Stari Most

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The bridge was built in 1942, during the German occupation, because the only remaining bridge crossing the river Sava at that time was demolished. The construction was originally planned for the Tisa river near Žabalj, but the demolition of the King Aleksandar bridge by the Germans during the bombing of Belgrade on 6 April 1941 led to the installation of the construction over eight pillars on the Sava river. It was cut in pieces and transferred to Belgrade. The bridge was projected and built by the de:C.H. Jucho company from Dortmund, Germany. The steel, half-parabolic, supporting construction was placed on temporary wooden sheet piles and the bridge was completely finished in six months. In October 1944, the German Army started to retreat from Belgrade and planned to mine the bridge. Miladin Zarić, a teacher who lived near the bridge, watched for several days where Germans placed the explosives. On 20 October, as the Red Army approached, he went to the bridge and decided to risk his life. Under the third pillar he noticed wooden casings filled with explosives and the fuse was already burning. He grabbed a spade, but it wasn't enough to cut the wire. He then took a bloody bayonet next to a dead German soldier and repeatedly hit the fuse until he cut the wire. Zarić then noticed three fires on the Zemun side of the bridge. He called Red Army soldiers, and a group of 12 soldiers from the guard's firing regiment, headed by major Nikanor Kornyeyevich Tkachenko, responded. The Soviets fought through across the bridge, forming a bridgehead on the other side. German artillery heavily shelled the bridge, firing some 350 105 mm (4.1 in) shells in a bit over one hour, but only three actually hit the bridge, not causing any major damage. Full demining of the bridge was also conducted by the Red Army. Soviet ships of the Danube Flotilla reached Belgrade, and in a blitz operation, sailors and deminers boarded under the bridge construction, overpowered the Wehrmacht soldiers on the bridge itself, and removed the explosive charges. This allowed Yugoslav and Soviet forces to cross to the Sava's left bank in the night of 20/21 October 1944. The operation was organized and conducted by Aleksey Alekseyevich Matushkin and Grigory Nikolayevich Okhirmenko. After all consultations were completed, the bridge was finally demolished in May 2025.

Reader's Guide

The Old Sava Bridge had a wooden driveway until 1964, when planners suggested reconstruction to mayor Branko Pešić. After a five-year reconstruction a new concrete panel was placed in 1969. In 1984, tramway tracks were laid over the bridge and the concrete panel was replaced with a steel one. A vast reconstruction began on 13 October 2007 and finished on 31 March 2008, including new traffic signals, poured asphalt, fences and decorative lighting. The capacity of the bridge was increased to 30,000 vehicles per day. In March 2016, mayor of Belgrade Siniša Mali announced massive reconstruction, slated to begin in late 2017. Over the next 15 months, Mali and city architect Milutin Folić explained the project would include widening the bridge with one extra car lane in each direction and separate tram tracks, with the metallic arch construction cut and elevated above traffic lanes. However, in May 2017, after the city publicized the project papers, it was obvious they wanted to demolish the bridge completely and build a new one. Mali and Folić now claimed the bridge was obsolete, unsuitable for traffic, with rotten wooden piles and obstructing river traffic. Citizens objected immediately, organizing a petition and claiming the bridge has traditional and historic value, as the only bridge that Germans wanted to destroy during the war but failed to do so. Engineer Ljuba Kostić criticized the project, saying if the bridge didn't obstruct river traffic for 75 years, it will not start now, and that oak wooden piles can last almost forever. Architect Branislav Jovin considered the bridge not important for traffic anyway, but it could be a pedestrian one. Many citizens voted online to relocate the bridge onto dry land within the Ušće Park and keep it as a tourist attraction, though many others claimed this vote was not representative. After all consultations, the bridge was finally demolished in May 2025.

Did You Know?

• The bridge was built in six months during German occupation in 1942, using a steel construction originally intended for the Tisa river near Žabalj.
• Teacher Miladin Zarić saved the bridge on 20 October 1944 by cutting the burning fuse with a dead German soldier's bayonet.
• German artillery fired some 350 105 mm shells at the bridge in a bit over one hour, but only three hit and caused no major damage.
• The bridge was the only big European bridge that was not demolished during the German withdrawals.
• After 1984, many Belgraders colloquially called it the 'Tram bridge' due to almost 35 years of tram traffic over it.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

1. Some may assume the bridge was destroyed in World War II or soon after, but it remained standing until its demolition in May 2025. 2. While it is often thought that German forces successfully destroyed many bridges during their retreat, this bridge was saved by teacher Miladin Zarić cutting the fuse with a bayonet, and later fully demined by the Red Army, making it the only big European bridge not demolished during German withdrawals.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

The Stari Most endures as a symbol of everyday resilience and memory in Belgrade, not just because of its wartime salvation, but because it quietly carried trams, cars, and pedestrians for over 80 years. Its loss in 2025 marks the end of a living link to the city’s wartime history, a reminder that even the most functional structures can hold profound civic and emotional significance.