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| Occupation(s) | soldier and composer |
Josif Runjanin (Serbian Cyrillic: Јосиф Руњанин, born December 8, 1821 in Vinkovci – died February 2, 1878 in Novi Sad) was a Serb Frontiersman and composer (most notably composing the music for the Croatian national anthem). He was lieutenant-colonel in the Austro-Hungarian Army. In Croatia he is called Josip Runjanin.
Origins
The Runjanin family originates from the village of Runjani in Jadar, in the Drina valley. The family moved to Bijeljina in Bosnia in 1718. Most of the family's members migrated once again, during the Second Great Migration of Serbs, fleeing Ottoman yoke in 1739 and finding refuge in the area of Osijek, Slavonia. Đorđe Runjanin settled himself in the village of Grk, in Srem. Đorđe's son Stojak was an Eastern Orthodox minister in Kuzmin up to his death in 1758. From then on it goes father-son: Stojak-Vasilije-Petar (another Orthodox minister)-Ignjata (1798-10 November 1876 as Captain in Vinkovci). Joseph was the eldest of Ignjata's 7 children he had in Vinkovci.
Life
Young Runjanin was baptized in the Orthodox shrine of the Descent of the Holy Ghost (Silaska Svetog Duha) in Vinkovci. The ceremony was carried out by the renowned local priest Adam Popović. He received education in Vinkovci, and then Sremski Karlovci. He was named "Josif" in accordance to Biblical traditions of the Serbs of his age. Between 1848 and 1866 he served in four Austrian military engages in Italy. In the age of 43 he married the daughter of the pensioned captain Toma Perković. As a representator of the First Banate regiment he entered the Croatian Assembly in 1865.
In his youth, he served in the Imperial Army as a cadet in Glina, Military Frontier. There, he was greatly introduced into Illyrian circles, where he met Antun Mihanović. Josif composed the music for his patriotic Croatian song Lijepa naša domovina in 1848, although this Croatian Anthem would be first played in the streets of Zagreb in 1891 during the Croatian-Slavonian exibit, so both achieved only post-mortal fame. While serving in Glina, he attained the rank of captain, and became profficient in playing the piano, being taught by the military kapelnik of Glina. An obedient soldier, Josif later was later made colonel.
After retirement, Josif moved to Novi Sad where he died at the age of 57 on 2 February of 1878 and was buried according to the Orthodox tradition at the Cemetery of the Holy Ascent (Uspensko groblje) in Novi Sad where he remains to this very day.
Legacy
During his lifetime he was recognized for having composed two major songs which are popular to this day:
- Rado Srbin ide u vojnike (Gladly will the Serb enlist in the Army)
- music for the Croatian national anthem Lijepa naša domovino (Our beautiful homeland)