The Jews of Novi Sad 1942 – 700–1,000 Jews executed in the Novi Sad raid, the Great Synagogue empty afterwards

The Jews of Novi Sad 1942

The Novi Sad raid (21–23 January 1942) – a Hungarian crime against Serbs and Jews.

Victims:

• Serbs: 800–2,500 killed (60–70% of all victims)
• Jews: 700–1,000 killed (30–40% of all victims)

For the Jewish community of Novi Sad, the raid = a catastrophe:

• Before the raid: 4,000+ Jews in Novi Sad
• 21–23 January 1942: 700–1,000 Jews executed
• After the raid: ~2,000 Jews survived (many fled)
• 1944: The survivors deported to Auschwitz (another 1,500+ killed)
• Today: ~300 Jews in Novi Sad (out of 4,000 before WWII)

The entire Jewish community of Novi Sad was destroyed.

🕍 The Jews in Novi Sad before WWII – a prosperous community

The history of the Jews in Novi Sad:

• 18th century: The first Jews come to Novi Sad (merchants, craftsmen)
• 19th century: The Jewish community grows (to 4,000+ members by 1940)
• 1909: The Great Synagogue opens (Novi Sad) – the largest synagogue in Vojvodina

Before WWII (1940) – the Jews in Novi Sad:

• 4,000+ Jews (10% of the population of Novi Sad)
• Mostly middle-class (merchants, doctors, lawyers, engineers)
• Two Jewish quarters (the city centre, near the Danube)
• 3 synagogues (the Great Synagogue + 2 smaller ones)
• Jewish schools, hospitals, cultural centres

The Jews were integrated into the life of Novi Sad – they spoke Serbian/Hungarian, had Serbian/Hungarian friends.

📅 April 1941 – the Hungarian occupation

April 1941 – the Germans attack Yugoslavia. Hungary (an ally of the Germans) occupies Vojvodina.

May 1941 – January 1942 – the Hungarians introduce antisemitic laws:

• Jews may not work in the public services (doctors, teachers, judges)
• Jewish shops must be marked (a Star of David in the window)
• Jews may not go out at night (curfew)
• Jewish property confiscated (seized)
• Jews must wear a yellow star (so that they are visible)

Result: Many Jews fled (went to Belgrade, Macedonia, Greece). But ~4,000 Jews remained in Novi Sad (hoping to survive).

🔫 21–23 January 1942 – the raid: Jews targeted

21 January, morning – the Hungarians seal off Novi Sad. The arrests begin.

The Hungarian army (honvéds) targets 2 groups:

1. Serbs – "enemies of Hungary" (Partisans, intellectuals)
2. Jews – "enemies of the race" (antisemitism)

Checking of identity papers:

• The Hungarians stop people in the streets
• They ask: "A Serb? A Jew?"
• If you are → arrested
• Hungarians and Germans are let go

Arrests in Jewish homes:

• The Hungarians go from house to house (the Jewish quarter)
• They enter the houses, arresting EVERYONE (men, women, children)
• They take them to the bank of the Danube

Arrests in the synagogues:

• 21 January – a Saturday (the Sabbath) – Jews in the synagogues (prayer)
• The Hungarians enter the synagogues, arresting ALL present
• The Great Synagogue: ~200 Jews arrested directly from the synagogue

📊 Jews executed – statistics

The Jews were PROPORTIONALLY MORE TARGETED than the Serbs:

• Jews made up 10% of the population of Novi Sad → but 30–40% of the raid's victims
• The Hungarians targeted the Jews out of antisemitism (not only for reasons of "security")

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Jewish families destroyed – examples

Example 1: The Fišer family:

• David Fišer (45 years old, merchant) – arrested on 21 January, executed
• Sara Fišer (42 years old, wife) – arrested with her husband, executed
• Jakob Fišer (17 years old, son) – arrested, executed
• Rahela Fišer (14 years old, daughter) – arrested, executed
• Result: The entire family destroyed (4 out of 4 members executed)

Example 2: The Levi family:

• Isak Levi (52 years old, doctor) – arrested on 21 January, executed
• Mirjam Levi (48 years old, wife) – survived (hiding with a Serbian family)
• Jozef Levi (22 years old, son) – arrested, executed
• Estera Levi (19 years old, daughter) – deported to Auschwitz in 1944, killed
• Result: Only the mother survived (1 out of 4 members)

🕍 The Great Synagogue – empty after the raid

The Great Synagogue (Novi Sad, opened 1909):

• The largest synagogue in Vojvodina
• Capacity: 900 seats
• Architecture: Byzantine style

Before the raid (January 1942):

• Every Saturday (the Sabbath): 500–700 Jews come to pray
• The synagogue full

21 January 1942 (Saturday, the day of the raid):

• ~200 Jews in the synagogue (Sabbath prayer)
• The Hungarians enter the synagogue, arresting ALL present
• They take them to the bank of the Danube – and shoot them

After the raid (24 January 1942):

• The Great Synagogue empty
• 700–1,000 Jews executed (out of 4,000)
• The remaining Jews (2,000–3,000) frightened – they do not leave their homes
• The synagogue closed for months

1944 – the remaining Jews deported to Auschwitz:

• May–June 1944: The Germans deport the remaining Jews of Vojvodina
• ~1,500 Jews from Novi Sad deported to Auschwitz
• Only 200–300 survived

1945 (after the liberation):

• The Great Synagogue reopened
• But: Only ~300 Jews remained in Novi Sad (out of 4,000 before the war)
• The synagogue never full again (always 2/3 empty)

🇮🇱 The Jewish community today – almost vanished

Before WWII (1940):

• 4,000+ Jews in Novi Sad
• 10% of the population
• A prosperous community (synagogues, schools, cultural centres)

After WWII (1945):

• ~300 Jews survived (out of 4,000)
• 93% of the Jewish community destroyed

Today (2024):

• ~300 Jews in Novi Sad
• Most of them elderly (the young left for Israel, the USA)
• The Great Synagogue still stands – but is rarely full

Conclusion: The Jewish community of Novi Sad has practically vanished – from 4,000 (1940) → 300 (2024).

🇷🇸 The Serbian perspective – Serbs and Jews perished together

For the Serbian people, the Novi Sad raid = a tragedy of BOTH Serbs AND Jews:

• 21–23 January 1942 – the Hungarians executed 800–2,500 Serbs + 700–1,000 Jews
• The same reason: ethnic cleansing ("Magyarisation of Vojvodina")
• The same method: execution + throwing the bodies into the Danube
• They perished together – Serbs and Jews were both enemies of the Hungarians
• The Great Synagogue – empty after the raid (700–1,000 Jews executed)
• Today: Only ~300 Jews in Novi Sad (out of 4,000 before the war)
• We will never forget – neither the Serbian nor the Jewish victims

"21–23 January 1942 – the Hungarians execute 700–1,000 Jews in the Novi Sad raid (alongside 800–2,500 Serbs). Jews made up 30–40% of all victims. Arrested directly from synagogues and homes. The Great Synagogue: ~200 Jews arrested during Sabbath prayer. The entire Jewish community destroyed. Before the raid: 4,000+ Jews. Afterwards: ~2,000 survived. 1944: The survivors deported to Auschwitz (another 1,500+ killed). Today: ~300 Jews in Novi Sad (out of 4,000 before WWII). 93% of the community destroyed. The Great Synagogue never full again. Serbs and Jews perished together. WE WILL NEVER FORGET."