"" (, ; 'O God of Justice')
[ is the ]national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...
of Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
, as defined by the Article 7 of the Constitution of Serbia
The current Constitution of the Republic of Serbia (), also known as Mitrovdan Constitution () is the supreme and basic law of Serbia. It was adopted in 2006, replacing the previous constitution dating from 1990.
History
The adoption of current ...
. "Bože pravde" was adopted in 1882 and had been the national anthem of the Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...
until 1919 when Serbia became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () has been its colloq ...
. It was re-adopted as the national anthem at first by the parliamentary recommendation in 2004 and then constitutionally sanctioned in 2006, after Serbia restored its independence.
History
Before Serbia had an official national anthem, there were several songs that were unofficially used in this manner. The most popular of these was " Rado ide Srbin u vojnike" also known as "Graničarska pesma" ('' Granichary Song''), which was written in 1844 by Vasa Živković on a melody composed by Nikola Đurković. It was used as a Serbian anthem during the Revolution of 1848.
The first initiative to create an official Serbian anthem came from Prince Mihailo in 1865. He hired (through the Ministry of Education) poet Jovan Jovanović Zmaj, to write lyrics, and composer Kornelije Stanković, to compose a melody for a new anthem. This anthem was created, but was not adopted, and was soon completely forgotten. Although it had no title, the first verse of this anthem was also "Bože pravde".
After the assassination of Prince Mihailo in 1868, Prince Milan came to the throne. In 1872, celebrating his coming of age, he ordered a play from the manager of the National Theater in Belgrade, Jovan Đorđević. Đorđević quickly wrote and presented the play "" ('' Marko's sword''), with the aim of glorifying Serbian history and the ruling house of Obrenović. The song "Bože pravde", composed by Davorin Jenko
Davorin Jenko (born Martin Jenko; 9 November 1835 – 25 November 1914) was a Slovenes, Slovene and Serbs, Serbian composer. He is sometimes considered the father of Slovenian National romanticism, national Romantic music. Among other songs, he co ...
, was part of the play's musical score. The song gained more popularity among the people than the piece itself, and in 1882, on the occasion of Milan's enthronement as Serbian king, Đorđević reworked the text and so his new version became the first official anthem of Serbia.
In 1903, after the May Coup, the Obrenović dynasty died out and the house of Karađorđević
The House of Karađorđević or Karađorđević dynasty ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Династија Карађорђевић, Dinastija Karađorđević, ; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Карађорђевићи, Karađorđevići, label=none) was the former ruling Kin ...
came to the helm of Serbia. A competition for a new anthem was announced. It was won by Aleksa Šantić with a song titled "Bože, na polja zemlje ove" for which he wrote both lyrics and melody, but this new anthem was not officially adopted. Eventually, in 1909, King Peter I decided to make the anthem "Bože pravde" official again, with minor changes to the text.
Various rulers of Serbia changed the words of the anthem to suit them. During the rule of Prince Milan I, the words were ('God save Prince Milan'), which was changed to ('God save King Milan'), when Serbia became a kingdom. It was later tailored to Alexander I with the verse ('God save King Alexander'), and Peter I with ('God save King Peter') as well.
During World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, in the territories of Serbia occupied by Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
, the performance of the national anthem, as well as the display of the symbols of the Kingdom of Serbia, was prohibited. During the time of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () has been its colloq ...
(which later became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
), "Bože pravde" was part of its national anthem. On the eve of the World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, at the great international gathering of the Music Confederation, held in Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, this anthem was declared one of the three most beautiful in the world.
"Bože pravde" was officially abandoned and banned after the World War II in 1945, in favour of "Hej, Sloveni
"Hey, Slavs" is a patriotic song dedicated to the Slavs and widely considered to be the Pan-Slavism, Pan-Slavic anthem. It was adapted and adopted as the national anthem of various Slavic-speaking nations, movements and organizations during the l ...
" ('Hey, Slavs'), which was the national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...
of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
for 47 years, from 1945 to 1992. After the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991-1992, only Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
and Montenegro
, image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg
, coa_size = 80
, national_motto =
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map = Europe-Mont ...
remained in the federation (i.e. the newly-formed Serbia and Montenegro
The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or simply Serbia and Montenegro, known until 2003 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and commonly referred to as FR Yugoslavia (FRY) or simply Yugoslavia, was a country in Southeast Europe locate ...
), but since no agreement over the anthem could be reached, "Hej, Sloveni" remained the national anthem. Many Serbs disliked the song during this period and booed it whenever it was played, such as at sporting events. In 1992, " Vostani Serbije" and " March on the Drina" were proposed as the anthem of Serbia along with "Bоže pravde". "March on the Drina", popularized by then-ruling Socialist Party of Serbia
The Socialist Party of Serbia (, abbr. SPS) is a populist political party in Serbia. Ivica Dačić has led SPS as its president since 2006.
SPS was founded in 1990 as a merger of the League of Communists of Serbia and Socialist Alliance ...
, even received a plurality of popular vote on referendum
A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
, but was never officially adopted.
The recommendation on the use of "Bože pravde" was adopted unanimously by the National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
in 2004 and constitutionally sanctioned in 2006, after Serbia restored its independence, while the recommended text was promulgated into the law in 2009.
It utilizes slightly modified original lyrics, asserting that Serbia is no longer a monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, reigns as head of state for the rest of their life, or until abdication. The extent of the authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutio ...
— all the verses that had a monarchist overtone were changed. In three verses, ('Serbian king') was changed to ('Serbian lands'), and the verse ('God save the Serbian king') was changed to ('God protect, God defend'). In public performances, the verses ('God protect, God bless') and ('Serbian lands, Serbian race') are often sung on the repeat as ('Our Serbia, God defend') and ('our whole race prays to you'), respectively.
"Bože pravde" was also used until 2006 as the regional anthem of the Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, ; also referred to as the Republic of Srpska or Serb Republic) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other bein ...
, a constituency
An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...
of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
, when it was ruled down by the country's constitutional court for being unconstitutional and replaced with " Moja Republika". In 2024, during the heightened tensions in the Bosnia and Herzegovina, Parliament of Republika Srpska passed a law regarding the national symbols, which accepts "Bože Pravde" to be in official use in Republika Srpska, alongside "Moja Republika", though not naming "Bože Pravde" anthem of the Republika Srpska.
Lyrics
The full Serbian national anthem as officially defined consists of eight stanza
In poetry, a stanza (; from Italian ''stanza'', ; ) is a group of lines within a poem, usually set off from others by a blank line or indentation. Stanzas can have regular rhyme and metrical schemes, but they are not required to have either. ...
s, but usually only the first two are performed on public occasions for reasons of brevity. The third verse is also usually omitted in full performances.
See also
* National symbols of Serbia
* List of Serbian anthems
Notes
References
External links
Serbian anthem streaming audio, lyrics and info
archive link
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boze Pravde
European anthems
Royal anthems
National anthems
National symbols of Serbia
Anthems of Serbia
Principality of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
Culture of Serbia
Culture of Republika Srpska
Serbian patriotic songs
Articles containing video clips
Compositions in B-flat major
1872 compositions
1872 poems
1872 songs
Songs in Serbian
Serbian Cyrillic texts