Dragoljub Aleksic signed his name of a director as The Acrobat Aleksic. Always on the lookout for adventure, he became one of the most captivating figures in Belgrade during and after the war.
Born in 1910, The Acrobat found his way to Subotica. In 1928, a circus rolled into town, and Dragoljub, the only adult in the audience, was mesmerized by the young acrobats, attending their shows every night without realizing that his own remarkable journey was just beginning.
Excited by the idea of performing, he practiced a stunt and approached the circus leader for a job as an assistant. The owner quickly recognized his unique talent and passion, giving him the chance to perform in front of a crowd in no time.
His first major injury happened in Split, and when doctors said they couldn't help him, the young acrobat took matters into his own hands. He crafted a metal brace that allowed him to walk again, earning him the nickname "Man of Steel."
Despite his amazing feats, he might have faded into obscurity if it weren't for the film "Innocence Unprotected," which I just watched. The title reflects the purity and simplicity of his acrobatics, featuring an older acrobat as the main character.
Aleksic was inspired to create the film after making a documentary about his acrobatic journey. The success of that project led him to write, direct, and star in his own film in 1941, amidst the chaos of war-torn Belgrade. Finding a sponsor was tough, but eventually, a local car mechanic named Ivan Zhivkovic agreed to cover half the costs, and they both ended up credited as producers.
Only the audience was favorable to Aleksic's work... The Germans arrested him on the pretext that his film aroused nationalist sentiments and excited the public. It was not easier for him even after the end of the occupation, because the liberators accused him and imprisoned him, claiming that he was a collaborator, because he bought cinema equipment and film tapes from the enemy.
He was a terrible actor and director... but this is history... in addition to great courage and acrobatic skills, what makes Aleksic an even greater hero of his own and today's time is the great humanity he showed throughout his career, donating large amounts of money to various humanitarian, sports and other associations of citizens. His European significance and fame are confirmed by numerous documents, letters of thanks, recognitions, as well as newspaper articles that glorify Aleksic's character and work.
He publicly performed incredible feats: bending an iron rod, tearing a chain with his teeth, walking on a wire stretched between the tops of buildings, without a safety net... He flew over Kalemegdan, for the first time on April 21, 1940, but also over other European cities, holding only with his teeth on the rope under the fuselage.
Rare surviving film footage testifies to the extraordinary feats of this unique man. After the flight over Kalemegdan, the "competitors" spread the word that he had died.
In order to prove that he was alive, at the beginning of July 1940, he broke a chain with his teeth in front of "Shumatovac." The death had to wait another 35 years... until November 4, 1975 .
