МИРА АЛЕЧКОВИЋ ПОДЗЕМНИ ХЕРОЈИ (РУДАРЕВА ПРИЧА) ИЛУСТРОВΛΟ САВО НИКОЛИЋ – Mira Alečković – Underground Heroes (The Story of the Miners), Illustrated by Savo Nikolić – A Rare Children’s Book on the Struggle of Serbian Miners Against the Nazi Occupation. Published by у Београду – Halutz Library, Belgrade, 1948. Limited Edition of Only 10,000 Copies. In Serbian.
A rare children’s book describing the struggle of Serbian miners against the Nazi occupiers. One day, German soldiers surround a mining site and capture several miners. At night, a young boy, who bravely manages to escape, decides to bomb the compound to prevent the Nazis from taking control. The mining site is bombed, and in response, the Nazis execute some of the prisoners. However, the Nazis abandon the area, and “Tito’s miners” return to work and continue fighting for their independence, declaring, “Long live the miners!” A new generation of miners learns the craft, the Nazi enemy is defeated, and Yugoslavia regains its independence.
The book is accompanied by high-quality illustrations by Savo Nikolić, a prominent Serbian illustrator who made significant contributions to Yugoslavian art. His works are characterized by clear lines and an ability to convey emotions and stories through images. Nikolić’s illustrations bring to life the struggles and daily lives of the miners. Under Tito’s regime, the working conditions of miners were shaped by the socialist model, emphasizing workers’ rights while demanding strict discipline. Government propaganda glorified the miners’ labor as a symbol of sacrifice and struggle for building a socialist state. During the Nazi occupation, many miners in Yugoslavia joined Tito’s partisan movement, which led the fight to liberate Yugoslavia. Mines often served as hiding places, operational bases, or sources for supplying materials to the resistance.
Mira Alečković (1924–2008) was a Serbian poet, writer, and translator, born in Novi Sad and passed away in Belgrade. During World War II, she was a member of the Yugoslav resistance (NOP). As a young woman, she participated in cutting German telephone wires in occupied Belgrade in 1941, where she was arrested by the Gestapo. After days of torture, she was released through the intervention of the Serbian Patriarchate. Severely wounded, Mira secretly left Belgrade and joined the National Liberation Movement. After the war, she focused on writing, particularly children’s literature and poetry. Alečković served as the long-time president of the Writers’ Association of Yugoslavia and the Writers’ Association of Serbia. Her works reflect the spirit of the time, the struggles of the Yugoslav people, and the socialist values that were dominant during that period.
Extremely rare. Only one copy listed in the WorldCat global library catalog, located in a library in London.
47 pages. Stains. Condition: Moderate – Good.
