Gen. Mihailovich Monument from the back with English inscription
at St. Sava SOC, Milwaukee. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
Gen. Mihailovich monument with wreath and Chetnik Family Reunion banner
at St. Sava SOC in Milwaukee, for the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion.
Photo by Alekandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
"With faith in God and for my King and
Country,
I fought and took my oath, fighting in defense of truth and justice.
For my Serbian people I will sacrifice my life. I have fulfilled my oath."
General Draza Mihailovich
Leader of the Third Serbian Uprising
WWII
Inscription on the General Mihailovich
monument at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Such a perfect inscription for a monument
dedicated to General Draza Mihailovich. This powerful and prophetic statement
by the General reflects who the man was better than anything any of us could
say about him in tribute. It does the heart good to know that 70 years after
his execution by the Yugoslav Communists in Belgrade, Serbs and others continue
to hold him alive in their hearts and minds and pay honor to him publicly whenever
the opportunity arises.
The Serbian Diaspora has been fantastic in maintaining
the legacy of General Mihailovich and the Chetniks loyal to him. Many of the veterans, the ones who were there and walked the walk during WWII
and the decades that followed, are no longer with us, but they are not gone. No
one truly dies until they are forgotten.
I miss so many of the old timers. I loved
their presence at Serbian functions and events. They were, and are, men
and women we could look up to and respect. They were and are people worthy of
admiration. They taught us well, mostly by example of the integrity of their
character, the pureness of their purpose, and the nobility of their cause. I am
one of the very fortunate ones whose Chetnik father, Rade, is still with us,
and I know just how blessed I have been and continue to be. I also know that
when the day comes when his mortal being is no longer with us, he will remain
alive in my heart and my memories, and the memories of others who have been
fortunate enough to have crossed his path.
As time goes on, it is heartening to know
that we descendants really do care and recognize how important it is for us to get
together and share our heritage, our traditions, our stories, and our mutual
understanding and knowledge of a shared history and legacy. These are the ties
that bind us.
In 2014, a wonderful tradition of getting
together under the banner of “Chetnik Family Reunions” was begun in
Chicagoland, at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Libertyville, IL. Last
year, 2015, the Second Annual Chetnik Family Reunion was held in Cleveland,
Ohio, and this year, 2016, the Third Annual Chetnik Family Reunion was held in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Next year, we are looking forward to getting together in
Merrillville, Indiana.
That’s the way to do it. Our fathers and
grandfathers were getting together throughout the Diaspora and keeping the
traditions and the cause alive for decades after the war, though it was not on
the battlefields of the terrain of Yugoslavia, but the battlefields that we,
their descendants, live on today – everywhere. The torch has been passed. There
is still much to do, and much of that work is comprised of correcting the
institutionalized false history that has poisoned minds susceptible to
propaganda and lies. We who know the truth must continue the good fight. We owe
that to our Chetnik forefathers and mothers that sacrificed so much for us, and
for their homeland.
Getting together and engaging in lively
conversation, reminiscing, reconnecting, making new friends and acquaintances,
enjoying good food and drink and dancing and patriotic music, with moments of laughter
and sometimes tears, is life-affirming, and I’m confident that the Chetnik
Family Reunion tradition will continue long into the future.
As we reunite down here on earth, I can’t
help but hope that our forefathers are reunited in Heaven and are enjoying the
same life-affirming activities that we are. They deserve it. They earned it.
Živeli!
Sincerely,
Aleksandra Rebic
Chicago
September 2016
St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in the light of sunset, Milwaukee, WI.
Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
Back of Gen. Mihailovich Monument at St. Sava SOC in Milwaukee erected by the Milwaukee chapter of the "Movement of Serbian Chetniks Ravne Gore" with inscription. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
General Mihailovich Monument with bench and wreath
at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Milwaukee, WI.
Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
Gen. Mihailovich monument and fountain area at St. Sava SOC,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
Aleksandra Rebic with the Gen. Mihailovich monument at St. Sava SOC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Sept. 24, 2016. Photo: Rebic collection.
Milan Kecman, Milka Gvozdenovic, and Alexandra Mandic in Milwaukee, WI for the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
Dusan Ivancevich and his two daughters at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion
in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic. (1)
Dusan Ivancevich and his two daughters at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion
in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic. (2)
Perica Sovilj, Nick Mandich, Sr., and Nick Mandich, Jr. at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion, Milwaukee, WI. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
Good conversation wtih Father Dennis Pavicevich of Chicago, Father Radomir of Milwaukee, and a young guest at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion
in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Milan Kecman of Cleveland, OH singing the classic Serbian ballad "Tamo Daleko" with Danny Danilovic on keyboards at the Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Jovan Ivancevich of Chicago having fun with the Mandic family from Cleveland at the Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee WI Sept. 24, 2016.
Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Serbian Chetniks Ravna Gora Chicago black leather vest!
Photo by Aleksandra Rebic, Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016.
Danny Danilovic on keyboards and Bojan Jasnic playing the iconic Serbian Kolos (dances) featuring the accordian at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
KOLO dancing at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016 (1). Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
KOLO dancing at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016 (2). Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
KOLO dancing at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016 (3). Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Father Dennis Pavichevich and wife Jovanka of Chicago at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Jovanka Popovich Pavichevich and Aleksandra Rebic at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo: Rebic collection.
Good conversation between Serb patriots at the Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Miodrag Rajkovic and Mira Grubnic enjoying the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family
Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Younger and Older mingling at the Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI
Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Serious conversations amid fun times at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Perica Sovilj, WWII veteran and President of the Organization of Serbian Chetniks Ravna Gora, gives one of his inspiring speeches that provides a history lesson for
us all, during the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Proud Chetnik WWII veteran Perica Sovilj at the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family
Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Father Radomir and guest at the Chetnik Family Reunion in Milwaukee, WI Sept. 24, 2016. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic.
Chetnik Family Reunion banner on display at St. Sava SOC in Milwaukee, WI
for the 3rd Annual Chetnik Family Reunion, along with flags and cross.
Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
The beautiful St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Milwaukee, Wisconsin illuminated on a September night. Photo by Aleksandra Rebic Sept. 24, 2016.
*****
If you would like to get in touch with me, Aleksandra,
please feel free to contact me at ravnagora@hotmail.com
*****
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