“The remains of the Leader’s son, Prince Aleksa, are expected to arrive in Serbia by the end of this or the beginning of next year. Another Karađorđević returning to his homeland after so many years! Not just years but decades, even centuries," says Crown Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević in an interview with Kurir, discussing Kurir’s initiative for the transfer of the remains of Karađorđe’s second son, Aleksa (the firstborn, Sima, died at birth), who died in Chișinău in 1830 and is buried there.
What exactly determines the timing of the transfer of the remains?
"According to Moldovan regulations, exhumation can only be carried out from November to March, when the weather is cold, and we will adhere to that. As soon as we have an exact date, we will inform the public."
Where will Prince Aleksa be buried?
"It is planned for the prince to rest in the yard of the old Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God in Karađorđe’s town in Topola. Since it is the endowment of Supreme Leader Karađorđe, the father of the late Aleksa, we believe it is the most appropriate place for the eternal rest of Karađorđe’s eldest son. The prince lived and grew up there, was educated there, and the Leader himself rested there until 1930. The symbolism is strong, which is why this place was chosen. According to some sources, Aleksa personally attended the consecration of this church with his father."
Why not Oplenac, where all the Karađorđević family members, starting from the Leader himself, are buried?
"As Oplenac is the place where, according to the will of the founder, King Peter I, his descendants are buried, which we must respect, Karađorđe’s town is a natural choice. In the heart of Topola, it forms a whole with Oplenac, which is a very important marker of our history and tradition."
GRATITUDE
Many participants are involved in this undertaking?
"We owe great gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to whom I, as the head of the Royal House, sent a request at the beginning of 2024 and gave consent to initiate the necessary procedures for the exhumation and transfer of the remains through our embassy in Bucharest, also responsible for Moldova. Also, thanks to the former minister Ivica Dačić, with whom we started the procedure, and the current minister Marko Đurić, who wholeheartedly continued to support the initiative. The Ministry of Culture also provided support within its competence, the Embassy of Serbia in Bucharest completed all necessary procedures, as well as everyone else who helped. This initiative is a very good indicator of how different actors can work together to achieve a common goal. And that goal is, above all, a contribution to our national history and culture of memory. Of course, gratitude goes to you personally, Jelena, as your articles and initiative stirred us all and prompted us to take concrete steps."
TO END THE LONG-STANDING CONFLICTS
What does the return of Karađorđe’s eldest son to Serbia mean to you?
"Our history has been very tumultuous, and alongside numerous glorious examples of heroism and state-building traditions that we are rightly proud of today, unfortunately, there have been some instances of injustice. Without the need to rewrite history, it is our duty as descendants to correct these injustices and lay a foundation for future generations, ensuring that similar events never recur. For me personally, this is finally closing a tragic chapter of our history, healing old wounds from the past... We witness that descendants still quarrel and divide over unresolved issues from long ago, concerning their ancestors. Therefore, it is necessary to finally end the long-standing conflicts and let all actors of our past rest peacefully on the pages of history and in the memory of our people, where they belong."
Will there be a state funeral?
"That decision is within the domain of Serbia’s competent institutions. Prince Aleksa was not the head of state, so the family certainly will not insist on a ceremony like the one in May 2013, but discussions with representatives of the relevant state institutions show readiness and willingness to organise this formal ceremony in the most appropriate way, as befits the son of the founder of modern Serbia. The most important thing is to gather in prayer and properly welcome and bury Aleksa Karađorđević in his homeland. Representatives of state institutions will surely join us in this act, as they have provided invaluable and crucial support and assistance."
What will happen to the monument on Prince Aleksa’s grave?
"It is planned for the monument to be transported to Serbia along with the remains of the prince, to continue to preserve his memory. We all know how in our tradition, respecting the deceased is an important part of our identity, where monuments, as guardians of eternal resting places, deserve special respect. As this monument was erected shortly after Aleksa’s premature death, it represents a part of his memory. Thanks to our embassy in Bucharest, all necessary steps regarding permits have been completed, and now we are waiting for experts from our Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments to propose the most suitable way of transport and make a plan."
Do you intend to initiate the return and burial of Prince Aleksa’s family to Serbia – his wife, son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren?
"I will repeat what I said when you first asked me about Prince Aleksa – we must be measured, and we must not rush at all costs to avoid making mistakes or omissions. Aleksa’s son Đorđe rests in Vienna, I have no information about the current condition of his grave. Đorđe’s wife Sarka was, according to some available data, relocated from the tomb where she rested in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris... Many facts need to be verified, and a lot of time has passed since the events... For example, some sources claim that their sons, Princes Božidar and Aleksa, were already in Serbia at the coronation of King Peter I, while according to others, Prince Aleksa came to Serbia only during the Balkan Wars, to participate in the First World War, where he was awarded the Karađorđe’s Star... After the war, he left Serbia and died in Switzerland during the Spanish flu epidemic. My grandfather, then Regent Aleksandar, organised a memorial service for him in the Cathedral Church, attended by government members, diplomats, and a six-week mourning period was declared. The question is, for example, why Aleksa, or Aleksey, as his name is given in contemporary sources, was not transferred to Serbia then, but was buried in Switzerland – was it his will or just a matter of circumstances. That’s why I approach everything very cautiously and want to consult with those who have researched our history more deeply on this matter because we must not go against the wishes of the deceased."
Jelena S. Spasić
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