The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF

contingent of volunteers from Serbia under General Kniéanin crossed the Danube and helped Austria to subdue the revolution. This aid from Serbia was prompted by the simple unsophisticated feeling of a national unity so strong that, in spite of political estrangement, Serbia took part in the fight on the side of Austria, in order to save Serbian communities from ruin and devastation, though it was to her interest that Austria should be defeated and humiliated. But this is also a fresh and obvious proof that everywhere the Serbians hoped to find in Austria just protection and fair chance for national progress and development. Far from hatching aggressive designs they willingly shed their blood for her preservation and integrity and were in return repaid by sheer ingratitude and persecution. The Magyar revolution was quenched in blood and the old Serbian privileges were confirmed once more, only to be again suspended when Vienna was not in urgent need of Serbian courage and loyalty. The Serbian Metropolitan was raised to the old rank of Patriarch and the election of Colonel Stephan Suplikac as Serbian Voivoda was confirmed. The Serbian Vojvodina was created out of the Banat, Batka and Syrmia, but its administration was placed in the hands of Germans, and German was its official language. Voivoda Suplikae died in the same year and a new one was never nominated. The Emperor of Austria assumed the title of the Serbian Voivoda, 80