In 1912, when Serbia called for soldiers, Milunka Savić cut her hair, put on her brother’s clothes, and enlisted under a man’s name. No one knew her secret—until she was wounded in battle.
When her commanders found out she was a woman, they expected her to leave. But impressed by her courage, they let her stay. Milunka went on to become a legend.
She fought with unmatched bravery through the Balkan Wars and World War I, earning honors from across Europe: the French Legion of Honor (twice), the Russian Cross of St. George, Britain’s Medal of St. Michael, and Serbia’s Medal of Miloš Obilić. In all, she became the most decorated female combatant in history.
Yet, glory on the battlefield did not protect her in peace. After the war, France offered her a pension if she settled in Paris. She refused—choosing to return to her homeland. There, Serbia left her in poverty. She raised four daughters as a cleaner and, during World War II, was even imprisoned in a Nazi camp for refusing to cooperate.
In her final years, she lived in hardship, caring for her sick daughter. Only public outcry forced the government to grant her a small apartment in 1972. One year later, she died.
Milunka Savić’s story is both inspiring and tragic: the world’s most decorated woman soldier, a heroine on the battlefield, yet forgotten in her own home.