On the first anniversary of the death of Đorđe Mihailović (1928-2023), the famous grandfather Đorđe, the guardian of Zejtinlik, on July 2, his bust will be placed at the Serbian military cemetery in Thessaloniki!This event will take place at the cemetery, which for many years was the place where Grandpa Đorđe, known for his devotion and love for Serbian warriors, welcomed and saw off visitors.

The bust, a gift from the "Jeremić" foundry, is the work of sculptor Ljubomir Lacković and is a lasting tribute to a man who devoted almost his entire life to preserving the memory of heroes from the First World War. He was a symbol of respect for ancestors, for decades he took care of Zejtinlik, the eternal home of more than 7,000 Serbian soldiers.

- I met Grandpa Đorđe a few years ago, during one of my visits to Zejtinlik - sculptor Lacković tells us. - His modesty, wisdom and endless love for that place touched me deeply. That's why working on his bust was not only a professional challenge for me, but also an emotional obligation to convey his dedication and energy in bronze. The famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin said that for a good work of sculpture it is important not only to look like it from the outside, but that the artist must "catch" the soul of the person he is sculpting.On the back of grandfather Đorđe, Lacković made a relief of Zejtinlik, dominated by the image of the Archangel Michael.- I wanted to combine the architecture of Zejtinlik, where there is also a mosaic of Archangel Michael, with grandfather Đorđe - emphasizes Lacković. - I haven't been sculpting in clay for a long time, I mostly work in metal. I struggled a bit, but I am satisfied with my work.

The bust ceremony is expected to draw a large number of those who will come to pay their respects to the man whose name has become inseparable from Zeitinlik.

- We wanted to somehow contribute to preserving the memory of grandfather Đorđe - Slobodan Jeremić told us, who continued in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather in the foundry. - He is a symbol of courage, dedication and love for the homeland, and we believe that placing his bust on Zeytinlik is an example of how the memory of heroes can and should be preserved. Mihailović was not only the guardian of the cemetery, but a living link between the past and the present, a bridge between generations. His life story speaks of love, respect and commitment to those who gave their lives for freedom. We believe that the bust will stand as a symbol of grandfather Đorđe's eternal presence on Zejtinlik.

Family tradition

The FIRST caretaker of the cemetery was Đorđe's grandfather, the Thessaloniki volunteer Savo Mihailović, a Serb from Grblje. Savo collected his dead comrades and comrades, and then kept them until his death in 1928. He was also buried on Zeytinlik. He was succeeded by Đorđe's father, Đuro, who preserved the cemetery and its relics during the Second World War. When Đuro died in 1961, he was buried next to his father in Zejtinlik, and the duty of cemetery keeper fell to Đorđe.

For more than half a century, Đorđe Mihailović welcomed and saw off the descendants of Serbian warriors who died on the Thessaloniki front in the First World War, historians and tourists. Guarding the military cemetery was not only a physical job for him, but also, as he said, a moral and spiritual obligation. He believed that it was his duty to ensure that the sacrifice of the Serbian soldier was never forgotten.- I was most happy when the grandchildren of the heroes came, then I was encouraged. There is someone who remembers - grandfather Đorđe told "Novosti". - And he should remember. It is a glorious history and you are talking about it. Speak loudly and do not bow your head before those unworthy of our roots and glory.

Grandfather Đorđe was born exactly a decade after the end of the First World War, in Thessaloniki. He took over the role of proud guardian from his father in 1961, when, as he said, Thessaloniki had only 160,000 people, while today it numbers 1.5 million. All his life he came to Zeytinlik every day, he slept there, he practically lived there. Under the olive tree, with always a full glass of brandy for everyone who comes. First of all, it should be drunk for the repose of the souls of the heroes, then for the health of their descendants. Sitting at a small table in the shade, he recited heroic verses. For his dedication, he received the Order of the Serbian Flag, second degree, the Order of Saint Sava, first degree, and the Mother Serbia award, and four years ago, Serbian citizenship.

- All these years I was respected by everyone - Serbia, our consulate here in Thessaloniki and all our people who visit the cemetery. Now my days pass peacefully, family-wise. Health and age do not give me anywhere else but to be at home. Now it is important for me to tell you something. I have been saying this for so many years and everyone should know that - the most important thing is our homeland, our Serbia - grandfather Đorđe told us during his lifetime.

Big jubilee

The bust of grandfather Đorđe will be cast by the end of the week in our famous foundry, the oldest in the Balkans. They are preparing, they tell us, for their upcoming jubilee - a century of existence that will end in 2027. They plan to make 25 models, one meter high, of the most important monuments the foundry has ever made.

His biggest regret was that the Mihailovići would no longer watch over the hero's shadows. As he said, God did not give him a son. And, he pointed out, manpower is needed for the job of guard.

- I never left the house without a sajkača. It is a symbol of the Serbian peasant - soldier in the Balkans and in the Great War, when Serbs wrote the brightest pages of our history. No one has ever objected to me for wearing it. I was proud, and everyone who came to Zeitinlik appreciated that. And I said to my wife Svetlana: "Sajkača and I, forever." When I go, she will go with me - grandfather Đorđe proudly told "Novosti".

So it was. According to his own wishes, Mihailović was buried in the Serbian uniform, in which he spent his entire life, in the crypt where, among the heroes, rest his grandfather and father.

Source: News