Strahoninec
Encyclopedia
Strahoninec is a municipality
in Međimurje County, Croatia
.
Strahoninec is the only village
in the municipality. Also part of the municipality is the hamlet
of Poleve, located just over a kilometre south of the village. In the 2001 census, the municipality had a population of 2,728. Of the entire population, a total of 2,645 people (97 %) identified themselves as Croats
.
The village of Strahoninec is located next to the southern limits of Čakovec
, the county seat of Međimurje County, around 3 kilometres from the centre of the city. The north-eastern part of the village is connected with Savska Ves
, while its western part is close to Nedelišće
.
consisting of several rural municipalities. In 1672, Strahoninec was mentioned as part of the Nedelišće judicatus. In 1718, it belonged to the Mihovljan judicatus, but was again mentioned as part of the Nedelišće judicatus three years later, in 1721.
The first organised census in the Međimurje region took place in 1786. According to it, there were 44 houses in Strahoninec, accommodating 56 families and a population of 384. Another census took place in 1828. According to it, there were 48 houses in the village, accommodating a predominantly Roman Catholic population of 385. The name of the village in that census was Ztrahominec. It was derived from strah, the Croatian
word for "fear
", and minuti, which means "to pass" or "to go away". It was a reference to the people who travelled through the area. They were afraid of a large forest
they had to go through after crossing the Drava
, and their fears were gone once they entered the village.
In the 1828 census, the hamlet of Poleve was mentioned for the first time. However, neither its population nor the number of houses were mentioned. In 1868, the hamlet was mentioned as Polevo, and was part of the village of Strahoninec. In the 1910 census, the hamlet was mentioned under a Hungarian
name, Szépmajor, and had a population of 91.
Strahoninec was also known by a Hungarian name, Nagyfalu, at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1900 census, it had a population of 777. At the time, there were 724 Croats, 44 Hungarians and 8 Germans
living in the village. In the 1910 census, the village had a population of 782. It was part of the Čakovec district of Zala County in the Kingdom of Hungary
until the Treaty of Trianon
was signed in 1920.
It then became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
. In 1921, Strahoninec became the seat of a municipality, which also included Kuršanec
, Poleve and Totovec
. In 1941, it became part of Hungary
again, as the entire Međimurje region was annexed by the Hungarians until 1945. At the time, the village was known as Drávanagyfalu, which is still the name used for it in Hungarian. In 1941, it had a population of 1,212. The majority of the population identified themselves as Hungarians at the time.
After World War II
, it became part of Croatia
within the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia
. In the 1953 census, the village of Strahoninec had a population of 1,386. At the time, it was the seat of a municipality, which also included the villages of Šandorovec and Totovec. In 1955, it became part of the Čakovec municipality.
The village developed quickly during the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1981 census, it had a population of 2,260, which grew to 2,580 in the 1991 census. Following the independence of Croatia, it was part of the wider area of the city of Čakovec. On 17 January 1997, Strahoninec became a separate municipality.
Municipalities of Croatia
A Municipality in Croatia is known as an općina . Though equal to Croatian Grads in administrative powers, they are usually more likely to consists of a collection of villages in more rural or suburban area, whereas Grads are more likely to cover urban area...
in Međimurje County, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
Strahoninec is the only village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the municipality. Also part of the municipality is the hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Poleve, located just over a kilometre south of the village. In the 2001 census, the municipality had a population of 2,728. Of the entire population, a total of 2,645 people (97 %) identified themselves as 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...
.
The village of Strahoninec is located next to the southern limits of Čakovec
Cakovec
Čakovec is a city in northern Croatia, located around 90 kilometres north of Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Čakovec is both the county seat and largest city of Međimurje County, the northernmost, smallest and most densely populated Croatian county.-Population:...
, the county seat of Međimurje County, around 3 kilometres from the centre of the city. The north-eastern part of the village is connected with Savska Ves
Savska Ves
Savska Ves is a village in Međimurje County, Croatia.The village is part of the wider area of Čakovec, the county seat of Međimurje County. It is located next to the southern limits of the city, around 2 kilometres from its centre. It is also connected with the village of Strahoninec, which is a...
, while its western part is close to Nedelišće
Nedelišce
Nedelišće is a village in Međimurje County, in northern Croatia, and the seat of the Municipality of Nedelišće, which also includes 10 other villages in the south-western part of Međimurje County....
.
History
In 1478, the village was listed as Strahoninecz in the list of settlements belonging to the Čakovec area. In 1564, Judicatus Strahonincs was mentioned. At the time, a judicatus was an administrative divisionAdministrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
consisting of several rural municipalities. In 1672, Strahoninec was mentioned as part of the Nedelišće judicatus. In 1718, it belonged to the Mihovljan judicatus, but was again mentioned as part of the Nedelišće judicatus three years later, in 1721.
The first organised census in the Međimurje region took place in 1786. According to it, there were 44 houses in Strahoninec, accommodating 56 families and a population of 384. Another census took place in 1828. According to it, there were 48 houses in the village, accommodating a predominantly Roman Catholic population of 385. The name of the village in that census was Ztrahominec. It was derived from strah, the Croatian
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...
word for "fear
Fear
Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger...
", and minuti, which means "to pass" or "to go away". It was a reference to the people who travelled through the area. They were afraid of a large forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
they had to go through after crossing the Drava
Drava
Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
, and their fears were gone once they entered the village.
In the 1828 census, the hamlet of Poleve was mentioned for the first time. However, neither its population nor the number of houses were mentioned. In 1868, the hamlet was mentioned as Polevo, and was part of the village of Strahoninec. In the 1910 census, the hamlet was mentioned under a 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....
name, Szépmajor, and had a population of 91.
Strahoninec was also known by a Hungarian name, Nagyfalu, at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1900 census, it had a population of 777. At the time, there were 724 Croats, 44 Hungarians and 8 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....
living in the village. In the 1910 census, the village had a population of 782. It was part of the Čakovec district of Zala County in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
until 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...
was signed in 1920.
It then became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
. In 1921, Strahoninec became the seat of a municipality, which also included Kuršanec
Kuršanec
Kuršanec is a village in Međimurje County, Croatia.The village is located in the south-western part of Međimurje County, near Lake Varaždin, and is administratively part of the wider area of the county seat, Čakovec. The centre of the city is located around 9 kilometres from the village...
, Poleve and Totovec
Totovec
Totovec is a village in Međimurje County, Croatia. It had a population of 529 in the 2001 census.The village is located around 7 kilometres south of the centre of Čakovec, the county seat and largest city of Međimurje County, and is administratively part of the city's wider area...
. In 1941, it became part of Hungary
Hungary during World War II
Hungary during World War II was a member of the Axis powers. In the 1930s, the Kingdom of Hungary relied on increased trade with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany to pull itself out of the Great Depression. By 1938, Hungarian politics and foreign policy had become increasingly pro-Fascist Italian and...
again, as the entire Međimurje region was annexed by the Hungarians until 1945. At the time, the village was known as Drávanagyfalu, which is still the name used for it in Hungarian. In 1941, it had a population of 1,212. The majority of the population identified themselves as Hungarians at the time.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it became part of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
within the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. In the 1953 census, the village of Strahoninec had a population of 1,386. At the time, it was the seat of a municipality, which also included the villages of Šandorovec and Totovec. In 1955, it became part of the Čakovec municipality.
The village developed quickly during the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1981 census, it had a population of 2,260, which grew to 2,580 in the 1991 census. Following the independence of Croatia, it was part of the wider area of the city of Čakovec. On 17 January 1997, Strahoninec became a separate municipality.