Slava junaku

Slava junaku (Serbian Cyrillic: Славу јунаку, lit. "Glory to the Hero") is a single by guslar Miladin Karličić, released some time in 1992. It is one of two known albums that is about Serbian Guard Commander Đorđe Božoviću Giška, who was killed in action a year prior to the release of the album.

Слава јунаку
Single album by Народни гуслар Миладин Карличић
Released	1992 (1992)
Genre	Gusle
Length	33:54
Label	SRPSKA GARDA Beograd
Народни гуслар Миладин Карличић chronology
Kosovo (1988) Слава јунаку (1992) Вијенац Српства (199?)

Background

Đorđe Božović Giška was a founding member of the Srpska garda led by Serbian Renewal Movement leader Vuk Drašković and financed by Branislav Matić Beli. The guard itself would have its own issues since Drašković himself was anticommunist, and in August of 1991, Beli would be killed by an unknown assailant. Giška would have issues of his own as back in 1986, the SDB ordered him to assassinate Momčilo Đujić, to which he refused to do and was promptly excommunicated. Giška was also was not fond of Arkan, a former associate.

In August of 1991, at the start of the war in Croatia, Giška would train his troops in Koštunjak, a neighborhood within Belgrade. The guard mobilized to Croatia the following month. On the 15th of September, Giška visited a church in Medak where he observed a baptism. Pictures of his visit and observance were the last recorded media of when the commander was alive. During the clash at Gospić, the guard retreated but left Giška for unknown reasons. Abandoned and surrounded by enemy forces, he would go out of hiding and shout for help. When he came out and called one last time, he was shot three times and died shortly after.

Release

29th issue of Srpska reč, published 15 days after Giška's death.

Slava junaku was published some time in 1992 by SRPSKA GARDA Beograd. There is only one known version of the release with a clear cassette and blue labels with decent audio quality. The image featured on the cover is Giška at a church in Medak, taken on the day he died. On the back of the j-card, there is a quote left by his mother. The album is a dedication to Giška for fighting to defend the Serbian people and omits anything pertaining to his demise.

It is possible that "Srpska Garda Beograd" was a temporary name for the humanitarian aid fund, Fond komandantu srpske garde Đorđa Božovića, which was established the same year. The fund's patrons and board members would comprise of authors from the SPO's publication, Srpska reč with one writing speeches for the 1993 single Zaveštanje. The featured artist on this album, Miladin Karličić, has also had his work featured in the publication. Furthermore, the single shares similar tape labels to the album Pesme Srpskog Pokreta Obnove which was published by Srpska reč. The tape shell and overall design is close to that of releases from Diskos, a label that was responsible for manufacturing copies of Pesme Srpskog Pokreta Obnove. Both Srpska garda Beograd and Fond Giška are based in the same place with both organizations including Milena Božović, Giška's mother and president of the fund.

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Komandantu SRPSKE GARDE Đorđu Božoviću - Giški"	16:52

Side B

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Komandantu SRPSKE GARDE Đorđu Božoviću - Giški"	17:02
Total length:		33:54

Personnel

Writing

• Миладина Карличића - Пјесма народног гуслара

Production

• SRPSKA GARDA Beograd - Izdavač

Miscellaneous

"ДА ЈУНАКА ВЕЛИКИХ НИЈЕ
НЕБИ БИЛО НЕБЕСКЕ СРБИЈЕ"
Милена Божовић - мајка гарде:
"ДЈЕЦО, ЗА ЈУНАКОМ СЕ НЕ ПЛАЧЕ"

У славу јунака команданта
"СРПСКА ГАРДЕ"
Ђорђа Божовића Гишке

Variants

Initial release (1992)

Notes:

• Excellent audio quality
• Little-to-no tape noise