Israel honors Serbia's "righteous among nations"

To the righteous Serbs who risked their lives in order to save one Jewish life all Jewish people will be forever in your debt.You are a righteous people and notwithstanding the events of the past decade it must be noted that all groups have their angels and demons but you Serbs have proven your courage and honor many more times than not.On behalf of the American Jewish community you are owed a big thank you.Stand tall and walk proud.Shalom and Zivila Serbia.

'He also reflected on the fact that 62 years after the victory over the Nazis, xenophobia, racism, and anti-Semitism are still alive, threatening world stability and peace.'
Ambassador Koll is right. All one has to do is look at modern day Kosovo. There are virtually no Jews left in Kosovo after the albanians took over, and the ethnic cleansing and pogrom of Serbs goes on under KFOR's nose. Serbs have to live behind barbed wire in many places, and are treated worse than animals.

luciano, much love for your people from me.

mr. ptoleme, his excellency the ambassador said he was impressed with how serbia reacted to this shameful idiocy called neonazims that is appearing everywhere including incredibly in israel recently. we are a nation with jasenovac in our history and those clowns promoting hitler belong in jail and in jail alone, what freedom of speech for someone who spits on the memory of hundreds of thousands of our victims.
but why do you try to twist the words of an ambassador and why are you allowed to do it here?

Luciano - thank you.

Ptoleme - why B92 allowed your posting of that lie is beyond me. Belgrade the first Judenfrei city in Europe?? That is a lie! Let me remind you that millions of Serbs died fighting Nazism while your beloved albanians, croats, and bosnian muslims enthusiastically WERE Nazis. In addition, Serbs are one of the few, if not the only European nation, to NEVER persecute the Jews. Yes, NEVER! Serbs have always been tolerant to all minorities, as they are today. Just look at modern day Serbia and look at present day Kosovo and you tell me which society treats their minorities better? Just like the great Canadian General Lewis Mackenzie has said, 'We bombed the wrong side'.

Smile wide and smile bright for those of us who know history know exactly who was on the side of darkness and who helped those to live a future day in the light.The Serbs have every right to defend every inch of their sacred soil just as the Jewish people have every right to defend every inch of the soil promised to them.The fight is long and hard but in the end the righteous will prevail.A great Jew named Jesus lived to spread the message of love and compassion. Shalom

I find it interesting, and somewhat amusing, that the Albanians (and to be more specific the ill-informed nationalists) are the only people who attempt to perpetuate the myth that Belgrade was the first Judenfrei city. I pretty much predicted one or two Albanian nationalists would spraypaint that on this site for this article. God forbid anything good should come of Serbia's history that they can't degrade.

Dragan, I think you're a little confused. What he was referring to was the surge in Nazism in Serbia and the surge of racial hatred of Albanians in Serbia and on this forum, as well.
Hold your tongue when talking about Albanians because while they were saving Jews escaping from Serbia, Belgrade was being proclaimed the first Judenfrei city in Europe.

I don't like to get personal but Ptoleme it you that should 'hold your tongue'.
The facts speak for themselves Belgrade and Serbia are multi ethnic and that includes Albanians living in Belgrade. Kosovo is mono ethnic.

Now for an opinion as far as I'm concerned Kosovo should not be granted any form of independence, it is an intolerant society that shares none of the norms expected of a modern European state.

Where did you get the information that Belgrade was declared the first Judenfrei city in Europe ? The German Nazi propaganda at the time may have made such a boast.

There is no history of Serbs being Nazi sympathisers. I have spoken to many Serbian veterans of WWII and they all considered the communists and Nazi's the enemy.

>>There is no history of Serbs being Nazi sympathisers.

i hope this isnt only lip-service. I hope that Israel truly like Serbia [and Serbia Israel].

however, im not sure.

Thanks for the book link Jovan. I'll be sure to have a read and hope Victor does as well. ;-)

I've heard many stories of people helping each other during the Balkan wars, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. There are decent people on all sides, be they Catholic, Muslim, or Serb Othodox.

As for Belgrade being the first Judenfree city in Europe, you have the Nazis and Croatian Ustache to thank for that.

Next time anyone is actually in Belgrade (and not squaking from afar), visit the Holocost museum in Banjicia.

Shalom/peace to all.

If you have not yet read the testimonies of Serbs, Croats or Muslims who decided to save other human beings at the risk of their own lives during the wars of the 1990s, you should read the book by Dr Svetlana Broz:

Dobri ljudi u vremenu zla (Good people in an evil time).

The book has been published in many languages, including an English translation. For more, see the websites

www.goodpeopleeviltime.com

www.svetlanabroz.info

Dragan, you'd be better advised to criticize the spread of anti-Semitism, neo-Nazism and clerical fascism in Serbia these days.
You'd find enough to do between Nacionalni Stroj demonstrations in Novi Sad and publishers displaying copies of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" at the Belgrade book fair...

Ptoleme,
That is the most ridiculous twisting of the truth I have ever read. In case you have not had any history lessons, Serbia rose up and fought German Nazi occupation, unlike albanians, croats, and bosnian muslims, who welcomed them. For every German soldier killed, they killed 100 Serb civilians, and Serbia paid a very high price for their principled stance. Draza Mihajlovic, the leader of the Cetnik resistance, was awarded the Legion of Merit, the highest honour possible for a non-American.
Please have a read to this link to educate yourself, and learn some truth. Enough lies have been spread about Serbs, the truth needs to get out.
http://www.oas.org/dsd/publications/Unit/oea59e/ch20.htm

Oops...wrong link..this is the link.
http://www.srpska-mreza.com/History/ww2/Jews/Mosic.html

When I read such comments of persons who showed to express compassion during wartime, it reconciles me with humanity.

During the civil war in the ex-Yu., I have not yet read testimonies of Serbs, Croats or Muslims who decided to save another human at the peril of their own existence.

to Dragan,
you have miss one occasion to hide your hainous feelings against albanians: yad vashem is holding an exhibition of photos from norman greshman honouring the albanians ,mostly muslims, who saved jews,and israel has at several occasion said how much they ,as a nation ,are gratefull to albania and albanians for rescuing jews in albania(see,mr saaner book,and anna cohen testimony).
as far as kosova is concerned,you should have known that even xhafer Deva ,our german collaborationist refused to hand over jews to germans in that period and made all his effort to pass them in albania.
After the war very few jews remained in kosova:there were 2 of them in ferizaj after ww2 and they helped my father when he was in kosova and nobody dared to help him.they helped him being gratefull to him for all the jews that my village and my country has helpt to cross the frontier at that time.
Don't compare albania and its honorable attitude and your attitude !

Six months before the Nazis invaded Serbia, the Serb government issued legislation restricting Jews from participating in public life, commerce, and universities. Postage stamps were issued depicting Jews as the source of world evil. (Google image search "serbia jew stamp")
August 1942, Serbia was declared first country where the 'Jewish Question" was solved and Belgrade the first city of New Europe to be Judenfrei. Belgrade was one of the few cities to be declared Judenfrei (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judenfrei).

Milan Nedic, I am sure you folks remember him, met Hitler in Germany and advanced the idea that Serbs were the "Ubermenchen" of the Slavs. So loyal was Serbia that it had a standing army of 20,000 and only 3,500 German police officers were in the country.
Or did you forget the appeal signed by 500 Serbian notaries to accept Nazi Germany - the first signers were Serbian bishops.

Dragan, what I provide to support my arguments is not mere hearsay such as you but actual documents and unbiased sources.

Are you seriously denying the Anti-Masonic exposition held in Belgrade BEFORE the Nazis entered Serbia?
Are you denying the fact that Belgrade was declared Judenfrei?

Dragan,
Another source for you.. quoting from a letter written by Jasa Almuli,one of the very few Serbian Jews who survived the Holocaust,and published in The Times Literary Supplement...
"The very early destruction of Jews in Serbia - in large numbers - was not the result of Serbian collaboration with the Germans, but to a large extent the result of the Serbian resistance to them."

http://www.srpska-mreza.com/History/ww2/Jews/Almuli.html

It took you 5 minutes to connect a Jewish related matter right into Kosova. What a shame, than you wonder why no one takes you seriously and thinks you are 10 years old.

Dragan, I think you're a little confused. What he was referring to was the surge in Nazism in Serbia and the surge of racial hatred of Albanians in Serbia and on this forum, as well.
Hold your tongue when talking about Albanians because while they were saving Jews escaping from Serbia, Belgrade was being proclaimed the first Judenfrei city in Europe.

'He also reflected on the fact that 62 years after the victory over the Nazis, xenophobia, racism, and anti-Semitism are still alive, threatening world stability and peace.'
Ambassador Koll is right. All one has to do is look at modern day Kosovo. There are virtually no Jews left in Kosovo after the albanians took over, and the ethnic cleansing and pogrom of Serbs goes on under KFOR's nose. Serbs have to live behind barbed wire in many places, and are treated worse than animals.

to Dragan,
you have miss one occasion to hide your hainous feelings against albanians: yad vashem is holding an exhibition of photos from norman greshman honouring the albanians ,mostly muslims, who saved jews,and israel has at several occasion said how much they ,as a nation ,are gratefull to albania and albanians for rescuing jews in albania(see,mr saaner book,and anna cohen testimony).
as far as kosova is concerned,you should have known that even xhafer Deva ,our german collaborationist refused to hand over jews to germans in that period and made all his effort to pass them in albania.
After the war very few jews remained in kosova:there were 2 of them in ferizaj after ww2 and they helped my father when he was in kosova and nobody dared to help him.they helped him being gratefull to him for all the jews that my village and my country has helpt to cross the frontier at that time.
Don't compare albania and its honorable attitude and your attitude !

Dragan, you'd be better advised to criticize the spread of anti-Semitism, neo-Nazism and clerical fascism in Serbia these days.
You'd find enough to do between Nacionalni Stroj demonstrations in Novi Sad and publishers displaying copies of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" at the Belgrade book fair...

I find it interesting, and somewhat amusing, that the Albanians (and to be more specific the ill-informed nationalists) are the only people who attempt to perpetuate the myth that Belgrade was the first Judenfrei city. I pretty much predicted one or two Albanian nationalists would spraypaint that on this site for this article. God forbid anything good should come of Serbia's history that they can't degrade.

When I read such comments of persons who showed to express compassion during wartime, it reconciles me with humanity.

During the civil war in the ex-Yu., I have not yet read testimonies of Serbs, Croats or Muslims who decided to save another human at the peril of their own existence.

To the righteous Serbs who risked their lives in order to save one Jewish life all Jewish people will be forever in your debt.You are a righteous people and notwithstanding the events of the past decade it must be noted that all groups have their angels and demons but you Serbs have proven your courage and honor many more times than not.On behalf of the American Jewish community you are owed a big thank you.Stand tall and walk proud.Shalom and Zivila Serbia.

i hope this isnt only lip-service. I hope that Israel truly like Serbia [and Serbia Israel].

however, im not sure.

luciano, much love for your people from me.

mr. ptoleme, his excellency the ambassador said he was impressed with how serbia reacted to this shameful idiocy called neonazims that is appearing everywhere including incredibly in israel recently. we are a nation with jasenovac in our history and those clowns promoting hitler belong in jail and in jail alone, what freedom of speech for someone who spits on the memory of hundreds of thousands of our victims.
but why do you try to twist the words of an ambassador and why are you allowed to do it here?

Luciano - thank you.

Ptoleme - why B92 allowed your posting of that lie is beyond me. Belgrade the first Judenfrei city in Europe?? That is a lie! Let me remind you that millions of Serbs died fighting Nazism while your beloved albanians, croats, and bosnian muslims enthusiastically WERE Nazis. In addition, Serbs are one of the few, if not the only European nation, to NEVER persecute the Jews. Yes, NEVER! Serbs have always been tolerant to all minorities, as they are today. Just look at modern day Serbia and look at present day Kosovo and you tell me which society treats their minorities better? Just like the great Canadian General Lewis Mackenzie has said, 'We bombed the wrong side'.

Thanks for the book link Jovan. I'll be sure to have a read and hope Victor does as well. ;-)

I've heard many stories of people helping each other during the Balkan wars, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. There are decent people on all sides, be they Catholic, Muslim, or Serb Othodox.

As for Belgrade being the first Judenfree city in Europe, you have the Nazis and Croatian Ustache to thank for that.

Next time anyone is actually in Belgrade (and not squaking from afar), visit the Holocost museum in Banjicia.

Shalom/peace to all.

I don't like to get personal but Ptoleme it you that should 'hold your tongue'.
The facts speak for themselves Belgrade and Serbia are multi ethnic and that includes Albanians living in Belgrade. Kosovo is mono ethnic.

Now for an opinion as far as I'm concerned Kosovo should not be granted any form of independence, it is an intolerant society that shares none of the norms expected of a modern European state.

Where did you get the information that Belgrade was declared the first Judenfrei city in Europe ? The German Nazi propaganda at the time may have made such a boast.

There is no history of Serbs being Nazi sympathisers. I have spoken to many Serbian veterans of WWII and they all considered the communists and Nazi's the enemy.

>>There is no history of Serbs being Nazi sympathisers.

Six months before the Nazis invaded Serbia, the Serb government issued legislation restricting Jews from participating in public life, commerce, and universities. Postage stamps were issued depicting Jews as the source of world evil. (Google image search "serbia jew stamp")
August 1942, Serbia was declared first country where the 'Jewish Question" was solved and Belgrade the first city of New Europe to be Judenfrei. Belgrade was one of the few cities to be declared Judenfrei (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judenfrei).

Milan Nedic, I am sure you folks remember him, met Hitler in Germany and advanced the idea that Serbs were the "Ubermenchen" of the Slavs. So loyal was Serbia that it had a standing army of 20,000 and only 3,500 German police officers were in the country.
Or did you forget the appeal signed by 500 Serbian notaries to accept Nazi Germany - the first signers were Serbian bishops.

It took you 5 minutes to connect a Jewish related matter right into Kosova. What a shame, than you wonder why no one takes you seriously and thinks you are 10 years old.

Ptoleme,
That is the most ridiculous twisting of the truth I have ever read. In case you have not had any history lessons, Serbia rose up and fought German Nazi occupation, unlike albanians, croats, and bosnian muslims, who welcomed them. For every German soldier killed, they killed 100 Serb civilians, and Serbia paid a very high price for their principled stance. Draza Mihajlovic, the leader of the Cetnik resistance, was awarded the Legion of Merit, the highest honour possible for a non-American.
Please have a read to this link to educate yourself, and learn some truth. Enough lies have been spread about Serbs, the truth needs to get out.
http://www.oas.org/dsd/publications/Unit/oea59e/ch20.htm

Oops...wrong link..this is the link.
http://www.srpska-mreza.com/History/ww2/Jews/Mosic.html

Dragan, what I provide to support my arguments is not mere hearsay such as you but actual documents and unbiased sources.

Are you seriously denying the Anti-Masonic exposition held in Belgrade BEFORE the Nazis entered Serbia?
Are you denying the fact that Belgrade was declared Judenfrei?

If you have not yet read the testimonies of Serbs, Croats or Muslims who decided to save other human beings at the risk of their own lives during the wars of the 1990s, you should read the book by Dr Svetlana Broz:

Dobri ljudi u vremenu zla (Good people in an evil time).

The book has been published in many languages, including an English translation. For more, see the websites

www.goodpeopleeviltime.com

www.svetlanabroz.info

Smile wide and smile bright for those of us who know history know exactly who was on the side of darkness and who helped those to live a future day in the light.The Serbs have every right to defend every inch of their sacred soil just as the Jewish people have every right to defend every inch of the soil promised to them.The fight is long and hard but in the end the righteous will prevail.A great Jew named Jesus lived to spread the message of love and compassion. Shalom

Dragan,
Another source for you.. quoting from a letter written by Jasa Almuli,one of the very few Serbian Jews who survived the Holocaust,and published in The Times Literary Supplement...
"The very early destruction of Jews in Serbia - in large numbers - was not the result of Serbian collaboration with the Germans, but to a large extent the result of the Serbian resistance to them."

http://www.srpska-mreza.com/History/ww2/Jews/Almuli.html