Fortress on the Theater Square (The Construction and the Symbolic Meaning of the Warriors Hall 1929–1932) Cover Image

Тврђава на Позоришном тргу (Изградња и симболика Ратничког дома 1929–1932)
Fortress on the Theater Square (The Construction and the Symbolic Meaning of the Warriors Hall 1929–1932)

Author(s): Danilo Šarenac
Subject(s): Architecture, Local History / Microhistory, Military history, Social history, Interwar Period (1920 - 1939), Identity of Collectives
Published by: Institut za strategijska istraživanja
Keywords: Fortress; Theater Square; Warriors Hall; 1929-1932; Belgrade’s central building; Serbian Royal Army; memory of participation in war; Yugoslav identity;

Summary/Abstract: The article uses the case of one of the Belgrade’s central buildings to demonstrate two processes which can be understood as the consequences of the Great War. The Warriors Hall was built by the main veteran organization of the former Serbian Royal Army, the Society of the Reserved Army Officers and Warriors, thus the construction of the edifice can be treated as the case study of the functioning of the Society. The interest of that organization was focused towards the improvement of the material position of the veterans, but the preservation of the memory of the conflict was priority as well. In this sense, the Warriors Hall testifies about the numerous delicate war memories about the 1912–1918 period. The construction of the Warriors Hall started in 1930 and was officially opened in 1932. The main argument of the article is that the veterans of the old Serbian Royal Army were keen to maintain the memories of the Serbian participation in the war. Consequently, it can be argued that this process was conflicting with the supranational Yugoslav identity.

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 148-161
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Serbian