Who Are the Serbians?
The Serbians (Srbi) are a South Slavic people numbering approximately 10-12 million—6.6 million in Serbia, with significant populations in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1.1 million), Montenegro (180,000), Croatia (120,000), and diaspora worldwide (Germany, Austria, USA, Australia). They speak Serbian, a South Slavic language written in both Cyrillic (traditional) and Latin scripts. Serbian Orthodox Christianity defines national identity, distinguishing Serbs from Catholic Croats and Muslim Bosniaks. Serbia's position in the Balkans—resisting Ottoman rule, dominating Yugoslavia, and contesting Kosovo—has made Serbian nationalism central to regional history and conflicts.
Medieval Serbia
Serbs migrated to the Balkans in the 7th century, establishing principalities that unified under the Nemanjić dynasty. Stefan Nemanja (1166-1196) founded dynasty and Serbian Orthodox Church autonomy. Serbia reached zenith under Stefan Dušan (1331-1355), briefly rivaling Byzantine Empire. The Battle of Kosovo (1389) against Ottoman Turks—Serbian defeat but heroic resistance—became foundational national myth. Ottoman conquest followed; Serbia remained under Turkish rule for 500 years. The Serbian Orthodox Church preserved national identity; Kosovo's monasteries (now in majority-Albanian Kosovo) remained sacred sites. This medieval glory and Kosovo's significance shape contemporary Serbian nationalism.
Liberation and Yugoslavia
Serbian uprisings (1804, 1815) began liberation from Ottoman rule; the Principality of Serbia gained autonomy (1817), then independence (1878). Serbia expanded through Balkan Wars (1912-1913). WWI began with Austro-Hungarian attack on Serbia after Archduke assassination. Post-war, Serbia dominated the new Yugoslavia. WWII brought occupation, resistance (Partisans, Chetniks), and devastating losses. Tito's Communist Yugoslavia suppressed Serbian nationalism while maintaining Serbian demographic dominance. Kosovo (majority Albanian) and Vojvodina gained autonomy (1974), resented by Serbian nationalists. Slobodan Milošević exploited Kosovo grievances, sparking Yugoslav breakup's violent conflicts.
Wars and Transition
The 1990s brought disaster. Serbian-led Yugoslavia's wars in Croatia and Bosnia produced ethnic cleansing, siege of Sarajevo, Srebrenica genocide (8,000 Bosniaks killed). NATO intervention (1995) ended Bosnian war. Kosovo conflict (1998-1999) and NATO bombing forced Serbian withdrawal; Kosovo declared independence (2008), unrecognized by Serbia, Russia, China. Milošević fell (2000); democratic transition followed. Serbia faced war crimes tribunals, struggled with transition, and remains divided over Kosovo, EU membership, and Russian ties. The legacy of 1990s nationalism—defeat, isolation, denial—complicates Serbia's European integration path.
Serbian Culture
Serbian culture centers on Orthodox Christianity, family, and national mythology. Slava (family patron saint day) is uniquely Serbian tradition. Medieval monasteries (Studenica, Sopoćani) preserve Byzantine-influenced frescoes. Serbian literature includes Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić. Music ranges from traditional to turbo-folk. Cuisine features ćevapi, pljeskavica, and rakija (fruit brandy). Football and basketball inspire passion. The Kosovo myth—sacred territory, historic defeat, eventual redemption—permeates national consciousness. Contemporary Serbia navigates between EU aspirations and Russian cultural/political ties, unresolved Kosovo status, and reckoning (incomplete) with 1990s atrocities. This crossroads position defines Serbian experience.
References
- Judah, T. (2009). The Serbs: History, Myth and the Destruction of Yugoslavia
- Pavlowitch, S. K. (2002). Serbia: The History of an Idea
- Sells, M. A. (1996). The Bridge Betrayed: Religion and Genocide in Bosnia