Šidski Banovci
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Banovci (, sr-Cyrl, Бановци / Шидски Бановци, ), also known as Šidski Banovci, is a village located in the
Vukovar-Syrmia County Vukovar-Srijem County (), Vukovar-Sirmium County or Vukovar-Syrmia County, named after the eponymous town of Vukovar and the region of Syrmia, is the easternmost Croatian Counties of Croatia, county. It includes the eastern parts of the region of ...
of
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
, near the
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
n border. The village had a population of 256 as of the 2021 census. Originally settled in the 1730s as the new village of Vinkovački Banovci, it is today part of the
Nijemci Nijemci (, ) is a Settlement (Croatia), village and a municipality in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in Croatia. In the 2011 Croatian census, 2011 census, there were 4,705 inhabitants in the municipality, 87.78% of which were Croats. The second larg ...
Municipality. The village of Banovci has undergone several name changes over the past, reflecting the shifting political landscapes of the region. Historically referred to as "Small Switzerland," Banovci has a rich cultural and historical legacy, influenced by its
Danube Swabians The Danube Swabians ( ) is a collective term for the ethnic German-speaking population who lived in the Kingdom of Hungary in east-central Europe, especially in the Danube River valley, first in the 12th century, and in greater numbers in the 17 ...
Protestant settlers. Today, the village is primarily inhabited by a Serb community and is known for the local
Serbian Orthodox The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches. The majority of the populat ...
Church of the Holy Venerable Mother Parascheva, and its local football club, NK Borac, established in 1940. The village is connected with the rest of the country by the D46 state road connecting it with the town of
Vinkovci Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city settlement's population was 28,111 in the 2021 census, while the total population was 30,842, making it the largest town of the county. It is a local tr ...
and continuing into
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
as the State Road 120 to the nearest town of
Šid Šid ( sr-cyr, Шид, ; ) is a town and municipality located in the Srem District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It has a population of 12,628, while the municipality has 27,894 inhabitants (2022 census). A border crossing betw ...
and by the
Zagreb–Belgrade railway The Zagreb–Belgrade railway () was the Yugoslav Railways′ long railway line connecting the cities of Zagreb and Belgrade in SR Croatia and SR Serbia, at the time of the SFR Yugoslavia. It was the route of the Orient Express service from ...
and the
Šidski Banovci railway station Šidski Banovci railway station (, sr-cyr, Железничко стајалиште Шидски Бановци) is a railway station on Novska–Tovarnik railway in Croatia. The station is operated by Croatian Railways, the state-owned rail ...
.


Name

The village of Banovci has undergone several name alterations over the years. Prior to 1900, it was known as "Novi Banovci" (New Banovci), and from 1910 to 1991, it was called "Šidski Banovci". In 1991, at the early stages of the
Croatian War of Independence The Croatian War of Independence) and (rarely) "War in Krajina" ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Рат у Крајини, Rat u Krajini) are used. was an armed conflict fought in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 between Croats, Croat forces loyal to the Governmen ...
, the first word was formally removed from the name, but due to village's association with the self-proclaimed
SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia The Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srpska autonomna oblast Istočna Slavonija, Baranja i Zapadni Srem, Српска аутономна област Источна Славонија, ...
, the old name continued to be officially used in administration until 1998, marking the end of the
UNTAES The United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) was a UN peacebuilding transitional administration in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia, in the eastern parts of Croatia (m ...
transitional administration over the
region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
. Many local residents still use the old name to this day. A notable error occurred in the National Law on 1997 Croatian local elections when the name "Šidski Banovci" was mistakenly retained instead of using "Banovci". The term "Šidski" is a possessive adjective derived from the nearby town of
Šid Šid ( sr-cyr, Шид, ; ) is a town and municipality located in the Srem District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It has a population of 12,628, while the municipality has 27,894 inhabitants (2022 census). A border crossing betw ...
, situated 12 kilometers away in neighboring
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
. Adjacent to Banovci is another village with a similar name, known as Vinkovački Banovci by the town of
Vinkovci Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city settlement's population was 28,111 in the 2021 census, while the total population was 30,842, making it the largest town of the county. It is a local tr ...
. Interestingly, the
Croatian Railways Croatian Railways (, HŽ) was the national railway company of Croatia. It was a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Croatia is 78. The Croatian rail network carried 24.230 million passengers in 2023. Hi ...
, the national railway company, still refers to the local railway station as "
Šidski Banovci railway station Šidski Banovci railway station (, sr-cyr, Железничко стајалиште Шидски Бановци) is a railway station on Novska–Tovarnik railway in Croatia. The station is operated by Croatian Railways, the state-owned rail ...
." This old name was also used in a 2005 investigative report by
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
. Furthermore, the 2017 Report on County Roads, published by Vukovar-Syrmia County in March 2018, still included the previous name "Šidski Banovci" on the map and in the textual analysis. The name of the village, whether referred to in Croatian or
Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...
, is plural in form.


History


Habsburg Monarchy

The present-day village of Banovci was established in the 1730s under the name "New Banovci," situated adjacent to the older village known as modern-day Vinkovački Banovci, which was already mentioned in historical records as far back as the 15th century. In 1473, the village was referred to as "Zavrakinci," and it was located on a small uplift of the
Vukovar Plateau Vukovar Plateau (, sr-Cyrl-Latn, Вуковарски равњак, separator=" / ", Vukovarski ravnjak) is a low loess plateau in eastern Croatia in the region of Syrmia named after the town of Vukovar. The eponymous town of Vukovar originally de ...
just northwest of the current village, where local vineyards are found up until today. The initial influx of
Serb The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history, and language. They primarily live in Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia ...
settlers to Banovci occurred during the reign of
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (; ; 1 October 1685 – 20 October 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death, succeeding his elder brother, Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor, Joseph I. He unsuccessfully War of ...
in what is known as the
Great Migrations of the Serbs The Great Migrations of the Serbs (), also known as the Great Exoduses of the Serbs, were two migrations of Serbs from various territories under the rule of the Ottoman Empire to the Kingdom of Hungary under the Habsburg monarchy. The First ...
. These settlers originated from what is now known as
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
and the region around
Peć Peja or Peć, ), is the fifth most populous city in Kosovo and serves as the seat of the Peja Municipality and the District of Peja. It is located in the Rugova (region), Rugova region on the eastern section of the Accursed Mountains along the ...
in
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
. The year 1745 saw the establishment of the
Slavonian Military Frontier The Slavonian Military Frontier ( or ; ; ; ) was a district of the Military Frontier, a territory in the Habsburg monarchy, first during the period of the Austrian Empire and then during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. It was formed out of te ...
in the region, marking an important historical development in the area's governance and defense in the
Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...
.


Austria-Hungary

In 1859, the first
Danube Swabians The Danube Swabians ( ) is a collective term for the ethnic German-speaking population who lived in the Kingdom of Hungary in east-central Europe, especially in the Danube River valley, first in the 12th century, and in greater numbers in the 17 ...
settled in Banovci. These
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
German settlers sought the assistance of the local Serbian Orthodox priest named Uroš during their initial years in the new region. Priest Uroš believed that the arrival of the German settlers could help bring about reforms, particularly in agricultural practices. However, due to predetermined areas for German Catholic colonists in the northern part of the historical region of
Syrmia Syrmia (Ekavian sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srem, Срем, separator=" / " or Ijekavian sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srijem, Сријем, label=none, separator=" / ") is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is div ...
, and the difficulty of settlement in most of the Slavonian Military Frontier, the German Protestants had to establish themselves in the bordering region between these two jurisdictions, with Banovci being one of the few places where this was possible. At the time of the German settlers' arrival, the local Serbian population exercised its local autonomy through the election of a mayor who held the honorary title of the village prince. Nevertheless, the true spiritual and secular power was in the hands of the Orthodox priest. An interesting incident occurred when the first German colonist family, the ''Grumbachs'', offered sausages made from a German recipe to their neighbors. The local young men, impressed by the quality of the sausages, started coming to the ''Grumbachs household, demanding to be given the sausages. However, this led to some disruptive behavior. Upon learning of the situation, the German colonists sought the assistance of priest Uroš, who confronted the young men and prohibited them from repeating such actions. As compensation, he asked each of the young men to provide one pig to the Grumbachs' household. As the Evangelical Reformed Church in Šidski Banovci was not built at the time, the German Protestant settlers approached priest Uroš with a request to hold a Christmas liturgy for them under the Eastern Orthodox liturgical rite. However, he declined the request, citing its contradiction with Orthodox canonical rules. Instead, he suggested that they organize their own Christmas celebration at the Church of the Holy Venerable Mother Parascheva in the village, which he attended, though he did not lead the prayer.


Kingdom of Yugoslavia

During the period of the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
, Banovci were included in the administrative region of Šid
Srez The ''srez'' ( sr-cyr, срез; / срезови) was a second-level administrative unit in the Principality of Serbia, Kingdom of Serbia and Yugoslavia. It was a district that included several town- or village municipalities. It was introduce ...
. Initially, they were part of the
Syrmia County Syrmia County (, , , ) was a historic administrative subdivision ('' županija'') of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. Croatia-Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen ( Transleithania), the Hungarian par ...
before Yugoslavia was officially established and up to 1922. Subsequently, they became part of the Syrmia Oblast from 1922 to 1929. Afterward, during the years 1929 to 1939, they were incorporated into the
Danube Banovina Danube Banovina or Danube Banate ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Dunavska banovina, Дунавска бановина), was a banovina (or province) of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of the geographical ...
. Finally, from 1939 to 1941, Banovci fell under the jurisdiction of the
Banovina of Croatia The Banovina of Croatia or Banate of Croatia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=, Banovina Hrvatska, Бановина Хрватска) was an administrative subdivision ( banovina) of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1939 and 1941. It was formed by a m ...
.


World War II

During
World War II in Yugoslavia World War II in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia began on 6 April 1941, when the country was Invasion of Yugoslavia, invaded and swiftly conquered by Axis powers, Axis forces and partitioned among Nazi Germany, Germany, Fascist Italy (1922–1943), It ...
, Banovci became a settlement for survivors of the Ivanci massacre. On 15 June 1943, the German Volke Group in the Independent State of Croatia reported a decline in morale due to the activities of the Yugoslav Partisans. As a result, Friedrich Hoffman assumed leadership of their local group in Šidski Banovci, taking over from Karl Lahm. In July 1943, Nazi forces destroyed agricultural machinery, including threshers, across several villages, including Banovci. Banovci itself became a significant center for the
Yugoslav Partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian language, Macedonian, and Slovene language, Slovene: , officially the National Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska i partizanski odr ...
in Syrmia, focusing primarily on sabotaging Nazi and quisling transportation along the
Zagreb–Belgrade railway The Zagreb–Belgrade railway () was the Yugoslav Railways′ long railway line connecting the cities of Zagreb and Belgrade in SR Croatia and SR Serbia, at the time of the SFR Yugoslavia. It was the route of the Orient Express service from ...
. Notably, on 8 October 1943, the Sabotage Group of the Second Syrmia NOP detachment mined the Zagreb–Belgrade railway, resulting in the destruction of a locomotive and six freight wagons. In retaliation, the Ustasha police hanged 20 hostages from Šid the following day as an act of revenge for the sabotage. Subsequent sabotage of the railway occurred on 19 October 1943, when a locomotive and four wagons of a German express train were destroyed. A third successful sabotage took place on 2 December 1943, targeting a German military freight train carrying war material, which was mined and destroyed along with the locomotive and eight wagons.
Slobodan Bajić Paja Slobodan Bajić Paja (1916–1943)
) was a Yugoslav Partisan and recipient of the Pe ...
, who became a
People's Hero of Yugoslavia The Order of the People's Hero or the Order of the National Hero ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Orden narodnog heroja, Oрден народног хероја; , ), was a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav gallantry medal, the ...
for his bravery and heroism during the war, hailed from Šidski Banovci.


Post-War establishment of the border between Yugoslav Republics of Serbia and Croatia

Some minor border demarcation issues between the
Autonomous Province of Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to ...
, a part of the
Socialist Republic of Serbia The Socialist Republic of Serbia ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / ", Социјалистичка Република Србија, Socijalistička Republika Srbija), previously known as the People's Republic of Serbia ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / " ...
, and
Socialist Republic of Croatia The Socialist Republic of Croatia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Hrvatska, Социјалистичка Република Хрватска), commonly abbreviated as SR Croatia and referred to as simply Croatia, was a ...
(both part of the
FPR Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
) were left unresolved by the
Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia The Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia,; ; commonly abbreviated as the AVNOJ, was a deliberative and legislative body that was established in Bihać, Yugoslavia, in November 1942. It was established by Josip Broz T ...
by the 24 February 1945 and the end of the war. In order to settle the matter, in June 1945 the federal authorities set up a five-member commission presided over by
Milovan Đilas Milovan Djilas (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Милован Ђилас, Milovan Đilas, ; 12 June 1911 – 20 April 1995) was a Yugoslav communist politician, theorist and author. He was a key figure in the Partisan movement during World War II, as well ...
. District of Šid was identified as one of the points of territorial dispute. Commission concluded that District of Šid, including the village of Banovci at the time, shall become a part of the
Autonomous Province of Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to ...
. Commission's demarcation was nevertheless subsequently altered changed in several instances including in the case of District of Šid where villages
Tovarnik Tovarnik (, , , ) is a municipality in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in Croatia next to the border with Serbia with the town of Šid and the village of Ilinci on the other side of the border. According to the 2001 Croatian census, 2001 census, there ...
,
Ilača Ilača () is a Settlement (Croatia), village in eastern Croatia, southeast of Vinkovci. The village is connected with the rest of the country by the D46 (Croatia), D46 state road connecting it with the town of Vinkovci and continuing into Serbia ...
and Banovci were ultimately transferred to the
Socialist Republic of Croatia The Socialist Republic of Croatia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Hrvatska, Социјалистичка Република Хрватска), commonly abbreviated as SR Croatia and referred to as simply Croatia, was a ...
. Both Ilača and Tovarnik were larger, ethnically Croat villages, while Banovci as a smaller Serb village which until recently had German majority was transferred to Croatia in order to ensure territorial contiguity. Yugoslav Communist authorities claimed that local
self-determination Self-determination refers to a people's right to form its own political entity, and internal self-determination is the right to representative government with full suffrage. Self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international la ...
referendums A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a direct vote by the electorate (rather than their representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either binding (resulting in the adoption of a new policy) or advis ...
took place on which population decided to become join Croatian federal unit. In 2015 article in right wing conservative Nova srpska politička misao quarterly magazine, Igor Marković claimed that there is no any evidence that any such local referendum ever took place in Banovci and other villages and argued that based on that Serbia shall request return of those settlements or on reciprocal right of self-determination for Serb settlements in Eastern Slavonia. Territory of the District of Šid was changed a couple of times in the mid 1940s including changes within the Province of Vojvodina with most of them having minimal daily consequences during the existence of Yugoslav state.


Socialist Republic of Croatia


Croatian War of Independence and United Nations Mission

On 7 January 1991 Serb National Council of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia was established in Banovci subsequently leading to the establishment of the self-proclaimed
SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia The Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srpska autonomna oblast Istočna Slavonija, Baranja i Zapadni Srem, Српска аутономна област Источна Славонија, ...
in the same year. During the War Banovci were part of the self-proclaimed entity. Between 1995 and 1998 Banovci were part of the temporary United Nations governed protectorate aimed at its peaceful reintegration under the rule of the Republic of Croatia. Within the unrecognized Republic of Serbian Krajina Banovci was a de facto part of parallel Mirkovci Municipality which was established on the part of pre-War Yugoslav
Vinkovci Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city settlement's population was 28,111 in the 2021 census, while the total population was 30,842, making it the largest town of the county. It is a local tr ...
Municipality under the rebel control.


Post-1998 History

In 1998 in addition to ''de jure'' Banovci became ''de facto'' part of Nijemci Municipality and
Vukovar-Syrmia County Vukovar-Srijem County (), Vukovar-Sirmium County or Vukovar-Syrmia County, named after the eponymous town of Vukovar and the region of Syrmia, is the easternmost Croatian Counties of Croatia, county. It includes the eastern parts of the region of ...
. Banovci is a settlement within the Areas of Special State Concern belonging to the first among the three groups. In 1998 in addition to ''de jure'' Banovci became ''de facto'' part of Nijemci Municipality and
Vukovar-Syrmia County Vukovar-Srijem County (), Vukovar-Sirmium County or Vukovar-Syrmia County, named after the eponymous town of Vukovar and the region of Syrmia, is the easternmost Croatian Counties of Croatia, county. It includes the eastern parts of the region of ...
. Banovci is a settlement within the Areas of Special State Concern belonging to the first among the three groups. In 2005 village was shortly in the spotlight of international media when
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
discovered it to be a location of hiding of Slobodan Davidović, a former member of
Scorpions Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
paramilitary accused and subsequently convicted on 15 years in prison for
war crimes A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or intentionally killing prisoners of war, torture, taking hos ...
related to
Srebrenica genocide The Srebrenica massacre, also known as the Srebrenica genocide, was the July 1995 genocidal killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys in and around the town of Srebrenica during the Bosnian War. It was mainly perpetrated by units ...
in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. While Serbian police described him as being in hiding The New York Times discovered that he "''has been here on and off since the end of war, staying with his elderly mother and brother in a small house off the village high street''". In 2012 non-governmental organization "Ivanci" was established in the village aimed at reconstruction of the monument in the memorial area, collection of materials for the publication of a monograph and organization of commemorations for victims of Ivanci massacre. In early 2019 villages of Tovarnik, Ilača and Banovci organized joint demonstrations against
truck driver A truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Australia and New Zealand; an HGV driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, a lorry driver, or driver in ...
s from countries other than
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
and
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
which are causing heavy
traffic congestion Traffic congestion is a condition in transport that is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. Traffic congestion on urban road networks has increased substantially since the 1950s, resulting in m ...
on the D46 road while waiting to cross the state border between Croatia and Serbia. Citizens requested redirection of all truck transportation, with the exception of Croatian and Serbian trucks traveling to one or the other state, to be removed from the D46 road and redirected to A3 motorway. Later in 2019 village celebrated 200 years of the local orthodox church and 800 years of
autocephaly Autocephaly (; ) is the status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. The term is primarily used in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. The status has been compared with t ...
of the
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...
.


Languages

Due to the fact that Serbs of Croatia constitute majority population in the village, the Nijemci Municipality allows the equal official use not only of Croatian language, but the
Serbian language Serbian (, ) is the standard language, standardized Variety (linguistics)#Standard varieties, variety of the Serbo-Croatian language mainly used by Serbs. It is the official and national language of Serbia, one of the three official languages of ...
and
Serbian Cyrillic The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet (, ), also known as the Serbian script, (, ), is a standardized variation of the Cyrillic script used to write the Serbian language. It originated in medieval Serbia and was significantly reformed in the 19th cen ...
alphabet as well.


Demographic

The village is home to over 400 inhabitants most of whom have declare themselves Orthodox Christians and
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
. Major source of income is agriculture or work in nearby towns of Vukovar, Vinkovci and Šid. Population is faced with high
unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is the proportion of people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work du ...
rates,
aging Ageing (or aging in American English) is the process of becoming Old age, older until death. The term refers mainly to humans, many other animals, and fungi; whereas for example, bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentiall ...
population and
emigration Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...
of young and educated individuals.


History of Germans in Banovci

Before World War II, Banovci was primarily inhabited by the
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
Danube Swabians The Danube Swabians ( ) is a collective term for the ethnic German-speaking population who lived in the Kingdom of Hungary in east-central Europe, especially in the Danube River valley, first in the 12th century, and in greater numbers in the 17 ...
, who had initially settled in the existing Serbian village in the 1740s. According to the 1910 census, Banovci had a total of 990 residents, with 668 of them being Germans. Over time, the German community had developed a strong social life and established various public institutions, with the local Evangelical Reformed Church in Šidski Banovci being the central one among them. Adjacent to the church was the school, which also served as the
town hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
, and a local savings bank was conveniently nearby. The village's residents valued and upheld traditional values, and they were known for their strong work ethic. However, towards the end of 1944, the German villagers of Banovci found themselves in a precarious situation and had to hastily evacuate the area due to the widespread retaliations for Nazi crimes. The new post-war government declared ethnic Germans in Yugoslavia as non-citizens and seized their property. By 1945, nearly 500,000 Germans were expelled, a process referred to as "transfer" in Article XIII of the
Potsdam Agreement The Potsdam Agreement () was the agreement among three of the Allies of World War II: the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union after the war ended in Europe that was signed on 1 August 1945 and published the following day. A ...
, from Yugoslavian territory. In the case of Banovci, the residents received some warning from the Nazi German Army about the impending necessity to leave their homes and evacuate the village. Consequently, on October 17, a caravan of 40 to 50 families, with the church bells ringing in the background, departed from the village, heading northwest over
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
, towards
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
and
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
.


Religion


Serbian Orthodoxy

The neoclassical St. Petka's Church was completed in 1819. The church and its parish are under jurisdiction of Eparchy of Srem which is based in Sremski Karlovci in neighbouring Serbia. The church is dedicated to Saint Parascheva of the Balkans.


Pentecostalism

First Pentecostal activities in Banovci started in 1920. For beginning of activities of this religious group is connected story about miracle cures of local girl Elizabeth Spies.


Calvinism


Evangelical Lutheranism


Culture

Every year on the Orthodox
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...
(January 6), residents in the churchyard have a bonfire for " Badnjak", the Serbian word for Christmas Eve. In this occasion locals take oak trees from the area and make a ritual fire. These nights the locals remember their old Slavic religion and symbolically confirm Christianity. In the rest of the year, villagers are organized around the celebration of New Year's, Women's Day, labor day, the occasion of the end of the school year, important religious holidays, etc. The football club, pensioners club, the Protestant community and the Women's Caucus, which also periodically organizes public events, are active participants.Banovci are one of the last places in Croatia that has retained its street names from the period of communist
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
. This was done at the express request of the villagers. For this reason, the name of the main street still bears the name of former Yugoslav President
Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 unti ...
, while other streets are named by prominent members of the anti-fascist movement during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


Education

The Elementary School Ilača-Banovci is a primary educational institution in the area of Ilača, Banovci, and Vinkovački Banovci. The school offers classes taught in both Croatian and Serbian languages. Formerly, the Banovci School served as the center of school administration until it was relocated to Ilača in 2002. In Banovci, classes are conducted in the Serbian version of the
Serbo-Croatian Serbo-Croatian ( / ), also known as Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS), is a South Slavic language and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. It is a pluricentric language with four mutually i ...
language. The school is centrally located within the Banovci and includes amenities such as a small gym, garden, and football field. Besides the standard Croatian school curriculum conducted in Serbian, students in Banovci are also required to take additional subjects, such as Serbian Language, History of Serbia, Geography of Serbia, and Arts and Music of Serbia and elective Orthodox Religion Education. Throughout the academic year, the school organizes several annual celebrations that engage the entire local community. These events include the commencement of the school year, Bread Day, Sports Day, St. Sava Day, and the end-of-year celebration.


Sport

NK Borac is a football club located in Banovci. Established in 1940 by a group of enthusiastic local football fans, the club's name "Borac" translates to "Fighter," paying homage to the local Partisan soldiers who fought during World War II. The club possesses and operates the local playground in Banovci. Over the years, NK Borac has consistently achieved commendable results in the 3 County League, consistently ranking among the top three clubs. Financial support for NK Borac primarily comes from donations contributed by the local community, the municipality, and various local businesses. Apart from their regular football activities, NK Borac Banovci has undertaken an initiative called the "Sport Day" in collaboration with local schools. Held annually in the spring, this event sees students being excused from their regular classes to participate in various sports competitions at the Borac field. These competitions encompass a wide range of sports, including football, racing, and traditional sports.


See also

* St. Petka's Church, Banovci * Evangelical Reformed Church in Šidski Banovci


Notable natives and residents

*
Slobodan Bajić Paja Slobodan Bajić Paja (1916–1943)
) was a Yugoslav Partisan and recipient of the Pe ...
* (President of the
Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (), abbreviated BBAW, is the official academic society for the natural sciences and humanities for the German states of Berlin and Brandenburg. Housed in three locations in and around Ber ...
2006-2015, Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities 2008-2015 and the
All European Academies All European Academies (ALLEA) is the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities. It was founded in 1994, and brings together more than 50 Academies of Sciences and Learned Societies from over 40 member countries of the Council of ...
since 2012) *
Milorad Kosanović Milorad Kosanović ( sr-Cyrl, Милорад Косановић, ; born 4 January 1951) is a Serbian former football player and manager. During his playing career, Kosanović represented Proleter Zrenjanin, Vojvodina, Kikinda and Novi Sad, comp ...


Notes


References


External links


Banovci, Nijemci Municipality Website

Local elementary school

Image of two female Yugoslav Partisans (Jelena Milošević and Rada Kovačević) in Banovci in December 1944
Museum of the Revolution of Yugoslav Peoples, exhibit number 14015 {{Villages of Vukovar-Syrmia County Populated places in Vukovar-Srijem County History of the Serbs of Croatia Populated places in Syrmia Serb communities in Croatia