Matija Bećković (, ; born 29 November 1939) is a Serbian poet, writer and academic.
Life Bećković was born in Senta, in the multiethnic province of Vojvodina (then Danube Banate, Kingdom of Yugoslavia), to a military family of Montenegrin Serbs. Bećković's father Vuk was an officer in the Royal Yugoslav Army, and during World War II the commander of the Rovci Chetnik Battalion and as such, one of the commanders of the leader of the Montenegrin Chetniks, Pavle Đurišić. His father was killed in 1945.
He graduated from the Valjevo Gymnasium in Valjevo in 1958. It was during his gymnasium years in Valjevo that he published his first poem, in the journal 'Mlada Kultura'. Furthermore, it was also in Valjevo that Bećković met Vera Pavladoljska, to whom the poem of the same name, published in 1960, was dedicated. Bećković went on to marry Pavladoljska, and he remained married to her until her death.
Upon graduating from the Valjevo gymnasium, he entered the University of Belgrade, graduating with a degree in Yugoslav and world literature. He became a corresponding member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1983, becoming a full member in 1991.
Bećković is a close friend of Serbian former Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica, and an active supporter of his Democratic Party of Serbia.
He has been living in Belgrade since 1960. On the Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006, Bećković did not have a right to vote since he lives in Serbia. However, as a prominent Serb nationalist he fiercely advocated against Montenegrin independence, actively supporting the State Union during the pre-referendum campaign.
In April 2022, Bećković signed a petition calling for Serbia not to impose sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine.
His selected words have been published in 15 volumes by Matica srpska in 2024.
Poetic style A distinguishing feature of Bećković's poetry is its regionalism. Distinctly Serbian archaic dialect and phraseology permeate his work. This aspect of his work is most often lost when one reads it in translation.
Awards
Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle, 2007 Order of Saint Sava Order of Marko Daković Radoje Domanović Award Marko Miljanov Award, Montenegro Milan Rakić Award Desanka Maksimović Prize Njegoš's Award Marko Miljanov Award, Montenegro Felix Romuliana Award Honorary citizen of Subotica October Award 7th July Award Prosveta Award Duško Trifunović Award Vinaver's wreath The Grand Charter of Branko’s Circle
Selected works
Vera Pavladoljska Metak Lutalica Tako je govorio Matija Dr. Janez Paćuka o međuvremenu O međuvremenu ČE: Tragedija koja traje (English: CHE: Permanent Tragedy) Reče mi jedan čoek Međa Vuka Manitoga Lele i kuku Dva sveta Poeme Služba Svetom Savi O Njegošu Kaža Čiji si ti Mali? Nadkokot Služba Sabrane pesme Kosovo najskuplja srpska reč Ćeraćemo se još Kad budem mlađi (Published in English as: When I'm Younger) Misli Bez niđe nikoga Put kojeg nema Služba pustinjaku cetinskom Besede Tri poeme Prahu oca poezije Sto mojih portreta Mojih 80 Crna Gora - ime jedne vere Nigde nikog, nemamo kud (2025) Moj drug Đido (Vukotić Medija, 2025)
References
Bećković, Matija. Izabrane Pesme i Poeme. Belgrade: Bigz, 1990. Petković, Novica. "Twentieth century literature". Essays on Modern Serbian Bards. Ralph Bogert, Ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2006.
External links
Bećković's poems at the South Slavic Library - Mostly in Serbo-Croat, one English translation. Translated works by Matija Bećković MATIJA BECKOVIC at royalfamily.org