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The Origin of Populace         Surdulica-The Second Golgotha (1915-18.)         Surdulica and NATO Aggression (1999.)

THE HISTORY OF SURDULICA

Ever since prehistoric times people had settlements in the area where Surdulica is now situated. The name of the town is romanic and originates from Vlachs Surdulicans. They were the ancient inhabitants of Balkans and they lived in their "katuns". Numerous meadows and pastures enabled the development of cattle farming. Mining was also present. Ore had been brought from Mt. Vardenik and neighbouring mines to Surdulica for further exploitation. In late bronze age the natives of Balkan peninsula inhabited the Surdulica area. They were followed by the Dardans and Romans. The inhabitants of Roman colonies were mainly involved in mining and refinement of ore collected in mines of Vlasina. During the Byzantine empire mining works had also been conducted in the area.

            In medioeval times, Surdulica was the part of Serbian state ruled by Nemanjics. Extraction and refinement of iron ore is also present in this period. The proof of this are numerous mining sites spread along Surdulica surroundings. Those sites are today used  in industrial purposes. In the first half of XV century, according to writings of Constantine the Philosopher, the area of today's Surdulica (then known as Inogost) was ruled by the feudal lord Ugljesa. In the second half of XV century, this area became the subject of turkish feudal rule. From that time to the year of 1877. Surdulica existed as a mining village. Surdulica of that time was described in writings of B. Kuripesic: "They arrived in Vranja... and reached the village of Surdulica".

            During the time of Austro-Turkish wars in XVII and XVIII century, the population of Surdulica was significantly reduced. Wars and migrations mainly caused the population decrease. Many people moved north from Inogost, which happened in many parts of Serbia. Since that time, the most of the population was Turkish. There were only a few Serb and Albanian homes with a certain number of Gypsy households. A. Bue mentions Surdulica as a village settlement.

            The liberation from Turks in 1877. has an enormous importance for the developement of the settlement. Surdulica was proclaimed as town in 1887. From that time on, Surdulica had become the economic core of Masurica county. Balkan wars hampered the town development, and during the World War I, no other town in the south of Serbia had so many innocent victims of war. Several thousand Serbs, brought from all parts of Serbia, were killed in Surdulica and surrounding area at places such as Duboka Dolina. After the liberation, the memorial was built in rememberance of the dead.

            Short period between the two wars, during the rule of Karadjordjevic dinasty enabled the commercial developement of Surdulica. There were many individual craftsmen, but there was also the trade, banking and energetics.

            On 22. april 1941. the Bulgarians again attacked and occupied the Surdulica area. Some of the inhabitants of Surdulica were transported to Bulgaria. There were many examples of torture, rape and all kinds of atrocities commited by Bulgarians. They burned the village of Masurica and the village of Koznica twice. After the capitulation of Bulgaria, Surdulica was liberated on 5. September 1944. This day is now the community holiday.

            After the Second World War, Surdulica rapidly developed into a modern town with approximately 13.000 inhabitants.

            The year of 1999. was a tragic year for Surdulica. In NATO aggression on FRY, Surdulica was bombed twice and suffered civilian casualties. Unfortunately, statistic shows that the number of civilian casualties is the highest compared to other towns and cities in FRY (over 30 men, women and children). Damage caused on the buildings was also enormous. Most of the buildings were rebuilt but the pain for lost lives will never pass.

 

SURDULICA-THE SECOND GOLGOTHA

            World War I brought great misfortune and grief to the small town of Surdulica. Surdulica was occupied by Bulgarians in autumn 1915. Hard working and patriotic people of Surdulica was forced to endure and whitness the torture and death. Bulgarian occupation forces turned Surdulica into the slaughterhouse of Serbian people. Thousands of Serbs were transported to Bulgaria and barely half of them ever eached theid destination. The rest of them ended their road on the killing grounds of Surdulica.

            Bulgarian policy toward Serbs was clear. Everything that bore Serbian name was strictly forbidden, even the word "Serb". Systematical bulgarization of Serbs was conducted. Also the numerous atrocities were commited: torture, rape, internments, taxes, robberies, destruction... All more prominent and educated Serbs were killed, priests, teachers, civil servants, party members, lawyers, book sellers... Bulgarians were especially cruel to Serbian church and it's priests.

            Since the first days of occupation, Bulgarians started with mass murder of Serbian civilians. Surdulica had the highest number of victims compared to other towns and cities. The places where the killings took place were guarded, so the citizens of Surdulica couldn't even see and bury their dead. Exumation of bodies and bones from the killing grounds conducted by the international team of experts, which included people such as Swiss, Dr. Archibald Rheiss and American William Drayton didn't give the complete insight into the sheer dimensions of the crimes. People from entire Serbia had been killed in Surdulica. Most of the killings happened at a place called Duboka dolina, but they also occured at places like Kalifer, Dubrava, and along the river Vrla and Romanovci creek.

            In his investigation, Dr. Jovan Hadzi-Vasiljevic claims: "In the beginning, Bulgarians killed Serbs with rifles, then they used cold weapons, and then with rifle butts and other blunt objects."

            The exact number of Serbs killed in Surdulica remained unknown. However, this number could be obtained from Bulgarian archives from the time when the crimes were commited. Dr. Milivoje Petrovic, the author of known book "The Toplica Rising" made several attempts to access Bulgarian military archives from the World War I, but he wasn't allowed to. So, the exact number of savagely murdered Serbs ranges from 3.000 to 30.000 men women and children.

            In his report, based on statements made by only six whitnesses from Surdulica, he claimed that 2.000-3.000 people were killed. The people originated from Surdulica's surrounding areas or they had been brought from far away places. Rheiss claims that whitnesses were unable to count them, because there were too many of them.

Dr. Jovan Hadzi-Vasiljevic in one of his books stated, that Bulgarians killed 2.000 Serbs in first three months of occupation. His statement was based on account of a Bulgarian soldier.

An American, William Drayton in his report to allied commitee for inspecting of Bulgarian crimes stated that all educated and more prominent Serbs were captured and transported to Bulgaria. On their way to Bulgaria, a great number of Serbs were killed in Surdulica. He claimed that Bulgarians brought 200-400 Serbs to Surdulica, every day in the first month of occupation, most of whom were killed.

               Our famous writer, Bora Stankovic wrote of Bulgarian crimes in Surdulica:

            "Surdulica was meant to give rest to man, refreshing him with its nature, it was like a center between the wilderness of Vlasina, gentleness of Topli Do and vast meadows of Masurica... But, with this role, destiny had given Surdulica the task to bear a great cross of martyrdom and to become the second Golgotah, the tomb of Serbs, killed and slaughtered not by the enemy, but by the beasts and trash of mankind.

             How a man is eerily touched by mere walk on these places, graves, mounds. Every gulley is someone's grave. Your every step will pull you back. To stop you from stepping on the dead, who is still in his suit. Abohe him is thin layer of earth through which the grass has grown and covers him together with other growth and yellow leaves. You are afraid that your brotherly foot doesn't step on him and desecrate him. But, you can't be excused... Surdulica is no longer that small place, the trade link between hill villages and the railway, Vladicin Han, Vranje, and the place most fit and healthiest for life and existance. Surdulica is now for Prilep, Gnjilane, Skoplje, Prizren, Vranje, Leskovac, for old Serbia, the centre of Dushan's empire that once was-the second Kosovo: the burial place of its finest sons, women, children, of everything the enemy considered to be the life of one nation. So he collected them and slashed them here. Now, everywhere, in every of there towns, villages, homes and families whose fathers, sons were brought here and slain, Surdulica will be remembered, mentioned during burials, funeral services. Every mother..."

             The decisive battle for liberation of Serbia began on 14. September 1918. Soon after the capitulation of Bulgaria, Surdulica was liberated on 6. October 1918. When Serbian army entered Surdulica, the decision was made, and fund-raising began for construction of a monument tomb. Bones of victims of Bulgarian slaughters were collected in order to be buried. The board for construction of the tomb was formed.

             On 24. august 1924. the monument tomb was presented and memorial high-school was also constructed as a unique monument for victims of Bulgarian crimes committed in Surdulica 1915-18. The monument was presented by king Aleksandar Karadjordjevic. Every year after that, on 28. june, on Vidovdan the rememberance day was held in the memory of  the victims of Bulgarian crimes.

The arrival of king Aleksandar in Surdulica on 28. June 1924. on occasion of opening the monument tomb

The monument tomb for the victims of 1915-18. with high school building

 During the Second World War, the Bulgarians demolished the tomb and destroyed all exibits. In 1943. they tore down the building itself, so today there is only a memorial plate, which was erected later.

 

Surdulica and NATO aggression

               The year of 1999. was fatal for the small town of Surdulica. when the NATO aggression began, no one ever expected that a small place on the south of Serbia would suffer so much. Almost thirty people have been killed, among them were women and children. A residential block was razed to the ground and a part of Surdulica's sanitarium, where the refugees had been settled, was destroyed. Of all towns in Serbia, Surdulica had the highest percentage of civilians killed in the bombings.

                 Town was attacked three times, and the surrounding area of the town more than ten times. In second attack of NATO bombers on 27. April 1999. a residential block, not far away from the town center was hit. Nine people were killed then, three children and the whole Milic family.

                 Not even after this had Surdulica been spared. On 31. May 1999. target of NATO airforce was sanitarium-the hospital for lung diseases. Innocent civilians were again killed... More than fifteen people died, among them the whole Malobabic family.

                 The pictures of these horrors were seen everywhere in the world, as a reminder for the mankind to prevent them from happening again. Surdulica, the peaceful place under Vlasine, after suffering so much in two world wars, was not spared even in this war.

 

The Origin of the Populace

                 The documentation from archives mostly dates from 1878. to this day. Thus in the second half of XIX century there are 9 Turkish, only 3 Serbian, 4 Albanian and 20 Gypsy households.

                 In the time of Serbo-Turkish war (1876-78.) and after the liberation from Turks in 1877. ethnic structure of the population was completely changed. The most of Turkish and Albanian population emigrated. Instead of them numerous Serbian population from neighbouring villages and towns moved into the town.

                 Antici, Petrovici and Stambolije are considered to be the oldest Serbian families. Those were the households when the town was liberated in 1877.

                    From surrounding villages came: Bo�ilovi, Slančani, Cvilikari (village Bitvrđa) ; Vasiljevići i Vojčinovići (village Masurica); Stojiljkovići (village Bojince) ; Pe�inci (village Upper Romanovce); Anđelkovići (village Vučadelce); Stankovići (village Novo Selo); Stojiljkovići (village Bojince); Dubravci (village Ravna Reka). Zeljari, Stojkovići, Cvetkovići i Čubrini. Dervečani are from Dervenac (D�ep area) originate from Vlasina. Antići i Tare are from Crna Trava. From Vranje area came: Grebenarci, Jankovići ("Ku�inci"), Janjinci, Palikućinci, Popovići, Sto�ići, Vlasi ("Mečkari"), Ćosinci, Stankovići (village Preobra�enje), Kupinčani (village Kopinince), Krivofejci (village Kriva Feja), Dubravci (village Trebe�inje); Bujkovčani (village Tibu�de). Vučkovići and Tasini (village Radovnica) are from upper Pcinja. From Veles and its area came Veljkovići, Đo�ini and Dimkovići a Kitanovići from Debar area in Macedonia arrived in the village of Mackatica, and later in Surdulicu. In the end we mention that Radojičani were originally from Bulgaria.

                 For more precise insight in position of some of the places mentioned, please refer to the map of Surdulica area.

                 The list includes immigrations that took place in XIX century. After that new flow of population from different areas of our country followed in the second immigration wave between the two world wars (1920-1940.)

                However the most of today's inhabitabts of Surdulica and the surrounding area originate from population that moved to town after the Second World War when Surdulica was influenced by the rapid industrial development.

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