Celebrities

Jovan Beric (1786-1845), poet and pedagogical writer, born in Backi Brestovac in 1786. In 1809 he obtained his Ph. D. on Budapest University and graduated in law in Pozun. In 1810 he was appointed as a school board actuary within Central Supervisory Body for Serbian, Greek and Romanian schools in Hungary. He was a close friend of Vuk Karadzic and Jovan Hadzic. Being an advisor to Hadzic, he indirectly took part in the establishment of Matica Srpska.

Dr Eduard Florijan Birli (1786-1845), famous physician and scientist born in Odzaci in 1786. He graduated from Odzaci Elementary School and Medical College in Vienna. He obtained his Ph. D. in 1814 (doctorate thesis on epilepsy). Great success in his work brought him respect from his coleagues and a title „von“. He spent years as a professor on The University of Vienna and later moved to Budapest. After his death, his wife returned to Odzaci where she kept a shop.

Jovan Mladenovic Subota (1790-1863), born in Racmiletic. He graduated from Sombor and Osijek Gymnasium and the Faculty od Education in St. Andrea and Sombor. He taught in Stara Palanka and Budapest. For twenty years he was a Tekelijanum supervisor. He was also Matica Srpska Library supervisor and during the 1848 revolution he managed to save Matica Srpska property. For a short period of time he was an editor of The Matica Srpska Chronicle. Since 1852 he occupied three very important positions: Tekelijanum supervisor in Budapest, Matica Srpska actuary and Library supervisor. Famous poet Laza Kostic wrote about him, he was a friend of Vuk Karadzic and maintained extensive correspondence with Petar Petrovic Njegos.

Jovan Hadzic aka Milos Svetic (1799-1869), writer and politician, born in Sombor, and educated in Sremski Karlovci, Budapest and Vienna. According to Jovan Skerlic, Hadzic graduated from German Elementary School in Odzaci in 1810. Along with several prominent people from Serbia, he founded Matica Srpska in 1826 in Budapest and became its first chairman. He was one of the most prominent and educated people of his time in Serbia. He was a friend of Vuk Karadzic and his opponent.

Atanasije Nikolic (1803-1882), famous mathematician, poet, translator, theatre director, actor and prominent public figure, born in Backi Brestovac. He obtained his education in Sombor, Sremski Karlovci, Novi Sad, Djer, Vienna and Budapest. In 1824 he set up his private art school in Novi Sad. Along with Jovan Sterija Popovic, he founded the very first theater called Teatar na Djumruku in 1841. He was the initiator of Serbia’s urban development. His activities initiated the urbanization of Belgrade.

Milka Grgurova (1840-1924), born in Sombor, was the first professional actress in Serbia, with wide range of acting repertoire – „Serbian Sarah Bernhardt“. She was an active writer and a journalist. She started her career as a theatre actress in Lalic. In 1864, Jovan Djordjevic offered her professional career in Srpsko Narodno Pozoriste in Novi Sad. Later, in 1868, she joined other actors and moved to Belgrade to start her career in Narodno Pozoriste.

Djena Pavlovic (1851-1901), poet and writer, born in Odzaci. He graduated from Sombor Gymnasium and Law studies in Budapest. In 1882 he obtained his Ph.D. and started to work as a lawyer. He was a close friend of Jovan Grcic. He translated the works of Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj to Hungarian. His well known poem is: „Sitna knjiga od Krajine Marku, salje mu je na koljeno: Odzacanin Djemo.“

Samu Borovski (1860-1914), explorer, Ph.D. in Philosophy, writer of scientific papers, born in Karavukovo. His family originally came from Pivnice and his father worked in Karavukovo as an engineer. In 1870 Samu moved to Nadjsalont and later graduated from its Gymnasium. He studied philosophy on The Budapest University 1879-1883. He was a member of The Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He wrote the following monographs: „Bac – Bodrog zupanija“ in 1909 and „Torontalska zupanija“ in 1911.

Rafailo Georgije Momcilovic (1875-1941), painter for The Serbian Orthodox Church, born in Deronje. He graduated from Elementary School in his birhtplace. He became a monk in Manasija in 1896 and chose a name Rafailo. He studied art on Serbian School of Arts Kiril Kutlik in Belgrade. He continued his studies in Russia from 1899 to 1901, and then in Italy from 1901 to 1903. He painted an iconostasis in Velika Krsna, as well as many portraits and landscapes. He was killed in 1941 in Slavonska Pozega. He was proclaimed a martyr by The Serbian Orthodox Church which also appointed a day for him in its religious calendar (3 September).

Proka Jovkic aka Nestor Zucni (1883-1915), social poet, born in Lalic. In 1903 he went to Oakland, USA and published his first poetry book under a pseudonym of Nestor Zucni. Encouraged by positive reviews of Jovan Skerlic, he soon published his second book „Poetry of Heaven and Earth“ (San Francisco, 1910). He published his third and final poetry book in Serbia. He died from typhus in Nis.