Count Ladislav Ignác Berčéni (1689 – 1778) was a prominent military leader who served primarily in the service of France. His surname can be found in various forms in historical records, such as Bercsényi, Bercheny, Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny, or Ladislaus Ignatius Berzeni. The birthplace of the Count was located on Hlavná Street in Prešov, where the Klobušickovcov Palace stands today. His father was an important Hungarian aristocrat, an imperial general, and later the generalissimo of the rebel army of Francis II Rákóczi, Mikuláš Berčéni. However, Ladislav was the first and only native of Upper Hungary to achieve the rank of Marshal of France. Berčéni’s hussar regiment served as part of the French army from 1721 to 1791, until the period of the French Revolution.
akub Bogdan, a Baroque painter from Prešov, is also known in literature as Jacob Bogdani, Jakub James Bogdani, or Jakub Bohdan. He lived from 1658 to 1724. From 1694, he worked for Queen Mary and later for Queen Anne of Britain. He spent a significant part of his creative life in England. His birthplace can still be found at Hlavná Street 5 in Prešov. akub Bogdan studied in Prešov and Vienna, and in Amsterdam, he worked as a still-life painter, focusing mainly on floral, fruit, and animal motifs, especially exotic birds. He lived in London from 1688 until his passing. His works are included in the collections of the Eastern Slovak Gallery in Košice and the Slovak National Gallery.
Artistically talented Prešov native Oscar Berger lived from 1901 to 1997. He was a world-renowned caricaturist who worked in Prague, Paris, London, Berlin, and New York for magazines such as Life, The New York Times, New York Herald Tribune, Le Figaro, and Daily Telegraph. He studied art in Paris and Berlin. When Hitler came to power, Berger’s caricatures of Hitler angered the regime, and he was forced to leave the country. He spent time in Budapest, Paris, and Geneva, where he participated in many meetings of the League of Nations. Eventually, in 1935, he settled in London, where he worked for the Daily Telegraph. During the 1950s, he attended many United Nations meetings and illustrated practically every significant world leader who could be seen there. His artwork is included in the collections of the Eastern Slovak Gallery in Košice and the Slovak National Gallery.
Yehuda Lahav (1930-2010), a famous journalist, editor, writer, and longtime Middle East correspondent, was also a native of Prešov. His birth name was Štefan Weiszlowits. From 1949, he worked in Israel and collaborated with many Slovak media outlets. He was deeply interested in international relations, ethnic tensions, and Israeli-Palestinian relations. He wrote political reflections, commentaries, analyses, and essays In his books “Zjazvený život” (2003), “Odsúdení spolužití” (2005), and “Odvrátená tvár konfliktu” (2008), we can find many memories of his family and childhood.
Janko Borodáč is a name that is likely familiar to everyone. Janko Borodáč is a name that is likely familiar to everyone. One of the founders and builders of Slovak professional theater in Slovakia, he also used pseudonyms such as Ján Debnár or Janko Bystrý. He lived from 1892 to 1964. He was a theater director, actor, educator, and translator. As an actor, he portrayed nearly a hundred characters on the stages of the Slovak National Theater and the Eastern Slovak National Theater. However, his significance lies in his organization of Slovak theater life and his substantial contribution to the development of Slovak professional theater. As a director, he focused primarily on national awakening goals. He staged plays in a very realistic, sometimes descriptive manner. He preferred comedies over tragedies. Among his most successful productions were Tajovský’s “Statky – zmätky” and “Ženský zákon,” Palárik’s “Zmierenie” or “Dobrodružstvo pri obžinkoch,” and Hviezdoslav’s drama “Herodes a Herodias.”
Alexander Duchnovič, a Rusyn national revivalist, writer, and Greek Catholic priest, lived from 1803 to 1865. ince 1990, the Rusyn theater in Prešov has been named after him, called the Alexander Duchnovič Theatre. He was greatly influenced by his time spent in Beloveža, where he served as a priest and also teacher. It was there that he decided to become more involved in advocating for the dignified life of Rusyns. Until then, he primarily used Hungarian and Russian languages, but from then on, he began writing in his native language. He also paid attention to the foundations of agricultural work, particularly horticulture and fruit growing. He also served as a notary in Užhorod, a canon in Prešov, and a school inspector.
Pál Maléter was a Hungarian officer and one of the leading figures of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. He served as the Minister of Defense in the third Imre Nagy government. After the brutal suppression of the revolution, he was executed alongside Prime Minister Nagy. Their bodies were disposed of under old furniture in a grave in the courtyard of the Budapest prison. 24. On February 24, 1961, their bodies were secretly exhumed and buried with false names in asphalt-covered cardboard at the Újköztemető cemetery, with full military honors. In 1989, following the fall of the communist regime, he was rehabilitated and posthumously promoted to the rank of general. 16. On June 16, 1989, he was ceremoniously reburied with Prime Minister Nagy and other martyrs of the uprising in Heroes’ Square, with all military honors. He was born in 1917 in Prešov into an intellectual family. nitially, he studied medicine but suspended his studies in 1939 due to financial difficulties and voluntarily enlisted in the army, thus beginning his military career.
One of the most well-known scientists from Prešov is Kálmán Kertész. He was born in Prešov in 1867, during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He is considered a Hungarian entomologist of Slovak origin. He focused mainly on the study of Diptera, a group of insects commonly known as flies. During his life, he worked as the director of the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. His most significant work is the “Katalog der Paläarktischen dipteren” (Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera).
Ján Adam Rayman was born in Prešov in 1690 and is also known by the names Johann Reiman, Ioannes Reimanus, or Rayman János. He served as the city physician of Prešov and the regional physician of Šariš County. Growing up in a pharmaceutical environment significantly influenced him. He also operated a wholesale business for medicines, exotic fruits, spices, and Tokaj wine. Thanks to his professional and personal qualities, he was accepted into the ranks of the nobility. In 1720, he performed the first vaccination against smallpox (Variola) on his own daughter by rubbing the pus from her sick brother’s smallpox sore into a skin incision on her arm. In the following years, he successfully repeated the vaccination on several patients. Ján Adam Rayman also dealt with bacillary dysentery, measles, scarlet fever, rabies, and the transmission of diseases from animals to humans. He also dedicated himself to meteorology (regularly measuring and recording daily air temperature for the first time in the Austro-Hungarian Empire), chemistry (conducting chemical analysis of mineral waters using his own methods), and other natural sciences.
Ján Samuel Gertinger was born in Prešov in 1754. He worked as a pharmacist throughout his life. He was a pioneer in sugar production from sugar beets and, in 1801, became the first person in Hungary to produce sugar. However, since he did not receive significant recognition or support from the city or the government, he embarked on establishing his own sugar factory in 1811. Unfortunately, J. S. Gertinger passed away in 1813. Although his research was based on established procedures by German scientists, he introduced many innovations, such as a specially modified grater for slicing sugar beets and a specific press for sugar extraction.
A large community of artists lives and works in Prešov. However, the past offers interesting stories of artists from Prešov that cannot be forgotten.
During a casual walk through the city, we often overlook the gems that surround us. However, Prešov is rich in diverse sculptures, reliefs, and artworks in public spaces. We have prepared a basic overview of the most significant ones so that you can appreciate this beauty whenever you have more time.
We are an independent initiative whose goal is to support life and tourism in the city of Prešov.
2023 © Strawberry City
We are an independent initiative whose goal is to support life and tourism in the city of Prešov.
2023 © Strawberry City
