Magyarkanizsa (Kanjiža)

Magyarkanizsa (formerly Kanizsa, in Serbian Кањижа / Kanjiža) is a small town and municipality in the northeastern part of Serbia’s Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. Geographically, it is located in the region of Bačka, but administratively, it belongs to the North Banat District. This classification was introduced in the 1990s during the Milošević administration, likely with the intention of administratively dividing the Hungarian-majority North Bačka region. Despite this, the local population identifies itself geographically and culturally as belonging to Bačka.

Location

Magyarkanizsa is situated 15 km south of the Serbian-Hungarian border, on the right bank of the Tisza River, geographically within Bačka.

Administrative Division of the Municipality

The present-day municipality of Magyarkanizsa was established on January 1, 1960, when three former municipalities—Magyarkanizsa, Horgos, and Martonos—merged. Today, the municipality comprises 13 settlements:

• Adorján (Адорјан / Adorjan)
• Horgos (Хоргош / Horgoš)
• Ilonafalu (Зимоњић / Zimonjić)
• Kishomok (Мали Песак / Mali Pesak)
• Kispiac (Мале Пијаце / Male Pijace)
• Magyarkanizsa (Кањижа / Kanjiža)
• Martonos (Мартонош / Martonoš)
• Orom (Ором / Orom)
• Oromhegyes (Трешњевац / Trešnjevac)
• Tóthfalu (Тотово Село / Totovo Selo)
• Újfalu (Ново Село / Novo Selo)
• Velebit (Велебит / Velebit)
• Völgyes (Долине / Doline)

Origin of the Settlement's Name

The town's name first appeared in written records in 1093 as Cnesa (pronounced: knesa). Later variations included Kenesna, Neu Canisa, villa Canysa, Földvár, Ókanizsa, Magyarkanizsa, and Stara Kanjiža. The name Kanizsa is likely of Slavic origin, derived from the words knez (prince, leader) or knezsev. However, it is unclear whether the original name referred to a geographical feature (such as a stream), an estate, or the seat of an ispán (a historical Hungarian administrative official).

Name Changes Over Time

Over the centuries, the town has been known by various names in Hungarian:

• Kanizsa – This was the commonly used name for decades after World War II, and most local Hungarians still refer to it this way today.
• Kanyizsa – In the late 1950s and again during the 1990s under Slobodan Milošević’s rule, this phonetically Serbianized name was officially used in Hungarian-language documents. However, local Hungarians never widely accepted this version.
• Kanjiza – For a time, this was the official name in Hungary, as a legal regulation required foreign settlements to be referred to in the official language of their country if written in the Latin alphabet. The local population rejected this version as well.
• Kanjiza (Magyarkanizsa) – This is the current official name in Hungary. The regulations now allow the historical Hungarian name to be used in parentheses alongside the Serbian name.
• Magyarkanizsa – This became the official Hungarian name in Serbia following a proposal by the Hungarian National Council in Serbia. Despite this, the short form Kanizsa remains the most commonly used name among local Hungarians.

Historical Name Variations from Archival Sources

Over the centuries, the settlement has appeared in historical records under different names, including:

• Ó-Kanizsa
• Stara Kanjiža
• Alt- oder Ungar. Kanischa
• Alt-Kanizsa
• Magyar Kanizsa
• Vetus Kanizsa
• Kanizsa