In their 1920 decision to allocate $100,000 for the building of the Belgrade University Library the CEIP Executive Committee stated: “Mr. Carnegie's name and fame are inseparably associated with his gifts for the construction of libraries in many lands. … It seems therefore peculiarly fitting to erect this library in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia since 1389, where Serbian independence was proclai med on August 22, 1878, and which was twice captured by the enemy during the Great War, as the gift of the Carnegie Endowment in commemoration of the heroic defense made by the Serbian people.” The library of the Royal University of Belgrade, rebuilt with Carnegie Endowment’s contributions, officially opened its doors on May 24 1926. Today Svetozar Marković University Library is the largest university library in the country.