The population of Turski Bečej, as well as the entire Monarchy, became terribly tired and impoverished during the three-year war that reached world proportions19. In addition to material impoverishment, the most painful and irreparable were certainly human losses. After the conclusion of peace in May between the Central Powers and Romania, hope for a victory appeared in the Hungarian and German circles of the population, which was short-lived.
The withdrawal of German forces from the western front on September 2, as well as the opening of the Balkan front by the Serbs and members of the Entente on September 15, made the Serbian population of our town start to hope and expect freedom. In the Hungarian parliament, Tisa Istvan declared: "We lost the war". On November 1, after the liberation of Belgrade, and on November 3, after the cease-fire agreement signed in Padua with the members of the Entente, the monarchy makes a proposal for peace. After that, Serbian troops under the leadership of General Dragutin Ristic entered the territory of the Banat part of Vojvodina.
After Pancevo, they entered Veliki Bečkerek and Velika Kikinda, and on November 17, Turski Bečej, and arrived in Vranjevo on November 2120. Under these conditions, the Turskobečejska Branch of the Red Cross continued to work, and its national composition remained unchanged.
The following text can be read at the meeting of the parliamentary club of the Turskobeče branch of the Red Cross held on January 26, 1919, which was led by Dr. Kencel Jožef and whose minutes were signed by Roža Lajoš: "Deeply respected Parliament! Everything in the world is transient, the Great War also passed, the end of which every good soul wanted. The world is on fire before us, the damage done is incalculable and the number of human victims is horrifyingly high, while the nerves of the survivors are worn out. The horror of war has passed, but peace has not yet fully arrived. Some of our sons are already at home, those who arrange the destiny of the world arrange the affairs of peace, the destiny of such peace, which we want to believe will create brotherly understanding among people and which will erase the poison of hatred from the souls of people. The world is bleeding from a thousand wounds. The need for the work of charities is greater than ever. The Hungarian branch of the Turkish Bečej Red Cross will invest its future activity, all its forces, with zeal and perseverance in the treatment of wounds caused by the war, if its possibilities allow it.
What's more, what I just said has already taken root. In the past year, the Society of the Red Cross, following the performance of art lovers on the day of Peter and Paul, whose great results are due to the work of Dr. Kencel, gave the entire income for the Red Cross's goals, which are exclusively for charitable purposes in our town.
1. The company supported the action of providing assistance, which was initiated through the "Charitable Society" for those who did not receive any assistance on any legal basis. Their activity was helping fallen, abandoned, disabled people. I am reporting on their activities: the number of people who have been helped so far is 85, of this number, 14 receive permanent help. For the rest, aid was partially canceled or they only received it once or twice. So far, 9,759 crowns have been paid in cash, for grain 3,000 crowns, for wood 360 crowns. A total of 13,119 crowns. From this, the amount of 965 crowns was returned for aid given in flour, the rest of the flour was distributed as aid. This means that money was spent in the amount of 12,154 crowns. It was decided that during the winter period, those who receive help will receive flour, 6 kg per head for a month and some wood during extreme cold - while the purchased stock of 1 fathom of wood lasts, the value of which will not be reduced to those who receive it help. On December 31, 1918, the Board of the Charitable Society elected Dr. Kencel Jožef and Zedi Ileša to its membership and decided that the name of the Charitable Society will henceforth read "The Charitable Professional Department of the Red Cross Society".
2. The company sold its bedding at moderate prices to people who asked for it and thus did a good deed to those who managed to get it.
3. Kenig Ferenc gave a scholarship of 600 crowns to a boy from our town, so that he could attend an administrative course.
4. Women's local associations, which at the beginning of the war gave the Charitable Society a considerable amount of money, it was partially returned so that they could continue with their activities that were interrupted due to the war, namely: Hungarian Women's Charitable Association 1200 crowns, Serbian Women's Charitable Association 1200 crowns to the association, 600 crowns to the Jewish Women's Association. In the end, we gave the Serbian Red Cross Association 5,000 crowns from the numerous donations that the Serbian population gave to the Society.
The future is in God's hands. Let's believe in him. We ask him that a period of peace, work and development will follow as soon as possible, that our weak material forces, the increase of which we can no longer count on, will be sufficient to help the poor until the moment when the municipality in peacetime conditions becomes so strong that it is able to independently, he takes care of them with brotherly love. That's how God helped us!!!!
Until then, dear members of the Red Cross, let's stay furthermore, persistent builders of the life of our community and let's gladly give up not only the membership fee, but let's sometimes also give a little material help to the society's coffers."
After this, the treasurer submitted the following report:
"Dear assembly! We closed the previous year 1917 with 37679 crowns21 and 11 fillers, as existing assets of the Association, and thus the balance of the Branch during the current year increased by 6738 crowns and 49 fillers, but in addition to this we spent 9715 crowns and 85 fillers. With this, we have reached a point after which only regression can follow. With the end of the war, charitable giving, which was the source of our strength and which enabled the Turskobečej Red Cross Branch to operate successfully during the war years, also ended. While in the first half of the year significant income was represented by voluntary contributions, until then, as the end of the year approached, they stopped completely. So we have to count on the fact that in the current year we will have to reach out to the capital of our Association, if we don't want to completely stop working, which would be a mistake, because it will be necessary for at least some time since our association is invited to continue undisturbed carries out its noble mission even in the transitional period. The result of the Branch's income and expenses in 1918 is shown in the account items."
The committee accepted the report, after which the budget report for 1919 was submitted:
"Income: from membership fee 500 kroner, from charitable contributions 500 kroner, interest income 1400 kroner, from principal 7200 kroner, total: 9600 kroner."
Expenditures: 50% of the membership fee for the Red Cross headquarters is 439 kroner, the expenses of the Charitable Professional Branch are 4,000 kroner, the expenses of the Hungarian Women's Charity Association are 1,200 kroner, the Serbian Women's Charitable Association is 1,200 kroner, the Jewish Women's Charitable Association is 600 kroner, aid for education is 600 kroner , the sum with which the servant of the company was paid 300 kroner, printed material 100 kroner, postal costs 10 kroner, emergency aid 1000 kroner, miscellaneous expenses 91 kroner, total: 9600 kroner."
At the end of the meeting, the president proposed that the following members, who permanently moved from the municipality, Dr. Baron Čavoši Ignac and his wife Baroness Čavoši, and Mrs. Brajtkopf Kalmana, Sivčev Partenije (deceased), Dr. Klotzel Fernc and Šiler Henrik, should be excluded from the board. since his work takes place within much narrower frameworks, and that new members are not elected in their place, which was unanimously accepted.
19 The most important events of 1918 in chronological order:
- On January 8, Woodrow Wilson's 14-point offer
- On May 8, the Treaty of Bucharest between Romania and the Axis Powers, which never took effect
- On November 3, the monarchy makes peace with Italy
- On December 1st, the proclamation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
20 Before Dragutin Ristić entered our city with his units, on November 5, 1918, the Serbian National Council was elected in the building of the former Municipality, which was located on the site of the current building of the National University. Giga Jovanović was elected President of the Council.
21 In order to better understand the value of the krone-filer, I would like to draw the attention of the esteemed reader to the fact that: in 1914, 1 krone corresponded to the value of 0.3280 grams of gold. The monthly salary of a worker was between 100-130 kroner, the salary of a senior teacher was approximately 200 kroner. The price of 1 kg of flour was 43 fillers, a kilogram of bread was 30 fillers, 1 kg of beef was 40 fillers, and a liter of milk was between 20 and 28 fillers.
Important events of 1919 in chronological order:
- On January 18, peace negotiations began in Paris
- On January 25, the offer to establish the League of Nations was accepted
- On June 28, the peace treaty was signed in Versailles between the Allies and Germany
- On June 8, Germany accepts the peace treaty
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