Let me check that out for you and get back with a detailed post. When exactly will you leave in October?

I’ll be in Serbia from 19 - 23 October. I plan to stay in Belgrade for three nights and Vrsac for two.

There’s now a fourth sibling for my great grandfather, and I know the two brothers had three children between them. Unfortunately (?) all three are girls, so harder to find descendants (I assume that Serbian women back then took the husbands name?). The record book I have access to ends in 1945, so there may have been more after that.

Well, I was in Vrsac last week.

http://www.vrsac.com/default.aspx?Lang=srb
Is their website.

At https://www.euprava.gov.rs/eusluge/institucija?service=servicesForInstitution&institutionId=81 you can order documents online such as excerpts from their records. You will need to create an account.

The archives of Vrsac fall under Bela Crkva, you mail them at [email protected]

And the graveyard s, https://www.planplus.rs/adresar/vrsac/groblja

Thank you and apologies for my late reply. I’ve tried the archives email address before but have found them unhelpful.

I tried a few times to make an account but wasn’t successful. It seemed to want proof of citizenship/ a local tax number? I’ll try again though as it’s three weeks until my trip.

I’ve since found that my great-grandfather remarried but haven’t managed to find if there are any children from the second marriage. I hope so, as I hope he had happiness. I have the details of his grave, which is shared with his parents and I will be visiting it to show my respects. I’ve been told that there’s an outstanding maintenance fee and that the grave is to be exhumed if the debt is not paid. I hadn’t heard of this before, but my husband tells me this is common in Europe. Is there a standard annual charge? I’m trying the calculate how much 25 years would be.

Alas I have no idea what that fee would be. But it is Serbia so I don't think it's too high.
I think you'd be better of with hiring a local researcher that can access records for you. The archives have to comply with privacy laws so I think they will keep asking for proof of citizenship.

I rechecked the issue, and its the JMBG number that I must supply to obtain an eGovernment account to use the online portal.

Yes, the HMBG number is the equivalent of a social security number. So there is no way around it unfortunately.

I genuinely thought I’d updated this after my visit last year but I obviously forgot.

I found my great grandfathers grave. He is buried with his parents, and now I pay the annual maintenance fee. It’s a small, token amount, and it gives me ‘peace of mind’ that my ancestors are safe. I also found the grave of one brother (so my great great paternal uncle), his wife and their daughter. There is a sad story, but eventually I’ve been able to connect with a step cousin (?) (the daughters husband remarried).

Unfortunately the rest of the family - two sisters and one brother remain a mystery. I know my great grandfather remarried, and his wife left Vrsac after his death. I keep hoping my DNA tests (Ancestry and MyHeritage) will reveal family in the future, but I plan to do more research eventually too in Serbia. The budget doesn’t allow for much at the moment, but the revamp of this site is really nice - well done to everyone who has worked hard on it.

Glad to hear and thank you for the update!
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