Memory as Resistance to Oblivion: The Life and Suffering of Milutin and Draginja Todorović in Social and Family Remembrance

Abstract

This paper reconstructs the life and suffering of Milutin and Draginja Todorović, a teacher couple from Kragujevac, whose professional, revolutionary, and parental roles have been imprinted both in the collective memory of their community and in the intergenerational awareness of their family. Drawing upon archival material, oral history, testimonies of former students, family members, and contemporaries, the paper traces their dedication to education, critical thinking, and the struggle for freedom. Their execution in November 1941—within the broader context of German reprisals and internal conflicts in Serbia—embodies the fate of many educators and civilians who perished due to their beliefs and resistance activities. Special attention is given to their pedagogical work, values they upheld, and the role of their descendants in preserving memory after the war. The paper further examines how their story became part of institutionalized remembrance (e.g., school naming, memorials), and how personal memory persisted through oral transmission and family testimonies. By presenting their life and tragic death, the : ... authors aimed to emphasize the significance of individual memory as a form of resistance against historical oblivion.