Sobrance
Encyclopedia
Sobrance is a town in Košice Region
, Slovakia
, around 15 km from Uzhhorod
, Ukraine
, and 22 km east of Michalovce
. Located in the Eastern Slovak Lowland
not far from the Vihorlat Mountains
, it is the easternmost town in Slovakia.
. After the First World War as result of the Treaty of Trianon
town became part of newly founded Czechoslovakia
and became the capital city of its own district
. During the Second World War Sobrance became the part of Hungary
, and was heavily damaged. After the war the town became part of Czechoslovakia again, but did not immediately regain its district status. Since the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
, Sobrance has been part of Slovakia
. It regained its district town status in 1996.
The first reference to Jewish residents appears in the May 15, 1739 Jewish Conscription of Ung County which recorded only one Jewish family. The head of the household was Marko Joseffovics (Marko the son of Josef), a distiller of whisky (palinka, slivovica or vodka). By July 1746 there were two Jewish families—Marko Joseffovics and Hersko Abrahamovics (Hersko the son of Abraham). The Chevra Kadisha
or burial society was founded in about 1780, a time when the Jewish population of northeastern Hungary began to grow due to migrations from Galicia. Their percentage stood at 24.3% in 1910. The synagogue, which was still standing in 1929, was built in about 1800. Following the Nazi invasion of Hungary
on May 17, 1944 all the Jews living in Sobrance were deported to Auschwitz concentration camp
as part of the Final Solution
where they were murdered upon arrival. The property and belongings that were left behind were looted in a thoroughly organized act by the local none-Jew population of Sobrance soon after the deportation
.[]
before the First World War. Today it is totally abandoned.
A Guitar
museum
is located in the town. The collection includes more than 200 guitars mainly from the period of 1947–1980. Perhaps the most valuable guitar is a Resonet Grazioso/Futurama from early in the career of George Harrison
.
, the town had 6,262 inhabitants. 95.37% of inhabitants were Slovaks
, 0.91% Roma, 0.51% Czechs
and 0.37% Ukrainian. The religious makeup was 51.09% Roman Catholics, 33.93% Greek Catholics, 3.59% people with no religious affiliation and 3.37% Orthodox
.
Košice Region
The Košice Region is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions. It consists of 11 districts .-Geography:It is located in the southern part of eastern Slovakia and covers an area of 6,752 km²...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, around 15 km from Uzhhorod
Uzhhorod
Uzhhorod or Uzhgorod is a city located in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. It is the administrative center of the Zakarpattia Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Uzhhorodskyi Raion within the oblast...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, and 22 km east of Michalovce
Michalovce
Michalovce is a town on the Laborec river in eastern Slovakia, with a population around 40,000. It is the biggest town of the Michalovce District in the Košice Region.-Geography:...
. Located in the Eastern Slovak Lowland
Eastern Slovak Lowland
The East Slovak Lowland is the name of the part of Great Hungarian Plain situated in Slovakia....
not far from the Vihorlat Mountains
Vihorlat Mountains
Vihorlat Mountains or colloquially Vihorlat is a volcanic mountain range in eastern Slovakia and western Ukraine. A part of the range is listed as a World Heritage Site.-Vihorlat Mountains in Slovakia:...
, it is the easternmost town in Slovakia.
History
The first written record comes from 1344, when Sobrance gained town status in 1351. In these times 1910 the town had 1216 inhabitants, 538 Hungarians and 577 Slovaks. Before First World War town was part of Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. After the First World War as result of the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
town became part of newly founded Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and became the capital city of its own district
Sobrance District
Sobrance District is a district inthe Košice Region of eastern Slovakia.Until 1918, the district was mostly part of the Hungarian county of Ung, apart from the area around the municipalities of...
. During the Second World War Sobrance became the part of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, and was heavily damaged. After the war the town became part of Czechoslovakia again, but did not immediately regain its district status. Since the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on 1 January 1993, was an event that saw the self-determined separation of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, entities which had arisen in 1969 within the framework of Czechoslovak federalisation, became...
, Sobrance has been part of Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. It regained its district town status in 1996.
The first reference to Jewish residents appears in the May 15, 1739 Jewish Conscription of Ung County which recorded only one Jewish family. The head of the household was Marko Joseffovics (Marko the son of Josef), a distiller of whisky (palinka, slivovica or vodka). By July 1746 there were two Jewish families—Marko Joseffovics and Hersko Abrahamovics (Hersko the son of Abraham). The Chevra Kadisha
Chevra Kadisha
A chevra kadisha is a loosely structured but generally closed organization of Jewish men and women who see to it that the bodies of Jews are prepared for burial according to Halacha and are protected from desecration, willful or not, until burial...
or burial society was founded in about 1780, a time when the Jewish population of northeastern Hungary began to grow due to migrations from Galicia. Their percentage stood at 24.3% in 1910. The synagogue, which was still standing in 1929, was built in about 1800. Following the Nazi invasion of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
on May 17, 1944 all the Jews living in Sobrance were deported to Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
as part of the Final Solution
Final Solution
The Final Solution was Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust...
where they were murdered upon arrival. The property and belongings that were left behind were looted in a thoroughly organized act by the local none-Jew population of Sobrance soon after the deportation
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
.[]
Sights
To the north of the town is Sobranecké kúpele, once a popular spaSpa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
before the First World War. Today it is totally abandoned.
A Guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
is located in the town. The collection includes more than 200 guitars mainly from the period of 1947–1980. Perhaps the most valuable guitar is a Resonet Grazioso/Futurama from early in the career of George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
.
Demographics
According to the 2001 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, the town had 6,262 inhabitants. 95.37% of inhabitants were Slovaks
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
, 0.91% Roma, 0.51% Czechs
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
and 0.37% Ukrainian. The religious makeup was 51.09% Roman Catholics, 33.93% Greek Catholics, 3.59% people with no religious affiliation and 3.37% Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
.