Travel to Novi Sad, Serbia - History

Novi Sad - History

Novi Sad is considered a younger city, although the uncovered traces reveal man's presence dating back to prehistoric times, even before the Neolite, to the times of the Pannonian tundras and steppes, following the disappearance of the ice and the sea. A small settlement is mentioned during Roman times and the invasions of barbarian, Avarian and Turkish conquerors while the first written document, dating from 1694, writes about a bridgehead to protect the Petrovaradin Fortress.

The history of Novi Sad has been recorded continually since the end of the 17th century, when the settlement of the left bank of the Danube, most outside the Petrovaradin Fortress, numbered a thousand inhabitants. The name of the city as we know it today dates back to February 1,1748, when the citizens of the former Petrovaradinski Shanac or Rátz Város, mostly tradesmen and craftsmen, paid the Court in Vienna, 95,000 forints for the status of a free city.

Important social events have been registered from the period following the Turkish invasion when Novi Sad, a town on the Military Border, became not only an important economic centre, but also the cultural, national and political seat of the Serbs and the Southern Slavs on the Balkans.

The first national primary schools were founded at the beginning and the first secondary schools at the end of the 18th century. The oldest cultural institution among the Serbs (the Matica Srpska Arts and Culture Society, founded in 1826) moved from Budapest to Novi Sad in 1864. The first Yugoslav professional theatre was founded in Novi Sad in 1861. Numerous eminent writers, publicists, painters, actors, politicians and persons prominent in public life centred around these, as well as other cultural and educational institutions, periodicals and newspapers.

By the mid-19th century, at the time of pronounced social stratification and the beginning of industrialization, the working class movement began to emerge in addition to the existing bourgeoisie. Novi Sad became and important centre of the working class movement, progressive ideas and socialist thoughts. Progressive democratic forces developed and gained strength at that time and during the 20's, led by the communists, they will clearly voice the demand for social and national equality.

Between the two world wars, Novi Sad was a political centre of Vojvodina and the seat of the Danube Banate. This period was characterized by falling of economic growth, coupled with even certain stagnation in culture and education. The continuous activity of strong trade union and youth organizations, particularly the Communist Party, strengthened the international and class unity of the proletariat.

The fascist occupation came against the uncompromising and invincible resistance of all the nations and nationalities. Every tenth citizen of Novi Sad gave his/her life for the freedom of his/her city and country. During the notorious raid and in the death camps more than 5,000 citizens of Novi Sad were killed and approximately 600 others fell in the National Liberation War.

For its heroism, sacrifices and the exceptional contribution to the struggle against the enemy, the President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, awarded Novi Sad the Order of National Hero in 1975, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Yugoslav liberation.

In 1945, Novi Sad became the capital of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, which affirmed it as being its political, economic and cultural centre. In the post-war period, the city matured into an educational, university, and scientific centre, the city of fairs and industries, trade and traffic, a centre of publishing activity, radio and television, museums, galleries, cultural and historic monuments.

During NATO intervention and air raids in March and April 1999, Novi Sad suffered great loss of infrastructure and the economy of the region was hit hard. The sanctions to follow the attack made things worse. Today, five years later, the people of Novi Sad are working hard to re-establish a viable economy and restore whatever has not been destroyed beyond restoration. What seems more difficult to restore is the people's trust towards international institutions that let this happen.

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