"Tamo daleko" Echoes Through Osnabrück: Young People from Serbia as Guardians of the Memory of Their Ancestors — RTS Reports
Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) reported on the youth exchange that brought 28 children and young people from Serbia to Lower Saxony, where — together with pupils of the Integrated School Osnabrück — they attended the unveiling of a new memorial plaque for the Yugoslav officers of camp Oflag VI C. The song "Tamo daleko", sung by the youngest pupils from Ravno Selo, moved more than a hundred guests at the ceremony.
Radio Television of Serbia (RTS, Diaspora section, 16 June 2026, by Željko Dragić) reported on the visit of young people from Serbia to Lower Saxony. We quote the report: "Twenty-eight children and young people from Serbia, accompanied by teachers Nada Dangubić and Zagorka Kričković of the Branko Radičević Primary School from Ravno Selo, stayed in Lower Saxony at the beginning of June, visiting the cities of Hanover, Langenhagen and Osnabrück as part of the traditional youth exchange programme between Serbia and Germany. The young guests from Serbia were hosted by families in Langenhagen, which allowed a direct encounter with the everyday life, culture and customs of German families. The exchange was organized by the association 'Help for Young Life' from Langenhagen, whose president is Dr. Željko Dragić. He founded the association 28 years ago, while still a secondary-school pupil, and ever since, meetings of young people from Serbia, Republika Srpska and Germany have been organized every year with the aim of building friendship, mutual understanding and strengthening European values."
"A rich and varied programme was prepared for the guests from Serbia. A special honour was the reception in the Parliament of Lower Saxony, where the young people were welcomed by the Vice-President of the Parliament, Sabine Tippelt. The pupils learned more about the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany, the role of parliament, the development of democracy after the Second World War, and the importance of preserving democratic values among young generations. Great enthusiasm was aroused by the reception at the New Town Hall in Hanover, hosted by Deputy Mayor Thomas Klapproth. A particularly emotional moment for the young guests came when, in front of the town hall, they saw the flag of the Republic of Serbia ceremonially raised in their honour. They experienced this gesture as a sign of respect and friendship between the two peoples."
"A special place in the programme was the visit to Osnabrück, the city of peace and remembrance. It was in this city that the prisoner-of-war camp Oflag VI C was located during the Second World War, holding around 6,500 officers of the Royal Yugoslav Army. Among them were around 5,500 members of the Serbian Orthodox Church, 649 officers of the Jewish faith, as well as members of other peoples and faiths who served the Kingdom of Yugoslavia — Slovenes, Czechs, Slovaks and others. In cooperation with the pupils of the Integrated School Osnabrück (IGS Osnabrück), numerous volunteers and partners, a new memorial plaque was ceremonially unveiled, recalling the suffering and fate of the Yugoslav officers buried at this place. More than a hundred guests attended the ceremony, and the plaque was unveiled by the Mayor of Osnabrück, Katharina Pötter. The most emotional moment of the entire ceremony was the performance of the youngest members of the group from Serbia. Led by teacher Zagorka Kričković, second- and third-grade pupils Marija, Sofija, Neda, Dunja, Greta and Tijana performed the song 'Tamo daleko'. Many of those present could not hide their emotions as they listened to the children's voices recalling the suffering, but also the dignity, of the Serbian officers who spent the hardest years of their lives far from their homeland."
"The presence of descendants of the former prisoners gave the whole event a special weight. From Novi Sad came Milun Ćurivić, grandson of prisoner of war Arso Ćurivić, while his cousin Arso Ćurivić, also a grandson of the same officer, travelled from Podgorica. Both were deeply moved that, even after more than eight decades, the memory of their grandfather is being kept alive. Among the young visitors to Osnabrück was thirteen-year-old Đorđe Nićota from Belgrade, great-grandson of one of the officers held in the camp. For him, the visit to the place where his great-grandfather is buried — whose name he himself carries — was a special moment. That encounter with family history left a strong impression on young Đorđe and his family." Teacher Nada Dangubić emphasized in the report: "Youth exchanges are not just journeys. They teach children tolerance, respect for diversity and understanding of other cultures. When young people get to know one another, prejudices fall and friendships are built that last a lifetime. That is exactly why it is important that such programmes exist and grow."
The report closes with the words of Dr. Željko Dragić on the culture of remembrance: "Every year I bring young people to this place because I believe it is our duty not to forget those whose freedom was taken away. These officers were far from their families, their country was occupied and devastated, and they spent years behind barbed wire. Remembering them is not only a question of history, but also a question of human dignity. When young people understand the past, they build a more peaceful and better future more easily." "The visit to Lower Saxony showed that the young people of Serbia are true ambassadors of their country. At the same time, this encounter confirmed how important it is to preserve the memory of the past, to nurture the culture of remembrance and to build bridges of understanding between peoples — friendships and cooperation that transcend borders and generations."
Source: RTS (Radio Television of Serbia), Diaspora, "'Tamo daleko' odjeknulo Osnabrikom: Mladi iz Srbije čuvari sećanja na pretke", 16 June 2026. Read the original (in Serbian) at: https://www.rts.rs/rts/dijaspora/vesti/5974006/tamo-daleko-odjeknulo-osnabrikom-mladi-iz-srbije-cuvari-secanja-na-pretke.html
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