Debths

GENERAL ĐORĐE STRATIMIROVIĆ (1822–1908), ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF SERBIAN VOJVODINA
Return of the Northern Commander
Coming from an old Serbian aristocratic family, an extraordinary officer, with an adventurous spirit in his youth, he immediately offered to serve his nation in the revolutionary turmoil from 1848 to 1849. He commanded the Serbian army and won a series of wonderful victories over significantly stronger Hungarian attackers, which saved the nation. Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević gifted him his general uniform and Karađorđe’s saber, Njegoš decorated him with an Obilić medal, prince Mihajlo Obrenović became his godfather… Thanks to the special Board and Center of Development of Šajkaši, the remains of general Stratimirović were transferred from Vienna to Serbia in 2021 and buried in Sremski Karlovci

By: Dejan Bulajić
Photo: Archive of the Board for returning commander
Đorđe Stratimirović to the Motherland

Đorđe Stratimirović is an unusual personality, marked in his time with difficultly comprehensible marks of fate so strongly that he could serve as a summary for an interesting theatrical piece – adventurer, bon vivant, romantic, strategist, diplomat, military leader. Why should Serbian memory enlist him as one of those who knew how to avoid oblivion? Because in mid-XIX century, in very important moments for the Serbian nation in Vojvodina, he imposed himself as an unwavering fighter, a leader with a clear vision.
He was born in 1822 in Novi Sad, in a reputable Serbian family. His father Vasilije – aristocrat and landowner, was a legal representative of Fruška Gora monasteries, while his mother Julijana came from the Petrović family, very respected at the time. It is often said that, with her appearance and personality, she also deserved the respect of the Stratimirović family, especially Metropolitan Stefan.
The family provided elementary education for Đorđe at the family estate in Kulpin. He enrolled in the gymnasium in Novi Vrbas, where he manifested some of the features of his young character – unrestrained nature, socializing with his peers, playing cards, reading love stories and theatrical pieces. After the sudden death of his father, Đorđe returned to Kulpin, but without an intention to stay. His wish was to go to Vienna and enroll in the Military Academy, which he achieved after passing preparations in Titel.
The years that came taught him how to live in a strict regime, as well as how to use free moments, in gymnastics, bowling, entertainment with his friends, and reading, which he was particularly passionate about. He especially enjoyed Walter Scott. His best friend at the Academy was Ferdinand von Bauer, later minister of war in the Habsburg Monarchy. Thanks to the generous support of his family, he was financially secure, but it was noted that during his five years of education in Vienna he saw his mother only twice, which did not leave a good impression on the family.

VORTEXES OF A TURBULENT YOUTH

As an excellent student, after successfully graduating from the Academy, he could choose where to begin his service as sublieutenant. He chose the cavalry regiment in Lombardy, where he lived a carefree life, mostly thanks to generous payments he received from the family estate. However, like other soldiers, he could not avoid misunderstandings with the local population, even bandits, since Austrian officers were not favorite in that region, which aspired to uniting with other Italian lands. Furthermore, he most often fulfilled his youthful passions by spending time with beautiful woman, and thus often had problems at work, so it is clear why his wish to advance in his military career was slowly fading away, and finally led him to resign from service.
After numerous unusual experiences, from strict military discipline to love adventures, from spiritism to phrenology and other things, he decided to return to his birthplace of Kulpin in 1843.
The young man’s unrestrained nature, however, led Đorđe to new misunderstandings, even in his hometown, where his family reputation often saved him from troubles. His encounter with beautiful Maja from the aristocratic Zako family from Bajša happened at that time and was crucially important for him. However, just as everything else in his life, that story could not pass without problems. Maja was intended to be married to the county colonel, who her parents were fond of, but she was not. She wanted Đorđe and… troubles began. They used to meet secretly at her estate in Bajša, but on the way to her he succeeded in passing different conflicts, quarrels, even a duel, which ultimately led to village officials banning him entrance, which, of course, did not make him give up.
When Maja finally agreed to run away with him, a chase was sent after them and she let her pack of dogs on the chase. The local parishioner did not accept to marry them, knowing that Metropolitan Josif Rajačić cannot stand Đorđe because of his ”concubinage life”. They married, however, in the neighboring village, due to which the local parishioner later suffered consequences. All those turbulent events were succeeded by Đorđe’s illness, after which he reconciled with Maja’s family. In the following years, the happiness of the young couple was disturbed only by the fact that none of their three children lived long after birth.

IN A DIFFERENT TURMOIL

The turbulent youth of Đorđe Stratimirović seemed to anticipate the turbulent years for the Serbian nation, in which an abundance of his talents flourished. In 1848, a wave of revolutions against the feudal system and battles for national identity were spreading throughout Europe. Nations in the Habsburg Monarchy began waking up as well, including Hungarians. At the beginning, everything had a social character – plundering monastery estates, food storages and shops. Through all that, the national and political stand of Hungarians was slowly created.
Serbs took the side of Hungarians at the beginning. An organization for preserving peace and order was formed in Novi Sad with Đorđe Stratimirović as its leader. The Serbian delegation held a meeting in Požun with the so-called Hungarian government, where Serbs made demands for their autonomy, but did not reach an agreement, so there were no more negotiations with Hungarians.
Since March 1848, Serbs started uprisings in Pančevo, Zemun, Karlovci and many other places. The divergence between Serbs and Hungarians was enormous, since Hungarians offered only civil, not national freedoms. The Serbian church mostly supported the Austrian side, and the Serbs as a whole, aware of the situation, began preparing for a conflict that was certainly approaching. Metropolitan Rajačić was asked to convene a church and national gathering, where the Main Board of Serbian Vojvodina was established, led by Đorđe Stratimirović.
All those who had strong patriotic feelings, from all lands where Serbs in Vojvodina lived, even from the Principality of Serbia, Montenegro, Slavonija, Dalmatia, Croatia, came to Karlovci on May 13, 1848. According to some estimations, there were between ten and fifteen thousand people in Karlovci that day. Josif Rajačić was promoted to the title of patriarch and general Stevan Šupljikac was elected voivode. The Main National Board and the temporary government of Serbian Vojvodina were elected as well and its territory determined: Srem, Baranja, Bačka and Banat with the Bečej and Kikinda districts and the Šajkaši battalion.
Unfortunately, the Serbian deputation which later visited the Austrian emperor to present the decisions of the May Assembly, did not achieve a desired effect. Serbs were not accepted as a nation, only as a religion, entirely dependent on Budapest. Hungarians refused to accept the decisions of the May Assembly, and Lajos Kossuth requested preparation of 200.000 soldiers for a war with Serbs. In the absence of Šupljikac, Đorđe Stratimirović was elected chief commander of the Serbian forces, including about 40.000 people. Volunteers, led by Stevan Knićanin, began gathering in Serbia.

ON A HIGHER LEVEL OF HISTORY

Hungarians performed their first attack on Karlovci on June 11. Although technically much weaker and outnumbered, the Serbian army resisted the attack, with the commanding talent of Đorđe Stratimirović particularly expressed. This victory was not so important in the military and strategic aspect, but it lifted the spirit of the army. Then followed another Stratimirović’ feat – capturing the storage of the Titel battalion, in order to equip the Serbian army. Hungarians then won the battle near Vršac, but their attacks on Szenttamas, Turija and Čurug failed. Soon after, Serbs won the battle near Perlez, in which Stratimirović proved his extraordinary commanding skills again.
Unfortunately, during all these events, his wife Maja, who was his great support in all military activities, suddenly fell ill. She passed away on August 3, 1848. Đorđe was crushed, but aware that he had to return to the movement he was leading. There was another battle for Szenttamas, which Hungarians announced as crucial for crushing the Serbian uprising. The battle lasted several days. The Hungarian army was three times bigger than the Serbian and the Belgrade newspapers wrote about the course of the battle. Finally, Serbs won a great victory, with a significant contribution of all commanders, particularly Đorđe Stratimirović, who was wounded in the battle. The Serbian army was gradually becoming a more serious factor in battlefields, especially after victories near Bečkerek and Kikinda.
Voivode Stevan Šupljikac joined the Serbian army only at the end of the year and tried to integrate it in the regular Austrian army. However, he suddenly died during the siege of Novi Sad. New successes of the Serbian army continued in the following year – near Vršac, Bela Crkva, Sombor, with an evident contribution of volunteers from Serbia. They, however, returned to Serbia upon the request of the Austrian court, which led to the disorientation of the Serbian army and growing lack of discipline. At that moment, Đorđe entered the stage again, introduced military courts and suppressed anarchy.
In some of the following battles, Ban Josip Jelačić supported Stratimirović with his southern army. The planned attack on Petrovaradin was prevented with a horrible bombing of Novi Sad from the fortress. The entire city was destroyed except for the Assumption Church and a few houses. Đorđe barely escaped with the army and ammunition and pulled back towards Futog. After that, due to his bad health condition, he was given leave and traveled to Vienna to treatment.

ULTIMATE LOYALTY

It was, however, becoming certain that the revolution will be quelled and that the Austrian side will leave victorious. The Vienna court continued marginalizing Serbian demands and the idea of Serbian Vojvodina. The Serbian army was gradually being integrated into Austrian units. People loyal to Vienna were appointed heads of municipality boards and magistrates. Stratimirović’ idea of Serbian Vojvodina was slowly fading away. Serbs realized that they were betrayed and used only as a weapon of Vienna against Hungarians. Their old guarantees and privileges were confirmed, but without mentioning autonomy.
Đorđe Stratimirović returned to his military career in the imperial army. He married the second time, an Austrian girl Albina Beko, daughter of an Austrian aristocrat. His godfather at the wedding was Mihailo Obrenović, in exile at the time. He had four children in that marriage – three sons and a daughter. He reached the rank of general-major in the Austrian army and retired in 1859. He lived with his family until 1908, when he died on December 15. Before his death, he reminded of the verses of the folk poem: ”I have kissed beautiful women, rode fine horses, held good weapons.”
Đorđe Stratimirović is a personality full of contrasts. Already during his lifetime, there were different impressions about him, and we will not discuss them now. He was a man of aristocratic breed, educated, with a high style and culture. He had an adventurous spirit, which some envied him for, and some judged him severely, very brave and completely loyal to his people. He did not hide his disappointment because his ideas were not realized.
People of his time could understand it better. Njegoš decorated him with Obilić medal, prince Aleksandar Karađorđević, astonished with his courage, gifted him his general uniform, two Karađorđe’s pistols and a saber.
His last wish – to be buried in Sremski Karlovci, waited a long time to be fulfilled. Leader of Serbs in wars against Hungarians in mid-XIX century, their favorite Vožd (chieftain), as they had called him, returned to the land to which he bequeathed his boldest ideas. His remains were transferred and buried in the Monastery of the Presentation of the Theotokos in Sremski Karlovci in September 2021. The wishes he could not realize are now fulfilled. And his name… it will finally become alive in the awareness of those who, unfortunately, know so little about the fighting of Serbs for their rights to survival and freedom.

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Praise to Heroism
”Vožd Đorđe Stratimirović, as the Serbian people north of the Sava and the Danube called him, was an undisputable person in the history of Serbian Vojvodina… He was a military leader of Serbs during the 1848 revolution, winning several important victories in Serbo-Hungarian conflicts, thus saving churches, monasteries and Serbian people from great suffering and complete destruction. After gaining independence for the Serbs in the Voivodeship, he worked as their political representative. He was also diplomatically and military active in Montenegro, and put himself at the disposal of Serbia during the Serbo-Turkish war in 1876. (…) Astonished with his heroism, Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević gifted him his general uniform, two Karađorđe’s pistols and a saber. Njegoš decorated him with the famous Obilić medal…”
(Aleksandar Đurđev, president of the Board for returning Vožd Đorđe Stratimirović to the Homeland)

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Fulfilment
”The last wish of Vožd Đorđe Stratimirović was to be buried in Sremski Karlovci. In agreement with his descendants, a Board for returning his remains was formed… A pretty complicated procedure began, from Vienna all the way to Sremski Karlovci. We are just people who recognized that the time has come to fulfill the Vožd’s last wish. (…) I must emphasize my special gratitude to the Serbian Orthodox Church for its support, and Bishop of Srem Vasilije, who permitted burying the remains of Đorđe Stratimirović in the Monastery of the Presentation of the Theotokos in Sremski Karlovci. Furthermore, we owe great gratitude to Prior Kleopa who helped us make a dignified event in the monastery entrusted to his care…”
(Aleksandar Đurđev, president of the Board for returning Vožd Đorđe Stratimirović to the Homeland)

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Result Visible to Everyone
”… The future hero of the Serbian national movement from 1848 and 1849 was inspired by genuine patriotic and chivalrous feelings since his earliest youth and was thus enabled to play the magnificent role intended for him by our dramatic, often tragic history. The Stratimirović family was very committed to cherishing military traditions, and was granted aristocratic title by Emperor Carl VI due to their service to the Habsburg Monarchy in wars… Still, Stratimirović’ role as political and military leader is mostly related to the 1848–1849 revolution... The final result of all those efforts and sacrifice is today visible in the existence of our dear Province of Vojvodina, which represents the probably most significant gain and political success of Serbia in recent history.”
(Protosyncellus Kleopa Stefanović, PhD)

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A Bright Example
”He was popular among Serbian people, especially among Šajkaši, because he fought with them in battles and was the leader and soul in the Serbian uprising. With his personal responsibility, he set an example to soldiers, who loved him dearly. They followed him blindly…”
(From the writings of Mihailo Polit-Desančić)