Contribution of officers cadre to the Sokol movement and the Serbian Olympic Club from 1904 to 1941

Abstract

This paper aimed to examine the officer cadre's contribution to the Serbian Sokol movement and the Serbian Olympic Club (SOC), highlighting certain social relationships and repercussions at the time. Many officers who graduated from the Military Academy performed the highest state duties in various fields and were present in sports and state sports institutions, which proves that the officers influenced not only the development and progress of the army in which they served but also improved the state and institutions in the whole. Using the historical method, we investigated the contribution of the officer cadre in the work of the Sokol movement and SOC and pointed to the fact that the Sokol movement and SOC shared common interests and goals within the army of the Kingdom of Serbia, the Kingdom of SHS and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Through theoretical and critical analysis, this paper examined these relationships and demonstrated the significant contribution of officers in developing the Sokol movement and the SOC.