The Military Archive ( sr-Cyrl, Војни архив) of the
Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia is the primary military history archive located 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 ...
,
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 ...
. The institution was originally established by a decree from Prince
Milan Obrenović on February 5, 1876, based on proposal of
Jovan Dragašević
, native_name_lang = Serbian
, birth_name =
, other_name =
, nickname =
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Požarevac, Principality of Serbia
, death_date =
, death_place = Niš, Kingdom of Serbia
, plac ...
in 1865.
The Military Archive has preserved records of significant events, including the
Serbian-Ottoman wars,
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans, Balkan states in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan states of Kingdom of Greece (Glücksburg), Greece, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Montenegro, M ...
, the
First World War
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 ...
, and
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 ...
with approximately 40 million archival records in institutional holdings.
The Military Archive is not legally allowed to directly communicate with foreign citizens or organizations.
Instead, researchers with foreign citizenship who wish to access its materials must submit their applications via the Serbian diplomatic representation abroad or through their respective embassy in Serbia.
History
The archive was originally established as a department of the General Staff Organization of the
Armed Forces of the Principality of Serbia and the
Royal Serbian Army
The Army of the Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Војска Краљевине Србије, Vojska Kraljevine Srbije), known in English language, English as the Royal Serbian Army, was the army of the Kingdom of Serbia that existed between 1882 ...
.
The third department of the General Staff was charged with collecting and documenting war history, organizing it, and ensuring its preservation.
This department was also responsible for managing the library and the entire General Staff archive which later evolved into what is now known as the Military Archive.
On March 6, 1940, a royal decree of 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 ...
restructured the History department into the Military History Institute.
On March 1, 1945, the
Yugoslav People’s Army and the
Yugoslav Partisans
The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, and Slovene language, Slovene: , officially the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska i partizanski odr ...
’ Supreme Commander established History and War Experiment Departments within the Yugoslav Army General Staff, which also included an Archival Department.
In January 1946 the History Department was renamed the History Institute of the Yugoslav Army, later becoming the Military Scientific and Publishing Institute in April 1947.
From Spring 1949 to Fall 2006, it was known as the Military History Institute, with the Military Archive as part of it.
In 1999, the
NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Serbia and Montenegro, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombing ...
severely damaged the Military Archive, destroying much of its microfilming equipment and conservation laboratory.
However, swift actions by the staff saved most of the documents.
In 2006, the institution gained independent legal status.
In 2018
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
requested return of the original documentation produced by the World War II puppet
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia (, NDH) was a World War II–era puppet state of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Fascist Italy. It was established in parts of Axis occupation of Yugoslavia, occupied Yugoslavia on 10 April 1941, ...
citing the
.
The Serbian Ministry of Défense asserted that the original Independent State of Croatia archival materials, organized into 555 boxes, must remain in the archive, though copies can be provided based on government agreements and security protocols.
See also
*
List of archives in Serbia
*
Archive of Serbia
References
External links
Official website
{{Archives in Serbia
Archives in Serbia
Buildings and structures in Belgrade
Organizations established in 1876
Military archives
Military of Serbia
Military history of Serbia
Military of SFR Yugoslavia
Military of Yugoslavia