Dimitrije Frušić, also known in Trieste as Demetrio Frussich (21 January 1790 - 13 October 1838) was a prominent Serbian medical doctor, journalist, and publisher. He was the founder of the influential ''Novine Serbske'' (Serbian News) together with

Dimitrije Davidović Dimitrije Davidović (12 October 1789 – 24 March 1838) was a Serbian politician serving as the Prime Minister of Serbia, Minister of Education and chief secretary of cabinet to Prince Miloš Obrenović I. He was also a writer, philosopher, ...

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. ...

during the Serbian Enlightenment. He was a well-respected physician in his day who played an important role in the construction of a new hospital -- ''Ospedale Maggiore'' -- in Trieste.

Biography

Dimitrije Frušić was born in today's

Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...

, in the village of Divoš, near

Sremska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (; sr-Cyrl, Сремска Митровица, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city in Serbia. It is situated on the left bank of the Sava, Sava river. , the city has a total population of 36,764 inhabitants, while its adminis ...

Fruška Gora Fruška gora ( sr-Cyrl, Фрушка гора) is a mountain in Syrmia, with most of the mountain being part of Serbia and its westernmost edge extending into eastern Croatia. The Serbian part of the mountain forms the country's oldest National p ...

, then part of the

Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...

. He originates from a noble family Frušić. Dimitrije Frušić studied philosophy and medicine at the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

and became a doctor in 1815. At the university, he studied art and architecture as well. While still a medical student in Vienna, he and

, launched the ''Novine Serbske'' on 17 August 1813. When the newspaper ran its course, Dimitrije Frušić, now a graduate from Medical School, left Vienna in 1819 for Trieste where he opened his practice and worked at a hospital there. Frušić designed plans for the construction of a new hospital, ''Ospedale Maggiore'' (later renamed ''Ospidali Riuniti di Trieste''). He was also an active participant in the literary and political life of the city. As a student in Vienna Frušić, who had an excellent command of the German language, served as an interpreter for Serbian envoy and ''Prota'' (priest) Matija Nenadović in the company of the Austrian emperor on two occasions. At that time he and Davidović also met

Vuk Karadžić Vuk Stefanović Karadžić ( sr-Cyrl, Вук Стефановић Караџић, ; 6 November 1787 (26 October OS)7 February 1864) was a Serbian philologist, anthropologist and linguist. He was one of the most important reformers of the moder ...

and

Jernej Kopitar Jernej Kopitar, also known as Bartholomeus Kopitar (21 August 1780 – 11 August 1844), was a Slovene linguist and philologist working in Vienna. He also worked as the Imperial censor for Slovene literature in Vienna. He is perhaps best known ...

who were working on the language reform. In the modest premises of his printing shop, Frušić opened a Reading Room equipped with Serbian books and ''Novine Serbske'' that also became a meeting place for intellectuals. Always impressed with Vuk Karadžić's work, Frušić raised money for the scholar with the help of such friends as

Joakim Vujić Joakim Vujić (Serbian Cyrillic: Јоаким Вујић; 9 September 1772 – 8 November 1847) was a Serbian writer, dramatist (musical stage and theatre), actor, traveler and polyglot. He was one of the most accomplished Serbian dramatists and ...

Atanasije Stojković Atanasije Stojković ( sr-Cyrl, Атанасије Стојковић, ; 20 September 1773 – 25 September 1832) was a Serbian, Austrian and Russian writer, pedagogue, scholar, physicist, mathematician and astronomer. He is considered the founde ...

, Pavle Solarić, and the wealthy Teodoroviches of Trieste. He supported Vuk's reforms along with many other intellectuals in Trieste and elsewhere at the time. Dimitrije Frušić died in Trieste where he was buried in a Serbian cemetery.

Family life

He was married to Jovanka, daughter of Lazar and Ana Lukić of

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...

. They had three children: Čedomilj (born 6 February 1826; d. 1835), Dušan (born March 7, 1827; d. 1896) and Milica (born 17 July 1831; d. 1911).

Legacy

A library is named after him in Divoš, his hometown.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frusic, Dimitrije 1790 births 1838 deaths People from Sremska Mitrovica Serbian physicians 19th-century Serbian writers 19th-century male writers Serbian male writers Serbian journalists Physicians from Trieste University of Vienna alumni Physicians from the Austrian Empire Journalists from the Austrian Empire

Biography

Family life

Legacy

See also

References