Brestowatz History page
BRESTOWATZ
HISTORY ...
Source: MAGYARORSZÁG VÁRMEGYÉI VÁROSI, edited by BOROVSZKY SAMU DR, 1909.
Szilberek. It lies in the district of Apatin, among Doroszló and Vepröd. It's
earlier name is Brestowatcz receiving it's name from the Slavic name of elm (brest).
The village appears in the tax list of the Archbischopery in 1543 (a ranch),
which paid taxes for the Archbishop 16. (archaic Forint) This may be the small
village, that is listed by the Turkish tax-collectors in the district of Zomber.
In 1554 three households paid taxes, in 1570 five households, in 1590 nine
households.
Written in 1728, a document states that the County Council complained regarding
the Captain of castle Szeged (a military district occupied aggressively and
arbitrarily Gakova, later becoming a district of Brestovacz). This village was
written as Bresztovicze in 1740. In 1743 the County Council asked the King to
dissolve the village and July 1, the territory was annexed to the County Bács
as it's property. October 7, 1745 the dissolving committee and 175 heads of
families declared to continue to act as military; only one member wanted to be
civil. It's taxes in 1757 were 1200 Forints. In 1763 Cothman writes; "this
village has Greek Catholic and Serbian inhabitants." By 1746, it became a
settled village of the Chamber listed by the County Council.
A part of the territory of the village known as "Katalin's Hill" (in
Hungarian, called "Kúnhalom") are three archaic mounds and of a fort
(the nomadic Hungarians, Cumanians built their grave mounds here).
The Roman Catholic parish was developed in 1787, the church being built in 1818
and repaired (renovated) first in 1852, then in 1896. also a Greek Catholic
Church built in 1851.
A "mixed cooperative" was developed in 1834. At that time, only the
master could own a business, having belonged to the group. In this way it was
possible to actively engage in the "cooperatives" of smiths,
locksmiths, coopers, wheel makers, cord makers, cap makers, shoemakers,
glaziers, tailors, painters, furriers, weavers, turners, joiners. At the
beginning of the Century, Brestowatz had an eminent industry.
The inhabitants in 1900 speaking their native tongue are as follows: 4356
Germans, 750 Serbs, 259 Hungarians, 33 others. Religions: 4549 Roman Catholic,
751 Greek Catholic, 70 Jewish faith, 9 Reformists and 8 Lutherans.
The territory of the community is 9397 "moons" (1 moon = 1.4 acre);
the village owning 628 moons, the Chamber 719 moons. The community has a casino,
club, two funeral cooperatives, three banks and three soda water factories. The
village has a Post Office, telegram and railway station. Some years ago
Brestowatz went to the Hódschág district from the district Apatin.
Translation by: Lajos Reich
Submitted By: Sandra Wills