Meda
Encyclopedia
Međa is a village located in the Žitište
municipality, in the Central Banat District
of Serbia
. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina
. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,155 people (2002 census).
, the village is known as Međa (Међа), in German
as Pardan, in Hungarian
as Párdány, and in Romanian
as Meda. Its former names used in Serbian were Pardanj (Пардањ) and Ninčićevo (Нинчићево).
Former Serb Pardanj was known as Srpski Pardanj (Српски Пардањ) in Serbian, Serbische Pardan in German, and Szerb-Párdány in Hungarian.
Former Slovak Pardanj was known as Totovski Pardanj (Тотовски Пардањ) in Serbian, Slowakisch Pardan in German, and Tót-Párdány in Hungarian. It was later also known as German Pardanj (Serbian: Nemački Pardanj or Немачки Пардањ, German: Deutsch Pardan, Hungarian: Német-Párdány) and Hungarian Pardanj (Serbian: Mađarski Pardanj or Мађарски Пардањ, German: Ungarisch Pardan, Hungarian: Magyar-Párdány).
rule (in 1660/66), Pardanj was inhabited by Serbs
, and in 1753 was also recorded as Serb-inhabited settlement. At first, there were two villages with name Pardanj: Serb Pardanj and Slovak Pardanj. Former Slovak
inhabitants either moved out of the village or became magyarized
or Germanized. In the middle of the 18th century, Germans
and Hungarians settled here as well, mostly in Slovak Pardanj, which later became known as German Pardanj and Hungarian Pardanj. Two villages (former Serb Pardanj and former Slovak/German/Hungarian Pardanj) united into single village in 1907. After the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles
in 1919 assigned Pardanj to Romania
. It was under Romanian administration until 1924, when it was assigned to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. In this time, its name was changed to Ninčićevo. Near the end of the Second World War (1944) the German population was sent to Tito's concentration camps . The village and colonists from Bosnia and Herzegovina
settled here instead of them. New inhabitants named the village Međa ("border" in English) because of the proximity of the state border. Formerly, Međa was a seat of the municipality, but later was included into new municipality with seat in Žitište
.
, who was born in 1904 in Međa according to some sources. However, where the actor was actually born is disputed because other sources claim that his birthplace was Szabadfalu (Freidorf), present-day part of Timişoara
.
Johnny Weissmuller (born Johann Peter Weißmüller; June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an Austro-Hungarian-born American swimmer and actor. The ship's roster from his family's arrival at Ellis Island lists his birthplace as Párdány (now Međa), village on territory of today's Serbia. He won fifty-two US National Championships and set sixty-seven world records. After his swimming career, he became the sixth actor to portray Tarzan in films, a role he played in twelve motion pictures.
Žitište
Žitište is a town and municipality in Central Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 3,236, while Žitište municipality has 20,144 inhabitants.-Name:...
municipality, in the Central Banat District
Central Banat District
Central Banat District is a northeastern district of Serbia. It lies in the region of Banat, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It has a population of 208,456...
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...
. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,155 people (2002 census).
Name
In SerbianSerbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, the village is known as Međa (Међа), in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
as Pardan, in Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
as Párdány, and in Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
as Meda. Its former names used in Serbian were Pardanj (Пардањ) and Ninčićevo (Нинчићево).
Former Serb Pardanj was known as Srpski Pardanj (Српски Пардањ) in Serbian, Serbische Pardan in German, and Szerb-Párdány in Hungarian.
Former Slovak Pardanj was known as Totovski Pardanj (Тотовски Пардањ) in Serbian, Slowakisch Pardan in German, and Tót-Párdány in Hungarian. It was later also known as German Pardanj (Serbian: Nemački Pardanj or Немачки Пардањ, German: Deutsch Pardan, Hungarian: Német-Párdány) and Hungarian Pardanj (Serbian: Mađarski Pardanj or Мађарски Пардањ, German: Ungarisch Pardan, Hungarian: Magyar-Párdány).
History
It was first mentioned in 1247. During OttomanOttoman 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...
rule (in 1660/66), Pardanj was inhabited by Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
, and in 1753 was also recorded as Serb-inhabited settlement. At first, there were two villages with name Pardanj: Serb Pardanj and Slovak Pardanj. Former Slovak
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...
inhabitants either moved out of the village or became magyarized
Magyarization
Magyarization is a kind of assimilation or acculturation, a process by which non-Magyar elements came to adopt Magyar culture and language due to social pressure .Defiance or appeals to the Nationalities Law, met...
or Germanized. In the middle of the 18th century, Germans
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....
and Hungarians settled here as well, mostly in Slovak Pardanj, which later became known as German Pardanj and Hungarian Pardanj. Two villages (former Serb Pardanj and former Slovak/German/Hungarian Pardanj) united into single village in 1907. After the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
in 1919 assigned Pardanj to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It was under Romanian administration until 1924, when it was assigned to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. In this time, its name was changed to Ninčićevo. Near the end of the Second World War (1944) the German population was sent to Tito's concentration camps . The village and colonists from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
settled here instead of them. New inhabitants named the village Međa ("border" in English) because of the proximity of the state border. Formerly, Međa was a seat of the municipality, but later was included into new municipality with seat in Žitište
Žitište
Žitište is a town and municipality in Central Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 3,236, while Žitište municipality has 20,144 inhabitants.-Name:...
.
Ethnic groups (2002 census)
- SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
= 1,024 (88.66%) - Hungarians = 43 (3.72%)
- Roma = 25 (2.17%)
- others.
Trivia
Local people of Međa plan to build a monument dedicated to Johnny WeissmullerJohnny Weissmuller
Johnny Weissmuller was an Austro-Hungarian-born American swimmer and actor best known for playing Tarzan in movies. Weissmuller was one of the world's best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. He won fifty-two US National Championships and set sixty-seven...
, who was born in 1904 in Međa according to some sources. However, where the actor was actually born is disputed because other sources claim that his birthplace was Szabadfalu (Freidorf), present-day part of Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
.
Notable citizens
- The politician Vuk DraškovićVuk DraškovicVuk Drašković , leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement, is a Serbian politician who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Yugoslavia and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of State Union of Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia.He graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School in 1968...
was born in Međa. - Count János Buttler de Párdány, Hungarian aristocrat. Kálmán MikszáthKálmán MikszáthKálmán Mikszáth de Kiscsoltó was a major Hungarian novelist, journalist, and politician.-Biography:Mikszáth was born in Szklabonya, Upper Hungary into a family of the lesser nobility...
's novel A Strange Marriage is based on his life story.
Johnny Weissmuller (born Johann Peter Weißmüller; June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an Austro-Hungarian-born American swimmer and actor. The ship's roster from his family's arrival at Ellis Island lists his birthplace as Párdány (now Međa), village on territory of today's Serbia. He won fifty-two US National Championships and set sixty-seven world records. After his swimming career, he became the sixth actor to portray Tarzan in films, a role he played in twelve motion pictures.