Sculpture of Rudolf (Rudy) Karujic

A short, in working ammunition, with a nose that shines brightly in the sun ... This is how the bronze sculpture of the chandelier-chimney-sweeper Rudolf Rudy Karujic looks, which is popular with the locals, adorns the resort town of Herceg Novi in Montenegro. The monument was installed in 2008 on the city embankment, near the Old Town of Herceg Novi, where it is still. The sculpture of the chimney sweep is rather miniature, as Rudolf Rudy Karujic is immortalized in full size. The same place is decorated with a sign with a rather interesting inscription: "Pamitim nase Oribinalje", which is translated as "Remember our Originals".

Rudolf Karujic was born in 1926 in Herceg Novi. He was the first and to this day remained the only officially registered chimney sweeper in Herceg Novi. Rudolph Rudy Karujic was of a small stature, looked always amusing in his uniform of chimney sweeper, constantly walked with tools and had an extremely important appearance. Its distinguishing feature was "perpetual employment". For example, if Rudy was asked to clean the pipe, he looked at his notebook puzzling, shook his head and offered to clean the pipe after the New Year. Moreover, all without exception appointed for the same time. In the city he knew both old and young, and over time he became a hero of numerous anecdotes and urban tales.

Despite the fact that Rudy did not outstanding in athletic constitution, and even stuttered, he was a great womanizer, adored women and even sang serenades to them. The cherished dream of a chimney-sweeper was to leave his native city for Belgrade, but in fact, he never left the central city square of Herceg Novi. When, in 1941 - 1943, his hometown was occupied by the fascists, Karujic helped the Italians, which was ambiguously perceived by his countrymen and numerous accusations were showered against the chimney sweeper. After the war, the treason was officially forgiven at the government level, but in the memory of the citizens, an unpleasant residue remained. Therefore, the installation of the monument was perceived by part of the population with hostility.

Nobody knows what eventually happened to Rudy, but in the 90s he mysteriously disappeared. The documents do not even spell out the date of his death, but in the state register he is still listed on the list of the living.

At present, the monument to the chimney-sweeper Rudolf Rudy Karujic became a true symbol of all the urban eccentrics, so to speak the "originals". Local residents and numerous tourists make wishes and desperately rub their nose of the bronze Rudy. They say that all wishes are fulfilled without exception.
 

---