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Jewish history of Košice

Igor — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 03:12:00 +0000

Košice boasts a rich and diverse history, with its Jewish community playing a significant role in shaping the city’s cultural fabric. Dating back to the medieval period, Jews settled in Košice as traders, craftsmen, and merchants, contributing to the city’s economic prosperity and intellectual life.

Era of prosperity

Speaking of the Jewish history of Košice, the 19th century was a significant period. Košice witnessed a major influx of Jews, drawn by opportunities in commerce, industry, and education. The community thrived, establishing synagogues, schools, and cultural institutions that enriched the city’s social and intellectual life. You could find here an orthodox community, a Chasidic community, and also a Neolog community.

When it comes to numbers – in the first quarter of the 20th century more than 11,000 Jews were living in Košice. The total population of the city was about 50,000 people.

Tragedy

However, the 20th century brought tumultuous times for Košice’s Jewish population. At the end of World War II, the city fell under Nazi occupation, leading to the deportation and extermination of thousands of Jews in concentration camps. The Holocaust profoundly impacted Košice’s Jewish community. Just about 2,000 members of the local community survived. Many of them left Košice after the war. Mainly to Israel, the United States, or Western Europe.

Despite these tragic events, Košice’s Jewish heritage endures through its historic synagogues, cemeteries, and memorial sites, serving as nostalgic reminders of the community’s resilience and enduring legacy. Today, efforts to preserve and commemorate this heritage contribute to Košice’s identity as a city rich in history and cultural diversity.

Community today

The Jewish community in Košice has about 400 people. Religious life is relatively revived also because dozens of young Israelis are studying in Košice – mainly medicine, veterinary university, and psychology. The city no longer has its rabbi, shochet, or kosher kitchen. On major holidays, rabbis from Bratislava or Piešťany come here. If you want to contact the Jewish community in Košice, do it here.

Inspiring personalities

Ľudovít Feld was talented painter from Košice. Because of his Jewish origin and also the fact that he was physically disabled by dwarfism, he ended up in the Auschwitz – concentration camp, where he was forced to sketch gruesome experiments for the infamous doctor Josef Mengele. This talent saved his life, but most of his family never returned. After the war, he came back to Košice and soon became the iconic character of the city. He was daily sketching the city and people until the early 1990´s. Now you can find his gallery next to the Orthodox synagogue.

Béla Braun was the founder of Košice Peace Marathon. It is the oldest marathon in Europe and the third-oldest in the world (after the Boston Marathon, first held in 1897, and the Yonkers Marathon, first held in 1907). He was the son of a Jewish merchant. He graduated as a civil engineer in Budapest. In his youth, Braun was also involved in shot put and pentathlon, later fencing and skiing. However, he went down in history primarily as the initiator and organizer of the marathon and events such as the Slovak Wrestling, Fencing and Boxing Championships or bicycle races.

Leopold Horovitz

He first studied with the painter Vojtech Klimkovič in Košice. In the years 1850-1857 he lived in Vienna and later settled in Warsaw, where he painted portraits. In Warsaw, he completed his first major work entitled The Last Days of the Destruction of Jerusalem. At the exhibition of the Budapest Art Gallery in 1885, he presented his life painting The Firstborn and three portraits, with which he received a large letter of commendation. He is buried in Vienna.

Book a Jewish Heritage Tour in Košice with us!

If you want to learn more about the Jewish history of Košice, look here.
If you are interested in the Jewish city tour of Košice, book a tour with us.

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Košice has 19 UNESCO sites within 100 minutes

Igor — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 03:11:00 +0000

Oh, I don’t want to brag, but not every city can boast of this. We are simply the perfect location for day trips. We have everything from caves, medieval frescoes, wooden churches to castles and ancient forests. Here are some tips:

Spiš Castle

Perched proudly atop a rugged hill in eastern Slovakia, Spiš Castle beckons with its ancient charm and rich history. Over 800 years old, this UNESCO World Heritage site offers a glimpse into medieval life with its grand walls and sweeping views. Explore its winding corridors and Gothic architecture, and marvel at the scenic beauty of the Spiš region from its lofty ramparts. Spiš Castle is more than just a relic; it’s a timeless adventure waiting to unfold. Come discover the magic of this historic gem and let its stories enchant you.

Tokaj wines

Tokaj wines, hailing from the Tokaj wine region, are renowned for their unique character and exceptional quality, making them truly special in the world of wine. What sets Tokaj wines apart is their traditional production method, which involves the use of noble rot, or botrytis cinerea, a beneficial fungus that shrivels the grapes and concentrates their sugars and flavors.

Medieval frescos in Žehra

The interior of the Church of the Holy Spirit is decorated with medieval wall paintings that have been preserved to this day. The paintings have a high artistic value and reveal a master who was based on Italian painting, but also knew elements of Byzantine art. Every detail and object of the fresco has multiple theological meanings and it is fascinating to study them.

Bardejov

If you are searching for a calm and wonderful historical town, you´ve just found it. Bardejov offers numerous historical buildings, a famous spa, an outdoor historical museum, and beautiful nature.

Krásnohorská jaskyňa

If you are looking for a cave off the beaten track, visit the Krásnohorská cave in the Slovak Karst National Park. It is full of beauty, adventure, and obstacles. Sporty types will love it.

The full map of UNESCO sites is right here.

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The most unique thing about Košice? Crazy XX. century.

Igor — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 03:11:00 +0000

If you prefer stability, consider moving to New Zealand. If you’re interested in witnessing history unfold before your eyes, consider relocating to Košice. Long story short: 1 city, 100 years, 7 political regimes

Let’s start with the 1900s. Košice was a small, diverse town with around 50,000 residents. At that time, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Hungarian was the dominant language, but Slovak, German, and Yiddish were also commonly spoken.

Democratic Czechoslovakia (1918)

The first significant change came at the end of the First World War. As Austria-Hungary disintegrated, Košice became part of democratic Czechoslovakia in 1918. Czechs and Slovaks are linguistically and culturally close, so they decided to establish a common state. Additionally, they had significant electoral power, which allowed them to outvote minority groups, particularly Germans and Hungarians.

If you live in Košice, you don’t have to travel at all. Every other day you live in a different country or political regime.
my grandparents

Slovak Soviet Republic (1919)

Fortunately, this socialist experiment lasted just under a month, from June 16, 1919, to July 7, 1919. It marked the first attempt to introduce communist ideals to Košice. However, after its failure, Košice rejoined democratic Czechoslovakia.

Kingdom of Hungary (1938)

The outbreak of the Second World War reshaped the map once again. While the Czech lands were invaded by the Nazis, Slovakia became a collaborating Nazi state, and Košice was once more under Hungarian control. This situation persisted until 1945. By the end of World War II, Slovakia stood on the winning side, owing to the Slovak National Uprising against the Nazis in 1944. It stood as the second most significant revolt against the Nazis in Europe, following Yugoslavia. Subsequently, Košice reintegrated into democratic Czechoslovakia.

Communist Czechoslovakia (1948)

In 1948, the communist party emerged victorious in democratic elections in the Czech lands and swiftly seized control over Czechoslovakia. Democracy and freedom were dismantled by the comrades with alarming speed. The populace lived in fear and suspicion, as numerous secret agents reported on perceived “enemies of communism”. This dreadful social experiment slowly destroyed the country’s economy and disintegrated trust among its people for generations to come. Attempts by Czechoslovakia to introduce democratic reforms in the 1960s were brutally halted by a Russian military invasion in 1968.

Democratic Czechoslovakia (1989)

By the late 1980s, communist regimes across the board began to collapse. The Velvet Revolution in 1989 marked Košice’s return to the civilized world, as democratic Czechoslovakia was restored once again.

Unsuccessful petition for separation of Košice (1992)

Proud citizens of Košice were not enthusiastic about the coming Czechoslovak divorce. Rather than being part of Slovakia, many felt it would be preferable to establish Košice as a city-state. A group of intellectuals centered around the magazine Domino-fórum initiated a petition advocating for separation. However, the project ultimately did not succeed.

A divorce with Czechs – creation of democratic Slovakia (1993)

In 1993, Czech and Slovak people peacefully decided to part ways and establish their independent states. In January of that year, the democratic Slovak Republic was formed.

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Discover Slovak folklore and traditions

Igor — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 03:11:00 +0000

Alright, alright, alright. Slovakia hasn´t produced many internationally renowned writers, nor has it produced a Nobel Prize winner. People here have historically been too busy with agriculture, crafts, and shepherding. However, there’s a silver lining to this. The traditional rural way of life has been rich in preserving and promoting traditions, particularly in the realm of folklore music, and dresses! At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Slovak costume had around 60 variants and sub-variants. There were thousands of folk songs and hundreds of customs.

Isolation leading to diversity

Slovakia is characterized by its hard terrain, full of canyons, dense forests, mountains, and challenging landscapes. This geographical character resulted in the fact that many villages were very isolated. Many of them did not interact with each other so often. However, this isolation led to an incredibly diverse tapestry of folklore, music, and dialects. Despite being mere kilometers apart, neighboring villages often had distinct songs, attire, and customs. Those who are into folklore are amazed by this wealth of Slovak cultural diversity.

Listen up!

The Eden of Slovak folklore and traditions – Music Festival Východná

If you’re eager to immerse yourself in Slovak folklore music, don’t miss out on the largest festival of its kind. Held in July beneath the Tatra mountains, in the charming village of Východná, this event promises breathtaking music, vibrant folklore, cherished traditions, lovely women, and robust men.

Spend your money wisely

If you want to bring an original souvenir from Slovakia don´t waste your budget on kitsch. If you are into authentic and valuable souvenirs, either buy from Úľuv – an organization uniting traditional producers or find your craftsmen. My advice: Buy either koncovka which is a Slovak duct-blown overtone fipple flute or if you have extra budget, go for fujara – a sophisticated folk shepherd’s overtone fipple flute of unique design in the contrabass range. As you can see, you can use both freely – in any music.

If you want to know more about Slovak folklore and traditions, contact us and we can discuss it on a guided tour of Košice or a tailor-made trip around Slovakia.

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