Đorđe Cenić ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Ценић; 6 February 1825, in

Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

– 7 October 1903, in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

) was a Serbian politician, lawyer, professor and academic.

Biography

Born to a family of Dimitrije Cenić, a prominent trader based in Belgrade, Cenić was awarded a state scholarship and went on to study in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...

and

Halle (Saale) Halle (Saale), or simply Halle (), is the second largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is the sixth-most populous city in the area of former East Germany after (East Berlin, East) Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden, Chem ...

. After studies Cenić returned to Serbia and became a professor at modern-day University of Belgrade Faculty of Law. At the age of 29 Cenić became the president of regional court in

Smederevo Smederevo ( sr-Cyrl, Смедерево, ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Podunavlje District in eastern Serbia. It is situated on the right bank of the Danube, about downstream of the Serbian capital, ...

, and later in

. After his work in a number of courts, Cenić became a government minister, serving as the

Prime Minister of Serbia The prime minister of Serbia ( sr-Cyrl, премијер Србије, premijer Srbije; feminine gender, feminine: премијерка/premijerka), officially the president of the Government of the Republic of Serbia ( sr-Cyrl, председн ...

and the Minister of Justice in four terms. He made several reforms in attempt to modernise the country and is responsible for a number of modern laws resembling those of other European countries. Cenić abolished

corporal punishment A corporal punishment or a physical punishment is a punishment which is intended to cause physical pain to a person. When it is inflicted on Minor (law), minors, especially in home and school settings, its methods may include spanking or Padd ...

in Serbia. Cenić was awarder Order of the Cross of Takovo, Order of White Eagle and Order of Miloš the Great. He bestowed his personal library to University of Belgrade Faculty of Law.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cenic, Djordje 1825 births 1903 deaths Government ministers of Serbia 19th-century Serbian people Justice ministers of Serbia Prime ministers of Serbia Politicians from Belgrade