"Victory – 100 years since the end of WW1" - Horse Sculpture in Gradeshnica village, Mariovo

The Monument "Victory – 100 years since the end of WW1" is a donation of the artist and sculptor Zlatko Bojkovski and is dedicated to all victims of World War I.

The monument was created for the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. It was set on August 1st, 2019 in the center of Gradeshnica village, Mariovo region, Macedonia.

Zlatko Bojkovski (left - author of the monument) and Ljube Kuzmanovski (right - Mayor of Novaci Municipality), Gradesnica village, August 1-st, 2019 

World War I began in Europe on July 28, 1914, and lasted until November 11, 1918. During that time, more than 70 million soldiers were mobilized, of which over 9 million were killed, along with 7 million civilians.

World War I was one of the deadliest conflicts in the history of mankind.

The Macedonian Front, also known as the Thessaloniki or Southern Front, extended from the Orfano Gulf at the Aegean Sea to the Adriatic Sea at length of about 600 km. It went through four countries: Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, and Serbia, which then included the territory of today's Republic of Macedonia.

From October 1915 to September 1918, the Entente forces (French, Serbian, British, Russian, Italian and Greek armies) were stationed south of the front line, and to the north were the Central Powers (Bulgarian, German and Austro-Hungarian armies). A total of about 1,200,000 soldiers were entrenched on both sides.

Around 200,000 soldiers from all parts of ethnic Macedonia were mobilized on both sides of the front line. Serbia mobilized about 50,000, Bulgaria about 120,000 and Greece about 20,000 Macedonians.

Macedonia, which has been in a state of internal turmoil since the late 19th century, has been involved in all military conflicts that have taken place in the Balkans. The population was devastated by hunger, diseases, and hostilities. According to some sources, about a quarter of the population did not survive the war. Also, at the end of the war, the outbreak of influenza (Spanish Flu 1918-1919) which rapidly spread with the movement of the armies, claimed 50-100 million lives worldwide.

The Macedonian front also passed through the Mariovo region, and it had a devastating effect on the civilian population. Almost all the villages were completely destroyed.

After the war, the country was ravaged, and only diseases, a large number of unmarked graves, and huge amounts of war material remained (bombs and bullets), which in the following years will be credited for a number of mutilated and murdered “curious” children. Аlthough in the years that followed, several attempts were made to clear the terrain, huge quantities remained hidden beneath the ground and even today can be found on the terrain across Mariovo region.

The horse sculpture which weighs about two tons is made of shrapnel, bombs, grenades, helmets and other World War I remains found in Mariovo region. Gradeshnica village is the birthplace of the artist Zlatko Bojkovski and he himself has been collecting the debris along the front line for a long time.

Horses are a common sight in Mariovo region, and their influence and function on human history and civilization make them one of the most important domestic animals. Domesticated in Eurasia about 6,000 years ago, the horse historically served humans in agriculture, wars, and sports. It is an animal that is characterized by speed, strength, and endurance and is given different symbolism in different cultures. It is often associated with power, grace, beauty, freedom, and nobility.

The ancient Romans believed that the horse is a symbol of the continuity of life.

The use of the once-murderous explosive devices on a monument depicting a horse with a raised leg symbolizes the victory of life over death.

This monument is one of the few in the Republic of Macedonia that is made in memory of all the victims of the First World War, military and civilian, regardless of their religious or national affiliation.

Location of the monument: