A t the Monument to the Executed Students in the Memorial Park of Sumarice the unique antiwar manifestation – Great School Class was held on October 21in the memory of the executed citizens of Kragujevac among whom the Grammar School students and professors. Before the traditional Great School Class the Bishop Jovan served the memorial service with the priests of the Diocese of Sumadija.
Wreaths are laid by the students and the principal of the First Grammar School of Kragujevac, Nikola Selakovic, the Presidency Secretary of the President of the Republic, Slavica Djukic- Dejanovic, Minister without portfolio on behalf of the Government of Serbia, the Mayor of Kragujevac Radomir Nikolic and Miroslav Petrasinovic, President of the City Assembly, representatives of the Diplomatic corps delegations of twin and friendly cities, representatives of Sumadija District, University.
Poem “Moral of the Woods” by the author Aleksandar Surbatovic, recited by the actors Dragan Stokic and Ivan Tomic is preformed on the occasion of the Great School Class. Most important is to convey to the children the meaning of the date October 21, the remembrance of 1941 and what happened in Kragujevac, said the Mayor Radomir Nikolic. Kragujevac is liberated from German occupation three years later on the very same date October 21, 1944, but that date remained shadowed by the retaliation on the execution site in Sumarice, said the Mayor Nikolic.
In the memory of one of the most brutal crime in the history of the mankind the message of peace and tolerance is sent with the invitation to the whole world that no alike crime ever happens again.
We would forget ourselves on that day we would let October 21, 1941 be forgotten, said Nikola Selakovic, the Presidency Secretary of the President of the Republic and reminded that this date is one of the identity marks of Serbian people that distinguish them from other people – because we were the only who filled the quota of 100 hostages executed for every German soldier killed, added Selakovic.
October 21 is a national holiday – Remembrance day of the Victims of WWII. On that day in 1941 the German Nazis executed 3000 citizens of Kragujevac and nearby settlements amongst whom 300 school children and 15 shoeshiner boys. Youngest killed child was 11 years old.
