The Family Monument: Novi Sad Raid Memorial

Along the scenic banks of the Danube stands a stark, four-meter-tall bronze family, marking a site where civilians were marched onto the freezing river ice during the winter of 1942. Officially known as the Monument to the Victims of the Raid and commonly referred to as 'The Family', this memorial connects the central pedestrian core of Novi Sad to the riverfront promenade, framing historical depth against views of the Petrovaradin Fortress.

History of the Novi Sad Raid

The monument commemorates the victims of the Novi Sad Raid, a mass execution carried out between January 21 and January 23, 1942, by occupying Axis Hungarian military and gendarmerie forces. Under the guise of an anti-partisan crackdown, the operation targeted civilian populations across the region.

More than 1,300 people were murdered in Novi Sad, primarily Serbs, Jews, and Roma. At the specific site along the Danube quay where the monument now stands, victims were force-marched onto the frozen riverbank. Soldiers shot them or broke the ice, forcing their bodies into the freezing river.

Design and Symbolism

Designed by Vojvodina sculptor Jovan Soldatović and unveiled on October 23, 1971, the bronze sculpture depicts four stylized, elongated nude figures—a mother, father, and two children. Instead of featuring military figures or abstract forms, the artwork represents a stark, ordinary civilian family unit to emphasize human vulnerability. Due to delays in official planning and approval, the sculpture was reportedly nearly melted down before it was finally installed.

The base of the monument features inscriptions reading 'To the victims of fascism' in Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak, and Hebrew, reflecting the multi-ethnic population targeted during the war. In early 1992, Soldatović expanded the memorial by adding 78 bronze plaques to the embankment wall. These include explanatory texts and 66 panels listing the names of identified victims alongside religious symbols, such as Stars of David and cross motifs.

A Site of Remembrance

Designated as an immovable cultural property of great importance in Serbia, The Family Monument is an accessible landmark integrated into the daily public walkway along the Quay of the Victims of the Raid. In winter months, the cold winds blowing off the wide expanse of the Danube River directly recall the freezing conditions the victims faced in January 1942.

The site serves as the principal location for Novi Sad's annual civic and religious commemorations held every January 23. These memorial services feature joint prayers led by Serbian Orthodox Church clergy and the Chief Rabbi of Serbia, the laying of wreaths at the monument's base, and the lowering of wreaths directly into the Danube River from military vessels.