Alija Sirotanovic
Encyclopedia
Alija Sirotanović was a Yugoslav miner
, Hero of Socialist Labour
and perhaps the most famous of all Yugoslav udarnik
s. He was held up by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia to be a model of a hard-worker in the former Yugoslavia
.
, Sirotanović became famous when his crew and him mined 152 tons of coal in one shift. This feat set a world record
in coal mining and thus defeated another "model worker", Soviet miner
Aleksei Stakhanov
.
) with the Soviet Union
around the time of the contest, his accomplishment was widely praised and publicised by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. Josip Broz Tito
is said to have offered to fulfill any wish Sirotanović had, but all Sirotanović is reported to have requested was a bigger shovel
. Tito granted his wish, and the larger shovel that was designed for him was later named after him: Sirotanovićka. He was offered an appartement in Breza, but he refused and decided to stay in his house in Trtorići. The state also started building him a new house in his village Trtorići
, but it was never finished. In 1987, Zabranjeno Pušenje
recorded a song titled "Srce, ruke i lopata" ("Heart, Hands and a Shovel"), paying tribute to Comrade Alija, the model of a hard working, modest man.
He was pictured on the 20,000 Yugoslav dinar
banknote
, but was often wrongly claimed to be pictured on the 10 Yugoslav dinar banknote. Despite the obvious similarities, the 10 dinar banknote is significantly older (circa 1968) and showed Arif Heralić
, a metal worker
working on a blast furnace
in Zenica
. The newer 20,000 dinar banknote was published on May Day
in 1987.
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
, Hero of Socialist Labour
Order of the Hero of Socialist Labour
Order of the Hero of Socialist Labour was the fourth highest state decoration awarded in Yugoslavia. It was awarded to the citizens, companies and sports teams for the outstanding achievements in their professional work. The order was awarded a total of 114 times until 1986...
and perhaps the most famous of all Yugoslav udarnik
Udarnik
Udarnik is a Russian, Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian term for a superproductive worker in the Soviet Union and ex-Yugoslavia. The term is derived from the expression "udarny trud" for "superproductive, enthusiastic labour", which is often translated as strike labour , and udarnik as strike worker,...
s. He was held up by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia to be a model of a hard-worker in the former Yugoslavia
Former Yugoslavia
The former Yugoslavia is a term used to describe the present day states which succeeded the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
.
A coalmining contest
A worker in a coal mine in Breza, Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Sirotanović became famous when his crew and him mined 152 tons of coal in one shift. This feat set a world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
in coal mining and thus defeated another "model worker", Soviet miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
Aleksei Stakhanov
Aleksei Grigorievich Stakhanov
Alexey Grigoryevich Stakhanov was a miner in the Soviet Union, Hero of Socialist Labor , and a member of the CPSU . He became a celebrity in 1935 as part of a movement that was intended to increase worker productivity and demonstrate the superiority of the socialist economic system.Stakhanov was...
.
Political implications
As Yugoslavia was in political confrontation (see: Tito-Stalin splitTito-Stalin Split
The Tito–Stalin Split was a conflict between the leaders of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which resulted in Yugoslavia's expulsion from the Communist Information Bureau in 1948...
) with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
around the time of the contest, his accomplishment was widely praised and publicised by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
is said to have offered to fulfill any wish Sirotanović had, but all Sirotanović is reported to have requested was a bigger shovel
Shovel
A shovel is a tool for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. Shovels are extremely common tools that are used extensively in agriculture, construction, and gardening....
. Tito granted his wish, and the larger shovel that was designed for him was later named after him: Sirotanovićka. He was offered an appartement in Breza, but he refused and decided to stay in his house in Trtorići. The state also started building him a new house in his village Trtorići
Trtorići
Trtorići is a village in the municipality of Breza, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-References:...
, but it was never finished. In 1987, Zabranjeno Pušenje
Zabranjeno pušenje
Zabranjeno Pušenje is a Yugoslavian garage rock band from Sarajevo, closely associated with the New primitivism cultural movement and the radio and television satire show Top Lista Nadrealista...
recorded a song titled "Srce, ruke i lopata" ("Heart, Hands and a Shovel"), paying tribute to Comrade Alija, the model of a hard working, modest man.
Banknote
Yugoslav dinar
The dinar was the currency of the three Yugoslav states: the Kingdom of Yugoslavia , the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1918 and 2003. The dinar was subdivided into 100 para...
banknote
Banknote
A banknote is a kind of negotiable instrument, a promissory note made by a bank payable to the bearer on demand, used as money, and in many jurisdictions is legal tender. In addition to coins, banknotes make up the cash or bearer forms of all modern fiat money...
, but was often wrongly claimed to be pictured on the 10 Yugoslav dinar banknote. Despite the obvious similarities, the 10 dinar banknote is significantly older (circa 1968) and showed Arif Heralić
Arif Heralic
Arif Heralić was a metal worker on a blast furnace in Zenica. His picture was taken by N. Bibić, a Borba news photographer, in 1954 and from the papers he came to feature on a 1000 Yugoslav "1945 dinar" and a 10 Yugoslav "1965 dinar" banknote. As a disabled worker, Heralić died in extreme poverty...
, a metal worker
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
working on a blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
in Zenica
Zenica
Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
. The newer 20,000 dinar banknote was published on May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
in 1987.
External links
- http://www.bhdani.com/arhiva/102/citanka02.htm
- http://www.bhdani.com/arhiva/186/t18611.shtml
- Alija on Leksikon YU mitologije
- Text of song Srce, ruke i lopata