Panel Discussion “Serbian Revolution in the Yugoslav Context”

The panel discussion deals with how the Serbian Revolution, particularly the First Serbian Uprising, was interpreted and commemorated in different Yugoslav contexts during the 20th century. Given that historical memory is shaped by the time when it appears, the discussion will shed light on the different ways in which this event was understood, presented and institutionalized.

Through examples — such as the first Yugoslav exhibition held in Belgrade in 1904, commemoration of significant anniversaries, and the establishment of the Museum of the First Serbian Uprising — participants will talk about the role of museums, cultural policy, and public narratives in shaping attitudes toward the Serbian Revolution. The discussion will examine how Serbian political elites marked significant anniversaries since the outbreak of the First Serbian Uprising, in the context of the Kingdom of Serbia guided by the increasingly strong Yugoslav idea, as well as in the context of Serbia being a federal unit of Socialist Yugoslavia.

It will be presented how different names and interpretations of this event were used, from “rebellion” and “uprising” to “revolution”, to reflect historical and ideological changes.

The discussion will encourage the consideration on the relationship between national history and the Yugoslav experience, as well as on the contemporary ways of marking Serbian Statehood Day.