The Tisa River Dam near Novi Bečej is the largest facility of the Danube–Tisa–Danube Hydrosystem. Its primary function is to release water by gravity into the main canal network of Banat, enabling the irrigation of vast agricultural areas and supplying water to other users. In this way, the released water can be used for multiple purposes simultaneously.
A decade of the festival “Horizons on the Tisa” has placed Novi Bečej among the rare towns that can proudly claim an event of high cultural importance—one that has steadily won the attention of musicians, composers, musicologists, and audiences alike.
Following the notorious Obznana decree, the work of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ) in Kuman was banned, and the Serbian Workers’ Party of Yugoslavia (SPRJ) was dissolved. With the introduction of the State Protection Act, prominent KPJ members faced extremely difficult times. Ljubomir Čolić, the secretary of the local party organization, died at a very young age after imprisonment due to torture and mistreatment.
Fifty years have passed since the day when seven hundred Jews from northern Banat, including one hundred and sixty of our fellow citizens, vanished forever from the banks of the Tisa River near Novi Bečej. They were carried away by the black ships of death into the abyss of annihilation.
After World War I, and likely even earlier, Novi Bečej and Stari Bečej were connected by a small boat named Stari Bečej, which made multiple trips daily between the two towns. I remember that until the establishment of a private high school in Novi Bečej, students from Stari Bečej used this boat to travel to the upper grades of the high school. At that time, Stari Bečej only had a lower-level high school, covering up to the fourth grade.
There were many enthusiasts of song and theatrical art in Novi Bečej and Vranjevo. The youth nurtured both song and theatrical art, considering that there was an exceptionally rich tradition of theatrical art. Among the several amateur theater troupes that existed over time, the "Napredak" Amateur Theater Troupe in Vranjevo holds a special place. This troupe operated from 1901 until the occupation of Yugoslavia during World War II.
Until the outbreak of the Second World War, football in Novi Bečej was burdened by severe financial difficulties, even when it came to meeting the most basic needs. Above all, Novi Bečej lacked an industrial base from which any form of material support for football clubs could have been expected.
Vilmoš Kujan, born in Novi Bečej, moved to Novi Sad as a boy to learn a trade, where he stayed until 1942. During his time in Novi Sad, he played football, which made him one of the top players in Novi Bečej upon his return. In DMKS Turul, during the early war years, he quickly established himself as one of the team’s most important first-team players, alongside István Berta.
Ivan Jovanović, an only child of Dragomir Jovanović, a merchant, and Zlata Jovanović, née Aranka Stanišić, a teacher, was born in Novi Bečej on February 13, 1928. The Jovanović family house was located in the heart of the town on Žarka Zrenjanina Street, number 1. While his father Dragomir was busy with the family business, Ivan mostly grew up alongside his mother and his aunt Leposava Jovanović, a teacher, who were known not only for their strictness but also for their versatility and fair pedagogical approach toward children.
Our region was inhabited as far back as prehistoric times, with traces of human settlements dating to approximately 3,000 BCE. However, it is almost certain that humans lived in this area much earlier, though no artifacts or direct evidence have been found from that period. This lack of evidence stems from the fact that early humans did not produce goods, even in the simplest forms, and their lives were entirely dependent on nature, resembling animals with no significant signs of organized communities.
In the years leading up to World War II, the Jewish community of Novi Bečej lived much like the rest of the town’s population. They did not perceive the rise of fascist movements across Europe as an immediate threat to their survival, believing that, if war broke out, they would manage like everyone else. This belief was perhaps reinforced by the fact that there were very few ethnic Germans in Novi Bečej, and anti-Semitism was not openly felt.
May 11–13, 1994
The successful organization of the first “Horizons on the Tisa” festival did not go unnoticed in the musical circles of Serbia.
In the photographs that tell a story of the past, we see Boško Maksić, known as "Šeboj," once a symbol of hard work and prosperity. Born in Kuman, he was a wealthy farmer and a respected member of his community. However, after World War II, his life took a tragic turn. The forced expropriation of his property by the regime completely shattered his life and stability.
Trips to the Ivanović and Rohonci estates sparked a desire for more outings. So, throughout the summer of 1937, almost every evening, after the promenade ended and the shops closed, we would go to the garden of Miloš Gavrić’s tavern. The tavern was located on a corner, across from the Workers' Home, in the house of Duško Nikolić.
It’s pleasant to recall the wonderful and unforgettable dances at the Sokolana, or at the “kolo”—as the dances held in taverns were called—at Uncle Arsen Pecarski's and Uncle Nova Trbić's place in Vranjevo. It was so beautiful that now, I feel as though in those youthful years, we lived for nothing else but that.
In the mid-1950s, alongside various extracurricular activities, a photography section was established at OŠ “Miloje Čiplić.” In the early days, it had only a few cameras, including the Vilia, Werra 1, and Beirette. Later on, additional cameras such as Smena 8M, Zenit 11, Praktica PL Nova I, Altix, and two flashes were acquired. After purchasing an enlarger of the brand Krokus and chemicals for the laboratory, the section completed its cycle of photo production. The photography section was led over three to four decades by teachers: Alajoš Šatai, Vukomir Stojić, Bane Pecarski, and Silard Balint. During that time, exhibitions of competitive nature were organized for the photography sections of schools from the Novi Bečej municipality.
May 14–15, 1993
After months of preparation and searching for the right concept and content, the first Days of Josif Marinković – “Horizons on the Tisa” were held on May 14 and 15, 1993, at the Workers’ Hall “Jovan Veselinov Žarko” in Novi Bečej.
May 25–27, 1995
Open Competition for Solo Singers
After the first two “Horizons on the Tisa,” the organizers began preparations for the third festival with even greater enthusiasm and foresight.
After World War I, the parents of Gligorije and Jovanka Popov left Dragutinovo and moved to Rusko Selo in search of a piece of land as part of a “colonization” effort. That small plot of fertile soil, coupled with debt to the Agrarian Bank for building a house and other hardships, made life difficult and impoverished.
The name of composer Josif Marinković is spoken with deep reverence by the people of Novi Bečej, especially by the residents of the Vranjevo district. And rightly so — he is the most distinguished figure ever born in this town.
The Party-Syndical Congress for Vojvodina, held in Novi Sad on January 7 and 8, 1920, was attended by Ljubomir Čolić, a delegate from Kumane, who was elected as a member of the Control Board of the Executive Board of the Provincial Assembly for Vojvodina.
On June 22, 1941, a Sunday, the fascists launched their first significant and organized action against communists and other patriots. That day, the occupier tightened measures against the population regarding movement and communication. It began with an announcement through the municipal drummers, stating that all owners of radio receivers and bicycles must surrender them to the municipality within twenty-four hours. This way, the already small number of receivers in the village was reduced, leaving the residents without the most suitable means of information at a time when news was most urgently needed due to the significance of both internal and external events.
As we conclude our recollection of river shipping and its importance for Novi Bečej, we must not forget a wonderful person who, unfortunately, was the head of the agency in Novi Bečej for only a short time. This was Dragan-Dragi Vulević, who came to Novi Bečej as the head of the agency in 1937 and soon became, besides his regular work, a prominent cultural figure in Novi Bečej. A social and kind person, just as his name suggests, or as we all affectionately called him.
The Kostović family settled in the mid-19th century in the settlement of Potisje, known as Franjevu (the old name for Vranjevo), most likely due to its exceptional geographical location for grain trade. The family patriarch, Jovan Kostović, and his son Stevan were both skilled merchants, amassing significant wealth and great respect.
Photographer Lajos Čanji was born in Novi Bečej. After his basic education, his parents apprenticed him to Konstantin Vukov, where he learned the photographic craft from 1932 to 1934. He worked briefly in Čurug before returning to his hometown during the occupation (1941-1944). In 1950, Konstantin Vukov took him on as an assistant, and Čanji continued to refine his photographic skills in Vukov's studio.
The forerunners of industry were craftsmanship, followed by further division of labor into manufacturing, machine industry, automation, and electronics in further progress. When it comes to Novi Bečej, we should also add mills, dryers, windmills, and oil mills to the aforementioned forerunners, as well as steam sawmills, mills, and brickworks. Unfortunately, that is all the industry with which Novi Bečej and Vranjevo entered the twentieth century.
A turning point for Zvezda, and perhaps for football in Novi Bečej in general, came in 1939. Players who had once been children had now matured into young, competent footballers, whose skills far surpassed those of Jedinstvo players. Most of these footballers had come up through the youth clubs Zvezda and Banat, where they systematically honed their football abilities without guidance from older players.
On August 2, 1921, the Assembly adopted the Law on the Protection of Public Security and Order in the State, tightening measures against communists. This law prescribed harsh punishments for any communist activity, including the death penalty.
The two-story building of the former Tursko-Bečejska Savings Bank is located at 3 Marshal Tito Street, extending from the Schlesinger Palace, at the corner with Gimnazijska Street. According to documentation from the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Zrenjanin, written by art historian Vesna Majstorović, the following details about the building are known:
"The Formation, Development, and Destruction of the Jewish Community in Novi Bečej" is the title of an extensive work created through the years of effort by Branislav-Bata Kiselički. As he explains in the introductory notes, the author approached this monumental task due to his sense of duty and obligation to his Jewish friends from his youth, and later to their fellow countrymen who lived in Novi Bečej in the near and distant past.
Autumn had arrived, and the corn harvest was in full swing. Many fields were already bare, and each day, there were more and more heaps of corn stalks lying in the fields. This prompted the leadership of the Northern Banat Partisan Detachment to seriously consider how to enter the winter with such a large unit, survive, and save as many people as possible. On the other hand, the goal was to prolong the armed struggle during the winter period. Therefore, it was necessary to carry out a reorganization that would be most suitable for the given time of year and the terrain, which, after the crops had been harvested, stretched out for tens of kilometers.
This small memorial about the vocal-instrumental ensemble LIRE represents a nostalgic memory of an era that took place half a century ago. Traces of that era remain to this day, and in a positive sense. The impact of LIRE on our ordinary life path was seemingly not significant. Formally, it was so, but essentially not. We should not forget that if they had not existed, could the youth and new generations in the post-war period have enjoyed themselves, socialized, and grown up without prejudices and social differences in the way they do today? We should also consider how many life connections were formed through the young people's infatuation with their music during social dances when it was the right time to go out dancing. When "ladies chose" or when skilled boys from the shadows and semi-darkness of the crowded youth center observed and had "dangerous romantic intentions," which can only be played out in youth, in a healthy way, and never again.
May 31 – June 3, 2000
Open Solo Singing Competition
What could not take place in 1999 due to the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia — the Open Solo Singing Competition — was successfully held one year later, at the 8th “Horizons on the Tisa,” from May 31 to June 3, 2000.
Altered economic conditions and the development of productive forces in agriculture are the main reasons for the disappearance of farmhouses. With the reduction of land ownership limits after World War II, first to 20, and then to 10 hectares, farmhouses lose their previous significance in production.
Once upon a time, our villages were filled with stork nests, and swallows had a dozen nests in every hallway, or 4-5 nests in front of barn doors. The swallows artistically built their nests there because that’s where their primary food source, flies, were abundant. Without swallows, these flies would have been a great nuisance to the livestock.
Storks made their nests on the chimneys of village houses, which were usually topped with a decorative spike and had side openings for smoke. These chimneys rarely emitted smoke, and never during the time when storks were in our region.
If anyone were to write a chronicle of this festival, they would have to start with the year 1992, when the children's choir from Bočar, conducted by Zagorka Zaga Jegdić, performed as a guest at the Firemen's House in Negotin during the "Mokranjčevi Days." Numerous witnesses of this musical event were captivated by the singing talent of these children and the freshness of their voices.
István Oldal, born in 1829, was one of the most important pioneers of photography in the Balkans. His contribution to art and history is documented through a career that spanned over half a century. He arrived in Veliki Bečkerek (today’s Zrenjanin) in 1853, where he opened a painting and calligraphy studio, which soon became a center for photographic work.
May 23–25, 1996
Invitational Composers’ Competition
After the highly successful first competition for solo singers, the devoted cultural workers from the town on the Tisa organized the 4th “Horizons on the Tisa”, held from May 23 to 25, 1996, as the first invitational composers’ competition for solo song.
Žarko Čiplić, a teacher, was born on March 27, 1887, in Stari Bečej. His father Jovan was a teacher, and his mother Sofija, born Gavrilović from Srpska Crnja, was a homemaker. He completed primary and secondary school in Stari Bečej, and teacher training school in Sombor. He graduated from teacher training school in 1908 as the top student of his class. Throughout his schooling at the Sombor Preparandija, he stood out with extraordinary musical talent — he had a beautiful voice (lyric baritone) and excelled at playing the violin. He also demonstrated a similar talent in painting, which was noted as early as elementary school.
The numerous bowling alleys in Novi Bečej’s cafes confirm that this sport was a beloved pastime for the residents of the town on the Tisa. The oldest alley in the area is certainly the one at the “Sokolac” mansion near Novi Bečej, built in the 19th century. This single-lane bowling alley (shown in the picture) could still be functional today with minor adaptations and could serve as an interesting tourist attraction. The existence of a bowling alley in the mansion confirms that bowling was a favorite game of the aristocracy.
May 31 – June 1, 2001
Invitational Composers’ Competition
The jubilee marking the 150th anniversary of the birth and 70th anniversary of the death of composer Josif Marinković was celebrated throughout the year with numerous rich and diverse cultural events. The 9th “Horizons on the Tisa” festival centered around the third composers’ competition for art songs, held on May 31 and June 1, 2001.
Folk songs like "Hey homesteads, I will come to you again..." or "Hey homesteads in the north of Bačka," with their exceptional melody and perhaps perfectly chosen words, awaken a longing for homesteads even in those who have never experienced their charms in reality.
The Košut family lived in a modest house covered with reeds, with small, misty windows through which young Tivadar observed and created his own world. Sitting by the oil lamp, he listened to the stories of old women about the creation of the world, Adam and Eve, the flood, Christ and his miracles, dreaming how happy he would be if he could paint it all.
On the occasion of the 130th anniversary of its establishment (1882 – 2012)
The organization of the fire service in the territory of present-day Vojvodina initially began in a scattered, sporadic, unorganized, and disconnected manner. The involvement of central authorities was not felt, as it was more of a matter for individual municipalities or, at best, the first higher socio-political communities, such as counties in the Austrian Empire, later Austria-Hungary.
Imre Sakač was born in Novi Bečej on December 15, 1951. He completed elementary school in Novi Bečej. He received his first camera when he was around ten years old and already started photographing his peers during various school activities. He developed these photos partly in the school photography section's lab, but mostly at home. He was involved in the secrets of the photographic craft at an early age, helping his parents in the studio and the darkroom. He began high school in Subotica but finished in Senta, after which he enrolled in a higher photographic school for color photography in France.
No more than three or four days had passed since our excursion to the Ivanović estate, and by Sunday, we were off on another one—this time much longer and more exhausting for walking. From Novi Bečej to the Rohonci estate in the Bečej marshland, or as it is known today, Pearl Island, it is at least eight kilometers one way. If you're counting the total distance for both directions, then maybe this trip isn't for you!
It is worth mentioning, perhaps not revolutionary, but undoubtedly a turbulent school history of Novi Bečej between the 1920s and 1930s.
Since 1908, Novi Bečej has had a four-year civic school where children were educated, primarily to meet the needs of local commerce and crafts. Those who wished to continue their education and whose parents had the necessary means would go to nearby cities like Veliki Bečkerek, Velika Kikinda, and even Novi Sad and Sremski Karlovci. Studying outside of one's place of residence meant limiting further education.
When my article titled “Kumane” appeared in the Yugoslav Daily on August 2, 1931 (issue no. 202), my parishioners received it with great enthusiasm. It was read aloud in gatherings and on street corners before groups of listeners. Soon, many expressed the wish that it be printed as a small booklet and distributed among the people of my parish.
Based on several dozen photographs from the early 20th century, in the format of then-popular postcards, 9x14 cm, on thin paper and without any signature of the photographer, we reasonably assume that these are works of pioneers of photo amateurs from Novi Bečej. They belonged to the wealthier layer of the bourgeoisie and were able to allocate significant funds for purchasing portable cameras, and of course, the photographs were developed by local professional photographers. Some of these photographs were printed, addressed, and used instead of postcards.
Vojislav Reznić was born in Novi Bečej on May 9, 1929, where he also received his education. He learned the craft of photography under Geza Sakač. After passing the craftsman’s exam, he worked in Melenci with photographer Pavle Homjakov. With three years of experience, in 1963 he returned to Novi Bečej and opened his own photography shop in the courtyard of the "Jadran" Hotel.
