The Cooperative of Serbian Craftsmen of Novi Sad
The Cooperative of Serbian Craftsmen of Novi Sad was one of the most significant associations in the history of Novi Sad craftsmanship and an important part of the social, economic and national life of Serbs in Novi Sad during the second half of the 19th century. It was founded in 1870, at a time when the traditional guilds were already losing their former importance and craftsmen had to find new forms of association, protection and mutual assistance.
In the 19th century, Novi Sad was a strong commercial and craft centre. Numerous masters of various trades worked in the city: shoemakers, bootmakers, tailors, carpenters, blacksmiths, locksmiths, saddlers, coopers, opanak-makers, slipper-makers, barbers, soap-makers, coppersmiths, wheelwrights, furriers and many others. Craftsmen were not only an economic class of the city, but also an important factor in its public life. In their workshops, homes and associations, tradition was preserved, civic spirit developed, and an awareness was formed of the importance of work, education and community.
The Founding Assembly of 1870
The founding assembly of the craft Cooperative was held on 14 June 1870 in Novi Sad. It was attended by 155 craftsmen from all over Vojvodina, showing that the need for this type of association was widely recognized.
Among those present, the largest number were shoemakers — including cordwainers, bootmakers, slipper-makers and opanak-makers — 59 in total. They were followed by tailors, together with makers of traditional woollen garments, with 25 representatives; furriers with 19; barbers with 7; blacksmiths with 6; as well as several soap-makers, carpenters, confectioners, coppersmiths, wheelwrights and saddlers. One assembly member each represented the simit-makers, hatters, dyers, cap-makers, goldsmiths, coopers and glaziers.
This composition of the founding assembly clearly shows the breadth of craft life in Novi Sad and Vojvodina at that time. The Cooperative did not bring together only one trade or one narrow group of masters, but represented a joint organization of various craft professions, united by the same need: to improve their position, protect their interests and strengthen the reputation of craftsmanship in society.
The First Leadership of the Cooperative
The Novi Sad furrier Marko Popović was elected president of the Cooperative, the soap-maker Jovan Jovanović was elected deputy president, while Professor Aleksandar Sandić served as secretary. The very choice of the people who stood at the head of the Cooperative shows a combination of craft experience and an educated civic class, which was very important for shaping a serious and lasting institution.
Several years passed between the founding assembly in 1870 and the confirmation of the statute. The first General Assembly with the confirmed statute was held on 26 October 1874. This gave the Cooperative a clearer legal framework for its work and made it an important institution of Novi Sad’s craft life.
Seal and Flag
The Cooperative also had its own recognizable emblem. Its seal contained the Serbian coat of arms, and over it two hands clasped in a handshake. This motif clearly expressed the basic idea of association: unity, trust and mutual assistance.
As its flag, the Cooperative adopted the Serbian tricolour with the same emblem in the centre, as well as symbols of all the crafts represented at the founding assembly. In this way, both the seal and the flag became a visible expression of the identity of the Serbian craftsmen of Novi Sad.
Aims of Association
The basic task of the Cooperative was to advance craftsmanship, improve the material condition of its members and take care of their professional development. Serbian craftsmen in Novi Sad wanted to organize themselves so that they could compete more successfully with wealthier, better educated and better connected craftsmen of other nationalities.
The Cooperative was intended to help its members, improve craft knowledge, encourage solidarity and protect the interests of Serbian craftsmen in a rapidly developing city.
Unlike the old guilds, which were closed and strictly regulated estate-based organizations, the cooperative represented a more modern form of association. Membership was voluntary, and its importance was not only economic, but also cultural and social. It gathered craftsmen around common needs, but also around the idea that the Serbian civic class in Novi Sad should be strengthened, educated and economically empowered.
The Patron Saint’s Day of the Cooperative — Saint Sava
A special place in the life of the Cooperative was held by its patron saint’s day — Saint Sava. The celebration of Saint Sava was not only a religious act, but also an expression of belonging, unity and respect for education, knowledge and the spiritual tradition of the Serbian people.
For the craftsmen of Novi Sad, Saint Sava was a symbol of education, moral order and cultural continuity, which naturally fitted into the aims of the Cooperative: the advancement of craftsmanship, mutual assistance and the strengthening of the social role of Serbian craftsmen in Novi Sad.
The Cooperative and the Public Life of Novi Sad
The Cooperative of Serbian Craftsmen of Novi Sad also had a strong symbolic role. It represented a sign of organization and self-awareness of a social group that contributed greatly to the development of Novi Sad.
Craftsmen were people of work, but also people of reputation. Many of them took part in the cultural, educational and national life of the city, supported schools, societies, church and charitable institutions, as well as various initiatives important to the Serbian community.
From Zlatne Grede to the Craftsmen’s Hall
For a long time, the headquarters of the Cooperative was located in Zlatne Grede Street, one of the old and important parts of Novi Sad. It was not only an administrative meeting place, but also a space where memories were preserved, the needs of craftsmen were discussed and decisions important for their position were made.
In 1937, the members of the Cooperative, together with the Craftsmen’s Association and the “Neven” Singing Society, purchased a building in Nikola Pašić Street. In this way, the craftsmen of Novi Sad obtained a strong common headquarters, which became known as the Craftsmen’s Hall.
The Craftsmen’s Hall became a symbol of the continuity of craft association in Novi Sad. It connected several generations of masters, apprentices, journeymen and entrepreneurs, preserving the memory of a time when crafts formed the basis of the city’s economic life. It continued the tradition of gathering craftsmen, marking important dates and preserving awareness of the importance of manual work, mastery and an honourable craft name.
The Legacy of the Cooperative
After the Second World War, the Cooperative of Serbian Craftsmen of Novi Sad ceased to exist in its earlier form, as entrepreneurs and craftsmen were organized through new institutions and chambers. Nevertheless, its tradition did not disappear. It is considered one of the most important predecessors of later craft and entrepreneurial associations in Novi Sad.
The significance of the Cooperative of Serbian Craftsmen of Novi Sad lies not only in the fact that it gathered masters of various trades. Its special value is that it shows how the craftsmen of Novi Sad organized themselves in order to protect their work, improve their knowledge, help one another and participate in the public life of the city.
Through this Cooperative, one can trace the development of civic Novi Sad, its economic classes and its social solidarity.
For this reason, the Cooperative of Serbian Craftsmen of Novi Sad occupies an important place in the history of the city. It is a testimony to a time when craftsmen were one of the foundations of urban life, when reputation was gained through work, knowledge and honesty, and when the community was built through association, mutual assistance and concern for the common good.
