every nation that respects itself and its origins – the right to freedom, to existence and to decide on its own future," Dodik emphasised.

He said that, for some major powers, the First World War was about occupation, territorial expansion, influence and their own interests, whereas for the Serb people it was a struggle for survival – to preserve their name, homes, faith, identity and right to live in freedom.

"Behind every date in our glorious past lie human destinies – mothers who lost their sons, wives who were left without their husbands, children who never had the chance to meet or welcome their fathers, and families whose homes were forever left without their hosts.

"In 1914, 1941 and 1992, the Serb people faced great trials, but emerged victorious from each of them, bringing freedom not only to their own people but to others as well," Dodik said.

He stressed that Serb soldiers had written glorious pages of history in every war, fighting on the side of justice and for freedom, demonstrating to the world that courage, military discipline and patriotism could stop even a far more powerful enemy and thwart occupation intents.

"Faced with enemy forces, the Serbian army and people did not retreat. They endured hunger, winter, disease, immeasurable suffering, devastation and torture, but never abandoned the Serbian flag or renounced their homeland," Dodik emphasised.

He recalled that the breakthrough of the Salonika Front in 1918 marked the beginning of the final liberation from the occupiers, noting that this success was achieved by an army that had gone through hell but had never lost faith in victory, whose soldiers knew they might never return home, but their belief that their children would live on free Serbian soil was stronger than all the trials and challenges they faced.

He added that 11 November 1918 holds particular significance for the Serb people in BiH, who came under attack by the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

"From the very first days of the war, arrests, persecution, internment and reprisals followed. People were imprisoned and taken to camps, families were left without their loved ones, and entire communities were subjected to fear and uncertainty solely because of their name, faith, family patron-saint day, national identity and beliefs," Dodik said.

He stressed that it is therefore important not only on this day, but also tomorrow, next year and every year thereafter, to remember and speak about the victims, and to honour the volunteers from our regions who joined the Serbian army, fully aware of the dangers they were exposing themselves and their families to.

"Their commitment to freedom was not merely a political position, but a profound historical and national awareness that the destiny of the Serb people cannot be viewed separately from the destiny of Serbia, because the Drina River has never been a border, but rather a link connecting families, godparents, friends, and bonds of tradition, faith and the desire for freedom," Dodik emphasised.

He said that the history of the Serb people must not be reduced merely to lists of battles, military victories, enormous losses and prominent figures, but must instead focus on preserving and nurturing the truth and the memory of all those who gave their lives to lay the foundations of our freedom.

"Because of them, we have an enormous responsibility and a sacred duty today to act responsibly towards our country, our people and future generations. Remembering our ancestors is not simply about looking back at the past, but a pledge for the future – to leave young generations a Republika Srpska where they can live with dignity, raise families, work and take pride in their origins.

"That is why Republika Srpska and its institutions are our responsibility, an expression of historical awareness and the will of the Serb people and their political representatives, which we must preserve through wisdom, responsibility, unity, truth and hard work," Dodik stressed.

He said that our ancestors had fought so that their descendants could live in freedom, and that it was now up to present generations to demonstrate that they were worthy of their legacy, therefore let every November 11 serve as a reminder that no sacrifice made for freedom must ever be forgotten.

A people that remembers its victims understands the value of freedom; a people that honours its ancestors knows its roots; and a people that preserves its roots has the strength to build the future," President Dodik said.

Victory Day in the First World War is observed in memory of November 11, 1918, when the armistice was signed at 11:00 a.m. in the French town of Compiègne, bringing the First World War to an end.