Futak

Futog (Футог) is a town in Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. It is part of the metropolitan area of Novi Sad.

Name
The name Futog derives from Old Church Slavonic term for “on the mouth” - vo utok (во уток).

In Serbian, the village is known as Futog (Футог), in Croatian as Futog, in Hungarian as Futak, and in German as Alt-Futok.

Population
The town has a population of 18,582 (2002 census). Ethnic groups include:
 * Serbs = 16,828 (90.56%)
 * Hungarians = 279 (1.50%)
 * Yugoslavs = 226 (1.22%)
 * others

Population of the village include 25% persons under 15 years old, 66% work capable people, 10% farmers.

Historical population:
 * 1961: 8,256
 * 1971: 10,614
 * 1981: 14,664
 * 1991: 16,048

Geography
It is situated in the southern Bačka, 14 km far from Novi Sad, on the middle of the Danube stream. Neighbouring settlements are Veternik in the east, Begeč in the west and Rumenka in the north. Danube river is located in the south of the town.

Futog is divided into Stari Futog (Old Futog) and Novi Futog (New Futog). In the future Futog will become part of Novi Sad town. Futog is 8 km long in west-east direction around the main street of the village. Its area is 8,561 ha.

Futog area outspreads on cofin terrace, alluvial plane and inductional plane. Near Futog are two river isles, an effluent pulped in pond.

Climate is medium-continental, influenced by the Fruška Gora and the Danube. Winds are Košava, Western and Breeze. Precipitation is 700 mm a year.

Hydrography include the Danube river, pond and the Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal.

Plants are corn, wheat, industrial plants, vegetables, and well-known cabbage. Animals are ducks, storks, rabbits, foxes, pheasant, etc.

History
Archeological emplacements in the area include: Sesije, Gornje Šume, Vodice, Bokternica and Pašnjak. Although there are traces of Slavs in Bačka from old antic period, Slavic presence in this area is confirmed by the data from 9th century, when the area was part of the Bulgarian Empire and Bulgarian voivod Salan ruled in Bačka. Presence of Hungarians is dated in the 10th century, after Salan was defeated by the Hungarian Kingdom.

Futog was first time mentioned in 1224 when Tatars devastated it. In the 15th century it was an important market town. Futog was a possession of the Futaky family in the 14th century, and possession of the Jób Garai in the middle 15th century.

In 1526-1527 it was part of the state of Emperor Jovan Nenad, and between 1528 and 1686 it was part of the Ottoman Empire. During the Ottoman rule, Futog was mostly populated by ethnic Serbs. After 1686, it was part of the Habsburg Monarchy. In 1715, the population of Futog was composed of 130 Serbian and 7 Hungarian houses, while in 1720, it was composed of 126 Serbian and 14 Hungarian houses. It was later colonized by Germans. Colonisation of Germans was ended in 1774.

Between 1696 and 1868, Futog had annual princes. The prince had a symbolical function. The Estate of Futog was a possession of the King’s Chamber 1686-1703, of General Baron Josef Nechem 1703-1721, of Josef Odwyer 1721-1731, of Count Friedrich Lorenz Caurian 1731-1744, of Mihailo Čarnojević 1744-1769, of Count András Hadik 1769-1801, of Count Brunszvik 1801-1852, and of Count Rudolf Chotek 1852-1921.

In 1848-1849 Futog was part of the Serbian Voivodship, a Serb autonomous region within Austrian Empire, while between 1849 and 1860 it was part of the Voivodship of Serbia and Tamiš Banat, a separate Austrian province. Futog, as part of the Banat, Bačka and Baranja, became part of the Kingdom of Serbia as was decided by the decree of the Great people's assembly in Novi Sad in 1918, November 25. Since December 1, 1918, it was part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

During World War II, the village was under Axis occupation. When Axis Powers invaded and partitioned Yugoslavia in 1941, Futog was placed under Hungarian administration. After the defeat of Axis Powers, in 1944, the antifascist council for the liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) declared its mainly German population as public enemies. After the Second World War (in 1945 and 1946), Futog was settled by families who mostly originated from Lika, but also from Srem and Bosnia.

Sights

 * A baroque Serb Orthodox Church “Sveti Vrači Kozma i Damjan” from 1776.
 * Futog Court, today Agricultural school (baroque-classicism), built by grof Andras Hadik in 1777, where few days before Sarajevo Attempt resided Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sofia Chotek, and also a place where German general August von Mackensen was prisoned in 1919.
 * Old Rectory from 1777 belongs to citizen architecture of 18th century.
 * Serb Orthodox Church 1781-1947; village baroque.
 * “Rudolphinum” or “Bastilja” of 1893; eclecticism; today Internat.
 * “Marianum” of 1894; istoricism; today Gerontological centre.
 * Roman Catholic Church “Sacred heart of Jesus” of 1908; neogothic cathedral.
 * Fire Brigade Home of 1909 with tower of 1932.
 * Roman Catholic Church “Holy Trinity” of 1940, no spiritual practice.

Culture and media
The town possess Cultural-Informative Centre “Mladost”, Tambura Orchestra, Folklore Assembly, Town library “Jovan Jovanović Zmaj”, Galleries, Sinisin Splav Carda Plavi Dunav, etc.

There is a Radio "Futog" at 97,5 and 99,5 MHz FM and Radio "Srna" at 91,90 MHz FM.

Education
There are two primary schools: “Desanka Maksimović” and “Miroslav Antić”. There is also a secondary Agricultural Boarding School. The first school in the village was established in 1707.

Sport
There is a Sport Hall Futog in the town. Football clubs in the town are OFK “Futog” and FK “Metalac-Asco Vidak”, there is also fight club “Faraon”, volleyball clubs OKK “Futog” and "RFU", and handball club RK “Metalac”.

Economy and traffic
Industry include: “Milan Vidak”, wire factory; “Aroma” spice factory; “Garant”, motor factory; “Futožanka” provender factory; “Vagar” scale factory; and “Planta” agricultural goods.

Car-road Novi Sad-Bačka Palanka; rail-road Novi Sad-Sombor; and the Danube river are important traffic directions situated at this location.

Novi Sad's regular bus lines 53(FUTOG STARI), 54(FUTOG GRMEČKA), 55(FUTOG BRAĆE BOŠNJAK) and 56(BEGEČ) connect the village with the city.