Zemplén, as a historic expression

During the common history of Slovakia and Hungary, a very insensitive action took place in one of the palaces near Paris, determining the life and fate of local residents.

In trianon, the tearing of the land into a Slovak and Hngarian part, was made with a stroke of a pen, following political reasons and not taking into account, that it is geographically, nationally, economically, administratively, historically, cuturally and according to folk traditions and the wish of the residents it should be one unit.

During this, Zemplén lost 70% of its former territory and was annexed to Czechoslovakia, and turned the previously flourishing area into periphery.

The core of the real historic Zemplén region is Bodrogköz, the region of the Zempléni island hills and the Hungarian part of former Zemplén county, that belongs to today’s Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county.

Its first seat was Zemplén, that is situated in Upper Hungary, where St Stephen turned the former mud castle into a strong royal castle in the 11th century.

Zemplén market-town used to be the official center of the county. The county assemblies wehóre held in –the still standing, but construction-needed- the county house until the 18th century, when the center was moved to Sátoraljaújhely and worked there till the end of the county system.