Sara, not only as a teacher but also as a homemaker, was an exceptionally hardworking woman. I had the privilege of hearing this from my sister, who was one of her students in elementary school. Their home was always tidy, and the preserves Sara made were always top-quality. In this regard, she was a role model to many.
Unlike Bogdan, the parents were social and had many obligations towards their friends. This didn’t bother him; in fact, it was probably because he didn’t have such obligations that he managed to be even more productive than his parents.
However, his prolific work was not adequately represented in the published books and articles. It’s possible that just as much, if not more, remains locked away in the drawers of various editors, editorial boards, and publishing councils. As Bogdan himself wrote in his book "Tragom mezimčeta srpskog" (p. 165):
“It was a misfortune for me that the number of my plays performed at the Serbian National Theater after the liberation was in huge disproportion to my personal 'production' of theatrical plays, which I have, I think, in total, submitted as proposals to the Serbian National Theater to perform. Of course, not all could be performed, even if they were all excellent — there are many, and more and more, writers who, by writing plays, reflect on the stage of the Serbian National Theater! Some have appeared with their texts, but in disappointingly small numbers, especially when counting them — on the number — compared to my performed and especially my unperformed ones! But that is my private, personal 'tragedy' as a playwright...”
Bogdan had many opponents, especially among the circles that decided on the publication or evaluation of his books and manuscripts. It is often said that such opponents are aggressive and imposing, but this cannot be said for Bogdan. He never endangered anyone with his work and behavior. However, his tendency to live alone was likely misinterpreted: perhaps as resistance or dissatisfaction with the influential and decision-making teams, or simply because his frequent presence in articles and numerous manuscripts for publication was seen as intrusive.
Bogdan didn’t care what others thought of his behavior; he was simply focused on immortalizing an event, individual, or tradition as he experienced or perceived it. This was his approach, both in writing and in painting.
He may have been better off if he had been more cunning, more adaptable to the situation, as we often call it—wiser. In doing so, he might have gained acceptance, and his work would have been more popularized by those who judged public opinion or professional literary critics. But he simply didn’t know how to do that. And even when he might have tried, he did it in the wrong way, which was also taken as a fault — as arrogance.
I remember one conversation with a prominent figure of Novi Sad’s theater scene. In the presence of two other Novobečej residents and two employees of the Serbian National Theater, he spoke disparagingly about Čiplić’s paintings and belittled his generous and friendly gesture of gifting his watercolor paintings to friends and colleagues. He viewed it as Čiplić’s arrogance with worthless paintings, and even mentioned that he had also received two watercolors from Čiplić, addressing the theater officials, asking if anyone else had received gifts from Čiplić. Naturally, one of the officials confirmed that he, too, had received them. This is how those decision-makers treated him. I must also mention that many of them never wrote or published a single word but were very skilled charmers and, thanks to their qualities, were at the center of all events and invited to give judgments on things and people they could not truly understand.
It is likely because of such people that Bogdan had to leave Novi Sad. However, since his entire work and soul were tied to Vojvodina, they were always in a position to keep him at a distance, occasionally granting permission for a glimpse of his work to be appreciated.
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