Serbia is the world’s second largest producer of raspberries. *Photo from Wikipedia
February 15 is Serbia’s Statehood Day.
It is a holiday to commemorate the outbreak of the First Serbian Uprising in 1804, it evolved into a Serbian Revolution against Ottoman rule. The revolution ultimately resulted in the recognition of Serbia’s statehood by Ottoman Empire.
Slavs settled the Balkans in the 9th century. In 1345 the Serbian Empire was established: it spanned a large part of the Balkans. In 1540 the Ottoman Empire annexed Serbia. The Serbian realms disappeared by the mid-16th century, torn by domestic feuds and overcome by Ottoman conquest.
The First Serbian Uprising was an uprising of Serbs against the Ottoman Empire from February 14, 1804 to October 7, 1813. Initially a local revolt against renegade janissaries who had seized power through a coup, it evolved into a war for independence (the Serbian Revolution) after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and short-lasting Austrian occupations.
Although the uprising was crushed, it was continued by the Second Serbian Uprising in 1815, which resulted in the creation of the Principality of Serbia, as it gained semi-independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1817 (formally in 1829).
Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia, is a sovereign state situated at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe. It is landlocked and borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; Macedonia to the south; and Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro to the southwest.
In commemoration of the day, we bring you wonderful stories of Serbians living in Tokyo.
*Click a photo below to see their stories!
“It was difficult; it was impossible for the children to prepare for any exams. Imagine having sirens going off at night and having to go to the shelter, sleeping during the day and awake during the night. The bombs didn’t hit the civilians, but we weren’t in a position to study.”
*Reference: Wikipedia
