Sered
Encyclopedia
Sereď is a town in southern Slovak Republic near Trnava
, on the right bank of the Váh
River on the Danubian Lowland
. It has аpproximately 17,000 inhabitants.
It has a hotel, cinema, culture house, many restaurants and confectioner's shops.
and covers an area of 30.454 square kilometres (11.8 sq mi). It is located in the Danubian Lowland
on the Váh
river, around 20 kilometres (12 mi) south-east of Trnava
, 33 kilometres (21 mi) west of Nitra
and around 55 kilometres (34 mi) east from Bratislava
. The closest mountain ranges are the Little Carpathians
to the west and Považský Inovec
to the north.
The town was first mentioned in 1313 as Zereth. In the Middle Ages, it lay on the trade route called "Bohemian Road" which ran from Buda
to Prague
on the right bank of the Váh river. Thanks to its location, livestock and grain markets were held in the town and thousands of cattle moved through the town each year. Its commercial importance ended in 1846, when the Pozsony-Nagyszombat (now: Bratislava-Trnava) railway was built. However, the Seredian market tradition survived and the Seredian Market and Bier festival is held every year on St. John Baptist's Day (24 June).
Sered had also been a large raft port and an important waterway until 1943 when a dam was built on the river Váh at Nosice. Since rafts carried not only wood but also salt from Poland, a major salt warehouse was built and the salt authority operated here. Its good location also attracted industrial investment. In 1845, a sugar refinery, later coffee processing and baking plant was opened.
In 1910, it had a population of 5371, among them 2941 Slovaks, 1943 Hungarians and 429 Germans.
Until 1918, it belonged to Galánta District of Pozsony County of the Kingdom of Hungary
. After the Treaty of Trianon
, the town became part of Czechoslovakia
in 1920.
Sereď was the site of the only labour camp for Jews established in the Slovak state, a Nazi client state
during WW2.
The Jewish Code adopted by Slovakia in 1941 established labour camps for Jews. During the winter of 1941-1942, a team of Jewish craftsmen was sent to a military camp near Sereď to prepare the camp for Jewish labour draftees. Before the work was completed, the Slovak authorities had utilised the camp as a detention centre for Jews and as a staging ground for deportation to Poland. The Hlinka Guard
, commanded by Imrich Vasina, oversaw the camp. In five transports, 4,500 Jews were deported from the Sereď camp to Poland. In 1944, an underground movement was organized in the camp and weapons were smuggled in. Many Jews left the camp and joined the partisans when the camp was opened during the Slovak national uprising in August 1944. Shortly thereafter, however, the Germans regained control over western Slovakia, and the camp was enlarged under the command of Alois Brunner. Over the next several months during the winter of 1944 and spring of 1945, 13,500 Jews were deported from Sereď to Auschwitz and Theresienstadt. The camp was liberated by the Red Army on April 1, 1945.
In 1950, the sparkling wine manufacturer, Hubert company moved to the town. Sereď was also a centre of nickel production during the socialist era, but after its fall, the foundry was closed down in order to protect Sereď as a traditional agricultural region.
The historically most important building is the Esterházy manor-house (castle) which is located on the site of the once famous medieval water-castle of Sempte. The manor-house was built in 1840 in classicist style; it was later altered in empire style. It is now in ruins and awaits restoration. The remains of the medieval castle are hidden in its walls. The local authority and civil association Vodný Hrad do their best to save this symbol of the town.
John the Baptist Church is situated on the opposite place of the former parish church since 1781. When the former church burned down on August 2, 1777, the Esterhazy family decided to build a new one and they moved there the two renaissance tomb-stones with relief of anti-Turkish warriors.
The Holy Trinity-column can be seen left from the church. It was erected in the second half of the 18th century in baroque style with the sculptures of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Anne.
The old City Hall was built in 1909 by architect János Tomascheck, native of Sereď. There is a great council chamber in the building, which is now used as marriage room. It is decorated with valuable paintings depicting views of St. Petersburg brought by Nikolaus Esterházy
from his diplomatic mission in 1771.
The religious makeup was 72.52% Roman Catholics, 20.77% people with no religious affiliation and 1.97% Lutherans. The religious makeup was 72.52% Roman Catholics, 20.77% people with no religious affiliation and 1.97% Lutherans.
Since 1845, sugar has been produced from sugar beets grown on the nearby fields. Since the 19th century, coffee substitutes as rye and malt coffee or chicory have also been produced in Sereď. The town is well–known for its production of cookies, biscuits, and wafers. By utilizing its rich wine making tradition, a modern wine processing factory was established in the town during the 1950s. Wine is produced here using the latest technology. Today, sparkling wine is produced using classical ´´champagne´´ techniques and in–tank fermentation are used as well. A few years ago a producer of glass woven goods started its production in Sereď. A factory producing wide range of garden concrete paving stones started its business here, too
, Czech Republic
Leopoldsdorf
, Austria
Alblasserdam
, Holland
Trnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
, on the right bank of the Váh
Váh
The Váh is the longest river in entire Slovakia. A left tributary of the Danube river, the Váh is 406 km long, including its Čierny Váh branch...
River on the Danubian Lowland
Danubian Lowland
The Danubian Lowland or Danube Lowland is the name of the part of Little Alföld situated in Slovakia, located between the Danube, the Little Carpathians and all other parts of the Western Carpathians....
. It has аpproximately 17,000 inhabitants.
It has a hotel, cinema, culture house, many restaurants and confectioner's shops.
Geography
Sereď lies at an altitude of 129 metres (423 ft) above sea levelAbove mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
and covers an area of 30.454 square kilometres (11.8 sq mi). It is located in the Danubian Lowland
Danubian Lowland
The Danubian Lowland or Danube Lowland is the name of the part of Little Alföld situated in Slovakia, located between the Danube, the Little Carpathians and all other parts of the Western Carpathians....
on the Váh
Váh
The Váh is the longest river in entire Slovakia. A left tributary of the Danube river, the Váh is 406 km long, including its Čierny Váh branch...
river, around 20 kilometres (12 mi) south-east of Trnava
Trnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
, 33 kilometres (21 mi) west of Nitra
Nitra
Nitra is a city in western Slovakia, situated at the foot of Zobor Mountain in the valley of the river Nitra. With a population of about 83,572, it is the fifth largest city in Slovakia. Nitra is also one of the oldest cities in Slovakia and the country's earliest political and cultural center...
and around 55 kilometres (34 mi) east from Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. The closest mountain ranges are the Little Carpathians
Little Carpathians
The Little Carpathians are a low, about 100 km long, mountain range, part of the Carpathian Mountains. The mountains are situated in Western Slovakia, covering the area from Bratislava to Nové Mesto nad Váhom, a very small part called Hundsheimer Berge is situated south of Devín Gate in...
to the west and Považský Inovec
Považský Inovec
Považský Inovec is a mountain range in western Slovakia, named after the Váh river. It is 48 km long and 15-25 km wide mountain range...
to the north.
History
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
on the right bank of the Váh river. Thanks to its location, livestock and grain markets were held in the town and thousands of cattle moved through the town each year. Its commercial importance ended in 1846, when the Pozsony-Nagyszombat (now: Bratislava-Trnava) railway was built. However, the Seredian market tradition survived and the Seredian Market and Bier festival is held every year on St. John Baptist's Day (24 June).
Sered had also been a large raft port and an important waterway until 1943 when a dam was built on the river Váh at Nosice. Since rafts carried not only wood but also salt from Poland, a major salt warehouse was built and the salt authority operated here. Its good location also attracted industrial investment. In 1845, a sugar refinery, later coffee processing and baking plant was opened.
In 1910, it had a population of 5371, among them 2941 Slovaks, 1943 Hungarians and 429 Germans.
Until 1918, it belonged to Galánta District of Pozsony County of 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...
. After 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...
, the town became part of 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...
in 1920.
Sereď was the site of the only labour camp for Jews established in the Slovak state, a Nazi client state
Client state
Client state is one of several terms used to describe the economic, political and/or military subordination of one state to a more powerful state in international affairs...
during WW2.
The Jewish Code adopted by Slovakia in 1941 established labour camps for Jews. During the winter of 1941-1942, a team of Jewish craftsmen was sent to a military camp near Sereď to prepare the camp for Jewish labour draftees. Before the work was completed, the Slovak authorities had utilised the camp as a detention centre for Jews and as a staging ground for deportation to Poland. The Hlinka Guard
Hlinka Guard
Hlinka Guard was the militia maintained by the Slovak People's Party in the period from 1938 to 1945; it was named after Andrej Hlinka.The Hlinka Guard was preceded by the Rodobrana organization, which existed from 1923 to 1927, when the Czechoslovak authorities ordered its dissolution...
, commanded by Imrich Vasina, oversaw the camp. In five transports, 4,500 Jews were deported from the Sereď camp to Poland. In 1944, an underground movement was organized in the camp and weapons were smuggled in. Many Jews left the camp and joined the partisans when the camp was opened during the Slovak national uprising in August 1944. Shortly thereafter, however, the Germans regained control over western Slovakia, and the camp was enlarged under the command of Alois Brunner. Over the next several months during the winter of 1944 and spring of 1945, 13,500 Jews were deported from Sereď to Auschwitz and Theresienstadt. The camp was liberated by the Red Army on April 1, 1945.
In 1950, the sparkling wine manufacturer, Hubert company moved to the town. Sereď was also a centre of nickel production during the socialist era, but after its fall, the foundry was closed down in order to protect Sereď as a traditional agricultural region.
Cityscape and architecture
John the Baptist Church is situated on the opposite place of the former parish church since 1781. When the former church burned down on August 2, 1777, the Esterhazy family decided to build a new one and they moved there the two renaissance tomb-stones with relief of anti-Turkish warriors.
The Holy Trinity-column can be seen left from the church. It was erected in the second half of the 18th century in baroque style with the sculptures of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Anne.
The old City Hall was built in 1909 by architect János Tomascheck, native of Sereď. There is a great council chamber in the building, which is now used as marriage room. It is decorated with valuable paintings depicting views of St. Petersburg brought by Nikolaus Esterházy
Nikolaus Esterházy
Nikolaus Esterházy was a Hungarian prince, a member of the famous Esterházy family. His building of palaces, extravagant clothing, and taste for opera and other grand musical productions led to his being given the title "the Magnificent"...
from his diplomatic mission in 1771.
Demographics
According to the 2001 census, the town had 17,406 inhabitants:- 96.16% of inhabitants were SlovaksSlovaksThe 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...
, - 1.32% Hungarians,
- 0.95% CzechsCzech peopleCzechs, 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...
- 0.65% Roma.
The religious makeup was 72.52% Roman Catholics, 20.77% people with no religious affiliation and 1.97% Lutherans. The religious makeup was 72.52% Roman Catholics, 20.77% people with no religious affiliation and 1.97% Lutherans.
Economy
- Slovenské Cukrovary
- Hubert J.E.
- Semmelrock
- SEDITA
- B.M. Kávoviny
- ZIPP
- FM Logistic
Since 1845, sugar has been produced from sugar beets grown on the nearby fields. Since the 19th century, coffee substitutes as rye and malt coffee or chicory have also been produced in Sereď. The town is well–known for its production of cookies, biscuits, and wafers. By utilizing its rich wine making tradition, a modern wine processing factory was established in the town during the 1950s. Wine is produced here using the latest technology. Today, sparkling wine is produced using classical ´´champagne´´ techniques and in–tank fermentation are used as well. A few years ago a producer of glass woven goods started its production in Sereď. A factory producing wide range of garden concrete paving stones started its business here, too
People
- Max WeissMax WeissMiksa Weisz was an Austrian chess player born in the Kingdom of Hungary.Weiss was born in Sereď. Moving to Vienna, he studied mathematics and physics at the university, and later taught those subjects....
, chess player - Filip MüllerFilip MüllerFilip Müller was one of very few Sonderkommandos to have survived Auschwitz, the largest Nazi German extermination camp....
, Holocaust survivor and memoirist - František Kubač
- Jaroslav Červenka
- Juraj FándlyJuraj Fándly- Life :He was born in Častá, Kingdom of Hungary into a craftsman-farmer's family. His father died soon after his birth, and mother moved to the neighbouring village of Doľany, where he also visited elementary school. He later studied at a Piarist gymnasium in Svätý Jur, later studied theology in...
- Vojtech Mihálik
- Ján SokolJán SokolJán Sokol is a Slovak priest and former Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Trnava.-Life:He studied at a grammar school in Topoľčany and studied theology and philosophy in Bratislava, before being ordained as a priest in 1957...
- Ján NavrátilJan NavrátilJan Navrátil is a Czech football midfielder who plays for Sigma Olomouc.-External links:*...
- Alexander Noskovič
Sister and twin cities
TišnovTišnov
Tišnov is a town in the Czech Republic. It is the birthplace of film director Karel Vachek.-External links:* *...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
Leopoldsdorf
Leopoldsdorf
Leopoldsdorf is a municipality in the district of Wien-Umgebung in Lower Austria, Austria....
, 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...
Alblasserdam
Alblasserdam
Alblasserdam is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of , of which is water. Alblasserdam is officially a part of the Drechtsteden...
, Holland