Gustáv Husák (1913-1991) – president of Czechoslovakia in the 1970s and 1980s
Koceľ (Gozil, Chozilo, Chezilo) (9th century) – ruler of the Balaton Principality, son of Pribina
Michal Kováč (1930) – the first president of modern Slovakia
Vladimír Mečiar (1942) – first prime minister of modern Slovakia
Mojmír I (Moimay, Moymar) (?-846) – first ruler (Prince) of Great Moravia. He probably lived in the Devín castle and initially ruled over present-day southern Moravia and a small part of western Slovakia. In 833, he crossed the White Carpathians, and attacked Pribina and his Nitrian Principality (see below). Prince Mojmir successfully defeated Pribina, who fled Nitra, and so Mojmir became the first ruler of what was to become known as the Great Moravian Empire.
Pribina (Priwina, Priuuinna) (? – 861)- the first known ruler (Prince) of what is called the Slovak nation today. He lived in the town of Nitra at the beginning of the 9th century, and ruled over the territory of present-day Slovakia from the Nitra castle, called the Nitrian Principality (Principality of Nitra). Initially, Pribina probably was a pagan, but he probably later became a Christian. He is responsible for building the first known church of Western and Eastern Slavs on Slovak soil in 828. Later, in 839, he founded and became the ruler of the Balaton Principality.
Rastislav (Rastic, Rasticlao, Rastislaus) (? - 870) – ruler of Great Moravia
Rudolf Schuster (1934)– the second president of modern Slovakia
Milan Rastislav Štefánik(1880-1919) - an astronomer, scientist, politician and a general in the French Army, one of the founders of Czechoslovakia, he tragically died in a plane crash near Bratislava (the plane was shot down).
Svätopluk(?-894) – king of Great Moravia, responsible for the empire’s greatest expansion
Svätopluk II (? - ?906) – ruler of the Nitrian principality
Jozef Tiso (1887-1947) – president of the WWII Slovak Republic
Saints
St. Zorard (Svorad, Svoradus) (around 1000) - hermit at Skalka near Trenčín, born in Lesser Poland or in northern Slovakia , adopted the name Andrew (Ondrej, Andrej)
St. Benedict (original name Stojislav) (? – 1034) – hermit at Skalka near Trenčín, disciple of St. Zorard
St. Gorazd (9th century) – a disciple of Cyril and Methodius, 881-884 probably bishop
St. Štefan Pongrác - a Hungarian-Transylvanian Catholic priest tortured to death in Kosice by Gabriel Bethlen’s men in 1619
St. Melichar Grodecki - a Polish-Moravian Catholic tortured to death in Kosice by Gabriel Bethlen’s men in 1619
St. Marek Križin - a Croatian Catholic canon tortured to death in Kosice by Gabriel Bethlen’s men in 1619
Vojtech Alexander (Adalbert Alexander) (1857-1916) – one of the greatest radiologists in the world, founder of radiology in historic Hungary, described the development of the tuberculosis, owner of the first X-ray apparatus in Slovakia, wrote poems in Slovak
Ján Bahýľ (1865-1916) – military engineer, inventor of the motor-driven helicopter (four years before Bréguet and Cornu). Bahyl was granted 7 patents in all, including the invention of the tank pump, air balloons combined with an air turbine, the first petrol engine car in Slovakia (with Anton Marschall) and a lift up to Bratislava castle.
Cyprián z Červeného Kláštora (Frater Cyprianus, Jaisge) (1724-1775) – a (German born) monk and natural scientist living in Slovakia, set up the oldest herbarium of Slovakia
Ján Dernschwam (Hans Dernschwam) (1494-1567) – a mining expert, chief manager of the Fugger-Thurzo Company in Banska Bystrica
Dávid Frölich (Fröhlich) (1595-1648) – matematician, astronomer, teacher, a follower of Kopernikus
Samuel Genersich (1768-1844) – botanist, physician
Christian Genersich (1759-1825) – theologian, mineralogist, topographer
Martin Hattala (1821-1903) - linguist
Jozef Karol Hell (Joseph Karl Hell) (1713-1789) – mining engineer active in central Slovakia, has influenced the mining technology considerably, inventor of the water-pillar pump machine (his first machine could pump water up from the depth of 212 meters) , which is used till today for oil extraction
Maximilián Hell (Maximilian Hell, Hell Miksa) (1720-1792) – Jesuit priest and astronomer, designed the observatory of the Trnava University, director of the Imperial Observatory in Vienna
Jozef Ľudovít Holuby (1836-1923) – botanist, gave their current names to many plants
Ján Hunfalvy (Johann Hunsdorfer, Hunfalvy János) (1820-1888)- geographer
Štefan Anián Jedlík (Anianus Jedlik, Jedlik Ányos István) (1800-1895) – constructed the electromagnetic rotor- a predecessor of the modern electro-motor – three years before Faraday and the unipolar dynamo six years before W. Siemens
Zachariáš Teofil Husty (18th century) – one of the first pharmacologists, physician, set up the medicare system in 1786
Jśn Vlk Kempelen (Johann Wolfgang von Kempelen) (1734-1804) - poly-technician and inventor, built the first fountain and pressure water piping, designed a chess machine, a speaking machine and a special typewriter for the blind
Andrej Kmeť (1841-1908) – botanist, archaeologist
Adam František Kollár (Adam Franz Kollar) (1718-1783) – historian, royal councelor and librarian of the Imperial Library in Vienna
Pavol Križko (1841-1902) - historian
Albert Laski (Łaski) (1536-1605) – writer, alchemist, humanist, noble (his family stems originally from Poland)
Ján Lipský (Johann von Lipsky, Lipszky János) (1766-1826) – cartographer, author of the first lexicon of names of towns and villages in historic Hungary
Samuel Mikovíni (1700-1750) – cartographer, author of a separate cartographic method, constructor of artificial water reservoirs near mines
Jozef Mistrík (1921-2001) – linguist
Jozef Murgaš (1864-1929) – inventor of the wireless telegraph (forerunner of the radio). Murgas' "Rotary-spark-system" allowed for much faster communication, through the use of musical tones. He patented his new invention, which is now listed as the "Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus", as well as more inventions in this field. These patents would go on to form the foundations for the invention of the radio. Also devised a system which greatly improved the Morse code. His other patents include the spinning reel (for fishing), the wave meter, the electric transformer, the magnetic detector, and a engine producing electromagnetic waves.
Martin Palkovič (Martin Palkovich) (1606-1662) – philosopher, professor in Trnava, Košice and Vienna
Jozef Maximilián Petzval (Josef Maximilian Petzval, Petzval Józeph Miksa) (1807-1891) – mathematician, optician, constructor of camera zoom lens, he is considered by many to be the founder of modern photography, he is most renowned for his work on optical lenses in the 1840's (invention of the portrait objective), which was instrumental in the construction of modern cameras, he is also remembered for greatly improving the telescope, microscope and designing the opera glass.
Karol Rayger (Rayger Károly) (1641 – 1707) – introduced the pulmonary test of new-born children used in forensic medicine till today
Ján Sambucus (Johann Sambucus) (1531-1584) – a famous humanist at the royal court in Vienna, a historian of the emperor Maximilian II, publisher of works of the Ancients, creator of the biggest private library in the world at that time
Ján Andrej Segner (Johann Andrea von Segner, Segner János András) (1704-1777) - physician, physicist, mathematician, designed a reactive water engine - the so-called Segner wheel, inventor of the water turbine principle (which is the basis for the functioning of modern space rockets)
Ján Severíni (1716-1789) – historian, natural scientist, author of the first high school textbooks of biology in historic Hungary (together with Matej Piller)
Tobias Gottfried Schröer (Christian Oeser) (1791-1850) – writer, teacher in Bratislava
Karol Smith (?) – famous piano producer from Bratislava in the early 19th century
Leonhard Stöckel (1510-1560) – a famous Protestant teacher, writer
Aurel Stodola (1859-1942) – engineer and professor, enabled the construction of steam and gas turbines (around 1900), constructor of a movable artificial arm (the Stodola arm) in 1915
Dionýz Štúr (1827-1893) – famous geologist, botanist, director of the Imperial Geological Institute
Ľudovít Štúr (1815-1856) - best known for his development and establishment of the modern Slovak language (in 1844 it was declared that the central Slovak dialect would be used as the literary language of Slovakia and in 1846 the new language standard was codified for the first time by Štúr in his "Nauka reči slovenskej" [Theory of the Slovak language])
Alexander Zahlbruckner (1860-1938)- Austrian lichenologist, born and studying in Slovakia
Ján Fadrusz (Johann Fadrusz, Fadrusz János) (1858-1903) – Magyar sculptor born and working in Bratislava
Ľudovít Fulla (1902-1980) – painter, graphic artist, illustrator
Edmund Gwerk (1859-1956) - painter
Mikuláš Galanda (1895-1938) – painter, graphic artist, illustrator
Jozef Hanula (1863-1944) - painter
Vincent Hložník (1919-1997) - painter
Dežo Hoffmann (1912-1986) - photographer
Mária Holoubková (1903) – photographer; born in Poland, living in Slovakia
Ferdinand Katona (Kleinberger) (1864-1932) – painter; born in Slovakia
Jozef Božetech Klemens (1817-1883) – painter, sculptor, polyhistor
Ján Anton Kraus (Johann Anton Kraus) (1728-1795)- sculptor
Robert Kühmayer (1833-1972) – sculptor; born in Bratislava
Ján Kupecký (Johann Kupecky) (1667-1740) – painter
Anton Lehmden (1929) – painter; born in Slovakia
Karol Ľudovít Libay (Karl Ludwig Libay) (1816-1888) - painter
Cyprián Majerník (1909-1945) – painter
Ladislav Medňanský (Ladislav Mednyánszky) (1852-1919) – Slovak- Magyar painter (changed his own name from a Magyar one (Laszlo) to a Slovak one (Ladislav))
Master MS (Majster MS) (15th-16th century) - sculptor
Master Nicolaus of Levoca (Majster Mikuláš z Levoče) (15th century) – painter
Master Paul of Levoča (Majster Pavol z Levoče) (1470-1535) – one of the most important European late Gothic carvers / sculptors, his most famous piece is the magnificent Gothic High Altar in the St. James Church in the town of Levoca, which is the highest wooden altar in the world (18.6 meters high).
Master of the Figures of Banska Stiavnica (Majster banskoštiavnických figúr) (15th century) – Gothic carver
Master of the Altar of Košice (Majster košického oltára) (15th century) – the most important Slovak painter of the 15th century
Master of the Altar of Smrečany (Majster smrečianskeho hlavného oltára) (15th century) – painter
Master of the Legend of St. Anthony (Hans Moler, St. Anthony-Master) (around 1500) - painter
Master of Lúčky (Master of Honneshau, Majster z Lúčok) (15th century) – painter
Master of Okoličné (Majster okoličiansky) (15th-16th century) – painter
Theodor Jozef Mousson (1887-1946) – painter, born in Hungary, working in Slovakia
Adam Friedrich Oeser (1717-1799) – painter, sculptor, born and working in Bratislava
Viktor Tilgner (1844-1896) – sculptor, born in Bratislava
Imrich Weiner-Kral (1901-1978) - painter
Viera Žilinčanová (1932) – painter
Andy Warhol (Andrej Varhola) (1928-1987) – one of the most famous artists of the 20th century. He introduced Pop-Art to the world, and was the first artist to use a photographic silk-screen technique in his work. He was born in the USA as the son of emmigrants from eastern Slovakia (members of the Ruthenian nationality from the village Mikova), his first language was Rusyn language, he took over the religious views of his parents (and of eastern Europe) and he always wanted to return to the country of his parents, which obviously was not possible because of the communist regime in eastern Europe. There is a Warhol museum with some of his works in eastern Slovakia.
Architects
Emil Belluš (1899-1980) – architect
Ignác Feigler I (Ignaz Feigler I) (1791-1847) – a major architect of Bratislava, author of many buildings of the town
Ignác Feigler II (Ignaz Feigler II) (1820-1894)- a major architect of Bratislava
Bohuslav Fuchs (1895-1972) – architect; a Czech also active in Slovakia
Milan Michal Harminc (1869-1964) - architect
Dušan Jurkovič (1868 – 1947) – architect
Dušan Kuzma (1927) – architect
Gedeon Majunke (1857-1921) - architect
Theater
Andrej Bagar (1900-1966) – actor, director
Ján Borodáč (1892-1964) – director, actor, founder of Slovak professional theatre
Naďa Hejná-Pietrová (1906-1994) – actress
Mikuláš Huba (1919-1986) – actor
Ladislav Chudík (1924) – actor
Ján Jamnický (1908-1972) – director, actor
Hana Meličková (1900-1978) – actress
Viliam Záborský (1920-1982) – actor
Karol Zachar (1918) – actor, director
Filmmakers
Paľo Bielik (1910-1983) – director, actor
Dušan Hanák (1938) – director
Juraj Jakubisko (1938) – director
Ján Kadár (1918-1879)- director
Viktor Kubal (1923-1997) – cartoon-film maker
Martin Šulík (1963) – the most important current director
Balaša (Balassa) – a prominent Slovak noble family (from the 14th century onwards)
Bubek (Bebek) - a prominent Slovak-Hungarian noble family around the 15th century
Alžbeta Bátoriová, the „Bloody Lady of Čachtice“ (Elizabeth Báthory-Nádasdy) (1560-1614) – the most famous mass murderer in Slovak and Hungarian history, a countess of the Čachtice castle (near Trencin), she is said to have tortured and killed a lot of young women in her castle (20 - 2000 victims depending on the source) in order to bathe in their blood
Matthew Csák III (of Trencin) (Matúš Čák III, Csák Máté) (about 1260 – 1321) - ruler of the Váh and the Tatras region
knight Donč of Balaša (?-1344)- an important Slovak noble in the early 14th century
Druget (Drugeth) – a prominent Slovak noble family from the 14th to the 17th century (originally from Naples)
Samuel Fischer (1859-1934) – founder of the Fischer-Verlag (in 1886), born in Slovakia
Forgáč (Forgach) – a prominent Slovak noble family in the Middle ages
General Ján Golian (1906-1945) – one of the main organizers of the Slovak National Uprising
Alexander of Hunt-Poznan (around 1200) - a prominent Slovak noble
Juraj Jánošík (1688- 1713) - the Slovak equivalent of Robin Hood, the topic of many Slovak legends, books and films
Juliana Korponaiová-Géciová (Julie Korponay), the „White Lady of Levoča“(1680-1714) – a legendary person responsible for the capitulation of the town of Levoča during the Francis II Rákóczi Uprising
Pavel Kray (Paul Kray) (1735-1804) – field marshal, mathematician, engineer, architect, participant of the Seven Years War and of the Turkish War (1788-1789), defeated the Peasant Uprising in Transylvania in 1786
Lords of Jelšava (Ilsvay) – a prominent Slovak noble family around the 14th century
Lords of Pavlovce (Palóci) – a prominent Slovak noble family in the Middle ages
Leustach z Jelšavy (14th century) – a Slovak noble and warrior
Rudolf Laban (1875-1958) – dance theoretician; born in Bratislava
Rozgoň (Rozgonyi, Lords of Rozhanovce) – a prominent Hungarian-Slovak noble family in the late Middle ages
Alexander Rudnay (1760-1831) - archbishop
Abrahám Rúfus (Abrahám Ryšavý / Červený) (around 1300) – warrior, reconquered southwestern Slovakia from Austria in 1291
Juraj Selepčéni Pohronec (Szelepcsény György) – archbishop
Chatam Sófer (1762-1839) – a famous (German born) rabbi of Bratislava
Stibor of Stiborice and Beckov (?-1414) - an ethnic Polish noble, who lived in Slovakia, he gained huge properties in western and central Slovakia after 1388 and was sometimes referred to as a petty Slovak king
Séči (Széchy, Lords of (Rimavská)Seča) – a prominent Slovak noble family from the 17th century
Ladislav Škultéty-Gábriš (1738-1832), the ”eternal soldier” – serving as much as 80 years as sergeant of the Austrian army, the longest lasting military service ever recorded, took part in more than 250 battles and survived five Hapsburg emperors
Thököly(Tököly, Tökölli,Tököli) – a prominent Hungarian-Slovak noble family living in Slovakia in the 16th and 17th century
Ján Thurzo I (Johannes Thurzo I) (1437-1508) – mining engineer, enterpreneur, together with the Fuggers founder of the biggest copper producing and trading company in the world of the 1st half of the 16th century - probably the first capitalist company in the world
Stews are often to be found with typical elements such as pork or beef, for example as used in pörkölt.
Famous Hungarian mathematicians include Paul Erdős who is famous for publishing in over forty languages and whose Erdős numbers are still tracked, János Bolyai designer of non-Euclidian geometry, John von Neumann one of the pioneers in digital computing, Eugene Wigner, and many others.
János Arany, a famous 19th century Hungarian poet is still much loved in Hungary (especially his collection of Ballads), among several other "true classics" like Sándor Petőfi, the poet of the Revolution of 1848, Endre Ady, Mihály Babits, Dezső Kosztolányi, Attila József and János Pilinszky.
Feeds |
Contact