THE MOUNT PUTNIK IN CANADA – IN HONOR OF THE SERBIAN DUKE

Most of us know that at Niagara Falls, which straddles the US-Canada border,
there is a monument to Nikola Tesla because of his merits in the construction of the first hydroelectric plant on this one place. However, it is almost unknown that another important person from our history was honored at
Canadian territory.

Between the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, as part of the Rocky Mountains in the Kananaskis massif,
the 2940-meter-high Putnik mountain extends. For one of the greatest Serbian military leaders,
Radomir Putnik, the whole world heard. Although he is responsible for the victories in many key moments of the Serbian team history during the Balkans and the First World War, the Battle of Cers was the first allied victory in
The Great War. After this event, the big powers looked at a small country completely differently
like ours, realizing that we are great fighters. Mount Putnik got its name in 1918. immediately after the end of the war.

Almost a hundred years later, in 2012, the Plain Mountain Movement from Calgary and a group of people from Edmonton they placed a memorial plaque at the foot of the mountain that reads:
“Mountain Putnik was named in eternal memory of the men and women of the allied armed forces
forces in Serbia and their leader, Duke Radomir Putnik (1847–1917). Serbia lost the quarter of its population, both members of the military and civilians during the First World War (1914–1918). This sacrifice was part of the Canadian and Allied fighting in Europe against the Three Empires for protection
human rights and freedom of mankind.” The unveiling ceremony of the memorial plaque was attended by members of the Ravnogorsk movement, the Canadian military veterans and Alberta officials. In this way, members of the Serbian community in Canada contribute presentation of Serbian history and culture, as well as preservation of Serbian tradition in this country.

By the way, the Rocky Mountains are a very popular tourist destination in Canada, especially for
camping, hiking, mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding. He visits them every year
over a million tourists. Although many of us will not be privileged to enjoy the beautiful scenery of these
Canadian mountains, we hope that some further peoples will be interested in our history and culture,
thanks to Mount Putnik and the commemorative plaque.

Author: Jana Stošić