WRITTEN LEGACY AND VERBAL ENDOWMENT
Text topic: Legacy Institute and Cultural Policy of Serbia
Text author: Дејана Оцић
The hand-written and bibliophilic legacy of the historian of civilization and the historiosopher Žarko Vidović, as an example of a not quite typical legate, points to some significant issues of legacy which legislation and cultural policy avoid or include only implicitly. In view of the fact that a written testament has not been found after Vidović’s death and that his successors wanted to preserve the rich written legacy he had left behind, a different question arose – the question of moral obligation in care of legacies. That question has directed us to the personal attitude of the legator towards his legacy, and to the relation of the legatee towards the legacy, which stems from a personal sense of duty and morality. The authenticity of Vidović’s written and oral testimonials, his careful attitude towards manuscripts and strong messages that his manuscripts and also his personality carry, have obliged his legatees to preserve well this legacy. However, that obligation would not exist if it did not stem from a personal feeling of duty of Vidović’s successors. The personal and interpersonal relations between legators and legatees enrich the inheritance and transform it into a legate. Thus, awareness of all the participants about the contribution to the common cultural values is also crucial for the realization of national interest.