Serbia’s Ruling Party is Rewriting World War II History

On May 8 and 9, Serbia celebrated Victory Day in World War II with a series of events around Belgrade including wreath-laying ceremonies, concerts, film screenings, fireworks and the livestreaming of a military parade in Moscow.

As well as the victory over fascism, Serbian officials celebrated their alliance with Russia, the co-organiser of the festivities.

The weekend culminated in an official event at the National Theatre, broadcast live on national television and online, with poetry, songs and speeches by President Aleksandar Vucic and Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.

Some of the verses that actors read at the main celebration sparked public debate because they are associated with Zbor, the Serbian fascist movement that collaborated with Nazi Germany.

The organisers' response to these accusations came from historian Dejan Ristic who falsely denied any connection to Zbor and its leader Dimitrije Ljotic, and said that the patriotic verses dated back to "long before World War II" and poet Momcilo Nastasijevic.

The truth is, however, that the verses of the marching song 'Vi mrtvi niste' ('You are Not Dead'), which was read on May 9, were first published in a Zbor poetry collection in 1944, and the song became an anthem of the Serbian radical right. So far it remains unclear how it wound up in the Victory Day programme, and no government official has explained it.

Chetniks reinterpreted as anti-fascists

Chetnik leader Dragoljub 'Draza' Mihailovic. Photo: Aleksandar Simic - Museum of Yugoslavia/Wikimedia Commons.

The reciting of the marching songs of fascist groups to celebrate the victory against fascism was not the only controversy of this year's Victory Day in Serbia.

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