Medzilaborce

Sister cities

• Náměšť nad Oslavou
• Kozienice

History

The oldest written record connected with Medzilaborce dates back to 1543. The village first belonged to the Drugeth family, but passed to the Csáky family in the 17th century and later in the 19th century to the Andrássy family manor. As early as the 17th century, an important trade route passed through Medzilaborce connecting the interior of Slovakia with Poland through the Lupkov Pass. Medzilaborce became a town in 1860. In 1873, construction of the train track between Homonna (present-day Humenné) and Medzilaborce and further on to Galicia via the Lupkov Pass, which contributed to the growth of the town from 724 inhabitants in 1851 to 1561 citizens in 1910. During World War I, Russian troops entered the town in February 1915 and stayed there until May 1915, leaving the town significantly damaged. Before the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918, it was part of Zemplén County within the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1918 the town became part of Czechoslovakia. During the first Czechoslovak republic, there was massive unemployment, and many people emigrated from the town. From 1939 to 1944, Medzilaborce was part of the Slovak Republic. The town was significantly damaged again during World War II, when 30% of the population of the city, consisting of Jewish Slovaks, were executed or sent to concentration camps. On 26 November 1944, the Red Army and the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps dislodged the Wehrmacht from Medzilaborce and it was once again part of Czechoslovakia. It was the seat of the district until 1960, when it was merged with the Humenné district. It has again been the seat of the Medzilaborce district since 1996.

Geography

City parts: * Medzilaborce * Borov * Vydraň The town of Medzilaborce lies in the valley of the Laborec river in north-eastern Slovakia. The hills of the surrounding Laborec Highlands are typical of this countryside.