New Year’s Day – State Holiday
New Year’s Day was declared a state holiday by the Law on State Holidays in 1955. In the early years of socialism, Santa Claus (Deda Mraz) was unwelcome and condemned as a Bolshevik-clerical creation. He was associated with “Ded Moroz,” the King of Winter, which has pagan origins. The Women’s Antifascist Front, an organization responsible, […]
Toma Zdravković – a Bohemian from Birth and Beyond
Toma Zdravković, a singer of folk music and a composer, was an exceptional figure on the Yugoslav music scene, a true bohemian and poet. His songs, mostly self-composed, were almost always autobiographical and spoke of the unhappy love he seemingly experienced almost until the end of his life. He was married four times, finally settling […]
Skiing in Kranjska Gora
Skiing in Kranjska Gora has a long tradition. The first ski lift, “Preseka,” started operating in November 1948. It was 960 meters long, with a vertical drop of 265 meters and a capacity of 170 skiers per hour. Compared to today’s ski lifts, each skier would attach their own seat to the cable and then […]
Valter Defends Sarajevo – The air shimmers as if the sky is on fire
The theme of the fight between the “good guy” against evil, about heroism and justice, was inspired by the real-life figure Vladimir Perić, and the legend about him has been watched by billions of people worldwide, both on the big and small screens. In 1975, the film “Valter Defends Sarajevo” was first shown on Chinese […]
Jovan Bulj – The Graceful Policeman
A Belgrade traffic policeman, he was recognizable and remembered for his graceful movements while directing traffic. In the early 1970s, he became an iconic figure in the Yugoslav capital. He regulated traffic at the exit of the Terazije Tunnel, near the Youth Center, and also on Terazije Square. Although many explained his graceful movements by […]
Šaban Šaulić – the King of Folk Music
Born on September 6, 1951, in Šabac, Šaban Šaulić earned the nickname “the King of Folk Music” throughout his illustrious career, acknowledged by peers, audiences, and the media. His first album was released in 1969 when he was just 18 years old. Until 1976, his songs were primarily written by Buca Jovanović, but from that […]
Kraš Express – chocolate drink from the planet Kanca-Manca
The chocolate drink that generations grew up with was famously promoted with a jingle that many still remember today: “From the planet Kanca-Manca, Express arrived with three strangers. They are the little Ex and Pres and the clever robot Tres.” Even more well-known was the jingle: “Kraš Express quickly prepares for us, an essential, healthy […]
Green lipstick – “I put it on in ’87 and it’s still there.”
The green lipstick that dyes the lips red, in gold packaging, imported from Turkey in Yugoslavia, gained enormous popularity in the mid-80s of the last century. Magic lipstick, as it was called, was among the best-selling products at the time. Almost every Yugoslav woman had it in her bag, and its persistence is still recounted […]
Titograd – Podgorica
On July 13, 1946, Podgorica changed its name to Titograd, which experienced rapid population growth in the post-war period, going from 10,238 in 1948 to 96,074 in 1981. After the war and the name change, Titograd became the capital of the Socialist Republic of Montenegro. The new city developed at an exceptional pace. With the […]
Mimosa Festival – in honor of the flower
It is held in honor of the mimosa flower in Herceg Novi. This holiday was founded in 1969 by the Tourist Association of Boka Kotorska and the Herceg Novi Municipal Assembly. Since 1991, he has been a member of the Association of European Carnival Cities (FEEC). In 1975, the holiday was opened by the then […]