Stevan Davidović was born on October 6, 1949, in Novi Bečej. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown, where he also graduated from the local Grammar School. He went on to earn a degree from the Higher Pedagogical School in Zrenjanin, majoring in Serbo-Croatian language and the history of Yugoslav literatures.

Dragiša Bunjevački, a painter from Novi Bečej and the founder of the group “Selo,” was born in 1925 in Pančevo.
He was an artist who lived to paint, but never lived from painting nor painted merely to survive.

"Polet," a brick and tile factory, was founded in Novi Bečej by the Bon brothers in the early 20th century. They already owned similar factories in Kikinda and Žombol, recognizing the high quality of the clay in Novi Bečej, which proved to be quite profitable for them. They began investing substantial funds into this factory as well.

In the photographs that tell a story of the past, we see Boško Maksić, known as "Šeboj," once a symbol of hard work and prosperity. Born in Kuman, he was a wealthy farmer and a respected member of his community. However, after World War II, his life took a tragic turn. The forced expropriation of his property by the regime completely shattered his life and stability.

Mihalj Mesaroš was born in Novi Bečej in 1935, in an era when dreams were shaped on dusty football pitches and the game itself was played more with the heart than for reward. His first steps toward the wider world were taken in Zrenjanin, from where, at only eighteen years of age, his exceptional talent carried him further than he could have imagined — straight into the ranks of FK Partizan.

Bela Mičik was born in Novi Bečej in 1970 and is today recognized as one of the finest citera (zither) players in Vojvodina. A versatile musician, he plays as many as fourteen instruments, with a special affection for traditional Hungarian ones — the citera and the tekerő (hurdy-gurdy).

Ljubiša Jocić was a poet, writer, painter, director, and an experimenter with form and meaning—but above all, a man of play and artistic exploration. His creative journey spanned half a century, leaving behind a rich body of work that includes poems, novels, anti-novels, plays, films, and paintings.

The Košut family lived in a modest house covered with reeds, with small, misty windows through which young Tivadar observed and created his own world. Sitting by the oil lamp, he listened to the stories of old women about the creation of the world, Adam and Eve, the flood, Christ and his miracles, dreaming how happy he would be if he could paint it all.

He emerged in 1930 during the monarcho-fascist dictatorship of King Alexander Karađorđević and General Petar Živković. It was a time of the darkest reaction and the triumph of the Law on the Protection of the State. This was an era of strict illegality for the Communist Party, where its fighters, carrying the banner of revolution, were sentenced to long prison terms, dying under police beatings, or being shot while "attempting" to escape—a justification often used by the police for their crimes.

Pavle Janković - Šole, born on January 19, 1939, in Novi Bečej, was one of the most respected Serbian poets, whose poetry, although primarily intended for children, carried deep messages for adults as well. His name in literature is associated with an authentic and gentle approach to childhood, making him an expert in understanding children's thoughts and dreams.

The name of this worker fighter, a persistent and fiery revolutionary, became widely known among the people of Novi Bečej after he was no longer alive – on the day of his funeral. His life, both as a man and as a revolutionary, was not long: he passed away at the age of twenty-two, in the fifth year of his relentless struggle against injustice, arbitrariness, plunder, and the persecution of the working masses by the Great Serbian bourgeoisie.

The renowned artist and painter Tibor Nađ was born in Novi Bečej on March 23, 1952. He completed his primary education in his hometown and later graduated from the Bogdan Šuput School of Design in Novi Sad, majoring in Interior and Furniture Design.

Janos Mesaros entered the stage of naïve art in the early 1960s. As a young and talented painter, he became a member of the group of naïve artists “Selo” founded in Novi Bečej by Dragiša Bunjevački. Alongside Bunjevački, one of the most remarkable representatives of naïve art in Serbia, the group also included Milica and Milivoj Mirić, Svetozar Kiselički, Tivadar Košut, and Janos Mesaros.

Hajnalka Zerebelji is the first female lawyer in Novi Bečej. After several decades of professional work, she has gained extensive experience, which she gladly shares with younger colleagues.

In March 1944, a group of underground fighters spent some time at the farmsteads of Dušan Malešev and Sava Pajić in Korektovo. By mid-March, joined by several more activists, they set out for Fruška Gora.

The Law on Social Care for Children came into effect on July 2, 1992, marking the beginning of changes in the functioning and operations of preschool institutions.
The 1992/93 school year was extremely challenging, characterized by high inflation and difficulties in making ends meet. The Ministry of Veterans' and Social Affairs provided food supplies for the children's meals.

Responsibility, ambition, and dedication marked the life and career of Dr. Milorad Drobac, Doctor of Economic Sciences.
He was born on February 11, 1948, in Bočar, where he completed elementary school as the top student of his class.

Perhaps the reason must be invented

Perhaps the relation between the idea and its conventional realization in traditional painting techniques, as well as the relation between such an image and its photocopy (which contains additions from photographs and objects), can be measured—perhaps even considered identical.

Tivadar Košut, a world-renowned naïve painter, was born in 1947 in Novi Bečej. He inherited his love for painting from his mother, who painted icons. Although his parents wanted him to become a carpenter or a ceramicist, art ultimately became his true calling.

...On March 27, 1941, communists stood with the masses, explaining the essence of the events and leading all protests and revolts against the shameful and treacherous betrayal of the country by the pro-fascist government.
Throughout the day, communists and members of the Communist Youth League (SKOJ) conducted extensive agitation, aiming to initiate democratization and organize a protest meeting. All social organizations, schools, and the entire village were mobilized.

The two-story building of the former Tursko-Bečejska Savings Bank is located at 3 Marshal Tito Street, extending from the Schlesinger Palace, at the corner with Gimnazijska Street. According to documentation from the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments in Zrenjanin, written by art historian Vesna Majstorović, the following details about the building are known:

In 1995, Novi Bečej thrived despite economic challenges. The town, closely tied to the Tisa River, saw growth in education, culture, tourism, and community initiatives.

All of us from Novi Bečej are well acquainted with the beautiful two-story building with an Einfort (arched passage) entrance on the main street, located between the Miloje Čiplić Elementary School and the Sakač family house. Today, on the ground floor of this building, to the left of the entrance, there is a commercial space (formerly the Trocadero café), while on the right is the headquarters of the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Novi Bečej.

The most renowned historian from Novi Bečej, Professor Dr. Aleksandar Kasaš, was born on January 27, 1952. He completed his primary and secondary education in Novi Bečej, undergraduate studies in history in Novi Sad, and his master’s degree in Belgrade.

Telečki was an unusual, curious, lively, inquisitive, multifaceted, and, above all, restless personality. At the dawn of our first professional theaters, he quickly emerged in the spotlight and became our first acting star.

Last night, at half past seven, a member of the Serbian National Theatre, Serbian actor and writer, the most outstanding theatrical character artist in the Slavic South—Laza Telečki—passed away at the age of 33. Tuberculosis, which has become a common ailment among the youth, and in his case, almost a family curse—having already claimed two of his brothers and a sister—has taken his life.

Tibor Nađ was born in 1952 in Novi Bečej. He graduated from the School of Applied Arts in Novi Sad in 1973. His work spans painting, industrial design, and unique ceramics.

Ivan Jovanović, an only child of Dragomir Jovanović, a merchant, and Zlata Jovanović, née Aranka Stanišić, a teacher, was born in Novi Bečej on February 13, 1928. The Jovanović family house was located in the heart of the town on Žarka Zrenjanina Street, number 1. While his father Dragomir was busy with the family business, Ivan mostly grew up alongside his mother and his aunt Leposava Jovanović, a teacher, who were known not only for their strictness but also for their versatility and fair pedagogical approach toward children.

A master of watercolor and a guitar virtuoso, Branislav Stojančev—affectionately known to the people of Novi Bečej as Paša—was born in 1952. A lover of art, nature, and the Tisa River, he began his watercolor journey in 2001, dedicating himself to this delicate yet demanding painting technique. Since then, he has embraced its challenges with great success, finding in watercolor a source of peace, inspiration, and inner balance.

How This Booklet Came to Be

When my article titled “Kumane” appeared in the Yugoslav Daily on August 2, 1931 (issue no. 202), my parishioners received it with great enthusiasm. It was read aloud in gatherings and on street corners before groups of listeners. Soon, many expressed the wish that it be printed as a small booklet and distributed among the people of my parish.