Mala Subotica

History

The Međimurje area was inhabited in ancient times, as seen by archaeological finds dating back to 5000 BC. A stone lid of an ancient urn was found near the village of Sveti Križ and an old cemetery was found under and around the parish church, where burials took place until the end of the 18th century. In the municipality of Mala Subotica, the first settlement mentioned was Sveti Križ, which probably got its name from the fact that the Crusaders gathered there for their campaigns to the Holy Land. On December 6, 1256, the name of the Subotica estate was first mentioned as Zumbathel. At the end of the 19th century, Magyarization was carried out in Međimurje, which led to the name Sobotica being changed to the Hungarian name Kiszabatka, to distinguish it from Subotica in Bačka. After the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes occupied Međimurje and officially annexed it on 9 January 1919, the name was changed back to Mala Subotica. After the invasion of Yugoslavia, Hungary again occupied Međimurje, until it was liberated by the Partisans in April 1945.