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'''Serbs''' (in their language: Срби) are a south ] which live mostly in ].
#REDIRECT ]

Language of Serbs is ]. Of course, there are Serbs in ] who no longer speak the language but are still considered Serbs.

Most Serbs are ] of the ].
Some Serb ]s even hold that those who are not are not Serbs (some extend this only to other religions, and some even to ]).
However, aside from being disrespective to some's self-determination, this is historically incorrect as well.
Serbs have converted from old ] to ] before the ]; after the Schism, those who lived under Orthodox sphere of influence became Orthodox and those who lived under ] sphere of influence became Catholic.
Most well known ] Serb is ] and most well known ] Serb probably is ].

Principal state of Serbs is ]. Other Serb states of today are ] and ].
Serbia and Montenegro are joined in ] while Republika Srpska is one of two entities that constitute ].

City with the largest Serb population is ]; city with the second largest Serb population is ].
There are around 11 million Serbs in the world, which is around 0.18% of the world population.

] lists some prominent Serbs.
Most well known Serbs worldwide are scientists ], ] and ]; writer ]; rulers ] and ]; and celebrities ], ] and ] (half ]).

Serbian last names often, though not always, have ] -&#1080;&#1115; (] it<sup>j</sup>). This is often ] to English alphabet as -ic or -ich.
==Name==
] of Serbian name (root: ''Srb'') is not known. Numerous theories exist, but neither could be said to be certain or even probable:

#Some believe that the name is of ] origin. This theory sprung mostly because next to nothing is known about Sarmatian language, so every word of unknown origin could be Sarmatian.
#Some believe that the name is of ] origin. Of which word exactly is unclear.
#Some believe that the name comes from ''sebar'', peasant. However, as peasants have not existed in pre-medieval times while the name did, this is unlikely.
#Some believe that the name comes from ''saborac'', co-fighter. This could make sense but the words are too far apart. It is possible that ''saborac'' comes from ''sebar'' (that ''sebar'' sometimes meant co-fighter), which would make this theory more interesting but there is not much ground for this claim either.
#Some believe that the name comes from ''srkati'', to suck in, referring to people so closely united as if they share mother's milk.
#Some believe that all ] have sometimes called themselves Serbs, and that Serbs (and ]) are simply the last Slavs who retained the name. If this is true, it still fails to explain the origin of former Slavic name (most of the above may apply).

However, there is one thing certain: the name is very old. It is own name and not given because its root could not be found western European languages.

It is interesting that etymology of name of Serbian sometimes ill-intentioned neigbhours, ] (root: ''Hrv'') is also not known. Some suggest that the names actually originate from the same root: indeed, the roots are only 50% apart (Srb/Hrv). However, what root would that be is still unknown.

Regardless of the origin, the age and rarity of the name allows for certain historical conclusions based partly on it (for example, see ''Gordoservon'' below).
While ] and ''krajischniks'' (their names coming from Slavic word for "mark") or ] and ] (obvious variations of "Slavs") need not be related, ] and ] probably are.
Some have taken this to the extreme, creating theories that link Serbs with ], ], ], ]...
===Relation with Sorbs===
Obvious similarity in name leads some to conclusion that Serbs and ] are related peoples.
Indeed, in Serbian language Sorbs are called ''Luzicki Srbi'' (Serbs of ]) and northern of them there were even ''Beli Srbi'' (White Serbs).
Exactly what are relations between Serbs and Sorbs is not certain:

#Some believe that Serbs came to Balkan from Sorbia.
#Some believe that Serbs came to Balkans and Sorbs to Sorbia from joint ancient fatherland. Where this fatherland might be is also uncertain.
#Some believe that Serbs and Sorbs were one people sometimes but have separated even before they moved to Serbia/Sorbia.
#If we accept the claim that all Slavs have called themselves Serbs, then Serbs and Sorbs need not have nothing more in common than any other two Slavic peoples.

Regardless of which is correct, Serbs and Sorbs of today are very different peoples, with different customs, tradition and religion. ] has perhaps more in common with ] then with ].
==Symbols==
] is red-blue-white ].
<div style="float:right; margin-left:1em; text-align:center;">]<br>(])<br><br>]<br>]<br><small>Photo courtesy of<br></small></div>
In inofficial use it is often embrodied with one or both of the other Serb symbols:

*The white ] which was the ] of the ]. (The eagle is rarely displayed without the shield covering its chest.)
*The ]. If displayed on a field, traditionally it is on red field, but could be used with no field at all.

Both the eagle and the cross, besides being basis for various Serbian ] through history, are bases for symbols of various Serbian organisations, political parties, institutions and companies.
The cross, being easy to draw, is often ], carrying obvious political signature.

Serbian folk attire varies, mostly because of very diverse ] and ] of the teritorry that they inhabit.
Some parts of it are, however, common:

*Traditional shoe that is called '']''. It is very specific and recognisable by its tips that spiral backward. Each region of Serbia has different kind of tips.
*Traditional hat that is called '']''. It is recognisable by its top part that looks like the letter V or like the bottom of a boat (viewed from above!), after what it got its name. Though traditionally different hats were worn in different regions, ''&#353;ajka&#269;a'' earned its popularity as it was the hat of the Serbian army in the ]. It is still everydayly worn by some villagers today.
==Customs==
Of all ], only Serbs have the custom of '']''.
The custom could also be found among some ] and ] of Serbian origin.
The word ''slava'' could be translated as "the praise".
''Slava'' is celebration of a saint; unlike most customs that are common for the whole people, each family separately celebrates its own saint (of course, there is a lot of overlap).
It is usually a saint under whom the family received Christianity, or it could be the saint which cured some family member of some disease, or did some other large favour to the family.
''Slava'' is inherited from father to son.
Various communities: villages, cities, organisations, political parties, institutions, companies, professions... also celebrate their ''slava''.
It is probably remain of ] customs of celebrating god-defender of the family: before and after receiving ], Serbs have held strongly onto the old ]; the last pagan temple in Serbia (one of ]) is destroyed by ] in ].

Though a lot of old customs are now no longer followed, customs that surround ] are mostly preserved.

Traditional Serbian dance is '']''.
It is a collective dance, where more (usually tens, at the very least three) people hold each other by the hands or around the waists dancing, ideally in circle, hence the name.
Similar dances also exist in other cultures.

Serbs have their own customs regarding ].
Early in the morning of the day of the Christmas Eve the head of the family would went to a forest to cut ''badnjak'', a young ], (today he simply buys a small oak branch).
In the evening, ''badnjak'' is set afire.
House floor is then covered with ], reminding of the ] in which ] was born.
The Christmas Day is celebrated with a feast, neccesarily featuring ] as the main meal.
Another Christmas meal is a delicious cake made of wheat, called '']''.
But the most important Christmas meal is '']'', a special kind of bread; the bread contains a coin.
During the ], the family breaks up the bread and one who finds the coin considers that he/she will have especially happy year.
The Christmas is not associated with presents like in the ] but the ] is.
Religious Serbs also celebrate other religious holidays and even non-religious ones oftenly celebrate the ] (on Orthodox date).

Serbs also celebrate ] and, in addition to it oftenly (even non-religious ones), Serbian new year, on ]st of the ] (currently on ]th of the ]).

For Serbian meals, see ].
==History==
] holds that Serbs came to the ] in ].
The oldest undisputed mention of Serbian name is ] mention of ''Gordoservon'' in ] where "some Slavic tribes" have settled.
''Gordoservon'' is obviously distorted spelling of ''Grad Srba'', "City of Serbs" in ].

Serbs have been slowly converted to ] since ] to ].

During and after that period, Serbs have struggled to gain independence from the ] and ].
The first Serb states were ] and ].
Various rulers had various degrees of authonomy, until ], who became the first head of the ] and his brother ], who became the first Serb ].

It may be very surprising to today readers that there was no medieval state with the name "Serbia", but it is a fact: Serb state was called "Serb state" and its kings and tsars wore titles of "King of Serbs" or "Tsar of Serbs", not "King of Serbia" or "Tsar of Serbia".
The state if oftenly called "Serbia" today, however.
] reached its ] under the ], for whose achievements could be said that they are still unsurpassed.
And the Nemanjic Serbia reached its peak under the rule of ].

The golden age ended with intrusion of ] into ], of course, over Serbia.
Serbia was slowly fading away, its nobility fighting among themselves and uncapable of holding out the Turks.
The Serbian national conciousness sees the ] of ] as the turning point after which Serbia fell under Turkish rule.

After Serbia fell, kings of ] wore the title of "King of Serbs" untill it was also overrun.

Under the ] Serbs were again struggling for independence and to avoid being converted to ].
Turkish pressure drove Serbs to ] to the north and west, in then ].

At the beginning of ], ] had success in liberating at least some Serbs, for at least some time.
] was much more successful. Eventually Serbia it created will become modern European ].

At the beginning of ], some Serbs have still lived uner Ottoman and Austrian occupation.
Most of them were liberated in the ].

But the Serbs in ] were still not free.
] started when a Serb ], ] killed Austro-Hungarian archduke ].
During the war, Serbian army fought fiercely, eventually retreated through ] to regroup in ] and launch a counter-offensive.
Though they were victorious, the war left devastating consequences: over half of male Serbs were killed!
This still influences ] of today.

After the war, the state of ] was created. All Serbs (of course without unavoidable minorities in bordering lands) finally lived in one state, though not their own.

During ], the ] occupied and tore apart Yugoslavia.
Serbs have suffered immensely, especially under ] regime in the ] (encompassing todays ], ] and a part of ]) where they were subject to mass destruction and cleansing of the population.

After the war, second ] was formed. Eventually it would break apart in early ].
Internal borders of the republics became borders of independent states which would lead to huge civil wars in ] and ], where Serbs did not want to separate but to stay in Yugoslavia, now consisting of only ] and ].

Serbs have entered the ] still not united in one state.

Revision as of 09:27, 13 November 2003

Serbs (in their language: Срби) are a south Slavic people which live mostly in Serbia.

Language of Serbs is Serbian language. Of course, there are Serbs in Serb diaspora who no longer speak the language but are still considered Serbs.

Most Serbs are Orthodox Christians of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Some Serb nationalists even hold that those who are not are not Serbs (some extend this only to other religions, and some even to atheism). However, aside from being disrespective to some's self-determination, this is historically incorrect as well. Serbs have converted from old Slavic religion to Christianity before the Great Schism; after the Schism, those who lived under Orthodox sphere of influence became Orthodox and those who lived under Catholic sphere of influence became Catholic. Most well known Catholic Serb is Ivo Andrić and most well known Muslim Serb probably is Mehmed Paša Sokolović.

Principal state of Serbs is Serbia. Other Serb states of today are Montenegro and Republika Srpska. Serbia and Montenegro are joined in Serbia and Montenegro while Republika Srpska is one of two entities that constitute Bosnia and Herzegovina.

City with the largest Serb population is Belgrade; city with the second largest Serb population is Chicago. There are around 11 million Serbs in the world, which is around 0.18% of the world population.

List of Serbs lists some prominent Serbs. Most well known Serbs worldwide are scientists Nikola Tesla, Mihajlo Pupin and Milutin Milanković; writer Ivo Andrić; rulers Slobodan Milošević and Radovan Karadžić; and celebrities Vlade Divac, Peja Stojaković and Mila Jovović (half Russian).

Serbian last names often, though not always, have ending -ић (SAMPA it). This is often transcribed to English alphabet as -ic or -ich.

Name

Etymology of Serbian name (root: Srb) is not known. Numerous theories exist, but neither could be said to be certain or even probable:

  1. Some believe that the name is of Sarmatian origin. This theory sprung mostly because next to nothing is known about Sarmatian language, so every word of unknown origin could be Sarmatian.
  2. Some believe that the name is of Iranian origin. Of which word exactly is unclear.
  3. Some believe that the name comes from sebar, peasant. However, as peasants have not existed in pre-medieval times while the name did, this is unlikely.
  4. Some believe that the name comes from saborac, co-fighter. This could make sense but the words are too far apart. It is possible that saborac comes from sebar (that sebar sometimes meant co-fighter), which would make this theory more interesting but there is not much ground for this claim either.
  5. Some believe that the name comes from srkati, to suck in, referring to people so closely united as if they share mother's milk.
  6. Some believe that all Slavs have sometimes called themselves Serbs, and that Serbs (and Sorbs) are simply the last Slavs who retained the name. If this is true, it still fails to explain the origin of former Slavic name (most of the above may apply).

However, there is one thing certain: the name is very old. It is own name and not given because its root could not be found western European languages.

It is interesting that etymology of name of Serbian sometimes ill-intentioned neigbhours, Croats (root: Hrv) is also not known. Some suggest that the names actually originate from the same root: indeed, the roots are only 50% apart (Srb/Hrv). However, what root would that be is still unknown.

Regardless of the origin, the age and rarity of the name allows for certain historical conclusions based partly on it (for example, see Gordoservon below). While Ukrainians and krajischniks (their names coming from Slavic word for "mark") or Slovaks and Slovenes (obvious variations of "Slavs") need not be related, Serbs and Sorbs probably are. Some have taken this to the extreme, creating theories that link Serbs with Sarmatians, Sirmium, Serbona, Siberia...

Relation with Sorbs

Obvious similarity in name leads some to conclusion that Serbs and Sorbs are related peoples. Indeed, in Serbian language Sorbs are called Luzicki Srbi (Serbs of Lusatia) and northern of them there were even Beli Srbi (White Serbs). Exactly what are relations between Serbs and Sorbs is not certain:

  1. Some believe that Serbs came to Balkan from Sorbia.
  2. Some believe that Serbs came to Balkans and Sorbs to Sorbia from joint ancient fatherland. Where this fatherland might be is also uncertain.
  3. Some believe that Serbs and Sorbs were one people sometimes but have separated even before they moved to Serbia/Sorbia.
  4. If we accept the claim that all Slavs have called themselves Serbs, then Serbs and Sorbs need not have nothing more in common than any other two Slavic peoples.

Regardless of which is correct, Serbs and Sorbs of today are very different peoples, with different customs, tradition and religion. Serbian language has perhaps more in common with Russian then with Sorbian.

Symbols

Serbian flag is red-blue-white tricolour.

Serb flag
(In Detail)

Serb symbols: white two-headed eagle with Serbian cross
Larger version
Photo courtesy of
freesrpska.org

In inofficial use it is often embrodied with one or both of the other Serb symbols:

Both the eagle and the cross, besides being basis for various Serbian coats of arms through history, are bases for symbols of various Serbian organisations, political parties, institutions and companies. The cross, being easy to draw, is often spraypainted, carrying obvious political signature.

Serbian folk attire varies, mostly because of very diverse geography and climate of the teritorry that they inhabit. Some parts of it are, however, common:

  • Traditional shoe that is called opanak. It is very specific and recognisable by its tips that spiral backward. Each region of Serbia has different kind of tips.
  • Traditional hat that is called šajkača. It is recognisable by its top part that looks like the letter V or like the bottom of a boat (viewed from above!), after what it got its name. Though traditionally different hats were worn in different regions, šajkača earned its popularity as it was the hat of the Serbian army in the First World War. It is still everydayly worn by some villagers today.

Customs

Of all Slavic peoples, only Serbs have the custom of slava. The custom could also be found among some Russians and Albanians of Serbian origin. The word slava could be translated as "the praise". Slava is celebration of a saint; unlike most customs that are common for the whole people, each family separately celebrates its own saint (of course, there is a lot of overlap). It is usually a saint under whom the family received Christianity, or it could be the saint which cured some family member of some disease, or did some other large favour to the family. Slava is inherited from father to son. Various communities: villages, cities, organisations, political parties, institutions, companies, professions... also celebrate their slava. It is probably remain of pagan customs of celebrating god-defender of the family: before and after receiving Christianity, Serbs have held strongly onto the old Slavic religion; the last pagan temple in Serbia (one of Svetovid) is destroyed by Tsar Dusan in 14th century.

Though a lot of old customs are now no longer followed, customs that surround Serbian wedding are mostly preserved.

Traditional Serbian dance is kolo. It is a collective dance, where more (usually tens, at the very least three) people hold each other by the hands or around the waists dancing, ideally in circle, hence the name. Similar dances also exist in other cultures.

Serbs have their own customs regarding Christmas. Early in the morning of the day of the Christmas Eve the head of the family would went to a forest to cut badnjak, a young oak, (today he simply buys a small oak branch). In the evening, badnjak is set afire. House floor is then covered with hay, reminding of the stable in which Jesus Christ was born. The Christmas Day is celebrated with a feast, neccesarily featuring roasted piglet as the main meal. Another Christmas meal is a delicious cake made of wheat, called koljivo. But the most important Christmas meal is česnica, a special kind of bread; the bread contains a coin. During the lunch, the family breaks up the bread and one who finds the coin considers that he/she will have especially happy year. The Christmas is not associated with presents like in the West but the New Year is.

Religious Serbs also celebrate other religious holidays and even non-religious ones oftenly celebrate the Easter (on Orthodox date).

Serbs also celebrate New Year and, in addition to it oftenly (even non-religious ones), Serbian new year, on December 31st of the Julian Calendar (currently on January 14th of the Gregorian Calendar).

For Serbian meals, see Serbian cuisine.

History

History holds that Serbs came to the Balkan peninsula in 6th century. The oldest undisputed mention of Serbian name is 680 mention of Gordoservon in Asia Minor where "some Slavic tribes" have settled. Gordoservon is obviously distorted spelling of Grad Srba, "City of Serbs" in Serbian language.

Serbs have been slowly converted to Christianity since 7th to 10th century.

During and after that period, Serbs have struggled to gain independence from the Byzantine and Roman Empire. The first Serb states were Rascia and Zeta. Various rulers had various degrees of authonomy, until Saint Sava, who became the first head of the Serb Orthodox Church and his brother Stefan Prvovencani, who became the first Serb king.

It may be very surprising to today readers that there was no medieval state with the name "Serbia", but it is a fact: Serb state was called "Serb state" and its kings and tsars wore titles of "King of Serbs" or "Tsar of Serbs", not "King of Serbia" or "Tsar of Serbia". The state if oftenly called "Serbia" today, however. Serbia reached its golden age under the House of Nemanjic, for whose achievements could be said that they are still unsurpassed. And the Nemanjic Serbia reached its peak under the rule of Tsar Stefan Dusan.

The golden age ended with intrusion of Turks into Europe, of course, over Serbia. Serbia was slowly fading away, its nobility fighting among themselves and uncapable of holding out the Turks. The Serbian national conciousness sees the Battle of Kosovo of 1389 as the turning point after which Serbia fell under Turkish rule.

After Serbia fell, kings of Bosnia wore the title of "King of Serbs" untill it was also overrun.

Under the Ottoman Empire Serbs were again struggling for independence and to avoid being converted to Islam. Turkish pressure drove Serbs to migrate to the north and west, in then Austria-Hungary.

At the beginning of 19th century, First Serbian Uprising had success in liberating at least some Serbs, for at least some time. Second Serbian Uprising was much more successful. Eventually Serbia it created will become modern European kingdom.

At the beginning of 20th century, some Serbs have still lived uner Ottoman and Austrian occupation. Most of them were liberated in the First Balkan War.

But the Serbs in Bosnia were still not free. First World War started when a Serb nationalist, Gavrilo Princip killed Austro-Hungarian archduke Franz Ferdinand. During the war, Serbian army fought fiercely, eventually retreated through Albania to regroup in Greece and launch a counter-offensive. Though they were victorious, the war left devastating consequences: over half of male Serbs were killed! This still influences demographics of today.

After the war, the state of Yugoslavia was created. All Serbs (of course without unavoidable minorities in bordering lands) finally lived in one state, though not their own.

During Second World War, the Axis Powers occupied and tore apart Yugoslavia. Serbs have suffered immensely, especially under Ustase regime in the Independent State of Croatia (encompassing todays Croatia, Bosnia and a part of Serbia) where they were subject to mass destruction and cleansing of the population.

After the war, second Yugoslavia was formed. Eventually it would break apart in early 1990s. Internal borders of the republics became borders of independent states which would lead to huge civil wars in Croatia and Bosnia, where Serbs did not want to separate but to stay in Yugoslavia, now consisting of only Serbia and Montenegro.

Serbs have entered the 21st century still not united in one state.