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submitted through Rob Raeside, 27 July 1999
Prešov (Hungarian: Eperjes; German: Eperies or Preschau; Ruthenian Prjašiv
has 87.765 inhabitants (0,9% Hungarians, more Ruthenians; 1990 census).
In 1910: 16.323 inhabitants (48,9% Hungarian, 39,8% Slovakian, 8,6% German
and 1,0% Rumanian). The city was the capital of Sáros (in Slovakian Šaríš)
County of Hungary until 1918/1920 (Declaration of Martin). 1920-1938 Czechoslovakian,
1939-1945 Slovakian, and 1945-1992 Czechoslovakian. In 1919 the city was
the capital of the Slovakian Soviet Republic for some days. The city lies
on the banks of the Torysa (Tarca) River. It was an important site in the
Age of the Halstatt Culture. Quads and Gepids lived there too. The city
was founded by King Béla II. in 1132. The king gave the name of the city
after the strawberries or mulberries (Eperjes or epres means strawberry
(fields)) - by the Legend. It is first mentioned in 1233. The city became
a free Royal Town in 1324 by King Charles. In 1687 the "Hangman of
Prešov", General Caraffa tormented 300 citizens and their 24 leader were
executed. In 1849 the Slovakian Revolt in opposition to the Hungarian Revolution
was begun. The leader of the Revolt in Prešov was Hurban. The City is the
center of the Ruthenians in Slovakia
István Molnár, 26 Jun 2000