TESTIMONY OF RADOMIR ĐURĐEVIĆ, WHO LOST HIS BROTHER AND TOOK CARE OF HIS CHILDREN

BANJA LUKA, JULY 25 /SRNA/ – Radomir Đurđević, the brother of fallen Republika Srpska Army soldier Milan Đurđević, who left behind four children, gave testimony to the Republika Srpska Memorial Center because he believes it is important that such stories remain in archives for the descendants of fallen soldiers from the past war.

Milan Đurđević, a veterinary technician, lost his life on November 8, 1992, in Čovića Polje on the Orašje front. "He was an honest, God-fearing man," remembered Radomir, who took on the responsibility of caring for his brother's children, striving to guide them onto the right path. Recalling their lives, Radomir emphasized that they came from a respectable rural family, and that Milan worked at the veterinary station and was highly respected in the area. "My brother was among the first to go to the front and he was killed. My father died in 1994 at the age of 62. The elders said he died from grief over his child," Radomir said. At the time of Milan’s death, his youngest son was only five years old, and just twenty days after coming of age, his other son received a call-up for military service, the Memorial Center stated. "He went for training on Manjača, spent three months there, then joined the 16th Brigade and spent the entire war on the front line. He now lives in Šabac," he said. Radomir remained unmarried because, as he explained, he never thought about himself – he focused on raising his brother’s children. "Thank God, they all now have families, houses, apartments. Only that nephew in Šabac fell ill. The damned war left consequences. He had surgery, had a kidney removed, and his health is not very good. I took care of the youngest son; he lived with me for five years," Radomir said. He emphasized that he still dreams about his brother, that they are working together, with the children around them. Radomir said that Republika Srpska and its freedom now mean everything to him. "It is both my father and mother to me since I no longer have them, nor do I have children of my own. Republika Srpska and its freedom are everything to me. Whenever I hear someone speak against Republika Srpska, it affects me deeply, I get goosebumps," Radomir said. He believes it is good that this testimony remains in the archives because time passes, and one day someone will watch it. "Many were killed in this war, and they were never even married. No one was left behind them," Radomir added. The director of the Republika Srpska Memorial Center Denis Bojić emphasized that such personal testimonies are crucial for preserving the historical truth about the suffering of the Serb people. The Memorial Center of Republika Srpska is actively collecting and recording testimonies of family members of fallen and missing civilians and soldiers, with the goal of creating the largest unified audio-video database about the suffering of the Serb people in the Defensive-Patriotic War.