Cuker Laza
As far as I’m concerned, Živojin Petrović’s latest book “Cuker Laza” is perhaps his best work so far.
Previously we tried to discover the mystery behind the murder of the richest Belgrade woman ever, and then we saw the life and thoughts of a man who wanted to harness the Sun in service of humanity… and now we’ll get to know the life of Mihailo Kurtović, also known by the nickname Cuker Laza, who definitely deserved the title “the silliest rich man of Serbia of all time” (“Though looking at these current generations of our rich men, the question is whether he’ll be able to keep this title” – note from subconscious).
Josif Kurtović was once one of the richest people in Serbia at the beginning of the 20th century. When he made his will, he distributed his wealth for inheritance to everyone he considered deserving (with certain conditions), except one member of his family (whose uncle he also was) – Mihailo Kurtović (Cuker Laza), because he once long ago offended him.
However, life as life loves to write dramas (and more often comedies), and so by circumstance Josif Kurtović’s entire wealth ended up in Cuker Laza’s pocket!
Cuker Laza was, to say the least, an eccentric and very unusual person, from childhood. As a child he loved to help his mother in the kitchen and knead cakes (hence the nickname), and the rest of the family always considered him strange and somehow subtly excluded him from all (financial) family decisions. And then such a person suddenly inherits wealth that in today’s terms could be measured in tens of millions of euros (and perhaps more).
However, the wealth seemed to increase Cuker Laza’s eccentricity, so he started doing such crazy things that amused and annoyed (and sometimes frightened) all of Šabac (where he spent almost his entire life).
From constantly whitening his face to wearing colorful clothes or riding in a carriage or specially designed Ford. That the windows in the huge house where he lived were always closed. That he didn’t sleep in his bed, but next to it on some sofa or floor. That he washed with gasoline. That he asked for wheels to be removed from the car, then asked the driver to pretend they were driving to Berlin and back…
For the most ordinary services (from shaving to buying things, like dozens of pairs of socks or women’s underwear), he’d pay some several dozen times more expensive and moreover reward the seller with more money!
He had various phobias, like of floods or that robbers would attack him or someone would poison him.
However, although it seemed at first glance he was squandering money, he also knew how to help the poor. He donated huge money to the University in Belgrade, the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as various cultural and scientific associations.
However, even Cuker Laza himself didn’t know how much wealth he had or what all he owned, so his wealth was managed by a certain Đoka Jovanović (who himself became quite rich over the years).
And in all this he had great support from maid (and Gypsy) Fazila, who seemed to accept to “enter the game” with her master’s antics, and pretend all that were serious and real situations.
And as for family, he had quite debatable relationships with his sister-in-law Danica and nephew Pavle.
And his love adventures… or perhaps better to say, “adventures.” This was definitely one of this man’s greatest mysteries. Cuker Laza was often visited by various women (whom Fazila secretly brought to him and whom she introduced to Cuker Laza as “rich and successful ladies”), but it always seemed everything ended with compliments and gifts of great value from Cuker Laza? As if he didn’t even intend to “use” them although he behaved that way. And then he’d brag how he has a fiancée in Zagreb who has so much wealth as if her father is Jeff Bezos, and the value of that wealth always changed.
All these antics of this silly rich man probably wouldn’t interest the people if not for one key word.
Rich man.
Someone decided (in translation, one doctor who claimed to be related to the Kurtovićs, named Kosta Živanović) to submit an application to the court, asking that guardianship be assigned to his godfather Cuker Laza, because he’s recklessly spending and reducing his wealth. And this request was subsequently joined by Cuker Laza’s relatives (because there was no mention he had a will, and relatives aren’t exactly thrilled with the idea of inheriting pennies). In translation, the question arose about whether Cuker Laza is even sane (that is, whether he’s crazy)?
And then begins one of (probably) the most unusual cases in history in these areas, which eventually (with all courts) occupied all of Serbia.
Is Mihailo Kurtović, called Cuker Laza, capable of managing his wealth?
And then begins, to say the least, a comedy.
The Cuker Laza case dragged through various courts for almost 17 years. A pile of lawyers paraded through, some claiming Cuker Laza is crazy, others that he’s not, but just an “eccentric rich man.” Statements were given by invited and uninvited, from salespeople and couriers to landowners, from those who knew Cuker Laza (or his family) their whole lives, to those who honestly didn’t know him, but heard some stories from others.
And on top of all that, during the entire process he was examined by 13 (yes, thirteen) medical commissions with a total of 53 most famous doctors in the kingdom of Yugoslavia. Some claimed he’s crazy, others that he’s not… they just needed to fight about this position, though heavy words were known to fall among doctors.
And add journalists to all that. If we thought paparazzi tricks and journalist obsession from all sides and bothering subjects and asking ambiguous questions are products of recent media decades, you’ll be unpleasantly surprised when you see this existed a century earlier too.
One of the most interesting elements of the book “Cuker Laza” is precisely the attempt, based on archival documents, to reconstruct Cuker Laza’s life, as well as the very process of determining his sanity.
And those statements by lawyers, doctors, various people… and court and extrajudicial and press and non-press statements… well that’s a cartoon! You simply can’t believe what statements people gave (which were seriously taken into account!), that it’s no wonder all this lasted almost 17 years…
And the bickering of certain people through newspapers, who would stand for or against Cuker Laza. If you thought this vulgar bickering of our “celebrities” through media and social networks is something that’s a product of recent years, again you’ll find it hilarious (though perhaps not funny), because no one like Balkan people loves to bicker. 🤣 If you take those exchanges/squabbles and just replace fine words with curses, it’s like reading today’s yellow press. 🤣
And all this entertains the people, interests them, and moreover most mock Cuker Laza as they did his whole life.
And what about our poor Cuker Laza?
They drag him through courts, hospitals, sanatoriums, he was even in Belgrade for a while because of the process. And he just puts judges and doctors in a puzzle with his statements. To questions he gives rational answers about his wealth, politics, view of his current situation and complains all this is an intention to take his wealth. Sometimes he gives some quirky answers that more amuse his observers, but there’s no alarm at all he’s a psychologically sick man. And sometimes he gives some nebulous statements, especially on the topic of women and love.
And what was the result, i.e., outcome in the end?
You’ll find out if you read the book “Cuker Laza”. 😁
I must admit that of all Petrović’s books, this was the fastest read. Simply, the book reads incredibly quickly and easily. It pulls you to see what all eccentric actions Cuker Laza did, as well as what statements doctors and lawyers later gave, and finally what the outcome was.
After all, the man built a church, but wanted the floor to be glass… because when they bury him in a coffin in which he can sit (yes, you read that correctly, he really ordered it like that), he wanted to be able to look up the panties of his mistresses who come to light a candle for him (and you read this correctly too).
Now, was Mihailo Kurtović crazy (i.e., insane) or not? It’s hard to give an answer from whichever perspective you look (lawyer, doctor or simply layman). Realistically, from today’s perspective, he’d today be considered just an eccentric who does with his wealth what he pleases and does various crazy things (which don’t endanger anyone… well, scare them a little, but still don’t endanger anyone’s life), and for many today’s rich men he’d be a “little child” with his actions.
It’s also somewhat contradictory that people constantly talked about some of his antics, and he’d later deny them… or better, say, say they were exaggerated.
Maybe Cuker Laza was just one lonely soul, because it seems when he was alone (i.e., when no one’s watching), he didn’t do any crazy things and seemed very rational. Maybe he wanted to amuse people and draw attention to himself. Maybe he needed real and sincere friends. Maybe the family should have shown understanding (maybe the man could have been the new Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay or whichever guru for sweets), but again, those were different times and reasonings. Maybe he was afraid of intimacy and love and considered himself unworthy of women. Maybe he was just pretending to be crazy. In the end, he was spending his wealth, but he did much more good than harm.
Maybe he was just a bit unbalanced, and help from a doctor or priest and family support would have meant something to him.
And maybe he really was crazy as electricity…
We’ll probably never know.
But he’ll make us laugh with his adventures, but also make us ponder some of his actions, as well as actions of our society in general.
All in all, as I already mentioned at the beginning of the review, for me “Cuker Laza” is so far Živojin Petrović’s best book and an absolute recommendation for reading!
And you, dear reader, had you heard of Cuker Laza before this book? 🙂
Author’s website
Book price: Laguna | Delfi | Vulkan | Makart
