Bácsalmás
Encyclopedia
Bácsalmás is a small town in southern Hungary
in the region of Bácska (Bács-Kiskun
County) close to the border with the Vojvodina
region of Serbia
, with a population of 7,694 people.
, the region came under the control of the Magyars who absorbed the Slavic
and the remnant Avar
population. There was archaeological evidence found in various small villages in the Middle Ages. The area was under the ownership of János Hunyadi in the 15th century. With the arrival of the Turks
, the population disappeared and was at first replaced by Croats
(Bunjevci
) who came from Bosnia and the Croatian Littoral
. The first mention the village comes from 1543 in the records of the Archbishopric of Kalocsa
.
In the 17th century, there was a steady influx of Croats
under the leadership of the Franciscans from Bosnia
. The last major group came under the leadership of captains Marković and Vidaković.
With the Turkish defeat at the Battle of Zenta
, Bácsalmás came under the control of the Habsburgs where it became a part of the Military Frontier
. In 1772, the village received an Urbarium
from which was written in the Croatian language
, which was reflected the majority of the population. The Urbarium was for the landowners of the village consisting of 72 Bunjevci
, 11 Hungarians, 3 Slovaks
and 2 Roma. In the 1780s, 195 German
families were settled by the Habsburgs in Bácsalmás who continued to be the overwhelming majority until 1945. Most of these settlers came from Swabia
, Alsace
and Mainz
. In the following decade, land grants were given to newly ennobled men from the immediate region to the Hungarian family of Németszeghy, Koronay, and Croat families of Antunović, Rudić, Kovačić, and Šišković.
In the 19th century the town became a centre for wine and grain production which was exported mainly to Austria
and Bohemia
. It also became an important railroad junction. In effect it became a prosperous community. However, it retained its rural character the whole time with a strong artisan class which served the surrounding region.
In 1941, the town had a population of 13,000, two-thirds of whom were Germans (Danube Swabians). In 1945-46, the majority of Germans were expelled and Hungarians were brought from Slovakia to replace them.
In 1986, Bácsalmás became a town with a population of over 8,000. With the closure of some industries and the reforms in agriculture
, the town is losing its population. Bácsalmás is struggling to replace the declining agricultural sector, but alternatives are hard to find. The farming cooperative privatized in the early 1990s and the local state farm
accumulated large debts.
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...
in the region of Bácska (Bács-Kiskun
Bács-Kiskun
Bács-Kiskun is a county located in southern Hungary. It was created as a result of World War II, merging the pre war Bács-Bodrog and the southern parts of Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun counties. With an area of 8,445 km2, Bács-Kiskun is the largest county in the country. The terrain is mostly flat...
County) close to the border with the Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
region of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, with a population of 7,694 people.
History
In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the region came under the control of the Magyars who absorbed the Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
and the remnant Avar
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
population. There was archaeological evidence found in various small villages in the Middle Ages. The area was under the ownership of János Hunyadi in the 15th century. With the arrival of the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the population disappeared and was at first replaced by Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
(Bunjevci
Bunjevci
Bunjevci are a South Slavic community and ethnic group living mostly in the Bačka region of Serbia and southern Hungary...
) who came from Bosnia and the Croatian Littoral
Croatian Littoral
The Croatian Littoral is a geographical term that refers to the narrow coastal strip along the Adriatic Sea in Croatia extending from east the city Rijeka south to Karlobag...
. The first mention the village comes from 1543 in the records of the Archbishopric of Kalocsa
Kalocsa
Kalocsa is a town in Bács-Kiskun county, Hungary. It lies 88 miles south of Budapest. It is situated in a marshy but highly productive district, near the left bank of the Danube River. Historically it had greater political and economic importance than at present.Kalocsa is the Episcopal see...
.
In the 17th century, there was a steady influx of Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
under the leadership of the Franciscans from Bosnia
Bosnia Province, Ottoman Empire
The Bosnia Vilayet was an Ottoman vilayet, mostly based on the territory of the present-day state of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as most of Slavonia, Lika and Dalmatia in present-day Croatia. It bordered Kosovo Vilayet to the south. Before the administrative reform in 1864, it was called the...
. The last major group came under the leadership of captains Marković and Vidaković.
With the Turkish defeat at the Battle of Zenta
Battle of Zenta
The Battle of Zenta or Battle of Senta, fought on 11 September 1697 just south of Zenta , on the east side of the Tisza river, was a major engagement in the Great Turkish War and one of the most decisive defeats in Ottoman history...
, Bácsalmás came under the control of the Habsburgs where it became a part of the Military Frontier
Military Frontier
The Military Frontier was a borderland of Habsburg Austria and later the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which acted as the cordon sanitaire against incursions from the Ottoman Empire...
. In 1772, the village received an Urbarium
Urbarium
Urbarium is a term that means a register of fief ownership and includes the rights and benefits that the fief holder has over his serfs and peasants. It is an important economic and legal source of medieval and early modern feudalism.Urbarium were also used to record land rent and stock...
from which was written in the Croatian language
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
, which was reflected the majority of the population. The Urbarium was for the landowners of the village consisting of 72 Bunjevci
Bunjevci
Bunjevci are a South Slavic community and ethnic group living mostly in the Bačka region of Serbia and southern Hungary...
, 11 Hungarians, 3 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...
and 2 Roma. In the 1780s, 195 German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
families were settled by the Habsburgs in Bácsalmás who continued to be the overwhelming majority until 1945. Most of these settlers came from Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
, Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
. In the following decade, land grants were given to newly ennobled men from the immediate region to the Hungarian family of Németszeghy, Koronay, and Croat families of Antunović, Rudić, Kovačić, and Šišković.
In the 19th century the town became a centre for wine and grain production which was exported mainly to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. It also became an important railroad junction. In effect it became a prosperous community. However, it retained its rural character the whole time with a strong artisan class which served the surrounding region.
In 1941, the town had a population of 13,000, two-thirds of whom were Germans (Danube Swabians). In 1945-46, the majority of Germans were expelled and Hungarians were brought from Slovakia to replace them.
In 1986, Bácsalmás became a town with a population of over 8,000. With the closure of some industries and the reforms in agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, the town is losing its population. Bácsalmás is struggling to replace the declining agricultural sector, but alternatives are hard to find. The farming cooperative privatized in the early 1990s and the local state farm
State farm
State farm can refer to:*Sovkhoz, a type of state-owned farm in the Soviet Union*Volkseigenes Gut, a type of state-owned farm in East Germany*Państwowe Gospodarstwo Rolne, a type of state-owned farm in People's Republic of Poland...
accumulated large debts.