The name of our town according to written traits (Felix Mileker) appears for the first time in 1427, in the form PODVRŠAN. By the end of the XVI century we can find toponyms VARSOCZ (VARŠOC), VERSECZ (VERŠEC),
VIRSICZA (VIRŠKA). In 1694 VERSOCZ (VERŠOC) and in 1707 VARSACZ (VARŠAC). In all those names the root represents the Serbian word “summit”. In 1427 in front of the mentioned basic meaning was a prefix “pod” (under) and that would be the most correct form PODVRŠAN =
under the top (of the hill). The prefix “pod” was later lost and the ending “šac” was added to the root of the word “vrh” (top, summit), and so we acquired the name VRŠAC (small summit).
In the area of today Vršac the man lived already in the most ancient times. There are testimonies to that in the antiquity findings in which this area abounds, and which are in their greatest number kept in the National Museum in Vršac.
The first settlements originate from neolith, in the time of polished stone, the testimony of which is given by archeological findings (At). Human settlements receive more permanent character by the
coming of Slavs (late Middle Age) in these areas, and before them here were Thracians, Celts, Skits,
Dacians, Romans, Gepids, Avars and the others.
Place PODVRŠAN, that is, today Vršac, is first recorded in the beginning of the XV century, or more exactly in 1427 in one letter of kind Sigmund (1387-1439). During his reign, in order to defend against constant Turkish attacks, the Vršac Town-Fortress has been built, within the estate of the ?ur? Brankovia.
According to its method of construction, the Vršac tower resembles Smederevo, so that it is estimated
that the Vršac tower was constructed after the fall of Smederevo (in 1439), in order that ?ura? Brankovia should protect his estates in Banat and to check further Turkish invasion.
The period of Turkish rule in this area lasted from 1552 to 1716. Banat riot of 1594 had as its aim overthrowing of Turkish slavery. Serbs and Rumanians from Banat although they gave ferocious resistance were defeated from superior enemy - “the riot was choked in blood”. During the siege of the fortress, the Turkish aga has challenged Serbian leader Janko Lugošan with the nickname Halabura to a duel.
The duel ended in victory of Janko Halabura, and that victory appears as one of the town emblem symbols, in which above the fortification (tower) one can see a hand with the sword and decapitated Turkish head.
When the Turks left, Vršac joined Tamiš Banat with the administrative seat in Temisoara. The town becomes a seat of the newly established Vršac district (in 1718) which encompassed 72 settlements and
around 3,500 houses. After the Turks have left, a period begins of colonization by the German population from the Mosel valley, who were famous wine-growers. They have transferred the skill of planting and growing wine to our hilly terrain, so that Vršac soon became one of important European centers for production and wine quality. In Vršac, the grapevine used to be cultivated even earlier, and good wine used to be produced. According to the quotations of old authors, the year 1494 is mentioned, when on the court of the Hungarian King Vladislav they paid for one barrel of Vršac wine 10.50 golden coins.
Besides economic development, crafts are developed in Vršac, as well as trade and the town is increasingly growing into a cultural-educational center. In the second half of the XVIII century a first chemist’s shop is opened, “Kod Spasitelja”, post office, the first elementary school started its work, the oldest part of the building of Vršac Magistrate has been constructed, or “Municipia”. Then, in 1757 Eparchy Court has been built, Assumption Church (1766), Great Orthodox Cathedral (1785). By the big merit of the bishop Josif Jovanovia Šakabenta in 1790, Serbian Vršac received Grammar School. The first theatre shows in Serbia were presented in Vršac already in 1793,
presented by the pupils of the Grammar School, and before that German theatres from Timisoara were
guest performers.
The town of Vršac receives in 1804 the Trade Charter of Franja II for courageous attitude of its citizens
in wars against Turks during 1787-1791, and in 1817 Vršac becomes free King’s town in Austro-Hungary of that time. The greatest merits for achieving privileges are of the Town Master Korman Vilhelm and of the Town Judge Konstantin Spajia.
In 1840 Vršac had 15,503 citizens and was the most populated place in Tamiš Banat. The town is urbanistically shaped, and introduction of the trade capital is intensified.
Revolutionary events of 1848 have spread to several European countries, including the Habsburg Monarchy, the part of which was the territory of Vojvodina.
Decisions of the May Assembly held in Karlovci from the 1st to the 3rd May, covering besides else proclamation of the Serbian Vojvodina covering Srem with border area, Baranja, Baeka with Beeej district and Šajkaš battalion and Banat with the border area and Kikinda District, have been rejected from the Imperial Court, and the Serbs were not recognized as a nation but for a religious group, and were directed for resolving their wishes to the Hungarian Government which decided to resolve the dispute with Serbs by arms. During big fights waged around Paneevo, Vršac and other towns of Vojvodina during 1848/49, by the Imperial Patent from the 18th November 1849 a special territory was created, under the name „Vojvodstvo Srbija i Tamiški Banat“ (Dukedom of Serbia and Tamiski Banat).
Seat of the Dukedom became Temisoara, and the King took the title of Serbian Duke. In that way, finally wishes of Serbs were discarded to take Vojvodina, in the spirit of May Assembly Decisions.
Coming into the constellation of the Dukedom of Serbia and of Tamiš Banat in 1849 and suffering all cruelties of the Bach absolutisms (1849-1861) Vršac has lost much from its earlier significance in the political field. A strong germanization of the Serbian population started, and the political administration was subordinated to the county government in Temisoara. The Court on one hand, choked political freedoms of its subordinates, and on the other hand gave great attention to the development of agriculture, crafts and trade.
That is the period of quick development of the railway traffic (1858) linking Vršac with Paneevo, Temisoara and Bazijaš on the Danube, and later also with other places. In 1880 the Swiss merchant Bernard Schtaub erects in Vršac the cellar “Helvetia” (capacity of 10,000 hl.), and Vršac vineyards have exhibited their products in all larger European cities: Vienna, Paris, London, Brussels, Bremen, Lintz, Budapest ...
Handicrafts represented important branch of economy (60 various kinds of handicrafts have been organized in 13 guilds, 7 Serbian and 6 German). Besides viticulture which has always given its stamp to the town, in the seventies of the XVIII century Vršac became famous for cultivation of the silkworm and in that period it became a collecting center for processing cocoons for the whole southern Hungary. In the town area Coffman’s brewery has been opened in 1859, then the first printing house, Town Museum and Library, music school. In the second half of the XIX century Vršac becomes one of the important centers of political life of Serbs in Vojvodina. In the seventies and eighties Vršac is pervaded by socialistic ideas and a strong group of socialists acts in it under the name “Vršac socialists” spreading socialist ideas between the youth, workers, craftsman and small merchants, so that they had mass support in those classes for their ideas.

After the Balkan Wars, the new reality in this part of the world has made enemy interests even more acute between the Austro-Hungary and Serbia. Only a few days after the Sarajevo assassination (28th June 1914) bans of Serbs in Vojvodina began. The people were embittered and the war cry was ever present. What did not happen with the Habsburg Monarchy in the revolution of 1848/49 happened during the First World War. Agony of the “Danube patient” began already with the first war clashes. The Serbian people understood that the real road for liberty and independence is nor renewal but destruction of the Monarchy. By break-apart of the Habsburg Monarchy in 1918, conditions have ripened for realization of the Yugoslav idea that the people of Yugoslavia should live in joint independent state. The creation of the Kingdom of SHS on the 1st December 1918 marked a crucial event in the lives of Yugoslav peoples, because then for the first time in their history they found themselves in the joint state. Banat within Vojvodina became a part of Serbia as its inseparable part.
The Second World War (1941-1945) brought great sufferings, devastation and victims to the people in this region. After the collapse of fascism, the Vršac people paid their tribute to their heroes and great men from the cultural and historic past, naming after them numerous streets, squares, schools, and the sculptures representing famous personalities are located in parks.
Today, as well as in the greater part of its past, Vršac with its surroundings represents a multinational environment where human rights are respected, regardless of the religious belief.
Today it is a town with developed network of schools, sports societies, cultural institutions, health institutions, and before all, a town with strong economic potential using it as a basis for its prosperity in the twenty first century.
Vršac with the coating of long and tumultuous past readily walks into the new millennium.