Darda Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish community of Darda was established in 1780 with 34 members, but existed only until 1914. The synagogue was also abandoned after 1914. The Jewish population was small; there were only 296 Jews in the entire vicinity in 1921. After the end of the First World War, the Jews of Darda were members of the nearest Jewish community in Osijek. Before the Second World War, only 136 Jews lived in Darda. The Jewish cemetery was established at the beginning of the 19th century and was abandoned at the end of the Second World War. The oldest tombstone dates back to 1889 and the latest to 1940.

Darda is a town and a municipality located across the Drava River in Baranja. The town’s history goes back to the 13th century when it was under the Holy Roman Empire. From 1526 to 1687, the area was under Ottoman Empire rule. During those years, Darda was an important market place with a strong fortress with towers. Formally, there were 50 houses and one mosque in Darda, but after the defeat of the Ottoman army, all Muslims left. After, Darda became a part of the Habsburg Monarchy and was inhabited by Hungarians, Germans and Croats. In 1910, the population of Darda was 3,348. The economy of the town was known for its agricultural production.