I am looking for any information about my grandfather. His name was Maksim Culomovic. He was Serbian and the only place I recall him saying was Briana. He came to the UK in about 1945-6. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

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Did you read the FAQ in the General Forum?

I do know that he did have a sister and was in regular contact with her for at least 20 years after his arrival in the UK. On his death certificate it states that he was born around 1917.

Ok do you have a place of birth or where his sister used to live?

Thanks - According to the death certificate my grandfather was born on 17/11/1909. My mother, after his death visited a village called something like Briana and had scenic waterfalls. The village had been exterminated during WW2. I have an early photograph which says that t was taken at a place caled Milano.

I will see if I can find anything related to what you mentioned.

Thanks - anything wll be apreciated - I am taking my mother to try and find his villlage this summmerl

Hi,

Well I have been checking but there are a ton of places with waterfalls. If you have something more concrete it is very welcome, if you have scans of letters cards etc that would help as well.

Hi -

If I did my deciphering right, I think I may have unravelled this mistery:) Here's what I've got: The villages of Donje Brijanje and Gornje Brijanje (pronounced aproximately as DO-NEA - the NEA as in "NEAnderthal"- and GOR-NEA BREE-AH-NEA) are 1.7 kilometers apart and some 11 kilometers from Leskovac in southern Serbia. Leskaovac is well known for it's spicy BBQ and sausages - so if your grandfather had a taste for all things spicy - that's where he got it. And another two tiny details have got me almost 100% sure that I've done my research well: First, just 10 kilometers away from these two villages lies the village of MILANOVO - could that be the "Milano" on the photo? Second, there is a large waterfall just 17km from Leskovac outside the village of Vucje. The waterfall has been used for the production of electricity since 1903, so your grandfather would have definately heard of it. It was a huge project to carry out then and one of the first waterfalls of its size to be exploited in Europe. The plant is still running and the waterfall is one of the strongest in the region.
Seems to me there are too many common factors here for this to be a coincidence. Hope any of this helps. Be sure to let us know if you find anything new with this info!
Best of luck-
Danica

Hi -

If I did my deciphering right, I think I may have unravelled this mistery:) Here's what I've got: The villages of Donje Brijanje and Gornje Brijanje (pronounced aproximately as DO-NEA - the NEA as in "NEAnderthal"- and GOR-NEA BREE-AH-NEA) are 1.7 kilometers apart and some 11 kilometers from Leskovac in southern Serbia. Leskaovac is well known for it's spicy BBQ and sausages - so if your grandfather had a taste for all things spicy - that's where he got it. And another two tiny details have got me almost 100% sure that I've done my research well: First, just 10 kilometers away from these two villages lies the village of MILANOVO - could that be the "Milano" on the photo? Second, there is a large waterfall just 17km from Leskovac outside the village of Vucje. The waterfall has been used for the production of electricity since 1903, so your grandfather would have definately heard of it. It was a huge project to carry out then and one of the first waterfalls of its size to be exploited in Europe. The plant is still running and the waterfall is one of the strongest in the region.
Seems to me there are too many common factors here for this to be a coincidence. Hope any of this helps. Be sure to let us know if you find anything new with this info!
Best of luck-
Danica
Srpsko Rodoslovno Društvo
Serbian Genealogical Society

Thanks Sergej /Danica. I will check these villages with my mother. She recalls my grandfather telling her that his village was raised to the ground during WW2. When she visited the village some 14 years ago for some reason the Police questioned why she was in the village and then escorted her out of the area.She recalls to enter the village she had to drive over a shallow river. I have some photographs of my grandfathers wife and children who were killed during the war. These have Serbian writing on the back. Would these be of any help?
Many thanks - Andy

Sounds like Leskovac area to me. A lot was levelled there. Yea scans etc. help a lot.

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