The President of the Geneva Society for Public Welfare (Societé d'Utilité Publique), Moynier Gustav, and the Secretary of the society and Swiss, Dunant Henrik, the author of shocking reports from the Lombardy battlefield, successfully initiated the organization of a world conference. Specifically, on October 20, 1863, in the presence of 36 delegates from 16 countries, the Geneva decision was adopted, leading to the establishment of the International Committee of the Red Cross, known as the Comité International de la Croix Rouge, the next day. At the diplomatic conference held on August 22, 1864, representatives of 12 countries ratified the Geneva Convention with their signatures, and in 1866, the Austro-Hungarian Empire also joined. The recognized international symbol of the Red Cross organization is the red cross on a white background.
The decision to establish the Hungarian Red Cross was made on April 12, 1878, in Vienna, at a government meeting, by royal decree. On October 12, 1880, the fundamental founding principles were approved at the highest level, and on January 20, 1882, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced the beginning of the Hungarian society's work.
In Vojvodina, as in other parts of the monarchy, local branches of the Red Cross were established based on orders from the Imperial and later Hungarian Red Cross, from the 1880s to 1906: in Pančevo in 1881, Subotica in 1886, and in Novi Bečej between 1886 and 1893.
During the First World War (1914-1918), thanks to the high level of organization and dedicated work of the staff, the Hungarian Red Cross saved a vast number of casualties. Health institutions, hospitals, and reserve hospitals were established through branches, which also dealt with the transportation of the wounded, providing rapid assistance, organizing rest for the wounded, and internment of war prisoners.
After the end of the First World War, a new South Slavic state was founded in Zagreb under the leadership of the Yugoslav Committee, consisting of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs, joined later by Montenegrins. Based on the decision of the delegates of the Vojvodina Great National Assembly on November 25, 1918, Vojvodina joined the Kingdom of Serbia. After the annexation, King Peter I Karađorđević proclaimed the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. On the territory of Banat, Bačka, and Baranja, the Serbian Red Cross Society was established, which, from December 21, 1921, operated independently and expanded its activities throughout the country under the name of the Red Cross Society of the Kingdom of SHS.
Within its activities, the Red Cross performs the following tasks:
- In case of war, it participates in saving victims, keeps records of victims and prisoners of war, provides information, and temporary financial and material assistance to those in need, i.e., their families.
- In cases of natural or other disasters, it finds those in need of help, provides them with temporary assistance, legal aid, and organizes rescue teams for saving victims.
- Establishes services that deal with finding missing persons.
- Organizes and maintains temporary accommodations, helps those in need of shelter, and organizes their fastest return home.
- Engages in health education, organizes home care and assistance services, teaches first aid, and contributes to the protection of life and health through all available means.
- Organizes voluntary blood donors and participates in the development of a blood supply service.
- Provides social assistance to the vulnerable, according to requests and in accordance with the basic regulations.
In Tursko Bečej, at the end of the 19th century, like in other populated places in Hungary at that time, in addition to the activities of the Women's Charitable Society, a branch of the Red Cross of Tursko Bečej was founded. Its founders and members were landowners, intellectuals, craftsmen, and citizens of Tursko Bečej who wanted to engage in charitable work. From the active members of that time, it is worth mentioning Istvánfi István, the president, Gárai Iže, the society's economist, Mrs. Istvánfi István, Urbán Šarolta, Mrs. Varadi Jožef, Mrs. Šaro Đule, Kajser Janoš the parish priest, Ranković István, Hazlinger Lajoš, and Varkonji Bela, the society's secretary. Due to frequent absences of its members, the society quietly extinguished. The outbreak of the First World War in July 1914 influenced the society to resume its activities.
Important events in 1914, in chronological order:
- June 28: Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian student, assassinates Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.
- June 5: German Emperor Wilhelm II expresses loyalty to the monarchy; on June 23, the monarchy issues an ultimatum to Serbia.
- July 28: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
- August 31: General mobilization in the monarchy. German ultimatum to Russia and France.
- August 6: Austria and Hungary declare war on Russia, and Serbia on Germany.
- October 5: The Serbian command moves from Belgrade to Skopje.
- October 6: Austrian-Hungarian forces occupy Belgrade.
- October 29: Turkey enters the war on the side of the Axis powers.
