From Argentina to Kula: Discovering ancestral stories

In September we had the pleasure of hosting a dear couple from Argentina, Federico and Maria Cristina. Federico’s roots go back to Kula, a town in the West Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia. Since Kula was the hometown of his ancestors, it was the place they especially wanted to visit.

Staša carried out detailed research about Federico’s family. On his father’s side, the Lenhardt family lived in Kula, and on his mother’s side, the Bartenz family also came from Kula. The most challenging part of the research was finding Federico’s great-grandfather, Georgius, born in 1877 in Kula, because his grandfather was an illegitimate child. We contacted the Kula municipality office, and based on the data we had about Federico’s grandfather and grandmother Barbara, the registrar was able to find his father’s entry in the civil birth register. Federico was overjoyed when he received the official birth certificate of his grandfather! Before our guests arrived, Staša had already researched cadastral maps of Kula in the Archive of Vojvodina and was able to find several property entries with house numbers and short descriptions.

We had the pleasure of showing the couple around Novi Sad on their first day in Serbia after arriving from Budapest. Staša, as a local expert with deep knowledge of the city’s history, guided us through our beautiful town. We visited the old part of the city, Liberty Square, with its most beautiful buildings such as the City Hall, the Monument of Svetozar Marković, and the Roman Catholic Parish Church of the Name of Mary. We continued along Kralja Aleksandra Street, where the oldest hotel in the city, Hotel Vojvodina, is located. Through the underground passage, we reached Jevrejska Street and visited the Novi Sad Synagogue. Together with the former Jewish School and Jewish Community Centre, the Synagogue forms a unique complex built in 1909 in the Hungarian Secession style, designed by Lipót Baumhorn.

Through Trg Mladenaca Square, we returned to the city center and walked along Zmaj Jovina Street, the main pedestrian street stretching from Liberty Square to the Orthodox Bishop’s Palace. This lively street has always been full of shops, cafés, and stores, and its oldest building, “At the White Lion’s,” dates back to 1720. We also walked down Dunavska Street, strolled through Danube Park, and saw the Banovina building, the seat of the Government and Parliament of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. At the Varadin Bridge we paused at Trg Neznanog Junaka Square, which offers the most beautiful view of Petrovaradin Fortress. On our way back to the car, we passed through Pašićeva Street and visited the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. George, the largest and most important Orthodox church in Novi Sad, built between 1734 and 1740 and restored in 1853.

No visit to Novi Sad is complete without exploring the Petrovaradin Fortress, one of the largest, best preserved fortresses in Europe and an outstanding example of 18th-century military architecture. We entered through the Belgrade Gate, built in 1753, which is 20 meters long and has two tracks and two pedestrian passages. Unfortunately, the City Museum of Novi Sad was closed because it was Monday, but we enjoyed the beautiful Clock Tower and walked along the terrace of the Fortress, today filled with restaurants offering panoramic views of the city.

At the end of the day, we relaxed with coffee and drinks at Katolička Porta Square, where the building of the Roman Catholic Parish Office is located.

The next day our tour continued to Kula, where Federico’s ancestors once lived.
The day before, we had arranged an appointment with the Roman Catholic Parish priest, Msgr. György Juhász. He kindly showed us around the St. George Church, built in 1770, and afterwards invited us for coffee and a short talk. He told us more about the parish records he keeps. With his help, we were able to find several birth and marriage entries of Federico’s ancestors. Federico was very surprised and deeply moved. It is always a special feeling to see your ancestors’ names written in those old books! In the church hall, there was also a picture where we were able to identify one of Federico’s paternal ancestors, a member of the Lenhardt family.

Next, we visited the local Roman Catholic cemetery with its beautiful chapel. Following the road along the canal, we reached the place where the old railway station once stood. Today it is abandoned, the tracks are covered with weeds and the building is falling apart. Federico took many photos of this place, imagining his great-grandmother sitting there long ago, boarding the train that took her on her journey to Argentina. It was an unforgettable moment for him.

Afterwards, we visited Sombor, since Kula administratively belongs to it. We walked across Holy Trinity Square and Saint George Square and admired the beautiful surrounding buildings. On our way to the City Administration building, Županija, we passed by the City Hall, the house where Laza Kostić lived, the City Library, and the Carmelite Church of Saint Stephen of Hungary. Inside Županija is the most famous painting “The Battle of Senta,” the largest oil painting in this part of Europe. 

Before leaving, we enjoyed a short break with coffee and blueberry cake at Saint George Square, right in front of the Orthodox Church of St. George.