Img. ID: 284303

Name of Monument:

Monument to the Jewish Victims of Fascism and Fallen Fighters / Spomenik žrtvama fašizma

Who is Commemorated?

Jewish victims of Fascism and fallen fighters from the People’s Republic of Serbia.

Description

 The monument is located at the end of the central path of the Sephardic Jewish Cemetery. The rough asphalt path connects with a slightly wider paved platform that raises the level about 10 cms. After a few meters, walls rise on both sides of the platform. These walls are built of a variety of stone types cut in different sized rectangular shapes. The walls spill over the edge of the platform and so are literally grounded in the earth beyond the monument. They begin at a height of about 1.5 meters and get lower as they slope away and downward toward the central part of the monument.

The pavement descends first by one step, and then by four stairs. The pavement in front of and between the walls is made of rectangular limestone slabs of different sizes. Some of these are reused gravestones, and Hebrew inscriptions are visible on a few reused matzevah fragments. A narrow foundation course projects from the inner face at the base of each wall. The tops of the walls are defined by narrower blocks to create a capping course.

Multiple inscribed memorial plaques are affixed to the inner faces of the two walls (see photos) near the entrance of the memorial, where the stairs descend. These rectangular plaques in polished black granite and smooth white limestone commemorate individuals or families and are not part of the original monument design. There are thirteen plaques on the left side and seven on the right side.

The path leads to two 10-meter high walls, shaped somewhat like wings, that slope inward to narrow the path through. High on the wall to the left is affixed a metal (iron?) Magen David. On the right hand wall are affixed iron Hebrew letters ''ת.נ.צ.ב.״ה'' , abbreviating a Biblical passage from (1 Samuel 25:29). At the base of meeting point of the two stone walls are two engraved black stone panels, one in Hebrew and the other in Serbian. The Serbian inscription is flanked by an engraved five-point Yugoslav star. Beyond this opening, on axis, is a metal menorah set upon a stone pedestal.

On the rear of the "wing" walls are more metal symbols. Turning to face the walls, one sees affixed on the left a metal relief sculpture of two hands raised in the priestly blessing. Bent sheet metal is used to create the outline of the hands and fingers. Across the narrow opening, on the right-hand wall, is affixed a metal relief sculpture of three interlocked shapes that represent a water pitcher, representing the Levites.

Past the high "wing" walls, the path drops again. The side walls continue and enclose a rectangular space, at one end of which are the "wing" walls and narrow opening, and at the other end is the metal menorah. Facing the menorah, mounted on the wall in the corner on the left is a plaque with Serbian text about the construction of the memorial. Below is the grave of the monument's architect, Bogdan Bogdanović, interred here in 2010. Until 2017, when his wife Kesenija was also buried here, the marker had appeared with Bogdanović's name inscribed with his distinctive signature, but in 2018 a new grave marker was added in a more conventional style.

Further along, in the far corner, is a low enclosed area topped with an inscribed stone plaque lying flat. This is a grave with the remains of 197 Jewish victims gathered and buried at the cemetery.

Inscriptions

On front 10m tall walls, on the right side, in Hebrew:

ת.נ.צ.ב.״ה

Translation: "The soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life"

At base of meeting point of the two stone walls, in Serbo-Croatian reads:

ЈEBPЈCКИМ
ЖРТВАМА ФАШИЗМА
И ПАΛИМ БОРЦИМА
ИЗ HAPOΔHE PEПУБΛИКE
1941 -1945

Translation: To the Jewish Victims of Fascism and Fallen Fighters in the People’s Republic of Serbia, 1941- 1945.

In Hebrew:

ליהודים קרבנות הפשיזם
ולוחמים שנפלו
ברפובליקה העממית סרביה 
התש''א - התש''ה

Translation: To the Jewish Victims of Fascism and Fallen Fighters in the People’s Republic of Serbia, 5701-5705 [=1941- 1945].

Rear side of the left-hand wall, in Serbo-Croatian reads:

OBAJ CПOMEИК ПOДИГЛА JE
JEBPEJCКA OПШTИHA
У БEOГPAДУ 1952 ГОДИHE
УЗ ПОМОК ВЛАДЕ H.P. CPБИJE
И CABEЗA JEBPEJCКИХ ОПШТИНА Ф.H.P.J.
TE ПPИЛOЗИМА CBOJИХ
ЧЛАHOBA И ПPИJATEЉА

Translation: This monument was raised by the Jewish Community of Belgrade in 1952 with the help of the government of the People’s Republic of Serbia and the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia and through the contributions of its members and friends.

On a white stone panel laid on the mass grave, in Serbo-Croatian reads:

ОВДЕ СУ САХРАЊЕНЕ КОСТИ 197
ЈЕВРЕЈСКИХ ЖРТАВА ФАШИЗМА

КОЈЕ СУ НАЂЕНЕ И САКУПЉЕНЕ
НА ОВОМ ГРОБЉУ ОНЕ СУ СИМБОЛ
ЗА СВЕ НАШЕ ЖРТВЕ СА
ПОДРУЧИЈА АРОДНЕ РЕПУБЛИКЕ
СРБИЈЕ ЊИХ ПРЕКО-ТРИДЕСЕТ
ХИЉАДА КОЈЕ СУ САХРАЊЕНЕ
У МАСОВНИМ ГРОБНИЦАМА
ПА СУ ИМ ГРОБОВИ НЕЗНАНИ

Translation: Here are buried the bones of 197 Jewish victims of fascism that were found and gathered at this cemetery, they are a symbol of all our victims in the area of the People’s Republic of Serbia, where there are over thirty thousand who were buried in mass graves and whose locations remain unknown.

Commissioned by

The  Jewish Community of Belgrade
Government of the People’s Republic of Serbia
Federation of Jewish Communities of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia