Serbian army has shown an unseen humanity – it stopped the war with Bulgaria for a day so that medical aid could reach wounded Bulgarian soldiers. This act was later honored by the International Red Cross organization.
Specific in so many ways, Serbia can be proud of the unique precedent in the world war history. By the end of the nineteenth century Serbia ceased fire for one day during the war with Bulgaria in order for the Red Cross aid to reach the Bulgarian wounded soldiers. In memory of this unselfish act, a board with the inscription “Be as humane as Serbia was in 1885” is set in the building of the International Red Cross in Geneva.
Between 1884 and 1885 Serbia was at war with Bulgaria, which at that time didn’t have medical corps so there was no one to take care of or provide medical assistance to the wounded soldiers.
The international Red Cross prepared the aid convoys with supplies ready to be transported to Bulgaria, but the only way to transport it was across Serbia and the battle field.
Than something occurred that was not recorded in the world history: at the request of the Austrian Red Cross, the Serbian government granted the military command to stop the war for one day and opened the front line for the Red Cross to transport the aid from Vienna to Sofia in Bulgaria. Serbia did more than that: medications, beds and blankets from their own supplies were added to existing aid and Bulgarian forces were given everything they needed to open a hospital.
That way Serbia gave its own supplies to the enemy with whom it was at war. In memory of this unselfish act the International Red Cross awarded Serbia with recognition for humanity.
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