Klek (Zrenjanin)
Encyclopedia
Klek is a village located in the Zrenjanin
municipality, central Banat
District, Vojvodina
, Serbia
. The village has a Serb ethnic majority, and its population is 2,959 (2002 census).
"The Old Village of Klek" was founded in 1766 by German Donauschwaben, or Banatschwaben, by an ethnic German population that settled the Danube River valley after the Ottoman Empire
was defeated. The people from the colonies gathered in the city of Ulm
and other areas on the Danube. From there, they were brought, via the Danube, to the Banat.
"The Old Village of Klek" was founded on a swampy marsh formed by the Temesch and Bega River, in the Banat Region. The first settlers were from the cities of Sharpeville, Saint Hubert, and Solute. They transformed a useless swampland into a land that produced many useful crops. The farmers produced crops such as corn
, sugar beet
, hemp
, tobacco
, sunflower
, poppy
, as well as various other fruits and vegetables. The Old Village, however, became unpopulated due to repeated flooding, so the present-day location of Klek was founded in 1818.
Descendants of the original settlers lived in Klek for more than 150 years before being forced from their homes and placed into concentration camps at the end of World War II
. Genocide
, flight, and expulsion led to a near complete disappearance of The Germans from West Banat. This formerly strong German minority has now become quite small, many of which have returned to Germany.
that dominated Southeastern Europe were forced back after their defeat at the Battle of Vienna
, which took place on September 12th, 1683.
1716: Prince Eugene of Savoy
earned a decisive victory for Austrian forces in the war between Austria and the Ottoman Empire when he defeated the Turks at the Battle of Petrovaradin
, which is now part of Novi Sad
, Serbia.
1717: After the expulsion of the Turks by Prince Eugene the Banat became part of the Austrian monarchy, and the walls around the town of nearby Gross-Betschkerek (now Zrenjanin
), constructed during the Great Turkish War
, were torn down.
1718: In the Treaty of Passarowitz
, the Ottoman Empire lost the Banat to Austria
.
1718 - 1723: Construction of the Bega canal began. The Bega Canal was the first navigational canal, established between the towns of Temeschwar and Klek. Digging of the canal, namely the construction of the artificial riverbed of the Bega River started in 1718. The works started in the southeast of Temeschwar, which is the Romanian town today, and went all the way to Klek, in the length of about 70 km (about 37 kn in Romania). The digging lasted for five years.
1738 - 1740: A typhus
epidemic broke out. In Banat alone, more than 3,000 people died.
1745 - 1867: Klek became subject to Austrian Habsburg rule, also known as The Habsburg Monarchy
.
1751: Empress Maria Theresa of Austria
encouraged resettlement by colonizing the region with large numbers of German settlers who were seeking better living conditions. Many of these settlers arrived from Swabia
. Klek was first settled by a group of immigrants from the cities of Sharpeville, Saint Hubert, and Solute. Typically, the settlers arrived in groups originating from the same area. So their lifestyles, customs, as well as their language were preserved.
1766: "The Old Village of Klek" was founded. The agricultural town originally stood on a different spot near the River Bega. This location was later referred to as "The Old Village of Klek." It was decided to move the village due to repeated flooding, caused by the River Bega.
1806: Larger boats (that could carry significantly more cargo) were now able to travel the Bega River and Theis River.
1818: Klek was founded, with a total of 168 houses.
1820: Principal crops such as wheat and corn were ground with the aid of a windmill
.
1822: The first school
was built in Klek. It also served as a place or worship.
1831: An epidemic of asiatic influenza and cholera
broke out, killing at least 82 residents of Klek.
1837 - 1838: Several powerful earthquakes occurred on December 23rd, 1837 and again on January 23rd, 1838, causing several houses to collapse.
1848: A Roman Catholic Church
was built and was consecrated on July 2nd, 1848. This marked the occasion for Church Fest and later, Kirweih, which was celebrated on this day until 1944.
1848: During the European Revolutions of 1848, the Banat was occupied by Serbian troops; then by Hungarian troops in 1849.
1849: A swarm of locusts destroyed nearly 75% of all the crops in Klek.
1851: Julius Weitersheim, the first priest
, came to Klek. Until 1851, Klek was a filial of Lazarfeld.
1867: Franz Joseph I of Austria
also became King of Hungary
. It was decided that the Germans were now to be integrated with the Hungarians, and that the Hungarian language was to be taught in German schools.
1867 - 1918: Klek became subject to rule by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
1880: Horse-drawn mills become fairly common, later to be replaced by steam-driven mills.
1888: A new school was built, employing three teachers.
1890: A brickyard, a place where bricks were made and sold, was built in Klek.
1898: Approximately 62 kilometers of railway tracks were laid from Gross Betschkerek to Klek, to Hatzfeld
. Passenger trains, as well as freight trains, made transportation much easier and enhanced the economy of Klek.
1900: The first threshing machine
came to Klek. It was to be used for separating seeds and grain from their husks or straw.
1906: The first mower
and hay baler came to Klek. The mower was used to cut the plants that were harvested, and the baler was used to compress those crops into bales, and to bind the bales with twine. The village farmers no longer had to use scythes or sickles to bring the crops in, working from dawn until dusk.
1910: The River Bega was widened and deepened to accommodate larger vessels. A lock was also built near Klek, on the River Bega. In fact, Klek became a center of rail, water, and road-based traffic. Neighboring towns began to bring their crops to Klek to be loaded on freighters and sent to other destinations.
1910: A hail
storm destroyed 100% of the village's crops, causing a food shortage.
1911: A sugar
factory was built in nearby Gross-Betschkerek. This was advantageous for Klek farmers who happened to grow sugar beets.
1911: A Kindergarten
program was established in Klek. Children started at the age of 4. At age 6 they began First Grade
.
1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated on June 28, 1914 by Gavrilo Princip
, a Bosnian Serb living in Austria-Hungary.
1914 - 1918: World War I
, also known as the First World War
1917 - 1918: Klek, located in the Banat was flood plain, was greatly affected by devastating flooding.
1918 - 1941: Klek became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (this would become Kingdom of Yugoslavia
after 1929).
1920: For most of the period from 1779 to 1920, the Banat was attached to Hungary. After World War I, the Allies divided it via the Treaty of Trianon
(which was signed on June 4th, 1920). Hungary retained the district of Szeged
, Romania
acquired a large eastern section, and the remainder, largely part of the province of Vojvodina in present-day Serbia, went to Yugoslavia
.
1920: A club, or kulturbund, intended to preserve the culture of the ethnic Germans in Klek, was established. The club was created to retain various customs, dances, and songs. However, in 1925, the governing Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes forbade such activities.
1930: A farmer's cooperative
was built, complete with offices, meeting rooms, storage facilities, and employee housing. Various types of grain were sold at the co-op and bulk purchases were made at reduced costs.
1930: An ensemble of singers, or choir was organized, as was a voluntary fire department and music club.
1937 - 1945: World War II
joined what had initially been separate conflicts. The first began in Asia in 1937 as the Second Sino-Japanese War
, whereas the other began in Europe in 1939 with the German Invasion of Poland. This global conflict split the majority of the world's nations into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II
and the Axis Powers
.
1941: Bombs fell on Belgrade
, on Palm Sunday
, April 6th, 1941. Germany’s army attacked and all Germans became the object of hatred of the Serbian people. On that day, the Yugoslav police
marched through Klek, taking hostages with bayonets at the ready.
1941: On Easter Monday
, April 14, German troops passed through the town of Klek on their way to Gross-Betschgerek. Fortunately, the hostages were returned, unharmed.
1943 - 1945: Yugoslavia declared fresh independence as Democratic Federal Yugoslavia.
1943: Himmler established mandatory military service for ethnic Germans living in Yugoslavia and the Balkan countries. The SS Division Prinz Eugen
was organized; primarily made up of ethnic Germans from the Banat (many of whom had been former officers in the Yugoslav Army
). Note: enlistment in the Prinz Eugen Nazi SS Division was compulsory, and resistance was punishable by death. At the age of 20, all men were drafted into the armed services, regardless of the fact that the vast majority of Catholic Germans in the Banat left Germany more than 100 years prior, and were opposed nationalist ideals.
1944: The German military completed construction of an aircraft landing strip approximately sixteen kilometers from Klek. Not long afterward, residents of Klek received word that the Germans and Russians
were fighting in Romania, which was not far from the village. The front was steadily growing closer, and the soldiers who had escaped, warned the villagers to leave immediately. Fortunately, many of the residents were able to flee, never to return again.
1945–present: Klek has remained within Vojvodina
which is a part of Serbia. Serbia had been a federal republic until 2006 after which it became independent.
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
municipality, central Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
District, Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. The village has a Serb ethnic majority, and its population is 2,959 (2002 census).
"The Old Village of Klek" was founded in 1766 by German Donauschwaben, or Banatschwaben, by an ethnic German population that settled the Danube River valley after the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
was defeated. The people from the colonies gathered in the city of Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
and other areas on the Danube. From there, they were brought, via the Danube, to the Banat.
"The Old Village of Klek" was founded on a swampy marsh formed by the Temesch and Bega River, in the Banat Region. The first settlers were from the cities of Sharpeville, Saint Hubert, and Solute. They transformed a useless swampland into a land that produced many useful crops. The farmers produced crops such as corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
, hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, sunflower
Sunflower
Sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads...
, poppy
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
, as well as various other fruits and vegetables. The Old Village, however, became unpopulated due to repeated flooding, so the present-day location of Klek was founded in 1818.
Descendants of the original settlers lived in Klek for more than 150 years before being forced from their homes and placed into concentration camps at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
, flight, and expulsion led to a near complete disappearance of The Germans from West Banat. This formerly strong German minority has now become quite small, many of which have returned to Germany.
A Brief Timeline
1683: The Ottoman TurksOttoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
that dominated Southeastern Europe were forced back after their defeat at the Battle of Vienna
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
, which took place on September 12th, 1683.
1716: Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
earned a decisive victory for Austrian forces in the war between Austria and the Ottoman Empire when he defeated the Turks at the Battle of Petrovaradin
Battle of Petrovaradin
The Battle of Petrovaradin or Battle of Peterwardein was a decisive victory for Austrian forces in the war between Austria and the Ottoman Empire , at Petrovaradin, now part of Novi Sad, Vojvodina, in Serbia.-History:...
, which is now part of Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
, Serbia.
1717: After the expulsion of the Turks by Prince Eugene the Banat became part of the Austrian monarchy, and the walls around the town of nearby Gross-Betschkerek (now Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin
Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
), constructed during the Great Turkish War
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
, were torn down.
1718: In the Treaty of Passarowitz
Treaty of Passarowitz
The Treaty of Passarowitz or Treaty of Požarevac was the peace treaty signed in Požarevac , a town in Ottoman Empire , on 21 July 1718 between the Ottoman Empire on one side and the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Republic of Venice on the other.During the years 1714-1718, the Ottomans had...
, the Ottoman Empire lost the Banat to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
1718 - 1723: Construction of the Bega canal began. The Bega Canal was the first navigational canal, established between the towns of Temeschwar and Klek. Digging of the canal, namely the construction of the artificial riverbed of the Bega River started in 1718. The works started in the southeast of Temeschwar, which is the Romanian town today, and went all the way to Klek, in the length of about 70 km (about 37 kn in Romania). The digging lasted for five years.
1738 - 1740: A typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
epidemic broke out. In Banat alone, more than 3,000 people died.
1745 - 1867: Klek became subject to Austrian Habsburg rule, also known as The Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
.
1751: Empress Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
encouraged resettlement by colonizing the region with large numbers of German settlers who were seeking better living conditions. Many of these settlers arrived from Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
. Klek was first settled by a group of immigrants from the cities of Sharpeville, Saint Hubert, and Solute. Typically, the settlers arrived in groups originating from the same area. So their lifestyles, customs, as well as their language were preserved.
1766: "The Old Village of Klek" was founded. The agricultural town originally stood on a different spot near the River Bega. This location was later referred to as "The Old Village of Klek." It was decided to move the village due to repeated flooding, caused by the River Bega.
1806: Larger boats (that could carry significantly more cargo) were now able to travel the Bega River and Theis River.
1818: Klek was founded, with a total of 168 houses.
1820: Principal crops such as wheat and corn were ground with the aid of a windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
.
1822: The first school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
was built in Klek. It also served as a place or worship.
1831: An epidemic of asiatic influenza and cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
broke out, killing at least 82 residents of Klek.
1837 - 1838: Several powerful earthquakes occurred on December 23rd, 1837 and again on January 23rd, 1838, causing several houses to collapse.
1848: A Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
was built and was consecrated on July 2nd, 1848. This marked the occasion for Church Fest and later, Kirweih, which was celebrated on this day until 1944.
1848: During the European Revolutions of 1848, the Banat was occupied by Serbian troops; then by Hungarian troops in 1849.
1849: A swarm of locusts destroyed nearly 75% of all the crops in Klek.
1851: Julius Weitersheim, the first priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, came to Klek. Until 1851, Klek was a filial of Lazarfeld.
1867: Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
also became King of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. It was decided that the Germans were now to be integrated with the Hungarians, and that the Hungarian language was to be taught in German schools.
1867 - 1918: Klek became subject to rule by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
1880: Horse-drawn mills become fairly common, later to be replaced by steam-driven mills.
1888: A new school was built, employing three teachers.
1890: A brickyard, a place where bricks were made and sold, was built in Klek.
1898: Approximately 62 kilometers of railway tracks were laid from Gross Betschkerek to Klek, to Hatzfeld
Hatzfeld
Hatzfeld is a small town in Waldeck-Frankenberg district in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Hatzfeld lies in west Hesse 25 km northwest of Marburg and north of the Sackpfeife in the valley of the Eder.-Neighbouring communities:...
. Passenger trains, as well as freight trains, made transportation much easier and enhanced the economy of Klek.
1900: The first threshing machine
Threshing machine
The thrashing machine, or, in modern spelling, threshing machine , was a machine first invented by Scottish mechanical engineer Andrew Meikle for use in agriculture. It was invented for the separation of grain from stalks and husks. For thousands of years, grain was separated by hand with flails,...
came to Klek. It was to be used for separating seeds and grain from their husks or straw.
1906: The first mower
Mower
A mower is a machine for cutting grass or other plants that grow on the ground. Usually mowing is distinguished from reaping, which uses similar implements, but is the traditional term for harvesting grain crops, e.g...
and hay baler came to Klek. The mower was used to cut the plants that were harvested, and the baler was used to compress those crops into bales, and to bind the bales with twine. The village farmers no longer had to use scythes or sickles to bring the crops in, working from dawn until dusk.
1910: The River Bega was widened and deepened to accommodate larger vessels. A lock was also built near Klek, on the River Bega. In fact, Klek became a center of rail, water, and road-based traffic. Neighboring towns began to bring their crops to Klek to be loaded on freighters and sent to other destinations.
1910: A hail
Hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...
storm destroyed 100% of the village's crops, causing a food shortage.
1911: A sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
factory was built in nearby Gross-Betschkerek. This was advantageous for Klek farmers who happened to grow sugar beets.
1911: A Kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
program was established in Klek. Children started at the age of 4. At age 6 they began First Grade
First grade
First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten...
.
1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated on June 28, 1914 by Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo Princip was the Bosnian Serb who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914...
, a Bosnian Serb living in Austria-Hungary.
1914 - 1918: World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, also known as the First World War
1917 - 1918: Klek, located in the Banat was flood plain, was greatly affected by devastating flooding.
1918 - 1941: Klek became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (this would become Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
after 1929).
1920: For most of the period from 1779 to 1920, the Banat was attached to Hungary. After World War I, the Allies divided it via the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
(which was signed on June 4th, 1920). Hungary retained the district of Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
acquired a large eastern section, and the remainder, largely part of the province of Vojvodina in present-day Serbia, went to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
1920: A club, or kulturbund, intended to preserve the culture of the ethnic Germans in Klek, was established. The club was created to retain various customs, dances, and songs. However, in 1925, the governing Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes forbade such activities.
1930: A farmer's cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
was built, complete with offices, meeting rooms, storage facilities, and employee housing. Various types of grain were sold at the co-op and bulk purchases were made at reduced costs.
1930: An ensemble of singers, or choir was organized, as was a voluntary fire department and music club.
1937 - 1945: World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
joined what had initially been separate conflicts. The first began in Asia in 1937 as the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, whereas the other began in Europe in 1939 with the German Invasion of Poland. This global conflict split the majority of the world's nations into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
and the Axis Powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
.
1941: Bombs fell on Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, on Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....
, April 6th, 1941. Germany’s army attacked and all Germans became the object of hatred of the Serbian people. On that day, the Yugoslav police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
marched through Klek, taking hostages with bayonets at the ready.
1941: On Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
, April 14, German troops passed through the town of Klek on their way to Gross-Betschgerek. Fortunately, the hostages were returned, unharmed.
1943 - 1945: Yugoslavia declared fresh independence as Democratic Federal Yugoslavia.
1943: Himmler established mandatory military service for ethnic Germans living in Yugoslavia and the Balkan countries. The SS Division Prinz Eugen
7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. was formed on March 1942 from Volksdeutsche volunteers from Vojvodina, Croatia, Hungary and Romania, it was initially called the SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen....
was organized; primarily made up of ethnic Germans from the Banat (many of whom had been former officers in the Yugoslav Army
Yugoslav Army
Aside from the Yugoslav People's Army, the terms Yugoslav Army, Army of Yugoslavia, or Military of Yugoslavia may refer to:* Yugoslav Partisans , the Yugoslav resistance army during World War II...
). Note: enlistment in the Prinz Eugen Nazi SS Division was compulsory, and resistance was punishable by death. At the age of 20, all men were drafted into the armed services, regardless of the fact that the vast majority of Catholic Germans in the Banat left Germany more than 100 years prior, and were opposed nationalist ideals.
1944: The German military completed construction of an aircraft landing strip approximately sixteen kilometers from Klek. Not long afterward, residents of Klek received word that the Germans and Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
were fighting in Romania, which was not far from the village. The front was steadily growing closer, and the soldiers who had escaped, warned the villagers to leave immediately. Fortunately, many of the residents were able to flee, never to return again.
1945–present: Klek has remained within Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
which is a part of Serbia. Serbia had been a federal republic until 2006 after which it became independent.
See also
- BanatBanatThe Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
- Danube SwabiansDanube SwabiansThe Danube Swabians is a collective term for the German-speaking population who lived in the former Kingdom of Hungary, especially alongside the Danube River valley. Because of different developments within the territory settled, the Danube Swabians cannot be seen as a unified people...
- List of cities, towns and villages in Serbia
- List of cities, towns and villages in Vojvodina