Svaliava (, ) is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

located on the Latorytsia River in

Zakarpattia Oblast Zakarpattia Oblast (Ukrainian language, Ukrainian: Закарпатська область), also referred to as simply Zakarpattia (Ukrainian language, Ukrainian: Закарпаття; Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Kárpátalja'') or Transcar ...

in western

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. It was the administrative center of the former Svaliava Raion (

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

) until its abolition in 2020, now it is located in Mukachevo Raion. Population:

Etymology

Due to the city's complex history, there are also alternative names for it in other languages, including: * ; * ; * ; * ; * ; * ; * ; * . Although the name of the city is similar to the Gothic swaljawa meaning "

swallow The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The ...

", the etymology of the name Svalyava comes from the Slavic roots Zolva, Solyava, Solva, meaning "salt". Its origin dates back to ancient times, when salt from the Marmaros County was transported to neighboring regions.

Demographics

The 2001 census officially identified more than 94% of the population. *

Ukrainians Ukrainians (, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. Their native tongue is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, and the majority adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, forming the List of contemporary eth ...

94.5% *

Russians Russians ( ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Eastern Europe. Their mother tongue is Russian language, Russian, the most spoken Slavic languages, Slavic language. The majority of Russians adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church ...

1.5% *

Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...

0.7% *

Slovaks The Slovaks ( (historical Sloveni ), singular: ''Slovák'' (historical: ''Sloven'' ), feminine: ''Slovenka'' , plural: ''Slovenky'') are a West Slavic ethnic group and nation native to Slovakia who share a common ancestry, culture, history ...

0.6%

History

Swaljawa was first mentioned in the 12th century as a small settlement of a Hungarian feudal lord. In the 18th century, the village was annexed to the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and was called Schwalbach. These lands later passed to the Count of Schönborn and his descendants. Gradually, Swaljawa became a multinational town with a significant part of the population being ethnic Germans. According to the census of 1910, 47.1% of the population was Greek Catholic, 26.2% Jewish and 22.9% Roman Catholic. The Jewish population was deported to Auschwitz after the German occupation of Hungary, in May 1944, and most of them was murdered there. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

concentration camp A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...

was working near the town. Hungarian and German-born civilians (born between 1896, and 1926) were carried off by

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

forces to the camp purely on the basis of their nationality. They were ordered to report for " malenkij robot" (a corrupted Russian for "small work"), but most of them – more than 20 thousand deportees were killed in the deathcamp after being subjected to various tortures (no water for days, glass powder mixed into their food). A further 50 000, or so Hungarians (not only men, but also women and children) were deported from Szolyva to the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

or Galicia. They were later exterminated. The site of the camp is now a memorial park established in 1994.

Gallery

File:Wooden church in Svaliava, Zakarpatska oblast.jpg, St. Nicholas Church File:Svaliava (Szolyva) synagogue.jpg, Synagogue in Svaliava File:Svaliava,former synagogue,now-bakery.JPG, Former synagogue, now a bakery File:Svaliava,former synagogue.jpg, Former synagogue File:Svaliava,jewish cemetery.JPG, Jewish cemetery File:Szolyva 12.jpg, Memorial park

References

External links

Svaliava
in th
Encyclopedia of Ukraine
{{Authority control Cities in Zakarpattia Oblast Spa towns in Ukraine Cities of district significance in Ukraine Holocaust locations in Ukraine