Slovakia -- The Slovak Republic

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Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the Spring of 2004 ...

Slovakia aka the Slovak Republic was originally the eastern portion of Czechoslovakia. It is a small landlocked republic in Central Europe bordering the Czech Republic and Austria in the west, Poland in the north, Ukraine in the east and Hungary in the south. With a population of over five million, Slovakia is a member of the European Union. The capital is Bratislava.

In this lens I hope to give you a good overview of everything Slovakia including the history, steps to freedom, politics, people, and geography.  Since I first created this lens, I've found so many excellent YouTube videos which I've selected to showcase to give you a better feel for The Slovak Republic.  Some videos that really "touched" me include the "Hidden History" of Slovakia and many showing the Roma or gypsies.  I hope you enjoy what I've presented here!

Slovakia, The Slovak Republic, at a glance 

The Slovak Republic (short form: Slovakia; Slovak: , long form ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million and an area of about 49,000 square kilometres (almost 19,000 square miles). It borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is its capital, Bratislava. Slovakia is a member state of the European Union, NATO, UN, OECD, WTO, UNESCO and other international organizations.

The Slavs arrived in the territory of present day Slovakia between the fifth and sixth centuries AD during the Migration Period. In the course of history, various parts of today's Slovakia belonged to Samo's Empire (the first known political unit of Slavs), Great Moravia, Kingdom of Hungary, the Austro-Hungarian Empire or Habsburg Empire, and Czechoslovakia. An independent Slovak state was created for a brief period during World War II, during which Slovakia was a dependency of Nazi Germany 1939-1944. From 1945 Slovakia once again became a part of Czechoslovakia.

The present-day Slovakia became an independent state on January 1, 1993 after the dissolution of its federation with the Czech Republic.

Slovakia is a high-income advanced economyWorld Bank Country Classification, 2007Advanced economies - IMF with the fastest growth rates in the EU and OECD. It joined the European Union in 2004 and joined the Eurozone on the 1st of January, 2009.

Slovakia Steps to Freedom 

Without freedom there would be NO Slovak Superstar!

  • In 1918, the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia.
  • Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe.
  • In 1989, Soviet influence collapsed and Czechoslovakia once more became free.
  • On January 1, 1993, the Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully.
  • In the Spring of 2004, Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU.

Hidden History of Slovakia 1942 - Part I 

Viewing this video gave me chills and made me feel a bit sad ...

1942 - Hidden History of Slovakia / Part I.

The story of how Jews came to be on trains to Auschwitz is one of the most shocking and surprising in the history of the Nazis' "Final Solution." The people on these trains were from Slovakia - many from the capital, Bratislava. Slovakia was a new country. Created only in 1939 and the majority of the Slovaks were now fiercely nationalistic. The President, Jozef Tiso, was a Catholic priest. And the Prime Minister, Vojtech Tuka, was also deeply religious. They had implemented a series of anti-Semitic measures chiefly born of religious and cultural intolerance. And at the forefront of tormenting the Jewish population were the nationalist Hlinka guard. Before the war Slovakia had a thriving Jewish community of around 90,000... Slovak sLOVEnsko Slovak Bratislava Slovak Austria Czech Poland Hungary Ukraine Germany Israel Russia Albania Algeria American Angola Antigua and Barbuda Armenia Republic of Armenia Australia Azerbaijan Bahrain Barbados Belarus Belgium Bolivia Bosnia baku and Herzegovina Brazil Bulgaria Republic of Bulgaria Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China, Colombia Croatia Cuba arabic Cyprus Czech Denmark Egypt El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece -Hong Kong China Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq ireland Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz Latvia Republic of Latvia Lebanon Liberia Libya Lithuania Macedonia, Republic of Republic of Macedonia Madagascar Malaysia Malta Mexico Monaco Mongolia Morocco Karabakh Nagorno Karabakh Namibia Netherlands Netherlands Antilles (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of newZealand arab Nicaragua Nigeria Oman sultanate of Oman Pakistan Islamic Republic of Pakistan Palestine Panama Peru Philippines Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Arabia Serbia Republic of Serbia Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sweden Switzerland Syria Tajikistan Tanzania tabriz Tehran shiraz Thailand See East Timor Turkey Turkmenistan Turks Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland United States America Uzbekistan Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam , British Shakeela

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Hidden History of Slovakia 1942 - Part II 

1942 - Hidden History of Slovakia / Part II.

150 miles away at his house just outside Auschwitz concentration camp, where he lived with his wife and 4 children, Rudolf Höss awaited the arrival of the Slovaks. The plans for the new camp at Birkenau had changed; Soviet Prisoners of War were to be sent as forced labourers elsewhere. Höss now knew that Jews were central to the future of Auschwitz. And it was here in a remote corner of the site at Birkenau, 2 miles away from the main camp, that Höss and other members of the SS had found a location for new make-shift gas chambers. In this field stood a Polish cottage which would come to be known as the Little Red House or Bunker 1. Höss and his SS comrades saw this as a step forward in the killing process at Auschwitz. Two separate gas chambers were quickly improvised by bricking up the windows and door and creating two new entrances. Unlike in the crematorium in the main camp, people could be murdered here in relative secrecy. In this shabby cottage tens of thousands of people would be murdered. The manner of killing remained the same. Jews would be told they were to take a shower, they would be locked in the room, and Zyklon B thrown in through a hatch in the wall. Within weeks, the Nazis had converted another nearby cottage—the Little White House - in just the same way. Slovakian Jews arrived at the railway stop 2 miles from the gas chambers on the 29th April 1942—and faced 'selection' by the SS. This was the first of hundreds of SS selections to be held over the next 30 months. More keywords for viewing: Albania Algeria American Angola Antigua and Barbuda Armenia Republic of Armenia Australia Azerbaijan Bahrain Barbados Belarus Belgium Bolivia Bosnia baku and Herzegovina Brazil Bulgaria Republic of Bulgaria Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China, Colombia Croatia Cuba arabic Cyprus Czech Denmark Egypt El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece -Hong Kong China Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq ireland Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz Latvia Republic of Latvia Lebanon Liberia Libya Lithuania Macedonia, Republic of Republic of Macedonia Madagascar Malaysia Malta Mexico Monaco Mongolia Morocco Karabakh Nagorno Karabakh Namibia Netherlands Netherlands Antilles (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of newZealand arab Nicaragua Nigeria Oman sultanate of Oman Pakistan Islamic Republic of Pakistan Palestine Panama Peru Philippines Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Arabia Serbia Republic of Serbia Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sweden Switzerland Syria Tajikistan Tanzania tabriz Tehran shiraz Thailand See East Timor Turkey Turkmenistan Turks Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland United States America Uzbekistan Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam , British Shakeela

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Hidden History of Slovakia 1942 - Part III 

1942 - Hidden History of Slovakia / Part III.

Irma Grese was one of the SS who supervised the women's camp at Auschwitz Birkenau. By the end of 1943, in the southern part of the camp complex, there were 30,000 women, housed in 62 barracks in some of the worst conditions in the whole of Auschwitz. There was little running water, and disease was rampant. For Irma Grese the women's camp became a sadistic playground. Dr Josef Mengele arrived at Auschwitz in May 1943. There had been medical experiments conducted at the camp before his arrival. At least two German doctors had been examining new methods of sterilizing men and women at Auschwitz since 1942. And in the process hundreds had already suffered. But Mengele began a variety of new experiments, each related to his own obsessions. He saw Auschwitz as a human laboratory, one which allowed him to pursue any idea he had, no matter how bestial or inhumane. He experimented on children - particularly on twins. This footage shows some of the children he selected, filmed by the Soviets immediately after the liberation of the camp. It is thought that Mengele used these children to research the power of genetic inheritance, an area of interest to many Nazi scientists. Children were installed in special barracks, for Mengele's exclusive use. More keywords for viewing: Albania Algeria American Angola Antigua and Barbuda Armenia Republic of Armenia Australia Azerbaijan Bahrain Barbados Belarus Belgium Bolivia Bosnia baku and Herzegovina Brazil Bulgaria Republic of Bulgaria Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China, Colombia Croatia Cuba arabic Cyprus Czech Denmark Egypt El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece -Hong Kong China Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq ireland Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz Latvia Republic of Latvia Lebanon Liberia Libya Lithuania Macedonia, Republic of Republic of Macedonia Madagascar Malaysia Malta Mexico Monaco Mongolia Morocco Karabakh Nagorno Karabakh Namibia Netherlands Netherlands Antilles (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of newZealand arab Nicaragua Nigeria Oman sultanate of Oman Pakistan Islamic Republic of Pakistan Palestine Panama Peru Philippines Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Arabia Serbia Republic of Serbia Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sweden Switzerland Syria Tajikistan Tanzania tabriz Tehran shiraz Thailand See East Timor Turkey Turkmenistan Turks Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland United States America Uzbekistan Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam , British Shakeela

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The Slovak Republic Flag 

The Slovak Republic flag has three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side.

Slovak Anthem 

Slovak Anthem / Slovenská hymna

Slovak Anthem with photos / Slovenská hymna s fotkami

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Slovakia videos 

I've selected several videos to give you a glimpse of Slovakia!

Bratislava, Slovakia

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Wooden Churches of Slovakia

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Travelling by tram in Kosice, Slovakia (part two)

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city of KOÅ ICE, Slovakia

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Slovakia

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SILVESTER 2006 - 2007 in BRATISLAVA Slovakia Happy New year

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Å TRBA SLOVAKIA

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Slovakia , Domaša 14-15.07.2007

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22a - Slovakia, Hungary & Moldova (Educational)

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Politics of Slovakia 

Politics of Slovakia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, with a multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in the parliament and it can be exerced in some cases also by the government or directly by citizens. Executive power is exercised by the government led by the Prime Minister. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The President is the head of the state.

Slavic People 

The "Slavic" people, Slavs, are the Slovaks, Czechs, Poles, Ruthenians, Croatians, and Servians.

Slovak Superstar videos from YouTube 

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Superstar 3 Barbara Å ulíkovÃ...

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Slovak superstar - kym vies sn...

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Slovak Idol - You Can Always C...

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Superstar 3: Chlpaté podpazuÅ...

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Zdenka Predna - Ked to nejde

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Silvester PF 2009 Gay Slovakia...

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Martin Kelecsenyi - Ten cas pr...

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Zdenka Predna feat. Tina - Vie...

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Peter Cmorik

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The Slovak language 

The Slovak language or Slovakian ('', sloven?ina , not to be confused with sloven??ina, or Slovenian''), is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages (together with Czech, Polish, Silesian, Kashubian, and Sorbian).

The Czech and Slovak languages are mutually intelligible which means that even after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia Czech may be used in all official proceedings and documents in Slovakia (Minority Language Act 184/1999 Zb.), and vice versa (Administration Procedure Act 500/2004 Sb.).

Slovak is spoken in Slovakia (by 5 million people), the United States (500,000), the Czech Republic (320,000), Serbia (60,000),

Ireland (30,000), Romania (22,000), Hungary (20,000), Poland (20,000), Canada (20,000), Croatia (5,000), Australia, Austria, Ukraine, and Bulgaria.

Slovakia Gypsy videos 

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Sokerava (Slovak gypsies - Cie...

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Sága krásy - Gypsies. Cigá...

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Bubamara (Slovak gypsies - Cie...

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DETVA'S GYPSIES

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Krompachy gypsies theft copper

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Slovak Deafs Gypsy Womans 2000...

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BYSTRINA 25 GYPSIES 7

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Slovak Gyspy Folk Guitar Raga

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Joj bijte...Ked sa hora... (Sl...

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Slovakia Facts 

  • Land Area: Total: 48,845 sq km; land: 48,800; sq km; water: 45 sq km. About twice the size of New Hampshire.
  • Borders: Total: 1,524 km. Border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km.
  • Population: 5,439,448 (July 2006 est.)
  • Ethnic Groups: Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census).
  • Languages: Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census).
  • Religions: Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census).
  • Government: Parliamentary democracy.
  • Independence: January 1, 1993 -- Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia [Slovak Republic].
  • Capital: Bratislava.
  • Agriculture: Grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products.
  • Natural Resources: Brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land.
  • GDP (purchasing power parity): $85.56 billion (2005 est.).
  • Industries: Metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products.

Slovak Army videos from YouTube 

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Slovak army

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Czech and Slovak army power

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SLOVAK ARMY POWER

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Slovak Army in Kosovo/Iraq/Afg...

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Slovak Army By D4nusKO

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Slovak army fight

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Slovak Army - Ozorovce 2006

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czech end slovak army power

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155mm SpGH ZUZANA - Slovak arm...

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Made in Slovakia ~ many designer labels 

Some of the designer brands "made in Slovakia" include Armani, Dries Van Noten, Ecco, Ermengildo Zegna, Georg Roth, J.D. Christopher, Lacoste, Lowa, Mexx, Puma, Ralph Lauren Polo, and Tailors Row.

The "made in Slovakia" [Slovacchia] label shown here is from an item recently spotted on eBay. It's an EMPORIO ARMANI Sweater (with a small Emporio Armani sign on the chest). Purchased at an Emporio Armani Store in Switzerland. Comes with shopping bag. Retail: 255 USD. Reserve is less than 80 USD. Condition: New. Never worn and never washed. Fabric: 100% Virgin Wool. Handwash only. It was being sold by a seller located in Allschwil, Switzerland. BTW, I've also written a lens on Giorgio Armani, so I found this particular designer item of interest as I've also seen Armani "made in Poland."

My "Made in" Eastern European Lenses 

Made in Slovakia men's clothing 

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Made in Slovakia women's clothing 

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Made in Slovakia women's shoes 

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Filmed in Slovakia: Zelary is a 2003 Czech/Slovak film 

Matt Procter from the SLOVAK-ROOTS Yahoo Group recently announced that this movie was playing on the HDnet movie channel.

It's a 'Cold Mountain/The Piano' type movie with the plot set in WWII Czechoslovakia but it's actually shot in the Mala Fatra mountains in Northwest Slovak Republic.

That happens to be near where my ancestral village is (Stiavnik) and where many of your home villages may be as well. If you have been to that region before you will revel in seeing scene after scene shot in the gorgeous lush green capped rolling mountains of the Mala Fatra.

If you have not been to the region, this movie gives you an incredible window into the natural beauty of this area of our Motherland. While the High Tatras grace most of the Slovak postcards, this region has its own striking beauty that anyone who loves our homeland will enjoy seeing.

You can view a trailer of the movie at: Trailer for Zelary
.

?elary is a 2003 Czech/Slovak film directed by Ond?ej Trojan, starring Anna Geislerová. The movie received a 2004 Academy Award nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It was produced by Barrandov Studios in Prague.

Check out this award-nominated/winning Slovak film! 

In 2004, it was nominated for an Oscar as a Best Foreign Language Film. In the same year, it won the Czech Lion Award for Best Actress and Best Sound and was nominated for Best Actor, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film, Best Music, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress.

In 2004, it also won the Undine Award for Best Young Actress in the New European Union Countries.

In 2005, it won the Golden Kinnaree Award for Best Actress Anna Geislerova tieing with Annette Bening for Being Julia. And, in the same year it was nominated for the Golden Kinnaree Award Best Film.

Zelary

Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 07/12/2009) Buy Now

Slovak Republc: the High Tatras videos 

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Tatra T815-7 Extreme Product R...

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Tatra T-810

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Tatra T815 prototype

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Tatra T813 Truck Trial !

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TATRA Photo Scenery / FSX

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Czech Tatra T-816 10x10 in Sib...

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Tatras Mountains

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High Tatras in winter - Tátra...

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tatra v12 truckpulling

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Slovakia Gravestone Inscriptions Project 

What a wonderful project !!!

The aim of this project, which has been managed by the SGHS since 1991, is to collect gravestone inscriptions from all of the cemeteries from the territory of Slovakia, create a computer database from these data and this way make them more accessible to researchers.

Those, who take part in the project, are volunteers. Thanks to more than 30 volunteers the SGHS was able to collect transcripts from following, more than 70 cemeteries.

Slovakia Cemetery Headstone 

Kovács Gyula

Kovács Gyula cemetery headstone courtesy of Cemetaries of Slovakia.

dátum pohrebu-kremácie: 01.03.1908
miesto pochovania: Kosice - Verejný cintorín

Slovakia Cemetary 

Kovacs Listings

A select listing of Kovács from the Cemeteries of Slovakia.

Kosice - Verejný cintorín:
Kovács Anna 0 yrs. - June 22, 1916
Kovács Anna 0 yrs. - September 16, 1890
Kovács Anna 20 yrs. - May 24, 1903
Kovács Anna 33 yrs. - September 4, 1916

Kovács Béla 1 yrs. - October 2, 1897
Kovács Gusztáv 1 yrs. - October 12, 1894
Kovács Gyula 0 yrs. - May 1, 1893

Kovács Julia 22 yrs. - November 6, 1904
Kovács Júlia 0 yrs. - January 7, 1897
Kovács Júlia 0 yrs. - September 14, 1895
Kovács Júlia 1 yrs. - January 3, 1920

Kovács Margit 0 yrs. - September 20, 1895

Kovács Mihály 0 yrs. - August 10, 1892
Kovács Mihály 1 yrs. - November 12, 1890
Kovács Mihály 2 yrs. - June 29, 1900
Kovács Mihály 12 yrs. - September 6, 1897
Kovács Mihály 22 yrs. - May 10, 1941
Kovács Mihály 30 yrs. - February 22, 1890
Kovács Mihály 42 yrs. - December 29, 1943

Kosice - Vojenský cintorín
Kovács Mihály 0 yrs. - October 9, 1914
Kovács Mihály 0 yrs. - November 7, 1914
Kovács Mihály 0 yrs. - October 30, 1916

Slovakia items from Amazon 

A History of Slovakia: The Struggle for Survival

Amazon Price: $17.95 (as of 07/12/2009) Buy Now

Slovakia: A Photographic Odyssey

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A Christmas in Slovakia

Amazon Price: $10.95 (as of 07/12/2009) Buy Now

Blue Guide The Czech & Slovak Republics: (Second Edition) (Blue Guide)

Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 07/12/2009) Buy Now

Slovakia Lonely Planet -- What's your favorite? 

Slovakia items found on eBay 

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Bratislava, Slovakia video ... 

This video makes you want to visit Bratislava, Slovakia! Hmmm, maybe my next Eastern European vacation will be there.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Trip to Slovakia

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Fly into Bratislava, Slovakia. Book it Dano! 

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Book a hotel in Bratislava, Slovakia 

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Slovakia Pictures on Flickr 

20090626-173829 by Ilya Schurov

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20090626-175842 by Ilya Schurov

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20090626-173124 by Ilya Schurov

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20090625-180927 by Ilya Schurov

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20090628-114411 by Ilya Schurov

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20090628-113145 by Ilya Schurov

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Slovakia in the news 

Wings draftee Tomas Tatar hopes next stop is OHL
Tatar, an 18-year-old center from Ilava, Slovakia, was drafted 60th overall by the Wings on June 27....
Slovakia May Temporarily House 101 Palestinian Refugees
Bratislava, July 12 (TASR) - Slovakia should temporarily house 101 Palestinian refugees from Iraq, a...
May trade figures show pain in Romania, Slovakia
Slovakia's trade figures showed a higher-than-expected surplus of 94.8 million euro in May, comp...
Neighbor's Shadow Still Large in Slovakia
Residents walked past a polling station in northern Slovakia during elections for the European Parli...

Slovakia Info Links 

Slovak Republic
Guide to the Slovak Republic. Has a good chronology of the major events in Slovakia's history.
Slovak Pictures
Bill Tarkulich amassed over 800 pictures of his trip to various Slovak villages.
Yahoo Groups: Slovak Roots
A great group to join for genealogy research, queries and assistance in locating information on ancestors who were from areas of the former Austria-Hungary.
Slovensko.com
Another guide with helpful information about what you need to know to visit.
Slovak Republic Government Office
The official website of the Slovak Republic Government Office.
National Bank of Slovakia
Lots of interesting financial information from the NBS.
Slovak Republic Statistics
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic provides some good detailed information.

Slovak Genealogy Links 

Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International
Promoting Czechoslovak genealogical research and interest among people with ancestry in the Czechoslovak region as it was in 1918.
Slovak Genealogical-Heraldic Society
The SGHS consists of more than 500 members from Slovakia (mainly), Czech Republic and other countries (Hungary, USA, France).
Slovenian Genealogy
A great compilation of resources and links for Slovenian genealogy.
Eastern Slovakia Genealogy Research
Bill Tarkulich, a wizard in Slovakian genealogy research, created this "Toolbox" web page.
Slovak Settlement Names
Download a 31-page PDF of Slovak Settlement names.
CentroConsult Home Page
Genealogical research in Slovakia.
CentroConsult - Land
Genealogical research with land plots.
Slovak Roots
A Yahoo group for genealogy research, queries and assistance in locating information on ancestors who were from areas of the former Austria-Hungary.
It's All Relative
The It's All Relative Genealogical Research Pages offers tools, resources, and information to help you search your Czech, Bohemian, Moravian, Slovak, Lemko, or Carpatho-Rusyn family history and ancestry.
Kataster Portal
According to Peter Nagy: The plot register is the largest free public database in Slovakia. Any owner of a real estate (plot, house, flat) is registered there with his date of birth and address. It is a perfect tool for looking for lost relatives in Slovakia. He plans to develop an English guide in the future.

Drop me a note ... 

Have you visited Slovakia? Are you of Slovakian heritage? Are you into genealogy?

We were so close to crossing into Slovakia from the Czech Republic, but that particular day was a wine-tasting day--so we thought we'd better stay off the country roads!

dc64 wrote...

The video of Bratislava does make one want to visit. I'd really like to visit the castle, and you know how much I love castles!

ReplyPosted July 03, 2009

Lubomir wrote...

Ahoj, ako sa mas? That means Hellow, how are you? I'm very glad I've found something about my country here, especially from foreigner:)

ReplyPosted May 27, 2009

Lensmaster

Christee Kee (Bodick) wrote

I am of Slovak Heritage. My great grandfather, John Badics came to the US from Slovakia. I wish I knew more about where he came from. His wife was Elizabeth Pavarnic. Email me at Christeekee@yahoo.com if you have any info about finding more out.

Reply Posted May 20, 2009

TimeHacker wrote...

Very nice lens, I'm glad to see my coutry here on Squidoo :) 5*

ReplyPosted February 12, 2009

P.S. Check out A Slovak's Night before Christmas!

A Slovak's Night Before Vianoce [Christmas] 

By an Anonymous Slovak author

Twas the night before Vianoce, and all through the house
The Slovaks had gathered To eat sauerkraut.
The kolach was nestled all snug in its dish.
Bobalki was cooking, and so was some fish.

Babushkaed women and men in their caps
Had all settled down with food in their laps.
When out in the lawn there arose such a clatter
We all went to see what was the matter.

Away to the window Baba flew like a flash,
Screaming "Lock all the doors and hide all the cash".
When what to our wondering eyes should appear
But a pagach shaped sleigh complete with reindeer.

With a little old Slovak so lively and quick,
We knew in a moment it was Janosik.
Faster than Novenas his reindeer all came
As he shouted "On Stefan" and each reindeer's name.

"On Stefan, on Boris, on Janos, and Olga,
On Jasko, on Cyril, on Sandor and Volga".
Then out to the smokehouse the reindeer all flew
With a sleigh full of Kolbasa and Janosik too.

Into the smoke vent he lept with a bound,
Dancing the czardas and twirling around.
He did a quick polka, then went to his work.
He gave us Oplatki then turned with a jerk.

We gave him Kapusta and Dzedo's old clothes,
Then sang Ticha Noc as up the vent he rose.
But we heard him exclaim as we took off our coats,
"Vesele Vianoce to all and to all dobre noc".
--iarelative.com.

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Do Squidoo, But Don't Plagiarize ...

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Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work ... it is just NOT cool so don't do it!

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