Slovaks in Vojvodina

Slovaks are the third largest ethnic group in the Vojvodina province of Serbia. 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 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 language, but most of them are Protestant (Evangelic) 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

There are two municipalities in Vojvodina with absolute or relative Slovak majority: Bački Petrovac (with 66.41% Slovaks) and Kovačica (with 41.07% Slovaks). The town of Bački Petrovac is the cultural centre of the Slovaks in Vojvodina.

The settlements in Vojvodina with absolute or relative Slovak majority are:
* Bački Petrovac (Bački Petrovac municipality)
* Kulpin (Bački Petrovac municipality)
* Gložan (Bački Petrovac municipality)
* Kisač (Novi Sad municipality)
* Pivnice (Bačka Palanka municipality)
* Lalić (Odžaci municipality)
* Selenča (Bač municipality)
* Lug (Beočin municipality)
* Ljuba (Šid municipality)
* Kovačica (Kovačica municipality)
* Padina (Kovačica municipality)
* Belo Blato (Zrenjanin municipality)
* Hajdučica (Plandište municipality)
* Janošik (Alibunar municipality)
* Slankamenački Vinogradi (Inđija municipality)

History

In the 9th century, the northern parts of present-day Vojvodina were part of Great Moravia. 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. First Slovak settlers from area around Tatra migrated to Bačka during the time of Karlo I; in 1720 Slovaks settled in Bajša, in 1740 in Petrovac and Futog, and in 1742 (during the time of Maria Theresa) in Bezdan. Some of them also later moved to Srem. In 1760, 120 Slovak families were settled in Selenča, but they later moved to Stara Pazova in Srem.

In 1783, Slovaks settled in Kisač, Veprovac, Gložan, and Topola. Part of them also settled in Bajša. In 1790-1791, Slovaks settled in Pivnice, in 1792 in Stara Palanka, and in 1793 in Novi Slankamen. In 1784-1787, Slovaks settled in Slovanski Bardan. Some of them moved in 1788 to Aradac and Ečka, and some of them later also moved to Lalić.

In 1800, Slovaks settled in Kovačica, and in 1806 and 1809 in Padina. In 1806, one group of Slovaks settled in Čoka, and in 1809 in Šupljaja. In 1825, Slovaks settled in Dušanovac, and in 1830 in Stari Lec. In 1850, 20 Slovak families were settled in Grk. In 1868, Slovaks settled in Marienfeld, from where they later moved to Vojlovica. In the same time, some Slovaks also settled in Ivanovo. In 1887, Slovaks were settled in Elizenhajm, and in 1899 in Silađi colony near 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.

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.

References

*Borislav Jankulov, Pregled kolonizacije Vojvodine u XVIII i XIX veku, Novi Sad - Pančevo, 2003.

ee also

* Slovaks
* Ethnic groups of Vojvodina

External links

* [http://www.vojvodinaslovakart.com Vojvodinian Slovaks contemporary and native art] sk icon sr icon en icon
* [http://backipetrovac.cust.nearlyfreespeech.net Vojvodinian Slovaks politics] sr icon