Vandalism at the Jewish Cemetery in Pančevo

The Jewish Community in Pančevo is deeply upset and saddened by the event that took place between the night of December 8 and 9, 2017, when 47 monuments were demolished and damaged at the Jewish Cemetery in Pančevo. The monuments are mostly old, some date back to the end of the 18th century and represent one of the rare cultural and historical heritage of the Jews of Pančevo.

Once the investigation is over and official report is received on perpetrators of this heinous crime the JO Pančevo will issue the statement.

Two Jewish cemeteries enclosed in South Banat

After The European Resolution on the Protection of Jewish Cemeteries has been accepted, representatives of the European Initiative for the Reconstruction of Jewish Cemeteries visited the Jewish cemetery in Bela Crkva and Debeljača earlier this year to review the situation and the possibility that the remaining monuments in these cemeteries could be protected by the fence and placing an appropriate memorial plaque. After the visit, attended also by the representatives of the Jewish Community of Pančevo (on whose territory the cemeteries are located), it was decided that these two cemeteries should be included in the protection program. Works on fencing were completed in October, so that today they represent the cultural heritage of the Jews who before the Holocaust lived in those places in large numbers. More information on this European Initiative can be found a http://esjf-cemeteries.org

Đakovo commemoration 4 June, 2017.

The commemoration of the Holocaust victims from the Đakovo concentration camp was attended by Vedrana Montijas, a member of the Jewish Community of Pančevo, with his family from Belgrade, Sarajevo and Israel. Vedrana's sister Blanka Tene, born Kabiljo, was especially honored to lay the wreath together with Robert Sabadoš, the president of the Serbian Jewish Federation. After the ceremony, R. Sabadoš held an appropriate speech.
Concentration camp in Djakovo was founded on December 1, 1941 in the Independent State of Croatia, primarily for Jewish women and children, including Serbian girls. The camp worked until July 7, 1942. Through the camp, about 3,000 prisoners passed, who were tortured in a terrible way. About 650 of them died in the camp, while those surviving, after the detention in the camp were transferred to other camps and killed. The bodies of the dead were individually buried in separate graves at the cemetery in Đakovo.
More information about the Djakovo camp Cemetery can be found at:

http://elmundosefarad.wikidot.com/4-groblje-logorskih-zrtava-u-dakovu

Jewish cemetery in Pančevo

       Jews have lived in Pančevo even during the Turkish reign from 1494 - 1734, but the first saved data of their presence here originate from the thirties of the 18th century. Provincial Administration in 1729 gave permission to David Löwy, of unknown origin and occupation, to settle down in the town, together with his household members. In 1730 custom officers in Sremska Mitrovica registered Jacob Solomon, a Jew from Pančevo, a grain merchant, who arrived there in a ship with a cargo of barley and was required to pay customs duty.

       The ruler of the Habsburg dominions Maria Theresa in 1743 introduced a tolerance fee for Jews, and within the Military Border it remained effective until the demilitarization in eighties of the 18th century. Greater number of Jews, with many difficulties, settled down in Pančevo after the defeat of the Turks in the war against Austria in 1791. At their request, the Magistrate granted them the land for the cemetery on September 5, 1803. The ground was very close to the Catholic cemetery. The cemetery was officially opened only in 1840, although the burials began almost immediately after obtaining a license, but some monuments date as far as from the late 18th century. The monuments vary in style, depending on when they were built. They were made of different types of architectural stone, many of which have not been exploited for a long time now. As a rule, monuments are vertical, of simple lines. No special decorative elements are included, only with a few exceptions where the applied decorations are floral motifs. In contrast, on most monuments there is a noticeable use of Jewish symbols. The inscriptions are in Hebrew, German and Serbian, and many were erased or are hard to read. A lot of monuments fell down partly or in whole, or are devastated.

       At the cemetery there is a monument to Alexander Hacker, an upholsterer from Pančevo, who was the first Jewish victim of fascism. He was killed on April 22, 1941. The monument was restored in 2014.

       The sacred society Chevra Kadisha was established in 1833. Some sources specify even the year 1747, and the others the year 1867. It is believed that in 1867 the Statute of the Society was accepted or the working permission obtained.

       Funerals are still carried out at the Jewish cemetery in Pančevo. It is located at Josif Marinkovic Street No.15. At the entrance it was recently posted a new plaque with the working hours. It is opened from Sunday to Friday and is closed on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays.

 Appeal – The care and maintenance of the Jewish cemetery

The Jewish community of Pančevo is kindly appealing to all who are able to help with any donation for the Jewish cemetery maintenance. Our Chevra kadisha has no funds set aside for maintenance and only with support of relatives and friends, whose loved ones rest in peace at this place, we could ensure that the Cemetery will not get  into condition before the clean-up operation in October-November 2014.

Chevra kadisha of the Jewish community of Pančevo

For further info – email:  jopaa@open.telekom.rs, phone  +381 13 355 822

 Contribution to the maintenance of the Jewish cemetery in Pančevo

In memory of her family and grandmother Irma Iritz (born Kraus), who was buried at the Jewish cemetery in Pančevo, her granddaughter Irma Iritz from Rome gave a contribution to the maintenance of the cemetery in the amount of 225 EUR.

The Jewish Community is very grateful.