A. Vranes

In Memoriam: Prof. Aleksandra Vraneš

In Memoriam

- Prof. Aleksandra Vraneš -

         We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved friend and first institutional affiliate of IWL from Serbia, Professor Aleksandra Vraneš, a member of the University of Belgrade and the State University of Novi Pazar, suddenly passed away on June 17th 2025. Aleksandra was the first female dean of the Faculty of Philology of the University of Belgrade, the Vice President of the National Council of Higher Education of Serbia, the founder of the Department for Library and Information Sciences at the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade, the President of the Librarian Society of Serbia, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a force to be reckoned with. She will always remain for those who were fortunate to know her the very picture of life, energy, strength, and joy of living. As the Romanian saying goes: Dumnezeu să o așeze în lumina Lui. May God house her in His Light.

         As a tribute to Aleksandra’s lasting presence, Serbian-Romanian cultural ties and the healing power of World Literature, let us quote the Serbian poet of Romanian descent Vasko Popa:

 Očiju tvojih da nije

Ne bi bilo neba

U slepom našem stanu

 

Smeha tvoga da nema

Zidovi ne bi nikad

Iz očiju nestajali

 

Slavuja tvojih da nije

Vrbe ne bi nikad

Nežno preko praga prešle

 

Ruku tvojih da nije

Sunce ne bi nikad

U snu našem prenoćilo

 



 

 

If it were not for your eyes

There would be no sky

In our blind dwelling

 

If it were not for your laughter

The walls would never

Vanish from our eyes

 

If it were not for your nightingales

The tender willows would never

Step over the threshold

 

If it were not for your arms

The sun would never

Spend the night in our sleep 

 

(trans. by Anne Pennington)