{"id":173031,"date":"2025-03-26T11:13:41","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T09:13:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/?p=173031"},"modified":"2025-03-26T11:13:42","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T09:13:42","slug":"the-church-bells-rang-when-he-jumped-exactly-41-years-ago-the-great-branko-copic-took-his-own-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/the-church-bells-rang-when-he-jumped-exactly-41-years-ago-the-great-branko-copic-took-his-own-life\/","title":{"rendered":"THE CHURCH BELLS RANG WHEN HE JUMPED: Exactly 41 years ago, the great Branko \u0106opi\u0107 took his own life!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It was March 26, 1984. Branko \u0106opi\u0107 left his apartment, somewhere near “Beogra\u0111anka,” the tallest palace in Belgrade, and headed to the “Moskva” Hotel. In the upstairs restaurant, he ordered coffee and gazed at the Sava River for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He treated the waiters, probably for the first time, and with a generous sum…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the occasion? – the waiters asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have, believe me, a big reason – Branko replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He walked down to the bridge. Turned his back to the Central Committee building, climbed over the railing, and plummeted onto the concrete. The next day, a brief report in the newspapers. Nervous breakdown… No questions about why… Why was Branko \u0106opi\u0107 the first writer publicly attacked after the war by the “son of the people and nationalities,” the most authoritative man in the country, Josip Broz Tito, declaring his naive truth a lie? No questions about why \u0106opi\u0107 was the only writer with a special file in the City Committee of the Communist League of Belgrade and in the secret police (UDBA), a file that remained open until the early 1970s, writes Ve\u010dernje novosti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This suicide still looms like a dark shadow over his rich body of work. He took many questions to his grave. Both his own and ours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trial of Branko \u0106opi\u0107, as Ratko Pekovi\u0107 titled his book about him, began right at the start. Yugoslavia was recovering from a bloody war and the first consequences of the destructive Informbiro Resolution, having severed ties with Moscow. The country was slowly recovering, but with recovery came the slow growth of numerous privileges for those who had taken power in the name of the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that distant summer of 1950, the weather was sweltering, as it often still is in Belgrade. Du\u0161ko Kosti\u0107, the chief editor of “Knji\u017eevne novine,” had just finalized the August issue and was heading to his hometown of Ivangrad, not suspecting that Branko \u0106opi\u0107’s latest satirical piece, “Heretical Story,” would shake the very top of the new state. At the bus station, he was met by comrades from the Committee and informed that he must return to Belgrade immediately and be in the editorial office at 7 p.m. the next evening. And nothing more. He barely made it on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In that distant summer of 1950, the weather was sweltering, as it often still is in Belgrade. Du\u0161ko Kosti\u0107, the chief editor of “Knji\u017eevne novine,” had just finalized the August issue and was heading to his hometown of Ivangrad, not suspecting that Branko \u0106opi\u0107’s latest satirical piece, “Heretical Story,” would shake the very top of the new state. At the bus station, he was met by comrades from the Committee and informed that he must return to Belgrade immediately and be in the editorial office at 7 p.m. the next evening. And nothing more. He barely made it on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he arrived, \u0106opi\u0107 was there. They had brought him to the office. He also didn\u2019t know who had summoned them or why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around nine o\u2019clock, two comrades in leather coats entered and stuffed them into a red “Buick” with tinted windows. What a symbol\u2014their communist red color and a car that symbolized capitalism! Goli Otok, they thought. Someone must have informed on them if they had carelessly spoken well of Stalin somewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But instead of the secret police, they found themselves in front of \u0110ilas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that\u2019s how it is, \u0106opi\u0107! Your satire and “Heretical Story”! Food for the petty bourgeoisie, pandering to the small bourgeoisie and the townsfolk… And your literature, all peasants, Jovandekas, and other peasant folk, but where is the Party? It doesn\u2019t exist in your work… – \u0110ilas criticized, warned, but in a soft, informal tone, not harshly or sternly, almost in a comradely way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You found out that the Party was preparing an action against privileges, so to appear brave, you fired the first shot. Like that soldier in the war who, without waiting for an order, fires first and thus reveals the position… – and so on in that tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FIND OUT MORE IN ENGLISH:<\/mark><\/h4>\n\n\n\n