Today Smederevo marked the 85th anniversary of the 5 June tragedy, one of the worst events in the city’s history, when in 1941 a huge quantity of ammunition stored by the German occupying army inside the walls of Smederevo Fortress exploded.
In remembrance of the victims and of the time when the tragedy occurred, a locomotive whistle sounded from Smederevo railway station at exactly 14:14.
Wreaths were laid at the 5 June Monument on behalf of the City by the Mayor of Smederevo, Jasmina Vojinović, and the President of the City Assembly, Milan Perić, and by delegations of the City Board of SUBNOR, the City Board of the SNS, the City Board of the SPS, the Association of Disabled War and Peacetime Veterans, the Association of Civilian War Invalids, the Association of Reserve Military Officers, the City Organisation of Disabled Workers, the Association of Descendants of the Warriors of 1912–1918 and students of Smederevo Grammar School.
Addressing those present at the commemoration, Mayor Jasmina Vojinović stressed that the ruins which still bear witness to the tragedy are not merely remnants of stone, but a lasting reminder of the suffering that struck Smederevo at the very beginning of the Second World War.
“Today, in front of this monument, we remember with sorrow those whose lives were extinguished in an instant. Together they form a column of innocent victims whom Smederevo will never forget. Marking this tragic date is our pledge and our moral debt,” the Mayor said, stressing that by nurturing a culture of remembrance we pass on to younger generations the story of a city which, though gravely wounded, managed to rise again thanks to the strength and love of its citizens.
To mark the 85th anniversary of the 5 June tragedy, a commemorative programme was performed by students of Smederevo Grammar School and of Music School “Kosta Manojlović” and by members of the choir “Kir Stefan Srbin”.
At noon, a memorial service for the victims of the 5 June tragedy was held at the Old Cemetery. A wreath was laid at the memorial ossuary on behalf of the City of Smederevo by the Assistants to the Mayor of Smederevo, Vesna Kiš Kostić and Lazar Stojanović.
