„ŠIROKA STRANA MOJA RODNAJA”, Spomenici sovjetskim vojnicima podizani u Srbiji 1944–1954
Soviet Soldiers Monuments in Serbia (1944 to 1954)

Summary/Abstract: Ever since the first days of liberation, monuments were one of the strongest objects in the processes of power specialization and the new Yugoslav identity constitution. However, the first monuments erected already in October 1994, in Serbia were not the one celebrating partisans' role in the Second World War, but those memorizing the Soviet soldiers sacrifice and their role in the battle against Nazism. Although first actions considering Soviet soldiers burials and monument erections were organized by the local communities and with the active participation of the church, the ceremonies of their unveilings included Yugoslav communist party representatives and delegation of the Red Army. Creation of the new collective consciousness was grounded in the political and ideological alliance of the Yugoslav and Soviet communists through the paradigm of the Red Army soldier. After 1948, glorification of the Soviet martyrs and heroes was marginalized and replaced by the glorification of the autonomous battle of the Yugoslav communist.

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