THE ALAUPOVICs IN SEARCH OF THEIR COAT OF ARMS

The MUP Stealing from Aristocracy

AIM, Sarajevo, November 14, 1997

A cultural scandal hit the Federation after the disappearance of the seal, one of the historic valuables of a renown aristocratic family Alaupovic, was made public. For more than three years, except for a narrow circle of friends of the family Alaupovic, no one knew that they are searching for the treasures of their ancestors.

"This is a cultural disgrace and I cannot believe that the police is keeping silent, as well as representatives of historical, scientific and cultural institutions", says Tomislav Batinic, Secretary of the Croatian Cultural Society "Napredak".

Somewhere between 1993 and 1994 the police took from the flat of Vladimir Alaupovic, a dental technician and a descendant of one of the oldest Bosnian aristocratic families, a thirty kilogrammes heavy bag. It contained papers, documents, records, photos, family genealogy and a seal for which many historians claim to date as far back as 1333.

The Alaupovic's seal, whose imprint also shows their coat of arms, dates from early seventeen century and, in addition to historic, is of invaluable material value. Members of the Vares MUP (Ministry of the Interior) took the seal to the local police station.

In mid 1994, Vladimir (who today lives in Kiseljak), asked the police to return the bag. One of the investigators ("I think his name was Marko or Mirko, a large and pleasant man with a moustache") told him that, together with other two investigators he would inspect some thirty kilogrammes of documents and determine whether they are " of any political importance" and after that return them. Vladimir remembers that this nice investigator also told him that there would probably be no problems. Naturally, he also had a talk with Sead Operta, the then Chief of the Vares police who promised him that everything would be over in ten days. On the tenth day he got seven papers which were the least valuable ones from the lot they had taken away. There was no trace of seal, genealogy, photos, title deeds, nor of correspondence of renown Alaupovics...nothing left of six hundred years long history.

"I had to sign some kind of record and that was that. As far as the police was concerned the case was closed", tells us our collocutor Vladimir Alaupovic. The former Chief Sead Operta is no longer with the police for over a year now. According to his former colleagues, he is today "a representative of a German firm in Sarajevo". Unfortunately, the investigators have also been changed so that no one in the Vares MUP knows anything about this case. Meho Baric, the new chief, has assumed this office only recently and claims that there is not a single document which belonged to Alaupovics' in the police records. Nevertheless, he promised to check. In the meantime, the Alaupovics are silently grieving over the disappearance of their written past. And the seal with the family coat of arms.

The name of Alaupovic appears for the first time in written documents in 1333, somewhere in central Bosnia. It is said that they are of Saxon descent and legend says that in ancient times one of their ancestors had the duty to wake up the miners every morning. Morning after morning he woke them up with a shout "Alle auf" which in German means "Quickly, out" so that they named him "Alaup". Already in 14th and 15th century the Alaupovics were ranked among the aristocracy and their coats of arms can be found in several different Bosnian heraldic collections. The Alaupovic's coat of arms consists of a shield, ornaments and a mantle. It shows two lions, one with his paw raised and the other holding a black crescent. The lions are red and represent domination and power, while the black crescent represents the people. The six centuries old family actually originates from Fojnica, a town in central Bosnia which to this very day has a street, a field and a bridge bearing their name. Only two families of this aristocratic lineage live now in this small town, while the others are in Kiseljak, Travnik, Sarajevo, Zagreb as well as Boston and Cleveland, in USA.

From fifteenth century till today this family had 15 priests. The oldest, Antonius Alaupovic, was a superior in Fojnica back in 1607. As a religious diplomat Petar Alaupovic stayed in the monastic home in Stambol in 1780. Yet, the best known and remembered descendant is Mirko Alaupovic (1885-1979), the Archbishop of Vrh Bosnia who was appointed to this position in 1960. During his rule in the Vrh Bosnia Archbishopric many parish churches were built and reconstructed.

Tugomir Marko Alaupovic (1870-1958), a poet, story-teller and politician was another reputable member of this family. In addition to rich political biography (he was Minister of Religion in the Government of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes), he was the author of a number of valuable literary works which were translated into French, German, Czech and Italian languages. He was one of the founders of the Croatian Society "Napredak" and at the same time the author of its anthem.

Our collocutor, Vladimir Alaupovic, is also the author of not yet publicized book "The Six Centuries of Alaupovics", and one of three sons of Ivan Alaupovic, a pensioner who lives with his wife in the Sarajevan suburb of Dobrinja. Ivan's sons Zdravko and Davorin, also live in Sarajevo.

The youngest Alaupovic's male descendant was born in

1. Dalibor Alaupovic has graduated from the School of Electrical Engineering and has completed two years at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. He lives with his parents in a two-room apartment in Dobrinja and is looking for work. In May this year, Dalibor, his (paternal) uncles Vladimir, Zdravko and Davorin and grandfather Ivan Alaupovic were called by and admitted to the Croatian Aristocratic Corps. In this way they have been internationally recognized to be of aristocratic descent. The Alaupovics are Bosnian Croats and are the first noble family to be admitted to the Croatian Aristocratic Corps.

"I went from door to door, from monastery to monastery, from town to town and gathered information on my family. But, also details from the history of Bosnia. Bosnia is not only beautiful, but also spiritually rich. I am in love with it. I am in love with its past", says Vladimir Alaupovic.

Today, the Alaupovics are not rich. Far from what they used to be. Therefore, they are unable to offer an award to anyone who might have any information on the seal and other documents which have simply disappeared from the police station in Vares. The state should be searching for this seal too. For, how will it otherwise show that it cares for its heritage if its lets a piece of wood, engraving or wax which proves that it was once a country of aristocrats, disappear without a trace.

Sandra KASALO (AIM, Sarajevo)