ABOUT THE FAMILY

Besides the significant cultural and historical value, the House of Jevrem Grujić was inhabited by persons of considerable importance for Serbian history and diplomacy.

TEODOR HERBEZ

Teodor Herbez, Jevrem Grujić’s father-in-law, occupied highest positions in state administration during Prince Miloš’s second rule. He obtained his doctorate in juridical science in Padova. After completing his studies, he lived in Russia where he worked as a civil servant in Bessarabia (in Kishinev). Due to his extraordinary education and capabilities, Prince Miloš invited him to return to Serbia in 1834 and accept a high-ranking position within state administration.

According to the stories, Herbez arrived to the Prince’s residence in Kragujevac accompanied by ten mules carrying his luggage. Italian porcelain, gold, glass, and Russian silver were among many of the precious things he brought with him. After meeting the Prince, Herbez showed him his treasures and said:

“Look, Master, my silver that is before you. I earned it fair and square in Russia. Look through it and remember what I have got, and don’t say afterwards that your minister earned his riches by plunder” (source: B. Vujović, Home of Jevrem Grujić, Belgrade 1966, 15.)

(source: B.Vujović, Dom Jevrema Grujića, Beograd 1966, 15.)

JEVREM GRUJIĆ (1826 – 1895)

Jevrem Grujić, statesman and diplomat thanks to whom the First Law on the National Assembly was passed in 1858, thus setting the cornerstones for modern democracy. In Serbian history, he is considered to be the founder of liberal ideology.

He belonged to the first generation of state scholars at Sorbonne. The so-called “Parisiens” were a part of the intellectual elite and the promoters of European culture in 19th-century Serbia. He played a key role at the Saint Andrew’s Day Assembly (1858-59), launching him to the very top of the Serbian political life.

During his long career, he was a minister several times, a supreme court justice, and a diplomatic representative of Serbia in Istanbul, London, Paris and Brussels. His eventful memoirs and biography represent a precious source for the study of Serbian political history and society in the 19th century.

JELENA GRUJIĆ (1840 – 1897)

The wife of Jevrem Grujić, Jelena Grujić, was the Vice-President of the Belgrade Women’s Society founded in 1875 under the patronage of Princess consort Natalija. Jelena, together with her daughters Stana and Kosara, took part in events that were of decisive importance for the liberation of Serbia in 1878.

DR SLAVKO GRUJIĆ (1871 – 1937)

The son of Jevrem Grujić, Slavko, continued in his father’s diplomatic footsteps. He graduated in Versailles, and obtained his doctorate in juridical science from Sorbonne. Upon completing his studies, he came back to Serbia and gained employment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Government of the Kingdom of Serbia.

In the dramatic days before the beginning of the First World War in 1914, Slavko Grujić translated Austria’s ultimatum from French language and participated in the drafting of the response together with members of the government.

After the First World War, he was the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in Washington (1918-1922), as well as the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in London in 1935. During his lengthy diplomatic career in Athens, Saint Petersburg, London, Geneva, and Bern, he, together with his wife Mable, worked diligently on humanitarian projects aimed at helping the Serbian people.

Thanks to Slavko and Mable, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace financed the construction of the very first purpose-built university library in Belgrade in 1927 (today the library bears the name of “Svetozar Marković”).

MABLE DUNLOP GORDON GRUJIĆ (Clarksburg, 1881 – New York, 1956)

Mabel Dunlop Gordon, married last name Grujić, was a great humanitarian who devoted her entire life to the Serbian people and perceived Serbia as her own homeland. Mable spent most of her life promoting Serbia abroad, especially in the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

During the perils of the First World War, she established the St. John’s Hospital, the Women’s Board with an aim of fundraising for the Girls’ school, and the Red Cross. With Mihajlo Pupin, Serbian scientist and professor at Columbia University, she founded the Serbian Agricultural Relief Committee in 1915 in New York.

Together with her husband Slavko, she initiated the establishment of the Serbian Support Fund and the American summer home for Serbian orphans in the town of Selce on the Adriatic coast in 1923.

MIRKA GRUJIĆ  (1869 – 1940)

Jevrem Grujić’s daughter MIrka was a great humanitarian of her time, the first honorary lady-in-waiting of the Queen consort Marija Karađorđević, and the Vice-President of the “Circle of Serbia Sisters” organization for twenty years.

ŠEĆEROVIĆ  FAMILY 

The history of Šećerović Family comes from Jefta Kujundžić, who had been haiduk and messenger between Peter Petrovic Njegos and Karađorđe,  during his offensive against Montenegro in the year of 1809. On one occasion, Jefta had brought to bishop a couple of apples and a letter, though apples were sent by Karadjordje himself.

Following that the letter came up with the good news, the story tells that Bishop, reading the letter, told Jefta: “These apples are sweet as sugar, but to me, Jefta, you are sweeter than the sugar itself.” That’s how he got up his nickname “Sugar”, and his descendant would become “Šećerovici”.

Lazar Šećerović, the grandson of Jefta Kujundzic, was a wealthy merchant and landowner in Pljevlja (Montenegro), according to which one part of the city bears the name ŠEĆEROVIĆ alley. His son, Vukašin Šećerović (Pljevlja, 1898 – Belgrade, 1972) graduated in law and economics from the prestigious Sorbonne University. As a diplomat, he served in Tirana, Athens, Sofia and Rome and was the Head of Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Aleksandra Markovic Cincar.

As a member of the Royal Yugoslav delegation, he took part in the agonizing and with forced negotiations on accession to the Tripartite Pact in Berlin. When time came to sign the agreement, he was as well present in Wienna, too. Vukasin Šećerović married Milica Milojevic, daughter of Milan Milojevic and granddaughter of Jevrem Grujic. Today, their descendents are Milan and Lazar Šećerović.

NAUMOVIĆ FAMILY 

Family Naumović is very famous for their courage and diplomatic activities. Their ancestor is Naum Krnara (1780-1817) from Moschopolis, who had been hihgly important person in the First Serbian Uprising, and very close associate to Karadjordje. Naum had been educated in greek schools and had spoken several languages.

As a member of Heteria, the organization for the liberation of all the Orthodox Greeks and Christians in the Balkans, he joined the First Serbian Uprising and became the first Karađorđe’s advisor. In the year of 1817, he had been killed along with Karadjordje, in Radovanjski Lug.

The son of Naum Krnar was Jovan Naumović (1813-1878), who  was a cavalry colonel and the first adjutant of  Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic. He and his wife, Mileva, had a son, Michael.

Mihajlo Naumović, the adjutant of King Aleksandar Obrenovic was killed by mistake in the assassination of Alexander Obrenovic and Draga Masin in May 1903.  Mihajlo i Ljubica Naumović had three sons, Alexander (1889-1915), equestrian captain, Borivoje,lieutenant (1895-1916) and Milivoje (1894-1982). Alexander and Borivoje, both as volunteers had died  in the First World War, on the same day. Milivoje suffered 17 wounds, but miraculously survived.  After the war, he had graduated in law at the Sorbonne and than he received diplomatic service in San Francisco and Toronto.