1942 raid in Novi Sad - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 1942 raid in southern Bačka
Backa
Bačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...

was a genocidal attack against civilians in Hungarian occupied Bačka in January 1942, after the Axis invasion and partition of Yugoslavia

Invasion of Yugoslavia

The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...

. The raid was performed in several places in southern Bačka, including Novi Sad (an event commonly known as the Novi Sad massacre), villages and towns in Šajkaška

Šajkaška

Šajkaška is a geographical region in Serbia. It is southeastern part of Bačka, located in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. Territory of Šajkaška is divided among four municipalities: Titel, Žabalj, Novi Sad, and Srbobran. Historical center of Šajkaška is Titel.-Name:Name Šajkaška means "land...

, as well as the towns of Temerin

Temerin

Temerin is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...

, Srbobran

Srbobran

Srbobran is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town is located on the north bank of the Danube-Tisa-Danube channel...

and Bečej

Becej

Bečej is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District in Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 25,703, while Bečej municipality has 40,877 inhabitants. It is multiethnic town, with Hungarians and Serbs as largest ethnic groups...

. An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 civilian hostages, mostly of Serb

Serbs

The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...

, Jewish

Jews

The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...

and Roma ethnicity, were rounded up and killed by the Hungarian Axis troops. The occupiers characterized the raid as a reprisal for resistance activities, although it appears that the real aim was liquidation of "unwanted elements". The massacre is considered one of the most notable war crime

War crime

War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...

s during the Axis occupation of Serbia

History of Serbia

The history of Serbia, as a country, begins with the Slavic settlements in the Balkans, established in the 6th century in territories governed by the Byzantine Empire. Through centuries, the Serbian realm evolved into a Kingdom , then an Empire , before the Ottomans annexed it in 1540...

.

Using minor local partisan

Partisan

-Political matters:*Partisan In politics, partisan literally means organized into political parties. The expression "partisan politics" usually refers to fervent, sometimes militant, support of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea...

activity as an excuse, Hungarian forces assembled 240 patrols in southern Bačka

Backa

Bačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...

, near Novi Sad

Novi Sad

Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....

, purportedly to conduct anti-partisan raids. The patrols rounded up and executed civilians allegedly suspected of aiding local resistance fighters. However, until the end of 1941, the resistance movement in Bačka was largely defeated. Thus, the real aim of the raid appears to have been a campaign of ethnic cleansing

Ethnic cleansing

Ethnic cleansing is a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic orreligious group from certain geographic areas....

against innocent ethnic Serb and Jewish civilians (including women, children and the elderly), as well as robbery of their property. Already in 1941, about 2,500 Serbs had been killed and about 65,000 expelled from Bačka by the occupying Hungarian authorities. Some of the Novi Sad victims were taken to the bank of the Danube

Danube

The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....

, where they were shot and their bodies thrown onto the frozen river. The Hungarian forces then broke the ice, shooting at the drowning survivors.

Casualties

According to historian Zvonimir Golubović, the total number of civilians killed in the raid is estimated at 3,809. According to other source[s] it is estimated at 4,211. The victims were killed in Novi Sad

Novi Sad

and in several nearby settlements, including Bečej

Becej

, Vilovo, Gardinovci

Gardinovci

Gardinovci is a village located in the Titel municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...

, Gospođinci, Đurđevo, Žabalj

Žabalj

Žabalj is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia. Žabalj town has a population of 9,582, and Žabalj municipality 27,418. It is located in southeastern part of Bačka, known as Šajkaška.-Name:...

, Lok

Lok, Vojvodina

Lok is a village located in the Titel municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...

, Mošorin

Mošorin

Mošorin is a village in Serbia. It is located in the Titel municipality, South Bačka District. Mošorin is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, in the south-eastern part of Bačka, known as Šajkaška. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 2,763 people...

, Srbobran

Srbobran

Srbobran is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town is located on the north bank of the Danube-Tisa-Danube channel...

, Temerin

Temerin

Temerin is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...

, Titel

Titel

Titel is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of the Vojvodina, Serbia. The town of Titel has a population of 5,831, while the population of the municipality of Titel is 16,936...

, Čurug

Curug

Čurug is a village in the municipality of Žabalj, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...

and Šajkaš

Šajkaš

Šajkaš is a village located in the Titel municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 4,550 people...

. The victims included 2,842 Serbs

Serbs

, 1,250 Jews

Jews

, 64 Roma, 31 Rusyns

Rusyns

Carpatho-Rusyns are a primarily diasporic ethnic group who speak an Eastern Slavic language, or Ukrainian dialect, known as Rusyn. Carpatho-Rusyns descend from a minority of Ruthenians who did not adopt the use of the ethnonym "Ukrainian" in the early twentieth century...

, 13 Russians

Russians

The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....

and 11 ethnic Hungarians. Civilians were rounded up at random and taken from their homes and businesses during their workday and while they were engaged in regular activities, even weddings.

Table that show victims of 1942 raid by gender, age and ethnicity (according to historian Zvonimir Golubović):

Place	Total	Men	Women	Children	Old people	Serbs Serbs The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...	Jews Jews The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...	Roma Roma people The Romani, who are known collectively in the Romani language as Romane or Rromane and also as Romany, Romanies, Romanis, Roma or Roms, are an ethnic group living mostly in Europe, who trace their origins to the Indian Subcontinent...	Rusyns Pannonian Rusyns Rusyns in Pannonia, or simply Rusyns or Ruthenians , are a Slavic minority in Serbia and Croatia...	Hungarians	Russians Russians The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
Bečej Becej Bečej is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District in Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 25,703, while Bečej municipality has 40,877 inhabitants. It is multiethnic town, with Hungarians and Serbs as largest ethnic groups...	215	111	72	13	19	102	110	-	-	-	-
Vilovo Vilovo Vilovo is a village located in the Titel municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,103 people ....	64	44	6	8	6	64	-	-	-	-	-
Gardinovci Gardinovci Gardinovci is a village located in the Titel municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...	37	32	3	-	2	37	-	-	-	-	-
Gospođinci	85	47	19	15	4	73	10	-	2	-	-
Đurđevo	223	107	60	41	15	173	22	-	27	-	-
Žabalj Žabalj Žabalj is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia. Žabalj town has a population of 9,582, and Žabalj municipality 27,418. It is located in southeastern part of Bačka, known as Šajkaška.-Name:...	666	355	141	101	69	614	28	23	-	1	-
Lok Lok Lok may refer to:* LOK , Mountain Raider Companies of the Greek Army* Lok , a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe* Legends of Kesmai , an online role-playing game...	47	46	-	-	1	46	-	-	-	1	-
Mošorin Mošorin Mošorin is a village in Serbia. It is located in the Titel municipality, South Bačka District. Mošorin is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, in the south-eastern part of Bačka, known as Šajkaška. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 2,763 people...	205	94	41	44	26	170	-	34	-	1	-
Novi Sad Novi Sad Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....	1,246	489	415	165	177	375	809	-	2	18	15
Srbobran Srbobran Srbobran is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town is located on the north bank of the Danube-Tisa-Danube channel...	3	3	-	-	-	2	2	-	-	-	-
Temerin Temerin Temerin is a town and municipality in South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...	48	14	15	7	12	6	42	-	-	-	-
Titel Titel Titel is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of the Vojvodina, Serbia. The town of Titel has a population of 5,831, while the population of the municipality of Titel is 16,936...	51	45	-	1	5	49	1	-	-	-	-
Čurug Curug Čurug is a village in the municipality of Žabalj, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...	893	554	153	82	104	842	44	7	-	-	-
Šajkaš Šajkaš Šajkaš is a village located in the Titel municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 4,550 people...	26	24	2	-	-	25	1	-	-	-	-
All places	3,809	1,965	927	477	440	2,578	1,068	64	31	21	15

Causes and initiators

.
The raid was performed because, allegedly, about 40 Yugoslav partisans (Šajkaška

Šajkaška

partisan detachment) were found hiding at the farm of Gavra Pustajić near the town of Žabalj

Žabalj

by a Hungarian patrol on January 4, 1942. Due to the weak condition of the resistance movement in Bačka

Backa

Bačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...

at the end of 1941, this was the only partisan detachment in Bačka and it had not performed any recent actions. During the clash between the partisans and the Hungarian patrol, 10 members of the patrol and 7 partisans were killed. The remainder of the partisan detachment were murdered over the next several days. Therefore, from the point of view of military and state security, this particular partisan resistance was finished on the same day it started and, as such, there was no legitimate reason for the raid. According to historian Zvonimir Golubović, it was planned much earlier and the attack on the partisans in Šajkaška was just an excuse for the implementation of a planned genocide. The raid in Šajkaška began on January 4 (the same day as the Hungarian patrol clashed with the partisans near Žabalj).

Raids were carried out in Šajkaška from January 4 to January 19, 1942; in Novi Sad from January 21 to January 23; and in Bečej from January 25 to January 29. The raids were ordered by lieutenant-general Ferenc Feketehalmy-Czeidner, major-general József Grassy, colonel László Deák

Laszlo Deak

László Deák was a Hungarian army officer who served in World War I and World War II. He was accused and convicted of war crimes due to his involvement in the massacre of Serbian and Jewish civilians during the Axis armies' invasion of Yugoslavia...

and gendarmerie captain Márton Zöldy, but, according to historian Zvonimir Golubović, they were planned by the highest military and civil officials of Hungary, including Chief of Staff Ferenc Szombathelyi

Ferenc Szombathelyi

Vitéz Ferenc Szombathelyi was a Hungarian military officer, who served as Chief of Army Staff during the Second World War.-Military career:...

, Minister of Internal Affairs Ferenc Keresztes Fiser, Minister of People's Defense Károly Barta, President of the Hungarian government László Bárdosi, and Regent Miklós Horthy

Miklós Horthy

Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...

himself.

Responsibility

Some Serbian historians who researched the raid (Zvonimir Golubović, Aleksandar Veljić) claim that Horthy himself was aware of the raids and approved their being carried out. However, Horthy was a witness at the Nuremberg Trials

Nuremberg Trials

The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....

after World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, and all accusations were dropped against him. The raids were an embarrassment for Hungary even in the eyes of its Axis allies, and Horthy was forced to investigate the crimes during the war. Based on this, Horthy was not deemed responsible and despite the strong demand from Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....

, both the Americans and the Soviets favored dropping the charge. However, when Horthy ordered the investigation, the officers who had ordered the raids fled to Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...

and returned only after the German forces occupied Hungary in 1944.

Aftermath

In 1943, the Hungarian leaders attempted to revive relations with the western Allies, and as part of such aims, Hungary organized a trial of several officers who were among those responsible for the raids. However, the officers were allowed to escape to Germany before their sentencing. After the war, some of the individuals responsible for the raids were tried again by the new communist government of Hungary (which sentenced them to death or to life in prison) and again in Yugoslavia, where they were sentenced to death again, and executed. Miklos Horthy who was, according to Yugoslav/Serbian historians, also among those responsible for the raids, was never convicted.

In 2006, Dr. Efraim Zuroff

Efraim Zuroff

Efraim Zuroff is an Israeli historian of American origin, who has played a role in bringing Nazis indicted for war crimes to trial...

of the Simon Wiesenthal Center

Simon Wiesenthal Center

The Simon Wiesenthal Center , with headquarters in Los Angeles, California, was established in 1977 and named for Simon Wiesenthal, the Nazi hunter. According to its mission statement, it is "an international Jewish human rights organization dedicated to repairing the world one step at a time...

charged Dr. Sándor Képíró

Sándor Képíró

Sándor Képíró was a former gendarmerie captain during World War II accused of war crimes committed by Hungarian forces, and found not guilty....

with participating in the massacres on the evidence of his conviction in the trials of 1944 and 1946. Képíró, however, stated that as a police officer, his participation was limited merely to arresting civilians, and he did not take part in the executions or any other illegal activity. War crimes charges were subsequently brought against Képíró in a federal court in Budapest, for murders of civilians committed under his command during the January 1942 raids. His trial on those charges commenced in May 2011. Képíró has twice previously been found guilty: once by the wartime Hungarian courts, and again after the war, in 1946. By then he had, allegedly, fled to Argentina, but returned to Budapest in 1996. In July, 2011, the Hungarian court ruled that Képíró was not guilty of participation in the raids. The decision of the court was welcomed and applauded by members of the extreme right who were present in the courtroom.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Casualties

Causes and initiators

Responsibility

Aftermath

See also

Literature

External links