NAZIS DEFIED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 April 1941, Page 6

NAZIS DEFIED

YUGOSLAVIA’S UNQUENCHABLE SPIRIT. TRADITION MAINTAINED. Yugoslavia’s spontaneous defiance of the Nazis maybe astounded Hitler but astonished no one who remembers the tradition and history of her people. The outstanding national quality of the Serbs is their faith in their own destiny. They have upheld that faith intact through years of adversity. Five centuries of oppression under Moslem rule did not damp it, and again when in 1916 their army, their King, their Government and remnants of their people were driven from the mainland to the little island of Corfu, their' determination never wavered. Within a year they had reorganised themselves into a new fighting unit and into the nucleus of an independent kingdom ol Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. At the time the spirit which burned within them was an inspiration to all their'Allies. The same spirit inspired us today. : An analysis of their national makeup shows that they have survived adversity, thanks to their ability to take the long view. To a Serb, immediate comforts and bodily safety matter less than a clear conscience and a free spirit. Here is the .instinct that made King Peter overthrow the time servers who had gone to Vienna and take to the harder but nobler road to victory with the Allies. As in medieval days, the Church of Yugoslavia has magnificently played its rightful part as spiritual leader of the nation in the moral issue which confronted this brave and decent people: “During the last few weeks our country had been asked what attitude she intends to take. The answer is to be found in this morning’s event. The spirit of our fallen heroes and heroines will protect us. This morning’s happenings came like bright sunshine and our nation emerged from it purged from dust. Let us put our confidence in the Holy Spirit and face humanity. If God is with us what harm can humans do to us? If we are meant to live let us live in unity and freedom, and if we are to die let us die for honour and freedom as so many millions of our predecessors died.” (Speech by his Beatitude Gavrilo, Serb Orthodox Patriarch, March 27th, 1941).