Lazaret in Turski Bečej during World War I (1914-1918): A Chronicle of the Red Cross Branch and Dedicated Hospital Staff

Explore the significance of the Lazaret in Turski Bečej during World War I, uncovering the Red Cross branch's role and the dedicated efforts of the hospital staff. Journey through history with authentic 1915 photographs

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In the castle of the Šoljmoš family, which was located on the site of the current health center, there was a hospital with 24 beds.

Closing Words

I am quite certain that this was the final annual assembly of the Red Cross Society, as the pages of the minutes remained blank thereafter. Until when the Society carried out its humanitarian activities and when it disbanded, my previous research and knowledge have yet to find the right answer; but I have encountered the names of its members in the lists of Hungarian, Serbian, and Jewish women's associations, formed in the last years of the 19th century.

Letter from the organizers of the State Cinema Day dated June 7, 1915 addressed to the administration of the Red Cross Society in Turski BečejAt the end of this research, it should be noted that during the war (1914-1918), the inhabitants of Turski Bečej, Hungarians and Serbs, awaited the end of the war with different expectations due to their national affiliations. While the Serbian population lived in hope of joining Serbia, the Hungarian population considered it normal for Turski Bečej to remain within the Hungarian state. Despite all these differences and all the human and material losses caused by the war, both nations advocated for harmonious and peaceful coexistence. The opportunity to realize these desires to a large extent, primarily, was given to them by the Turski Bečej Red Cross Association.

The fact that documentation, records of the work of the Turski Bečej Red Cross Society and the infirmary, has been preserved to this day, is primarily due to its president, Turski Bečej parish priest Ambruš Artur (1865-1942), who took over the leadership of the parish in 1904 and who carried out a pastoral mission among the Catholic community of our place until the end of his life. During his service, the old and valuable books of the parish library were rebound at the printing house of Giga Jovanović. The way he cared for the archive and the meticulous attention he paid to it is best evidenced by the documents in the cabinets. The archive of the Novi Bečej Catholic parish still hides many precious documents that testify to the history of our place, and I sincerely hope that they will one day see the light of day.

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