Abstract: The First World War has left deep traces on the lives of ordinary people. Therefore, it is no wonder that the theme of war was present in various types of human creativity, among other things in theatre. Considering the complexity of the Yugoslav space, the paper aims to point out the image of war on domestic theatre stages. Using archival material and published sources, we gain insight into different interpretations and representations of war in theatre during the seventy years of the common state. In this way, the theatre contributed to shaping public opinion on the events of 1914–1918.

Keywords: First World War, theatre, performing arts, collective memory, uses of the past

Summary

As an event that left an indelible mark on the lives of its contemporaries, the First World War was also present on the theatre stages of the newly created state. The complexity of the Yugoslav space and the state policy which was changeable over time influenced representations, as well as the forms of this theme in the theater. War veterans, who made up a significant part of the audience, often took part in the performances of the plays. During the interwar period, about twenty plays were recorded on stages across the country. Nevertheless, such dramas, remaining in the domain of general war themes and without critical distance are generally devoid of deeper considerations and re-examination of historical causes.

After the Second World War, plays that referred to 1914–1918 were even more challenging to fit into the concept of Tito’s Yugoslavia. Among other things, memory and allusions to Serbian war victories were inextricably linked to the members of the Karađorđević royal family, whose presence in public space was massively eliminated. The result of this was a small number of plays about the Great War and their poor media coverage. The situation changed with the rise of tensions during the 1980s that resulted in the breakup of the country; then the First World War, as well as other national topics, was increasingly brought into the public sphere. The national excitement was also present in the theater, which with the plays Solunci govore, Kolubarska bitka, and Valjevska bolnica aroused the unprecedented interest of the audience. The First World War was ideal for the awakening of national enthusiasm, considering that it represented – and still does today – an essential element of Serbian identity.