PUBLIC MONUMENTS

THE MONUMENT TO THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST

On a small hummock hovering over the vista of the entire cemetery, stands an obelisk erected in remembrance of its cherished citizens by the Zemun Jewish Community in 1948. The shared fate of European Jews befell 574 members of the Zemun Jewish Community who perished in the Holocaust. Almost all Jewish citizens of Zemun and those from neighboring villages expired in the death camps of Jasenovac and Stara Gradiska, some perished in the German camp Auschwitz, while others were killed at the very beginning of the war.

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Today the names of our Holocaust victims chiseled into the monument stone are a constant reminder of the tragic destiny of Zemun Jews. On the 27th of July in the war year of 1942 the Jews of Zemun were deported to the most atrocious and ruthless death camp in Europe, Jasenovac and Stara Gradiska. Ervin Rosenberg who managed to live through the horrors of Jasenovac is our only Zemun Jewish Community camp survivor. Today he lives in Israel. The destinies of other Zemun Jewish Community war survivors is described in the book  “The Zemun Jewish Community 1739-1945” published by the Community in 2007.

Each year members of the community gather with their friends to pay their respect to the Jews of Zemun who were banished on that day in cattle wagons to their tragic end in the death camp, their only sin being that they had been born to a congregation of a different faith and nation. The reading out of their names is a symbol of our refusal to condone the stark reality that they had been so brutally torn away from us. Their names are branded into our memory as a constant reminder that such crimes cannot and must not be forgotten.
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THE MONUMENT TO THE VICTIMS OF FASCISM

On the place where was the largest mass grave to victims from Staro Sajmiste camp (Judenlager) was located, The Association of WW2 Veterans raised a monument in on July, 4th 1957. On the occasion Mr. Stava Jelovac was speaking. It was dedicated to victims of Fascism. Interesting thing is that there is no red star symbol on this monument. Such a symbol was proprietary on all monument landmarks to the victims of WW2.
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