Jelena Spiridonovic-Savic (1891 – 1974 –Serbian poet

In order to highlight the global impact of the war I have

tried to find poets from as many countries as possible. For that reason

some of the poems included in this project are not about WW1.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire invaded Serbia in late July 1914.   Serbia's victory at the Battle of Cer in August 1914 was the first victory for the Entente Powers in the First World War.

In all, Serbia lost 1,100,000 people during the War - civilians and military deaths.

Jelena

Jelena was born on 11th January 1891 into a family of doctors – her parents were Michael and Olga Spiridonovic.  After leaving school, Jelena continued her studies at the French College in Trieste before travelling to New York, Milan and Vienna to study philosophy.

Jelena married Vladislav Savic, Consul General of Yugoslavia, who was also a poet and writer.  He started the Socialist Party of Serbia in 1903.

Jelena, who published her first volume of poetry in 1926, was a member of the Pen Club and the Society of Writers of Serbia.  She died in Belgrade in September 1974.

Sunce (Translation: Sun)

I ponesi me,
ponesi tako, u sjajnom
dugorn putu
tvoga zlaćanog zrak
O, Sunce,
Svetlosti moćne
vodi me
iz Carstva mraka.

First published in “Saa Uskih Staza” (Tr. From the Narrow Paths) (Belgrade, Izdanje SB Cvijanovica, 1919

Flora Sandes WW1

For information about Flora Sandes, the English woman who fought for Serbia during WW1, please see www.inspirationalwomenofww1.blogspot.co.uk