Milunka Savić facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Milunka Savić
|
|
|---|---|
| Милунка Савић | |
Sergeant Milunka Savić
|
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 June 1892 or 10 August 1888 Koprivnica, Kingdom of Serbia |
| Died | 5 October 1973 (age 85) Belgrade, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia |
| Awards |
|
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Serbia Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes |
| Years of service | 1912–1919 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Battles/wars | First Balkan War Second Balkan War World War I |
Milunka Savić (born June 28, 1892, or August 10, 1888 – died October 5, 1973) was an incredibly brave Serbian war heroine. She fought with great courage in the Balkan Wars and during World War I. Many people consider her the most decorated female soldier in history.
Her Military Adventures
Milunka Savić was born in a small village called Koprivnica in Serbia. This was near the town of Novi Pazar. In 1912, her brother was called to join the army for the First Balkan War. Milunka decided to go in his place. She cut her hair short and dressed in men's clothes. Then, she joined the Serbian army.
She quickly found herself in battles. Milunka earned her first medal and was promoted to corporal during the Battle of Bregalnica. She was wounded in this battle. It was only when she was recovering in the hospital that doctors discovered she was a woman. Everyone was very surprised!
Milunka was called to meet her commanding officer. They did not want to punish her because she was a very good soldier. In fact, this was her tenth time fighting in a battle. But it was not common for women to fight in combat. She was offered a job as a nurse instead. Milunka stood firm and said she only wanted to fight for her country as a soldier. The officer said he would think about it. Milunka replied, "I will wait." After only an hour, he agreed to let her go back to the infantry.
In 1914, at the start of World War I, Milunka received her first Karađorđe Star with Swords. She earned this award after the Battle of Kolubara. She received her second Karađorđe Star (with Swords) in 1916. This was after the Battle of the Crna Bend. During this battle, she bravely captured 23 Bulgarian soldiers all by herself!
Her Amazing Awards
Milunka received many important awards for her bravery. She was given the French Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour) two times. She also received the Russian Cross of St. George. From Britain, she earned the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael. Serbia also honored her with the Miloš Obilić medal. She was the only woman to receive the French Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 with the gold palm. This special award was for her service in World War I.
Life After the War
Milunka left the army in 1919. She was offered a chance to move to France. There, she could have received a good pension from the French army. But she chose to live in Belgrade, Serbia. She found work as a postal worker. In 1923, she married Veljko Gligorijević. They met in Mostar, but they divorced soon after their daughter, Milena, was born. Milunka also adopted three other daughters.
For many years after the war, Milunka was mostly forgotten by the public. She worked several simple jobs until 1927. After that, she had a steady job cleaning at the State Mortgage Bank. Eight years later, she was promoted to cleaning the general manager's offices.
During World War II, when Germany occupied Serbia, Milunka was invited to a special dinner. German generals and officers would be there. Milunka bravely refused to go. Because of this, she was arrested and held for ten months.
In 1945, when a new government came to power, she received a state pension. She continued to live in her house in Belgrade. By the late 1950s, her daughter was in the hospital. Milunka was living in an old house with her three adopted children. These were Milka, Radmila-Višnja, and Zorka. Later, when she attended special celebrations wearing her military medals, other officers talked to her. They heard her amazing stories of courage. News of her bravery spread, and she finally gained recognition. In 1972, people spoke up about her difficult living situation. A newspaper article highlighted her problems. This led to the Belgrade City Assembly giving her a small apartment.
Milunka Savić passed away in Belgrade on October 5, 1973, at the age of 85. She was buried in the Belgrade New Cemetery.
Her Lasting Legacy
A special memorial place with an exhibition about Milunka Savić opened in October 2020. It is located in Jošanička Banja.
In 2022, a Swedish band called Sabaton wrote a song about her. The song is called "Lady of the Dark" and tells her story.
See also
In Spanish: Milunka Savić para niños
