MAYOR MIĆIN AT THE COMMEMORATION OF THE 84TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MASSACRE DURING THE NOVI SAD RAID

The commemoration dedicated to the memory of the innocent victims of the massacre during the 1942 Novi Sad Raid was held on the plateau in front of the “Family” monument on the Quay of the Raid Victims. Those present were addressed by the Mayor of Novi Sad, Žarko Mićin, and His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, who, concelebrating with the Metropolitan of Bačka Irinej, Bishop of Mohács Damaskin, and Bishop of Osijek-Polje and Baranja Heruvim, also conducted a memorial service for the victims. On behalf of the Jewish community, the Chief Rabbi of Serbia, Isaac Asiel, also addressed those gathered and led a memorial prayer for the victims. The commemoration of the 84th anniversary of the mass killings was also attended by the envoy of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Miloš Vučević.

- Today we gather to remember together one of the most horrific events in the history of our city — the January massacre, that is, the Raid of the cold January of 1942. Before this place, before the names and the shadows of those who were killed in January 1942 without trial and without guilt, it is our duty to pause, to remember, and not to turn away. Remembrance is not directed towards the past for the sake of the past; it is an act of responsibility towards the future. That is why the continued construction of the Memorial Centre for the victims of the massacre and the Church of the Bačka Martyrs is not merely a commemoration of suffering, but a pledge by the city that oblivion will not prevail over historical memory, that the names of the murdered will be preserved, and that the heavy silence will never again rule the streets of our city. This is also our message to the young: to know what happened when the norms of civilisation fell silent and human life lost its value; to understand that respect for others, regardless of opinion, faith, nationality or origin, is the only secure foundation for the future. Only on such remembrance can we build a society in which evil does not repeat itself and a city in which memory is part of the dignity and responsibility of all of us. Eternal glory to all our fellow citizens who were murdered in that dreadful January of 1942 - said Mayor Žarko Mićin.

His Holiness Porfirije, Serbian Patriarch, emphasised that almost every town and village in Serbia, and beyond, bears scars that clearly testify to the January massacre.

-That is precisely why today and this place where we have gathered represent one of the great days of sorrow, and one of the places of suffering yet also sacred places where, with reverence and prayer, we remember our ancestors, compatriots and fellow citizens who, 84 years ago, innocently perished in the Novi Sad Raid — more precisely, in the fascist massacre across the whole of Bačka, above all in the Šajkaška region. We have not gathered to be judges, but to bear witness to the tragedy of the collapse of human nature. The massacre that occurred here represents humanity’s fall into a spiritual abyss. We pray for all the murdered Serbs, Jews, for the suffering Roma people, and for all other innocent victims - said Patriarch Porfirije.

In his address, the Chief Rabbi of Serbia, Mr Isaac Asiel, conveyed part of the testimony of Ági Reiter about the Novi Sad Raid of 23 January 1942, as well as the testimony of Ari Bauminger concerning the suffering in Poland.

-Just as the Danube became the grave of our fellow citizens, so in those days the whole of Europe became one vast valley filled with bones. May the memory of all the victims of the Novi Sad Raid be blessed -said Isaac Asiel.

On behalf of the citizens of Novi Sad, Mayor Žarko Mićin laid wreaths at the monument to the victims of the Novi Sad Raid. Wreaths were also laid by the President of the Provincial Government, Maja Gojković; the President of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Bálint Juhász; the Ambassador of Israel, Avivit Bar-Ilan; the Ambassador of Hungary, József Zoltán Magyar; as well as representatives of cities and municipalities, delegations of the Jewish Community of Novi Sad, the Federation of Jewish Communities in Serbia, Jewish communities across Serbia, representatives of Matica Roma, the National Council of the Roma, and descendants of the victims of the Novi Sad Raid. The memorial service was also attended by the Deputy Ambassador of the United States to Serbia, Alexander Titolo. From a vessel of the Serbian Armed Forces River Flotilla, the President of the Novi Sad City Assembly, Dina Vučinić, the representative of the Jewish Community of Novi Sad, Ena Vitomirović, and the representative of Matica Roma, Goran Sulejmanović, laid a wreath into the Danube.

The commemoration programme of the Novi Sad Raid included performances by the choir of the Jewish Community “Hashira” and the choir of the Cathedral Church of St George, while members of the Circle of Serbian Sisters served koliva and bread to those present. A memorial service for the victims was also held at the memorial plaque on the Novi Sad beach “Štrand”.

Novi Sad, 23 January 2026