Nikola Čupić

From cannon to book

Nikola Čupić (1836 - 1870) was a Serbian benefactor, captain and inventor. He left his property to the Serbian people with the express wish that it be used exclusively for publishing books and rewarding writers. The literary fund “Čupić Endowment” consisted of a house in Šabac and 16,000 dinars in gold.

On receiving news of Nikola’s will, a commission was established in 1871 to carry out his bequest. This commission later grew into the Board of the Nikola Čupić Endowment. It included great figures of Serbian culture and education. At the first official meeting of the Board, the final state of the estate was accepted and the Board’s Statute of the Endowment was adopted. The first board meeting was held on 22 December 1874, and with that the Nikola Čupić Endowment, or Čupić Endowment, began its work.

Work of the Endowment

During the years of the probate dispute, the property of the Endowment increased, and it is recorded that in 1875, when its long and significant work began, the Endowment’s fund had a capital of 6,000 imperial ducats. In its first years of work, the Nikola Čupić Endowment published mainly patriotic and educational content, as well as sections in the field of popular science. Attention then turned to literature and scholarly works. During the Endowment’s operation, 33 books of special editions and 50 “Godišnjica” volumes were published.

Great figures on the board

The Board brought together the most important names in Serbian culture and science of the time, such as Kosta Protić, Josif Pančić, Čedomilj Mijatović, and one of the provisions was that board members had to be “men of letters residing in Belgrade”. Work on the Board of the Endowment was voluntary and unpaid.

Two events were especially significant for the work of the Endowment. The first concerns the decision of the Board of the Endowment, which in 1880 decided that every 31 January, the anniversary of Nikola Čupić’s death, a public session and a memorial service for the founder would be held. The second decision was made in 1877, when it was decided that the Endowment would begin publishing the “Godišnjica Nikole Čupića”, one of the most significant literary almanacs in Serbia, and later in Yugoslavia.

A sad end

With the beginning of the Second World War, the work of the Endowment was suspended. But, unfortunately, liberation did not bring new life to the Endowment. After the Second World War, by decision of the Council for Education, Science and Culture of the Government of the People’s Republic of Serbia, the Nikola Čupić Endowment was placed under the administration of the Endowment Section in the Register of Endowments of the People’s Republic of Serbia. With this the Endowment ceased to exist, and the publication of the “Godišnjica Nikole Čupića” was discontinued.