On Fitzgerald’s birthday, a century of Gatsby and Montenegro’s unexpected cameo.

By Bernard Çobaj, Ambassador of Montenegro to Kosovo

As the world celebrates the centenary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, one
detail in this classic novel offers an unexpected connection to Montenegro. Though
mentioned only briefly, our country’s presence in the book demonstrates how literature
can link distant places and illuminate shared histories.
In the fourth chapter, as Jay Gatsby recounts his service in the First World War, he
names Montenegro among the nations that decorated him for bravery. Fitzgerald writes:
“Every Allied government gave me a decoration – even Montenegro, little Montenegro
down on the Adriatic Sea!”
Gatsby then produces the medal itself: “Orderi di Danilo, Montenegro, Nicholas Rex.”
This moment, seemingly minor, is charged with meaning. For Gatsby, it lends credibility
to his story. For Fitzgerald, the mention of Montenegro symbolized the endurance and
courage of small nations – qualities that resonate far beyond their borders.
By the early twentieth century, Montenegro was already perceived in Europe and
America as a nation that had survived centuries of struggle and affirmed its
independence against great odds. Fitzgerald’s choice was therefore not accidental.
“Little Montenegro” embodied persistence, bravery, and the dignity of a people who
fought to secure their place in history.
A century later, Montenegro inhabits a very different context: a NATO member, a
frontrunner candidate for the European Union, and a country engaged in regional
cooperation and committed to peace. Yet the symbolic resonance of its mention in The
Great Gatsby remains. It reminds us that even the smallest societies can find their place
in the broader narratives of humanity.
The motif of the Montenegrin medal extended beyond the page. It appears in both film
adaptations of the novel – Jack Clayton’s 1974 version with Robert Redford and Baz
Luhrmann’s 2013 adaptation starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In this way, Montenegro’s
fleeting role in Fitzgerald’s novel entered global popular culture, further embedding the
association.
For Montenegro, the anniversary of The Great Gatsby is not only a literary celebration.
It is also an opportunity to reflect on its own tradition of recognition in international
affairs. As an ambassador, I feel a special pride that my country found its place –
however briefly – in the imagination of one of America’s greatest novels. It is a reminder
that small nations, like small acts of courage, can leave a lasting mark. Montenegro,
“little on the Adriatic Sea,” still carries that symbolism today: a country with a great
heart, open to the world, dedicated to dialogue, cooperation, and a European future.
This year, we also mark another milestone: 120 years since the establishment of
diplomatic relations between Montenegro and the United States. At the start of the
twentieth century, Montenegrins pursued the American dream in the mines of
Minnesota. Later, through decades of migration and exchange, our diaspora contributed

On Fitzgerald’s birthday, a century of Gatsby and Montenegro’s unexpected cameo.
richly to American society. These shared stories of resilience and aspiration confirm the
deep and enduring bonds between our two peoples.
In Fitzgerald’s world, a medal from Montenegro served to strengthen Gatsby’s
credibility. Today, it serves us as a cultural reminder: literature preserves memory,
honors the struggles of nations, and connects their destinies across time and space.