Mátészalka

Mátészalka
Aerial view
Aerial view
Flag of Mátészalka
Coat of arms of Mátészalka
Mátészalka is located in Hungary
Mátészalka
Mátészalka
Coordinates: 47°57′00″N 22°19′00″E / 47.95000°N 22.31667°E / 47.95000; 22.31667
Country Hungary
CountySzabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg
DistrictMátészalka
Area
 • Total41.81 km2 (16.14 sq mi)
Population
 (2023)
 • Total15,351[1]
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
4700
Area code(+36) 44
Websitewww.mateszalka.hu

Mátészalka is a town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary. It is on the Kraszna River, 52 kilometers from the city of Nyiregyhaza.[2][3]

Geography

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It covers an area of 41.81 km2 (16 sq mi) and has a population of 17,015 people (2011).

The town was the birthplace of actor Tony Curtis' father, Emanuel Schwartz.

Population

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In 2001, the population of Mátészalka was nearly 96% Hungarian, 3% Romani, and 1% German.

History

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Mátészalka was created from the merger of two large villages: Máté, founded in 1231 and Szalka, created in 1268. From the fifteenth century, Mátészalka was a market settlement. From 1920 - 1950 it was the seat of the authorities of some of the committees Szatmár, Ugocsa and Bereg remaining in Hungary after the Trianon Treaty. In 1969 Mátészalka received city rights. The city is the seat of the regional Szatmári Múzeum.

The actor Tony Curtis was born Bernard Schwarz, and his parents were from Mátészalka. His daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, helped to refurbish the synagogue, which is where her grandparents worshipped. She also attended the opening of the Tony Curtis Memorial Museum and Cafe, which is located in Mátészalka. About 1,500 Jews from the town were taken to Auschwitz in 1944, after the Nazis occupied Hungary that March. In 1946, about 150 Jews returned, but many left after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.[4]

Twin towns – sister cities

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Mátészalka is twinned with:[5]

References

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  1. ^ Mátészalka, KSH
  2. ^ "Pinkas Hakehillot Hungary: Mateszalka". www.jewishgen.org. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  3. ^ Mátészalka, Hungary at JewishGen
  4. ^ Albert, Maddy (8 June 2021). "Jamie Lee Curtis Is Restoring Her Grandparents' Synagogue in Hungary". Kveller. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Testvérvárosaink". mateszalka.hu (in Hungarian). Mátészalka. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
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