"Monument of Gratitude to France in Belgrade’s Veliki Kalemegdan Park was formally unveiled on 11 November 1930, the 12th anniversary day of the end of the First World War, in the presence of King Alexander and Queen Maria, the royal government, the delegation of the French government, Serbian war veterans, distinguished citizens, associations, schools, and a large crowd of people.
It was noted as one of the first "public monuments on one national territory, where the perception of another (nation) is shown in positive light". It was declared a cultural monument in 1965, and a cultural monument of great significance in 1983.
History
Origin
In the decisive days of the war after the epic battles of the Serbian Army, its perilous withdrawal across Albania and the almost inconceivable feat of breaching the enemy lines on the Salonika Front, a military alliance and friendship between two countries had been forged. After the war, Serbian intellectuals gathered around the Association of French Schools Alumni and the Society of Friends of France initiated erection, in Belgrade or Paris, of a monument to France, as a token of gratitude for her military and educational aid during and after the war, and of the friendship built in the days of greatest trials.
After the war, the Kingdom of Serbia ceased existing as such, becoming part of a newly created complex state, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, subsequently Yugoslavia, and Belgrade, as its capital, saw a period of reconstruction and embellishment. On 17 December 1921 Belgrade City Council made the decision to erect a gratitude and honor memorial to the French soldiers who had lost their lives defending Belgrade in 1915. The French Schools Alumni and the Society of Friends of France started the official initiative in May 1924. In the summer of 1924 the Committee for Erecting a Monument chaired by Niko Miljanic, a physician, one of the founders of the Belgrade University School of Medicine, was set up. The Committee succeeded in raising considerable funds within a short span of time.
Making a monument
A special commission for choosing the project was formed by the council. The commission was chaired by one of the foremost academics in the state, Bogdan Popovic. Popovic was also a founder of the French literary society, as a former Parisian student. He was crucial in acquiring the job for a sculptor Ivan Meštrovic. At the time, Popovic was one of the staunchest defenders of another Meštrovic's Belgrade project, publicly opposed the Pobednik monument.
Meštrovic worked on the concept and sketches for several months. He opted for the monumental form in the Art Deco style, quite popular at the time: a female figure with massive body, stepping out strongly, with a determinedly extended arm and proudly raised head. As ambassador Dard approved the initial design, Meštrovic continued the work in the Artistic Academy in Zagreb, where he was a rector. He first made an alabaster model, followed by the three and a half long casting of the bronze monument, from 3 July to 20 October 1930. The ancient lost-wax casting method was used. The sculpture was cast in 14 pieces which were then composed in 2 and transported to Belgrade. They were connected in situ, on the Kalemegdan.
Concurrently with the casting, another group of Meštrovic's associates was working on the pedestal in Split. The two-stepped pedestal was made from the Brac marble. Two side reliefs were made by Meštrovic's disciples Frano Kršinic and Antun Augustincic, upon Meštrovic's models. Kršinic carved the "Sorbonne" relief, while Augustincic made the "Warriors".
Dedication
Parts of the stone pedestal and two parts of the bronze sculpture arrived in Belgrade in the late October 1930. The setting of the monument lasted for 8 days. The set date was 11 November 1930, the twelfth anniversary of the World War I ending. Two official delegations arrived from France a day earlier by train. One delegation represented French soldiers from the Salonica Front while the other was an official, government delegation, headed by minister Auguste Champetier de Ribes.
The 11 November, a Peace Day, was declared a holiday and Belgrade was decorated with French and Yugoslav flags. Crowd of 20,000 gathered in Kalemegdan. Serbian side was represented by the highest officials, including King Alexander, Queen Maria, Prince Paul and Princess Olga. Serbian government was represented by minister Kosta Kumanudi. Bells of the nearby Cathedral Church were ringing, marking the occasion. Meštrovic was absent. He claimed to being sick, but didn't notify the organizers. He notified French ambassador Dard instead."
Source and further information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keys_Handover_Memorial