The influences, similarities and differences between us.

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Influences

Very brief history

- the Neanderthals, Celtics, Romans- the Huns, the Lombards, the Avars and the Germanic Goths, a phenomenon commonly known as the "migration of people"- it is not known for definite when the Slavs (the true descendants of Slovaks) first came to Slovakia, they had become the dominant by the C7th- once the Franks had defeated the Avars, two separate Slavic communities began to emerge on either side of the White Carpathian mountain range. They were the principalities of Moravia and Nitra- one hundred years later it was first called the Great Moravian Empire, by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII- Mojmir, Pribina, Rastislav – princes of the Great Moravian Empire

- the Great Moravian Empire prospered under Svatopluk- in 894, when Svatopluk the Great died,internal conflicts between his three sons would eventually lead to the break up of the Great Moravian Empire- In the year 896 Magyar tribes crossed into the territory that is now Slovakia for the first time. As the Great Moravian Empire crumbled, the Magyars slowly but surely forged deeper into Slovak territory, until finally at the Battle of Bratislava, in 907, the Great Moravian Empire was defeated once and for all. It would be the last time that Slovaks ruled their lands for more than a Millennium- in 1241, history repeated itself, as another nomadic tribe attacked the region from the East. This time it was the turn of the Tatars, who were also a Mongolian tribe, as the Magyars had been. Again the region of Slovakia was devastated- despide this invasion,Slovakia prospered in the first 500 years as a state in the Kingdom of Hungary. Rich in minerals and fairly well developed economically, Slovakia was one of the biggest producers of silver and gold in the whole of Europe

- in the early C16th the Ottoman's expanded their great Empire westward through Central Europe. After the Turkish victory at the Battle of Mohac in 1526, the Kingdom of Hungary was badly defeated and found itself divided into three separate parts. The territory that is present day Hungary was now under Turkish rule, while another part, Transylvania, became a Turkish protectorate vassal, controlled by the Ottoman Empire. That left only Slovakia, which managed to withstand the Turkish Invasion- Slovakia now found itself the center of the Hungarian State. All important Hungarian political, administrative and religious institutions moved to Slovakia. Although, Slovakia had not felt the full force of the Turkish Invasion, as Hungary had done. The Turkish Invasion had consequences on Slovakia as a nation- Afterward area that is now Slovakia, the Kingdom of Hungary effectively became a part of the Habsburg Empire - the Habsburg's main goal was to protect Europe from any further Turkish invasions. "Royal Hungary" was a convenient buffer zone between Vienna and the Turks, and Slovakia once more found itself as a battlefield, this time for the Habsburg - Ottoman war. Bratislava, as the capital of Royal Hungary, now saw the coronation of 19 Habsburgs as Kings and Queens of Hungary. Bratislava remained the capital of Hungary until the Turks were finally ousted from Central Europe, in 1786, and Buda became the capital city

As you have heard, our shared history is often sorrowful and complicated and is registered in many names, places, things and we have folk songs , poems and legends about Turks in Slovakia

Turecká lieska - Turkish Hazel

IWe`ve got a tree, which is called Turkish Hazel, which brought us your ancestors

Turecka

There is a small village situated in the centre of Slovakia, that is also associated with Turkey - it`s name is Turecka. In summer many tourists come and find here beautiful country side and in winter excellent ski slopes wait here for skiers.

Ski resort Turecka

Trenčiansky hrad - The Trencin castle

In 1663 the Turks came to the slovak region Považie. The Turkish sultan also visited the Trenčín castle. Our legend is related to the Turks, the castle and especially to its well:Once there was a Turkish nobleman Omar who loved beautiful Fatima. She was captured in the castle by its owner Štefan Zápoľský. At the castle there was no water and therefore Omar, who wanted to get Fatima from the imprisonment, promised to dig a well. 300 Turkish soldiers dug the well into the hard rock for three years. Many of them could not handle the hard work. When they finally succeeded and Omar was taking Fatima home, he said to Zápoľský: "Zápoľský, although you have water, but your heart is harder than the rock."

Omar´s well

The Beckov castle

Turkish hill is 346 meters high. The Turks had their camp here, when they were fighting for Beckov castle. It is said, that Turks never conquer the castle, but the hill is named after them

Trenčianske Teplice Spa

Turkish bath. Hamann. Turecké kúpele.

Spa owner in Trenčianské Teplice named Ifigenia de Castiees saw lavish turkish spa in the 19th century`s world exhibition in Paris. She was looking for architects in Turkey as well as Egypt and she was successful. In 1888 she opened beautiful thermal Turkish spa which is being used till this day. You will be welcomed by entrance by famous quotation: "There is bigger luck than to be healthy - be healed!." Hamann is precious cultural landmark and historical treasure

Differences

Traditionally, Slovakia was a land of simple peasants, who spent their days working in the fields or watching after sheep in the mountains. The cuisine evolved from the ingredients people grew in their gardens or fields, or from the products of the animals they raised. Potatoes, cabbage and onions make the basis of many dishes. These are supplemented by chicken and pork. And then there are the sheep. Besides mutton, sheep produced various cheese products, including a feta-like cheese called bryndza and the smoked cheese oštiepok. Slovaks use often lentils, peas, beans and loafs of bread and some of cereal porridges

Food

Kapustnica - sauerkraut soup made with smoked meat and dried mushrooms. It is traditionally eaten on Christmas

Dumpling ( halušky ) with sheep cheese ( bryndza ) with bacon cracklings( oškvarky )

Kolache – koláče- circular sweet breads filled with poppy seed, walnut, cheese or plum jam filling. The nut and poppy rolls are called orechovník and makovník.

Kapustove fliacky, pasta flakes mixed with cabbage and topped either with powdered sugar or

cracklings

Lokše from potato dough Sweet potato dumplings with poppy seed – makové šúlance

Folk art

Easter eggs. There are many techniques for decorating them

a dove from wood splinters

corn husk figurines and also the dolls in kroj ( national dress) are very traditional

crochet háčkovanie

Folk architecture

Language

Láska je strašne bohatá, láska tá všetko sľúbi,no ten, čo ľúbil, sklamal sa a ten, čo sklamal, ľúbi.Prach dlhých smutných letných dní na staré lístiepadápoznala príliš neskoro, ako ho mala rada.

Tak každoročne v jeseni svetlá sa tratia z dušea človek koník túlavý, od srdca k srdcu klušea pre každé chce zomierať, žiť nechce pre nijaké,chcel by mať jedno pre seba, je mu to jedno aké.Možno že iba obrázok a možno tôňu iba.

Slovak language is considered difficult . For us is the most beautiful – as a mother tangue.

Miroslav Válek Jesenná láska

No pred cieľom sa zastaví: Komu zas srdce chýba?Zo všetkých mojich obrázkov mámivý ošiaľ stúpa;bola to láska? Sklamanie? Aj láska bola hlúpa,veď chcela všetko naraz mať a všetko naraz stráca.

Koľko ráz v noci májovej hľadela do mesiaca,no máj im málo šťastia dal a krátke bolo leto.Len jeseň, tá vie o všetkom a jeseň nepovie to.Šla zima dolu údolím a niesla odkaz máju:túžieval, čakal dočkal sa, odišla , nepozná ju.

Láska je strašne bohatá, láska tá všetko sľúbi,no ten, čo ľúbil, sklamal sa a ten, čo sklamal, ľúbi.Prach dlhých smutných letných dní na staré lístie padápoznala príliš neskoro, ako ho mala rada.

Do you know, what we Slovaks and you Turks have common ?

We all are the human beings, we all are the citizens of our planet.We need to know each other better to understand our global problems and to solve them together.

Thank you

Presented by :

Daniela Lestinska, headmistress of Primary school Turnianska 10, BratislavaMaterials prepared by:

Pupils from 8th class Primary school Turnianska10,Eva Tothova, classteacher

Links: http://www.sitesworld.com/country/Slovakia http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C5%82owacja http://www.angelfire.com/home/vj/Zuberec.htm http://www.spectacularslovakia.sk/index.html www.varecha.sk