Castles in Vojvodina

Pearls in a peril of devastation

Over 80 castles in Serbian Province of Vojvodina are still waiting to be saved. Such castles have full potential to become one of the most visited tourist places in Serbia, and yet they remain mute witnesses of passing magnificence, richness and history


By LJILJANA SAMARDŽIĆ
from Sombor, SERBIA


Many years ago, enough to forget how it all begun, castles were built by local aristocracy. Those beautiful buildings, with roofs and towers stretching out from the magnificent trees which surrounded them, supposed to represent success, power and wealth of merchants, landlords, bankers and industrials of that time. Some of them were so rich and had significant social influence that they gain title of nobility.

Right after the end of World War II, every possession of those wealth-to-do people was ruthlessly taken away. The main reason for this was "wrong" nationality, which is confirmed by many archived documents. It is clearly and shamelessly written that state brought decision to confiscate the property from anyone "for being German citizen or having German nationality". Their property had been used for settling the newcomers, for state departments even for placing cattle. Buildings, which are today recognized as cultural property of great importance, were constantly devastated and ruined. Owners have no right to get it back and the state either has no money or has no reasonable plan for preserving these buildings.

Fallen glory

A few hundred years ago, foreign people came down to Vojvodina swamps, sent by Habsburg Monarchy, to make proper living conditions and to develop this area. A struggle was hard as any other struggle for living. Nature was harsh, but will and competence of the newcomers prevailed. Bit by bit, instead of swamps, there were warm homes and towns, so the whole area got new significance. Among newcomers, Fernbach family was one of the most claimed and most successful.

Following the example of social recipe for wealth-to-do's life style, Fernbach family built magnificent buildings, castles which were meant for showing the passing glory and greatness. A story about castle near village Sonta still lives in narrations. There was great collection of trophies from Africa and even a zoo. In year 1925 it vanished due to floods, but remains stand still in present time.

Another Fernbach castle is about to have the same taste of disappearance. Although put under state's protection back in 1958, vandals and careless people are giving themselves a freedom to devastate and destroy any precious detail which left to speechlessly testify about cultural, national and family history. Trees and other plants in park around it originate from distant lands and therefore, represent horticultural heritage of great importance. In the inner part of the castle, signs of national hate can be recognized.

Places like this have full potential to become one of the most visited tourist places in Serbia, which could bring fine income. Silence and shrugging shoulders is all that can be expected for now. Thus, castles remain mute witnesses of passing magnificence, richness and history.

New beginning

Currently, Serbia is in a big fuss about denationalization or restitution of property lost and taken during and after World War II. Serbia still has no law but a draft which could bring the solution and negotiations are still in the process. It is assumed that if government does so, there will be not much left of state property. Many find that Germans, who used to live in Vojvodina (so called Danube Schwabians), have no right to restitution since this matter had been solved through war damage contract. Yet, Mr. Anton Beck from Humanitarian Association of Germans in Sombor firmly discarded such claims.

While politicians are discussing the matter, over 80 castles are waiting in Vojvodina to be saved. They represent pearls which are about to lose their glow due to neglecting, intense and deliberate destruction as well as lack of desire and motivation to, at least, turn them into tourist cultural places as in most of developed countries.



(Published: 12.07.2010.)