FIELD-MARSHALS OF SERBIA AND YUGOSLAVIA By Frank C. Dennis and Dragomir Acovid with the assistance of Jeffrey R. Jacob The post of "Voivoda," equivalent to that of Field-Marshal, was well known in Serbia and later in Yugoslavia; however, very little is known about the officers who held that rank, with the exception of Radomir Putnik, the first commander of the Serbian Army in World War I. He was the leader who steadfastly and efficiently staved off two Austro-Hungarian offensives in August 1914 and a third in October of that year. The end result was a long-lasting stalemate, until the fall of 1915, when Turkey and Bulgaria joined the Central Powers. The end came when Field-Marshal August yon Mackensen launched the llth German Army into an attack, in conjunction with the 3rd Austro-Hungarian and Ist Bul- garian Armies. The 2nd Bulgarian Army then attacked, cutting off Ni~ from Salonika. In all, the Central Powers had some 350 battalions and 1400 guns against the 275 Serbian battalions and 654 guns. Each of the four Serbian "Voivode" of the First World War played an important role in the defense of their country, even though it proved unsuccessful. The rank of "Vcivoda" (meaning "duke," and corresponding to the rank of Field-Marshal) was introduced in 1904, upon the restoration of the House of Karageorgevich to the Serbian throne. The title is of ancient origin, and had been known in Serbia since the Middle Ages as denoting military rank, but also--in the vernacular--any military leader commanding a unit in battle. The new rank of Voivoda could only be awarded for war merit, and was first bestowed on General Radomir Putnik in 1912. A total of four Field-Marshals were created in the Kingdom of Serbia after 1904 for merit in the Balkan Wars and in the First World War. The last appointment, an honorary one, was made in 1921. On 31 January of that year, the Prince Regent Alexander invested Louis Franchet d’Esperay with the title--some few weeks before he was created a Marshal of France. The four native recipients of the title were Radomir Putnik, Stepan Stepanoi~, ~ivoin Mi~i~, and Petar Bojovi~. The first of these was Putnik. Radomir Putnik (See Figure I) was born on 24 January 1847 and died 17 May 1917. He entered artillery school in Bel- grade in 1861. He was commissioned a Sub-Lieutenant in 1866. Putnik was promoted Captain in 1876 and Major the following year, During 1878 his troops captured Ni~, Vranye and Gnyilane from the Turks. In 1879, he was sent to Russia for further schooling. -4- In 1880, Putnik was appointed Chief-of-Staff of the Permanent Army and of the "Dunav" Division. Four years later the was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed to the General Staff Corps. The year 1886 saw Putnik serving first as Chief of the Military Intelligence Service and then as Chief of Operations. That year also saw him engaged in the war with the Bulgarians. He was promoted to Colonel in 1889 and made Assistant Chief of the General Staff in 1890; the latter year saw him also delivering lectures on tactics’and staff duties to the Belgrade Military Academy. In 1893 he became commander of the Shumadia Divisional area. Two years later, because of politics, he was relieved from his command and appointed to the Court of Cassation. He then retired, at his own request in 1896. In 1903, with the restoration of the House of Karageorgevich, he was recalled to active duty, promoted to General, and named Chief of the General Staff, a post he held until 1912. He also served as a member of the Military Council of the Realm and as Minister of War in 1904, 1906-1908, and 1912. Further, he served as Chief of the Military Delegation of the Balkan Pact. In 1912, he served as Chief- of-Staff of the Supreme Com- mand in the First Balkan War. In that war, he won major victories at Kumanovo and Monastir (Bitol). As a result of these activi- ties, he was promoted Field- Marshal. In 1913, during the Second Balkan War,he won a victory at Bregalnitza. With the coming of the First World War, he was placed in command of the forces opposing the Austro- Hungarians. During 1914, he defeated them soundly. In 1915, very ill and semi- paralyzed, he was transported in a litter during the retreat trough Albania. He died two years later in hospital in France. In 1926, he was given a mas- sive state funeral and his re- mains were buried in a chapel of white marble. FIGURE 1 -5- AWARDS OF FIEI~-MARSHAL PUTNIK, Order of the Cross of Takovo, with Swords, 5th Class (1883) Order of the Cross of Takovo, 4th Class (1880) Order of the Cross of Takovo, 3rd Class (1889) Order of the Cross of Takovo, 2rid Class (1893) Order of the Cross of Takovo, 1st Class (????) Order of the White Eagle (received all classes culminating in the Grand Cross with Swords) Order of the Star of Karageorge, 1st Class (????) Order of the Serbian Red Cross (????) Order of St. Sara, 1st Class (????) Order of Danilo, 1st Class (Montenegro, ????) Gold Medal for Bravery of Serbia (????) Serbian War Cross, 1885-1886 (1886 (1886) Medal in Commemoration of the Accession of King Peter I (1904) Serbian War Cross, 1912 (1912) Gold Medal of Obilich of Serbia (1913) Albanian Retreat Medal (Putative) Order of St. Stanilas with Swords, 2nd Class (Russia, 1878) Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd Class (Austria-Hungary, 1884) Order of the Crown of Rumania, 3rd Class (1884) Bulgarian Military Merit Order, 2dn Class (????) Order of the Star of Rumania (Putative) Order of the Legion of Honor of France (????) This list may not be complete as records are scarce and the Serbians ararely wore all the decorations to which they were entitled. Field-Marshal Putnik’s awards were buried with him. Stepan SteDanovich, the second Voivoda, was born in 1850 and entered the Artillery Schoo! at Belgrade in 1874 (See Figure 2). He Partcipated in the Turkish War ar a Sergeant and was then promoted Sub-Lieutenent in 1876. Stepanovich fought in the Battle of Goritza in 1877 and then finished the Officer’s Course in i~9. In 1885, he fought the Bulgarian in command of a unit of the Shumadia Division. Promoted Captain in 1889, he was appointed to the General Sta.ff. He taught military hisotry at the Military Academy. Promoted to Major, then Lieutenant-Colonel, and Colonel, he was named Assistant Chief of the General Staff. In 1907 he was promoted to General and took command of the Shumadia Division. He subsequently commanded the Drina and Morava Divisions. In 1908, he served as Minister of War. He held this post until 1911. In the First Balkan War, he commanded Second Army. In the Second Balkan War, he conducted a successful defense on the Pirot Front. With the outbreak of World War I, Stepanovich served as Interim Chief of Staff of the Supreme, during the illness of Putnik. He organized mobilization and concentration, planned the Battle of Tzer, and commanded the 2rid Army in the defeat of the 2nd and 5th Austro-Hungarian Armies. He -6- .