NOVI SAD MARKED 73RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE INFAMOUS POGROMS

On the occasion of 73^rd anniversary of the Novi Sad Razzia, wreaths were laid at the Memorial Complex “Family” by the delegation of the City of Novi Sad, by the representatives of the Government of Republic of Serbia headed by the Minister of Justice Mr. Nikola Selaković, by the Ambassador of the State of Israel H. E. Mr. Yossef Levi, by the representatives of the Embassy of Hungary, by the representatives of the Jewish Municipality and of the Association of Jewish Municipalities, as well as by a representative of Novi Sad Razzia victims’ descendants.

Mayor Vučević addressed the audience, after a minute of silence for all the innocent victims of the World War Two Novi Sad Razzia.

- The Novi Sad Holocaust, as an evil reek of death, reprimands us of the tragedy that can ensue from the intolerance and bigotry towards another nation or religion. The darkest hour of our city’s history shall never be forgotten, it obliges us in the eyes of posterity to bequeath them with the ideals of peace, so that the times of terror could never return. Ivo Andrić wrote “there are so many things in life we’ve been afraid of. And we shouldn’t have. We should have lived”. Coexistence in this region has no alternative and it must be founded on mutual respect and reverence of ethnicity and religion, of tolerance, of understanding and multiculturalism – said Mayor Vučević and emphasized that it is the obligation of us all to respond to each and every hatred with a message of peace, of love, and of hope, since without them, there can be no life.

The commemorative service was held by the Chief Rabbi of Serbia Mr. Isak Asiel, followed by the Serbian Orthodox service held by His Reverence the Bishop of Bačka Dr Irinej, assisted by the Novi Sad clergy and deacons. Their sermons were preceded by the hymns sung by Hašira Choir and Saint George Cathedral Choir of Novi Sad.

President of the Novi Sad City Assembly Professor Siniša Sević, PhD, together with representatives of Matica Romska and Novi Sad Jewish Municipality, lowered the wreath from the Serbian Army River Flotilla patrol boat into the Danube. The citizens present at the ceremony laid their wreaths by the monument and by the memorial plaque, while the members of the Serbian Sisters Circle served wheat and cake. Novi Sad City representatives also attended the service by the memorial plaque at the city beach “Štrand”.

In Novi Sad, January 23^rd 2015