Book Presentation at the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Sava in Vienna

2025-11-16

Dr. Željko Dragić presented his book Roots and Wings yesterday at the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Sava in Vienna’s 3rd district. The book explores the history of the 6,500 Royal Yugoslav officers imprisoned in the Oflag VI C Osnabrück POW camp and the fate of their descendants now living across the world. The event was organized by the church community, to whom Dr. Dragić extends his heartfelt gratitude. Special thanks go to Prof. Dr. Ljiljana Živanov, who travelled from Serbia to attend. Her father was himself an officer imprisoned in Oflag VI C, giving the evening a remarkable historical depth. In conversations with the guests, the diversity within this group of officers became clear once again: among the prisoners were more than 200 Slovenes, 648 officers of Jewish faith, as well as individual Croats, Danube Swabians, and Czechs—men loyal to the Karađorđević dynasty and their homeland. Preserving their history remains a vital mission. Dr. Dragić emphasizes that remembering these individuals is essential so that their courage, faith, and legacy are never forgotten.