Nikola Spasić

A life devoted to work and the people

Nikola Spasić (1838—1916) was a Serbian wholesale merchant, philanthropist and great benefactor. In 1939, his property and endowment were worth more than the famous Nobel Foundation. He was born in Belgrade, a grandson of Stojan from Leskovac. He began modestly, as an apprentice to a wax-chandler and gingerbread maker, and then learned the trade of opanak-maker in the shop of Radovan Barlovac.

From 200 ducats to an empire

In 1864 he wished to become independent. He had savings of 200 ducats, but that was not enough. Then Đoka Jovanović, the brother of his first wife Leposava, lent him 500 ducats. That was the only loan in Nikola Spasić’s life. He remained grateful to him for life and later supported him until his death. In 1865 he opened a leather shop in Vasina Street where people queued for opanci.

Three marriages and modesty

His first wife, Leposava, died young. He lived longest with his second wife, Stanka “Čaja”. Although he became enormously rich, the household lived modestly, without luxury. Only under the influence of his third wife, Anastasija “Naka” Spasić, did he begin to engage more intensively in public charitable work. He built the family house at Knez Mihailova 33, which is today the heart of his endowment.

Warrior and saviour

He took part in the wars of 1876 as a cavalry private. During the First Balkan War in 1912, in the building of the Monopoly Administration, which he had rented, he organised an auxiliary hospital. He engaged doctors from Germany and the famous Dr Draga Ljočić. Food was prepared in his house, and his wife Naka was the head nurse. Every day he visited the wounded and sent them off with financial assistance.

At the end of 1915, old and ill, he did not want to leave his people. He retreated through Niš and Thessaloniki to Corfu, where he died in 1916. His remains were transferred in 1923 to his endowment, the Church of Saint Trifun at Topčider.