How others see us through good times and bad, may not be the same as how we see ourselves. So was the case this week as a biography of Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia was presented to the public in front of the Crown Prince at the Foundation of Ilija M. Kolarac. The book, “Alexander II Karadjordjevic – Contributions for Biography” was written by Prof. Dr Nikola Moravcevic, a member of the Crown Council.
The Crown Prince was pleased with the result, as he said in his address, “I am very grateful to my long-time friend and adviser, Nikola Moravcevic, for his efforts and the will to deal with my biography. A man rightly believes that he is well aware of himself and that he is a reliable witness of his own life. However, to face up to how the others see you and how they testify about what you did or what you missed to do is not an easy challenge. Nikola Moravcevic has a long experience behind him as a participant, observer and witness of the turbulent times through which we passed, and we are still passing.
“As the author of many books, scientific studies and a man with a rich history as a university professor, he has the methodology and the admirable storytelling skill. I, as a non-objective participant and an observer of my own life, can only say the following: his book arouses and revives memories that are both costly and painful. Still, I would not give up either! Thank you, Nikola! If there were no people like you, history would have been written by hatred and ignorance. With you, hate and ignorance have no chance”.
Photo: Royal Palace Belgrade
The building where the presentation was made is perhaps the greatest cultural building in Belgrade. Part of the Kolarac Peoples University it was built in the 1930s, and the rooms and two halls are mainly used for teaching and studying. The Great Hall has the best acoustics of any building in Belgrade and is home to the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.
The author of the biography, Prof. Dr Nikola Moravcevic, was born in Zagreb and has written many historical novels and is a literary historian. Originally qualifying in Belgrade, he continued his studies in America, though his further studies reflected his European heritage. He has written many essays on Russian and Serbian Literature, as well as in the past editing a magazine on Serbian Studies.
