Slovaks in Vojvodina
Encyclopedia
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...
are the third largest ethnic group in the Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
province 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...
. According to the 2002 census, there are 56,637 ethnic Slovaks in Vojvodina, constituting 2.79% in the population of the province. The number of ethnic Slovaks in the whole 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...
is 59,021, forming 0.79% of the country's total population.
Language and religion
Like the rest of the ethnic Slovaks, they speak the Slovak languageSlovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
, but most of them are Protestant (Evangelic
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia
The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia is a Lutheran church body in Slovakia.-History of the church:...
) by faith and not Roman Catholic like the most of the Slovaks in Slovakia. Slovak is one of the six official languages of Vojvodina.
Geography
Most Slovak live in KovačicaKovacica
Kovačica is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2002 census, the town has a population of 6,764, while Kovačica municipality has 27,890 inhabitants...
(8.497 Slovaks) and Bački Petrovac
Backi Petrovac
Bački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
(5.773 Slovaks).There are two municipalities in Vojvodina with absolute or relative Slovak majority: Bački Petrovac
Backi Petrovac
Bački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
(with 66.41% Slovaks) and Kovačica
Kovacica
Kovačica is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2002 census, the town has a population of 6,764, while Kovačica municipality has 27,890 inhabitants...
(with 41.07% Slovaks). The towns of Kovačica
Kovacica
Kovačica is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2002 census, the town has a population of 6,764, while Kovačica municipality has 27,890 inhabitants...
and Bački Petrovac
Backi Petrovac
Bački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
are the cultural centre of the Slovaks in Vojvodina.
The settlements in Vojvodina with absolute or relative Slovak majority are:
- Bački PetrovacBacki PetrovacBački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
(Bački PetrovacBacki PetrovacBački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
municipality) - Kulpin (Bački PetrovacBacki PetrovacBački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
municipality) - GložanGložanGložan is a village located in the Bački Petrovac municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
(Bački PetrovacBacki PetrovacBački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
municipality) - KisačKisacKisač is one of the suburban settlements of the City of Novi Sad in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The settlement has a Slovak ethnic majority.-History:The village was firstly mentioned in 1457...
(Novi SadNovi SadNovi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
municipality) - PivnicePivnicePivnice is a village located in the Bačka Palanka municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The population of the village numbering 3,835 people , of whom 2,935 are ethnic Slovaks.-External links:**...
(Bačka PalankaBacka PalankaBačka Palanka is a city and municipality located in Serbia, on left bank of the Danube, at 45.15° North, 19.24° East...
municipality) - LalićLalicLalić is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Odžaci municipality, in the West Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village is ethnically mixed and has population of 1,646 people , including several ethnic groups, among them 796 Slovaks, 702 Serbs, and others...
(OdžaciOdžaciOdžaci is a town and municipality in the West Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The town of Odžaci has a population of 9,832 people, while the population of the municipality of Odžaci is 35,474 people .-Name:The name Odžaci means "chimneys" in Serbian...
municipality) - SelenčaSelencaSelenča ) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Bač municipality, South Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Slovak ethnic majority and its population numbering 3,279 people .-Demographics:...
(BačBAC- Arts and entertainment :* Batman: Arkham City, a 2011 video game* Battersea Arts Centre, London, England, United Kingdom* Benedicta Arts Center, St...
municipality) - LugLug (Beocin)Lug is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Beočin municipality, in the Vojvodina province. Although, the village is geographically located in Syrmia, it is part of the South Bačka District...
(BeočinBeocinBeočin is a town and municipality in the Vojvodina province, Serbia. The population of the town is 8,037, whilst Beočin's municipality population is 16,029...
municipality) - LjubaLjubaLjuba is a village located in Srem, Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the Šid municipality, in the Srem District. The village has a Slovak ethnic majority and its population numbering 558 people ....
(ŠidŠidŠid is a town and municipality in the Srem District of Vojvodina, Serbia. Šid town has a population of 16,301, and Šid municipality 38,921.-Name:...
municipality) - KovačicaKovacicaKovačica is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2002 census, the town has a population of 6,764, while Kovačica municipality has 27,890 inhabitants...
(KovačicaKovacicaKovačica is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2002 census, the town has a population of 6,764, while Kovačica municipality has 27,890 inhabitants...
municipality) - PadinaPadina-In Bulgaria:* Padina, Kardzhali Province* Padina, Silistra Province* Padina, Varna Province-In Romania:* Padina, Buzău, a commune in Buzău County* Padina, a village in Amărăşti Commune, Vâlcea County-In Serbia:...
(KovačicaKovacicaKovačica is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2002 census, the town has a population of 6,764, while Kovačica municipality has 27,890 inhabitants...
municipality) - Belo BlatoBelo BlatoBelo Blato is a village located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina...
(ZrenjaninZrenjaninZrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia...
municipality) - HajdučicaHajducicaHajdučica is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Plandište municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province...
(PlandištePlandištePlandište is a village and municipality in South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The village has a population of 4,248, while Plandište municipality has 13,355 inhabitants...
municipality) - JanošikJanošikJanošik is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the municipality of Alibunar, in the South Banat District, in the province of Vojvodina. The village has a Slovak ethnic majority and its population numbers 1,171 people .-Name:The current name of the village is of Slovak origin...
(AlibunarAlibunarAlibunar is a town and municipality in South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. Alibunar town has a population of 3,402, and Alibunar municipality 22,856.-Name:...
municipality) - Slankamenački VinogradiSlankamenacki VinogradiSlankamenački Vinogradi is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Inđija municipality, in the Srem District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Slovak ethnic majority and its population numbering 266 people .-See also:...
(Inđija municipality)
History
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
. During that time, the ethnic border between Slovak and Serb settlements was also somewhere in the northern part of present-day Vojvodina.
The modern Slovaks in Vojvodina are descendants of 18th- and 19th-century settlers, who migrated from the territory of present-day 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...
. First Slovak settlers from area around Tatra
Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains, Tatras or Tatra , are a mountain range which forms a natural border between Slovakia and Poland, and are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains...
migrated to Bačka
Backa
Bačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...
during the time of Karlo I
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
; in 1720 Slovaks settled in Bajša
Bajša
Bajša is a village located in the Bačka Topola municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its population numbering 2,568 people ....
, in 1740 in Petrovac
Backi Petrovac
Bački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
and Futog
Futog
Futog is a town in Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. It is part of the metropolitan area of Novi Sad.-Name:The name Futog derives from Old Church Slavonic term for “on the mouth” - vo utok ....
, and in 1742 (during the time of Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
) in Bezdan
Bezdan
Bezdan is a village located in Bačka, Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the Sombor municipality, West Bačka District...
. Some of them also later moved to Srem
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
. In 1760, 120 Slovak families were settled in Selenča
Selenca
Selenča ) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Bač municipality, South Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Slovak ethnic majority and its population numbering 3,279 people .-Demographics:...
, but they later moved to Stara Pazova
Stara Pazova
Stara Pazova is a town and municipality in Srem District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 18,645, while Stara Pazova municipality has 67,576 inhabitants.-Name:...
in Srem.
In 1783, Slovaks settled in Kisač
Kisac
Kisač is one of the suburban settlements of the City of Novi Sad in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The settlement has a Slovak ethnic majority.-History:The village was firstly mentioned in 1457...
, Veprovac
Krušcic
Kruščić is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kula municipality, West Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The population of the village is ethnically mixed and numbering 2,353 people .-Name:...
, Gložan
Gložan
Gložan is a village located in the Bački Petrovac municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
, and Topola
Backa Topola
Bačka Topola is a town and municipality in the North Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
. Part of them also settled in Bajša
Bajša
Bajša is a village located in the Bačka Topola municipality, in the North Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The village has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its population numbering 2,568 people ....
. In 1790-1791, Slovaks settled in Pivnice
Pivnice
Pivnice is a village located in the Bačka Palanka municipality, in the South Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The population of the village numbering 3,835 people , of whom 2,935 are ethnic Slovaks.-External links:**...
, in 1792 in Stara Palanka, and in 1793 in Novi Slankamen
Novi Slankamen
Novi Slankamen is a village in Serbia. It is located in the municipality of Inđija, Syrmia District, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
. In 1784-1787, Slovaks settled in Slovanski Bardan. Some of them moved in 1788 to Aradac
Aradac
Aradac is a village located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The village is ethnically mixed and its population numbering 3,461 people .-Name:...
and Ečka
Ecka
Ečka is a village located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina...
, and some of them later also moved to Lalić
Lalic
Lalić is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Odžaci municipality, in the West Bačka District, Vojvodina province. The village is ethnically mixed and has population of 1,646 people , including several ethnic groups, among them 796 Slovaks, 702 Serbs, and others...
.
In 1800, Slovaks settled in Kovačica
Kovacica
Kovačica is a town and municipality located in the South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2002 census, the town has a population of 6,764, while Kovačica municipality has 27,890 inhabitants...
, and in 1806 and 1809 in Padina
Padina
-In Bulgaria:* Padina, Kardzhali Province* Padina, Silistra Province* Padina, Varna Province-In Romania:* Padina, Buzău, a commune in Buzău County* Padina, a village in Amărăşti Commune, Vâlcea County-In Serbia:...
. In 1806, one group of Slovaks settled in Čoka
Coka
Čoka is a town and municipality in the North Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 4,720, while Čoka municipality has 13,835 inhabitants....
, and in 1809 in Šupljaja
Krajišnik
Krajišnik is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Sečanj municipality, Central Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population is 2,241 people .-Name:...
. In 1825, Slovaks settled in Dušanovac, and in 1830 in Stari Lec
Stari Lec
Stari Lec is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Plandište municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,094 people...
. In 1850, 20 Slovak families were settled in Grk
Grk
Grk Bijeli or Grk is a white grape variety used for wine. It is in particularly found in the village of Lumbarda on the island of Korčula in Croatia, where it is used to make Grk wine. Literally, "grk" in Croatian language means bitter, but the wine is dry, high in acidity, somewhat aromatic, with...
. In 1868, Slovaks settled in Marienfeld
Vojlovica, Pancevo
Vojlovica is a former village that is part of the city of Pančevo, Serbia. Vojlovica’s centre is located 3,32 kilometers away from the Pančevo's centre. The geographical latitude of the settlement is North 44° 45' 42.9", while the longitude is East 20° 54' 20.72"...
, from where they later moved to Vojlovica
Vojlovica, Pancevo
Vojlovica is a former village that is part of the city of Pančevo, Serbia. Vojlovica’s centre is located 3,32 kilometers away from the Pančevo's centre. The geographical latitude of the settlement is North 44° 45' 42.9", while the longitude is East 20° 54' 20.72"...
. In the same time, some Slovaks also settled in Ivanovo
Ivanovo (Serbia)
Ivanovo is a village located in the Pančevo municipality, in the South Banat District of Serbia.It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.- Geography :...
. In 1887, Slovaks were settled in Elizenhajm
Belo Blato
Belo Blato is a village located in the Zrenjanin municipality, in the Central Banat District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina...
, and in 1899 in Silađi colony near Apatin
Apatin
Apatin is a town and municipality in the Vojvodina administrative region of Serbia, located in the West Bačka District, at . The town of Apatin is the administrative, economic, cultural, educational and tourist centre of the municipality of Apatin...
.
According to the 1880 census, Slovaks were the sixth largest ethnic group within present-day Vojvodina, and their number was 43,318. Until the end of the First World War, many of the Slovaks were Hungarized
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...
.
According to the 1948 census, Slovaks were the fourth largest ethnic group in the region, and their number was 72,032. The largest number of Slovaks was recorded in the 1961 census — 73,830. In the 2002 census, Slovaks were the third largest ethnic group in the region for the first time, while their number according to this census was 56,637.