Josif Runjanin

Josif Runjanin (December 8, 1821 - February 2, 1878) was a Serbian composer and lieutenant-colonel in the Austro-Hungarian Army. Runjanin's first name is more often then not incorrectly spelled as Josip rather than Josif.

Runjanin was born in Vinkovci (western Srem, now Croatia). His family originates from Loznica (in present-day Serbia), and moved initially to Bijeljina (in Semberia, Bosnia) and thence to Slavonia and eventually Srem. They were of Serbian ethnic heritage and Orthodox Christian faith.

Young Runjanin was christened in the Orthodox shrine of the Descent of the Holy Ghost (Silaska Svetog Duha) in Vinkovci. The ceremony was carried out by the renowned local priest Adam Popović.

He died at the age of 57 in Novi Sad (Bačka, now in Serbia and Montenegro) and was buried according to the Orthodox tradition at the "Uspensko groblje" in Novi Sad where he remains to this very day.

During his lifetime he was recognized for having composed two major songs which are popular to this day, Rado Srbin ide u vojnike (Gladly will the Serb enlist) and the symphony which will later be used by the Croats as their national anthem, Lijepa naša domovino.