2006 - "Alexander I - King of Yugoslavia 1918–1934"

Venue and date of opening:Archives of Serbia and Montenegro, Belgrade, December 20, 2006

Exhibition opened by: Dragan Kojadinović, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Serbia

Organisation: Archives of Serbia and Montenegro

Author of the exhibition: Mitar Todorović

Information provided in: catalogue PDF , poster

The exhibition outside the Archives

The exhibition Alexander I – King of Yugoslavia 1918–1934 was opened on December 20, 2006. The first government of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, headed by Stojan Protić, was formed under a decree of Regent Alexander Karađorđević on that date 88 years before. The author of the exhibition and catalogue is Mitar Todorović, historian–archivist at the Archives of Serbia and Montenegro. The exhibition was opened by Minister of Culture at the Government of the Republic of Serbia Dragan Kojadinović, in the presence of numerous guests including Princess Elizabeth Karađorđević, member of the Crown Cabinet Dragomir Acović, Director of the Endowment of King Peter I Karađorđević Miladin Gavrilović and representatives of regional archives.

The exhibition was made up of 357 documents (photographs, degrees, laws, notes, agreements, press clipping, etc.) exhibited in eight thematic groups:

1. Unification of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The original Decision of the Great National Assembly of the Serbian People in Montenegro, adopted at the November 13-26, 1918, session in Podgorica, under which Montenegro would unite with Serbia was exhibited for the first time in this group.

2. Royal Court of the Karađorđević Dynasty: аabdication of King Peter Karađorđević, Castello near Athens, March 11, 1919; engagement and wedding of King Alexander I, wedding parade of King Alexander and Romanian Princess Maria Hohenzollern, June 8, 1922 (photographs exhibited for the first time); Prince Peter after christening, Belgrade, October 21, 1923; King's courts (an aerial photograph of the Old Court in Dedinje was exhibited for the first time) and other documents and photographs.

3. From parliamentarism to autocracy: Within this group the following original documents were exhibited for the first time: resignation of Nikola Pašić to the office of prime minister-elect, December 3/16, 1918; message of the representative of the Republican majority of the Croatian Bannate to Regent Alexander, February 11, 1921; Constitution of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes – St Vitus's Day Constitution of 1921.

4. Religious policy of King Alexander relations with the Serbian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches and the Islamic religious community.

5. King and the people: King Alexander's visits to some places in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

6. King Alexander's endowment: Dorm for university students of King Alexander I; Dorm for secondary school students of King Alexander I; Monument to the Unknown Hero on Mt Avala, etc.

7. Balkans to the Balkan peoples: Documents on the Paris peace conference, Balkan Entente, Balkan Treaty, relations with Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Germany, Italy and France.

8. Assassination in Marseilles: The original last will and testament of King Alexander, appointing the regent and custodian for his under-age children, written in Bled on January 5, 1934; report of Colonel Jovan Pavlović, Court administrator, about the assassination in Marseilles, photographs of the assassination and funeral of King Alexander; indictment of the assassins, testimonies and report of Stanislav Vinaver about the trial in Aix en Provence, February 19, 1936.

The exhibition outside the Archives

ČAČAK, 24. април - 1. септембар 2007.

After Belgrade, the exhibition of the Archives of Serbia and Montenegro Alexander I – King of Yugoslavia 1918-1934, by historian Mitar Todorović, was opened in the Inter-Municipal Historic Archives in Čačak on April 24, 2007. Director Zorica Matijević and acting director of the Archives of Serbia and Montenegro Miladin Milošević, who opened the exhibition, spoke about the exhibition. Local media covered the opening of the exhibition, which was attended by numerous guests, public and cultural figures from Čačak and its vicinity.

PROKUPLjE, 30. јануар - 29. фебруар 2008.

In the organisation of the Historic Archives of Toplica, National Museum in Prokuplje and Archives of Serbia and Montenegro, the exhibition Alexander I – King of Yugoslavia 1918-1934 was opened at the National Museum's gallery on January 30, 2008. In the presence of numerous guests, including Serbian Assistant Culture Minister Milomir Korać, the exhibition was opened by acting director of the Archives of Serbia and Montenegro Miladin Milošević.

ZRENjANIN, 8. мај 2014.

Exhibition "Aleksandar I King of Yugoslavia 1918-1934" was opened on May 8, 2014 in the Exhibition Hall of the Historical Archives in Zrenjanin. Numerous visitors were at the opening: representative of local authority, students and professors of Zrenjanin High School, representative from the cultural institutions as well as citizens, permanent visitors of exhibitions organized in the Historical Archives of Zrenjanin Lilijana Ratković Trifunović, Deputy Director of the Archives of Yugoslavia and Mitar Todorović, the author of the exhibition and Head of the Department in the Archives of Yugoslavia, addressed the audience. The exhibition was officially opened by Dušan Šijan, the Head of Central Banat Administrative District.

The opening of the exhibition was accompanied by pupils from the primary school “Dositej Obradović” from Zrenjanin with their professor Ivica Petrof, singing the song “Vostani Serbije”.

The exhibition will be opened also during “Museum Night” that will take place on May 17, 2014.

LAZAREVAC, 6. децембар 2012

During celebrations on the occasion of 98th anniversary of the Battle of Kolubara and as part of the event named "Battle of Kolubara Days", the Archives of Yugoslavia exhibition by the author Mitar Todorović, "Alexander I - King of Yugoslavia 1918–1934", opened in the library "Dimitrije Tucović" in Lazarevac, Belgrade. The opening of the exhibition attracted a large number of visitors who were very interested in hearing the author’s presentation. In addition to the author, the Director of Lazarevac library Ratko Vukelić also addressed the audience and expressed his satisfaction that the exhibition, as he had mentioned, after more than a year finally arrived in Lazarevac.

The opening of the exhibition was attended also by Deputy Mayor of the City Municipality of Lazarevac Bojan Stević, President of Municipal Assembly Dragan Milinković, and Member of the City Municipality of Lazarevac Council Aleksandar Karić.

GORNjI MILANOVAC, 1.новембар 2011.

The exhibition Alexander I – King of Yugoslavia 1918-1934 organized by the Museum of Rudnik-Takovo region and the Archives of Yugoslavia was opened on November 1, 2011 at the Museum of Rudnik-Takovo region in Gornji Milanovac

VRANjE, 31.март 2010.

The exhibition Alexander I – King of Yugoslavia 1918-1934 organized by the Historical Archives "31st January" of Vranje and the Archives of Yugoslavia was opened on March 31, 2010 at the Gallery of the National Museum of Vranje.

The visitors were welcomed by Suzana Petrović, the Director of the Archives; the author, Mitar Todorović, spoke of the exhibition; and the exhibition was opened by Miladin Milošević, the Acting Director of the Archives of Yugoslavia. For this occasion, the third edition of the catalogue Alexander I – the King of Yugoslavia 1918-1934 was published by the Archives of Yugoslavia and the Historical Archives "31st January" of Vranje.

Apart from officials and the local media, the opening was also attended by elementary school pupils from Vranje.

Before the opening, the author and the Director of the Archives spoke of the Alexander I – the King of Yugoslavia 1918-1934 exhibition in the morning program of TV Vranje, and they also gave statements to other local media.