# Jelka Ređep

Jelka Ređep (née Petrović) (Serbian: Јелка Ређеп; 27 April 1936 – 18 December 2014) was a Serbian literary historian and academic renowned for her expertise in medieval literature and its intersection with oral tradition.

## Early life and education

Jelka Petrović was born in Novi Sad, Kingdom of Yugoslavia on 27 April 1936. She completed her primary and secondary education in her hometown. She graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Novi Sad in 1959, majoring in Yugoslav literature and languages. She earned her master's degree with a thesis titled The Motif of the Birth of Sibinjanin Janko in Old and Folk Literature and later obtained her doctorate with the dissertation The Story of the Kosovo Battle.

## Academic career

In 1963, Ređep began her academic career as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, focusing on Medieval literature and Folk Literature. She worked under the mentorship of Đorđe Sp. Radojčić and Vladan Nedić, both prominent scholars in the field. She was promoted to associate professor in 1979 and became a full professor in 1988. During her tenure, she served as the head of the Department of Serbian Literature and coordinated postgraduate studies. She was also a full professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš.
Ređep participated in numerous international conferences, presenting her research in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Zagreb, Kyiv, Jerusalem, and Leeds, among other locations. She was a visiting professor at universities in Berlin, Halle, and Regensburg.

## Research and contributions

Ređep was esteemed for her critical approach and fresh interpretations of medieval manuscripts and documents, often uncovering new sources that led to significant scholarly advancements. Her primary research interest lay in the comparative study of medieval and folk literature, particularly the interplay and mutual influences between oral traditions and written texts. She meticulously examined the lives of notable figures in medieval Serbian history, analysing both their literary works and the literature inspired by them.
A central focus of her research was the Kosovo legend, which she studied extensively in relation to its historical origins, literary development, and oral transmission. Through detailed manuscript analysis, she traced how the legend evolved over centuries, particularly in relation to key motifs such as heroism, betrayal, and divine fate. She identified 18 previously unknown manuscript variants of The Story of the Kosovo Battle, highlighting textual changes that reflected broader socio-political contexts. Her research provided new insights into how Kosovo narratives shaped Serbian cultural memory.
Beyond the Kosovo tradition, Ređep researched Serbian rulers of the Middle Ages, with particular focus on Prince Lazar, the Branković dynasty, and Miloš Obilić, examining their literary and folkloric representations. Her systematic study of Count Đorđe Branković's chronicles resulted in numerous articles and comprehensive studies that contributed to a deeper understanding of early modern Serbian historiography.
Her final publication, Sin and Divine Punishment: Fates, Battles, and Traditions of the Serbian Middle Ages, compiled several of her significant works previously scattered across various journals and collections. This book, along with her earlier studies, remains a key reference in the study of medieval Serbian literature and historical myth-making. Ređep's extensive body of work continues to be a cornerstone for scholars studying Serbian medieval literature and its enduring legacy.

## Awards and recognition

Throughout her career, Ređep received multiple awards and honours in recognition of her contributions to Serbian medieval literature and folklore studies. She was the recipient of several prestigious academic and cultural awards, including:
* November Charter of Novi Sad (1994), awarded for outstanding contributions to the cultural and intellectual life of the city.
* Vuk's Award (1995), one of Serbia's highest honours for contributions to national culture.
* Milica Stojadinović Srpkinja Award (2006), recognising her research in Serbian literary history.
* Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Serbian Writers (2011), for her extensive body of scholarly work.
* Pavle Marković Adamov Award (2013), for significant contributions to Serbian literary studies.

## Personal life

Jelka Ređep was married to Draško Ređep, a Serbian writer and critic. She died on 18 December 2014 in Novi Sad.

## Legacy

Ređep's research significantly contributed to the study of Serbian medieval literature, particularly in the areas of hagiography, historiography, and oral traditions. Her work on the Kosovo legend and Count Đorđe Branković's chronicles provided new insights into the formation of historical narratives in Serbian culture. Her extensive comparative approach, which examined the intersections between written medieval texts and oral traditions, remains influential in medieval literary studies.
She was widely regarded as one of Serbia's leading medievalists with her publications continuing to serve as key references in the academic study of medieval Serbian literature and folklore.

## Published works

A selection of publications by Jelka Ređep:
* (1979) The Story of the Battle of Kosovo.
* (1987) The Legend of King Zvonimir.
* (1991) Count Đorđe Branković and Oral Tradition.
* (1992) Janko of Sibin: legends about birth and death. Književno-umetnička zadruga "Slavija". 1992. ISBN 978-86-431-0024-0.
* (1994) Kosovo Legend. Studije i eseji. Slavija. 1994. ISBN 978-86-431-0050-9.
* (1997) Folk songs about Kosovo in Bulgarian and short epic poems. Zavod za udžbenike i nastavna sredstva. 1997. ISBN 978-86-17-05376-3. (with Rade Mihaljčić)
* (2006) They Muddied the Clear Water: The Quarrel Between Prince Lazar's Daughters.
* (2013) Sin and Divine Punishment: Fates, Battles, and Traditions of the Serbian Middle Ages.