I would like to get information from the paper records on a cadet (my father, Marko Godic ID 4295) I understand these archives are now in Belgrade. I am in the U.S., so can't access the archives myself, so I am wondering who I could contact to go about getting the information I need. I am also interested in finding where the Serbian Orthodox records are for either Godic or Krivocuca families in Zivkovic Kosa, (village) or Vojnic, both in Karlovac county, Croatia. My father was born there, and his father, was adopted by his mother's second husband) I would love to find if there are any marriage, baptism, or death records available.

I believe my grandmother was born in Ribnik, Yugoslavia. Family always thought it was near Belgrade. Her father was Josip BRADICA and her mother was Francis JARNEVIC ( I realize the spellings of the last name might vary a little but from my everything we have of hers that is the way she spelled it). Grandmother name was Mara or Mary BRADICA she was born in April of 1880.

I recently found my father's picture (age 13) on the Serbian Trade Association Privrednik data base. I was so emotional trying to understand what is this? I always wondered why my father left his village in Kolunic BIH at an early age, his answer was we were poor so I left. Can anyone explain to me what exactly is the Serbian Trade Assoc.? were children traded at that time? My father Zarko Spegar ID 20036, 1927, also how did a child end up with an employer at the age of 13?
Any enlightment to this would be greatly appreciated.

First of all you will need to confirm that it is indeed your father's picture - I will link the article here and if you can please indicate which photo you believe has him in it - then I will look up the source of the photo, period, location, or direct you to contact the archive that holds the original photograph. It is wonderful to have a lucky find like that, but let's just be on the safe side and verify it is indeed him

Serbian Trade Association was a merchant charity that worked on sending children of Serbs from ( mostly) Croatia, but also from Bosnia, Austria-Hungary to learn a trade and work as apprentices. No one was "traded", the cadets of this society would upon graduating from their trade become members of it and thus support the next generation of children in raising above poverty and their limited educational opportunities back home. Yes, there were young girls whose education was also financed by the Serbian Trade Association " Privrednik".

You'd be surprised at the fact that 13 was actually the older age at which children left home through this network, most of the early XX century cadets were younger than 10 years old when they joined.

I hope this answers some of your questions, and here is the link to the article in our research section that explains it in more detail:

http://www.rodoslovlje.com/documentation/serbian-trade-association-privrednik-merchant-database