Strong forces of the Red Army and National Liberation Army of Yugoslavia were closing in on Belgrade between 11th and 14th October. Battle was fought for every street and house. Citizens offered help as well. Belgrade was liberated on 20th October 1944 but was greatly devastated by bombing, street fighting and German rampage upon withdrawal.
Belgrade became the capital of a new state – Democratic Federal Yugoslavia with new state regulation. Citizens of Belgrade flocked to the streets to welcome liberators.
Reconstruction
A few days after liberation of Belgrade, Executive Committee of National Liberation, assigned all those unfit for the army to clear up rubble, restore communal infrastructure and roads. Collecting of food, clothes and other goods for soldiers was organized as well.
Numerous voluntary work campaigns became mass competitions. “Shock working Sundays” were a chance to bestow shock worker badges to those who most proved themselves.
A the same time in accordance with provisions of international criminal law trials against numerous war criminals took place. Amongst them were leading officials of sections III and IV of the Special Police. With the Law on Confiscation and Nationalisation (1945–1946) property was confiscated for the benefit of the state. Property of the royal family Karadjordjević was confiscated as well.
Rebuilding Belgrade and Building Novi Beograd
After the end of war, construction of new roads, railways and urban areas was planned. In urban planning, restoration and reconstruction of damaged buildings and erection of modern objects was planned. A decision had been made to spread the city on the left bank of river Sava. Building of Novi Beograd commenced in 1947 and was undertaken by youth of all classes and from the entire Yugoslavia within youth work campaigns. The city grew larger year by year inspired by mid-century modern style. Thus, Novi Beograd is one of the largest and most beautiful urban areas in the style of Le Corbusier.
Neither East, Niether West - Nonaligned State
Josip Broz (1892–1980), member of the Communist Party since 1920, its general secretary from 1937, president, marshal and commander of armed forces of Yugoslavia. After the liberation, he led the restoration of the state and implementation of socialist system. Yugoslavia began increasingly opening to the world in 1950s and 60s: since 1954 Belgrade became the central point of political leaders, who founded the policy of nonalignment.
Josip Broz Tito, Gamal Abdel Nasser and Jawaharlal Nehru founded the movement of nonaligned states. Belgrade hosted the first conference of “non-engaged” states in 1961. At that time Belgrade became the centre of world diplomacy and a place of numerous international conferences up until 1990s.
Tito died in Ljubljana in 1980. At his funeral in Belgrade highest-ranking statesmen of the world gathered.
The City of the Future
Belgrade hosted numerous world and European conferences at the highest level. Numerous sports and cultural events still take place in Belgrade: Belgrade Music Festival (BEMUS), children’s festival Radost Evrope, film festival FEST. Belgrade international theatre festival BITEF was established in 1967 and is still organized.
Belgrade, despite all its sorrows and crisis as so many times before in its history, is being restored again, growing into a modern and largest city in the region.