![Kovin, Catholic Church](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Kovin%2C_Catholic_Church.jpg)
Kovin (, hu, Kevevára) is a town and municipality located in the
South Banat District
The South Banat District ( sr, Јужнобанатски округ, Južnobanatski okrug, ; hu, Dél-bánsági körzet; ) is one of seven administrative districts of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The administrative center of ...
of the autonomous province of
Vojvodina
Vojvodina ( sr-Cyrl, Војводина}), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to the south by the national capital ...
, Serbia. The town has a population of 13,515, while the municipality has 33,722 inhabitants.
In
Romanian
Romanian may refer to:
*anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania
**Romanians, an ethnic group
**Romanian language, a Romance language
*** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language
** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...
, the town is known as Cuvin, in
Hungarian as Kevevára or (until 1899) Temeskubin, and in
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
as Kubin or Temeschkubin. In the past, the town was also known as Donji Kovin ("lower Kovin") in contrast to the town with same name in Hungary that was known in Serbian as ''
Gornji Kovin'' ("upper Kovin") and in Hungarian as ''Ráckeve'' ("the Serb Kovin").
History
The
Dacian tribe of
Albocenses dwelled in this area in the second century AD. There are remains of the ancient
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
fortress called ''
Contra Margum
Contra may refer to:
Places
* Contra, Virginia
* Contra Costa Canal, an aqueduct in the U.S. state of California
* Contra Costa County, California
* Tenero-Contra, a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland ...
'', opposite to the
Margum, a fortress on the other side of the Danube. In the ninth and tenth centuries, this area was populated by
Slavs and
Romanians
The Romanians ( ro, români, ; dated exonym '' Vlachs'') are a Romance-speaking ethnic group. Sharing a common Romanian culture and ancestry, and speaking the Romanian language, they live primarily in Romania and Moldova. The 2011 Roman ...
and
Voivode
Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the ...
Glad ruled over the region. Glad was defeated by the
Hungarians
Hungarians, also known as Magyars ( ; hu, magyarok ), are a nation and ethnic group native to Hungary () and historical Hungarian lands who share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. The Hungarian language belongs to the Urali ...
, and the area was included into the medieval
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...
. In the 11th century, one of the descendants of Glad,
Ahtum
Ajtony, Ahtum or Achtum ( hu, Ajtony, bg, Охтум, ro, Ahtum, sr, Ахтум) was an early-11th-century ruler in the territory now known as Banat in present Romania and Serbia. His primary source is the ''Long Life of Saint Gerard'', a 1 ...
, ruled over the region but he, too, was defeated by the Hungarians.
The earliest mention of the settlement was in 1071 as ''Keuee''. Kovin is mentioned in the 12th century as a seat of the county, which included most of the western
Banat
Banat (, ; hu, Bánság; sr, Банат, Banat) is a geographical and historical region that straddles Central and Eastern Europe and which is currently divided among three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania (the counties of T ...
. Since the 14th century, the city has had a large
Serb
The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language.
The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
population that escaped there from
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
under threat by the
Ottomans. The Serbian despot
Lazar Branković
Lazar Branković ( sr-cyr, Лазар Бранковић; c. 1421 – 20 February 1458) was a Serbian despot, prince of Rascia from 1456 to 1458. He was the third son of Đurađ Branković and his wife Eirene Kantakouzene. He was succeeded by hi ...
took control over the city in 1457, but in the next year it came again under control of the Kingdom of Hungary.
In the 16th century, the city was included in the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
and became a part of the Ottoman
Province of Temeşvar. During the Ottoman rule (16th-17th century), Kovin was mostly populated by ethnic
Serbs
The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language.
The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
. In 1716, it became part of the
Habsburg monarchy and belonged to the Habsburg
Banat of Temeswar
The Banat of Temeswar or ''Banat of Temes'' was a Habsburg province that existed between 1718 and 1778. It was located in the present day region of Banat, which was named after this province. The province was abolished in 1778 and the follow ...
until 1751 when it became part of the Habsburg
Military Frontier
The Military Frontier (german: Militärgrenze, sh-Latn, Vojna krajina/Vojna granica, Војна крајина/Војна граница; hu, Katonai határőrvidék; ro, Graniță militară) was a borderland of the Habsburg monarchy and ...
(
Banat Krajina
The Banat Military Frontier or simply Banat Frontier ( sr, Банатска крајина/Banatska krajina; ro, Granița militară Bănățeană) was a district of the Habsburg monarchy's Military Frontier located in the Banat region. It was fo ...
).
In 1848/1849, Kovin was part of the
Serbian Voivodship, but in 1849 it was again placed under administration of the Military Frontier. With the abolishment of the Military Frontier in 1873, Kovin was incorporated into
Temes county
County of Temes ( Hungarian: ''Temes'', Romanian: ''Timiș'', Serbian: ''Тамиш'' or ''Tamiš'', German: ''Temes'' or ''Temesch'') was an administrative county ( comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is now in southwestern Roma ...
within the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...
. According to the 1910 census, Kovin District had a population of 35,482, of whom 21,795 spoke
Serbian, 6,587
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 5,705
Romanian
Romanian may refer to:
*anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania
**Romanians, an ethnic group
**Romanian language, a Romance language
*** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language
** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...
, and 5,355
Hungarian.
This town had a significant role in the outbreak of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
[Manfried, Rauchensteiner. ''The First World War and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy, 1914-1918'']
p. 27
( Böhlau Verlag, Vienna, 2014). In July 1914, a purported military skirmish here was a proximate cause of the declaration of war against Serbia by
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his ...
, but the report of such skirmish was apparently false, or greatly exaggerated.
In 1918, Kovin became part of the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchy ruled by a king or queen
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and media Television
* ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
(renamed to
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
in 1929). Between 1918 and 1922, it was part of Banat county; between 1922 and 1929 part of the Podunavska oblast; and between 1929 and 1941 part of the
Danube Banovina. Between 1941 and 1944, Kovin was under
Axis
An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to:
Mathematics
* Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis
* Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinat ...
occupation and was part of the autonomous
Banat
Banat (, ; hu, Bánság; sr, Банат, Banat) is a geographical and historical region that straddles Central and Eastern Europe and which is currently divided among three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania (the counties of T ...
region within
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
-
occupied Serbia. The town was heavily bombed by the
Allies in 1944.
Serbs were not specially chosen as targets
, Danas In 1945, it became part of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Vojvodina
Vojvodina ( sr-Cyrl, Војводина}), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to the south by the national capital ...
within the Socialist Republic of Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yu ...
. In 1992, Kovin became part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Serbia and Montenegro ( sr, Cрбија и Црна Гора, translit=Srbija i Crna Gora) was a country in Southeast Europe located in the Balkans that existed from 1992 to 2006, following the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yu ...
, which was in 2003 transformed into the state union of Serbia and Montenegro. Since 2006, the town is part of an independent Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
.
Inhabited places
Kovin municipality includes the town of Kovin and the following villages:
* Bavanište
* Gaj
* Deliblato
* Dubovac
* Malo Bavanište
* Mramorak
*Pločica
Pločica ( Serbian Cyrillic: Плочица) is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kovin municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority (94.32%) and a population of 2,044 (2002 census ...
*Skorenovac
Skorenovac (Serbian language, Serbian: Скореновац; Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Székelykeve''; German language, German: ''Skorenowatz,''; Banat Bulgarian language, Banat Bulgarian: ''Gjurgevo'') is a village located in the Kovin ...
( hu, Székelykeve)
* Šumarak
There is also this unofficial settlement in municipality:
* Čardak
Demographics
According to the 2011 census, the total population of the municipality of Kovin was 33,722 inhabitants.
Ethnic groups
;Municipality
Settlements with a Serb ethnic majority are: Kovin, Bavanište, Gaj, Deliblato, Dubovac, Malo Bavanište, Mramorak, and Pločica. Skorenovac has a Hungarian ethnic majority. Šumarak is an ethnically mixed settlement with a relative Hungarian majority.
;Town
Economy
The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018):
Twin cities
* Ráckeve
Ráckeve (Serbian: Српски Ковин / Srpski Kovin) is a town on Csepel Island in the county of , Hungary. Its residents are Magyars, with minority of Serbs.
The Serbian Kovin Monastery, the oldest in Hungary and one of two in the Dioces ...
, Hungary
See also
*List of places in Serbia
This is the list of populated places in Serbia (excluding Kosovo), as recorded by the 2002 census, sorted alphabetically by municipalities. Settlements denoted as " urban" (towns and cities) are marked bold. Population for every settlement is gi ...
* Municipalities of Serbia
*South Banat District
The South Banat District ( sr, Јужнобанатски округ, Južnobanatski okrug, ; hu, Dél-bánsági körzet; ) is one of seven administrative districts of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The administrative center of ...
References
#Jovan Erdeljanović, Srbi u Banatu, Novi Sad, 1992.
#Slobodan Ćurčić, Broj stanovnika Vojvodine, Novi Sad, 1996.
External links
Municipality of Kovin
Radio BUS - News from Kovin
Kovin Ekspres - online news and newspaper from Kovin
NETcom - Information technologies - services and data recovery
{{Authority control
Populated places in Serbian Banat
Populated places in South Banat District
Municipalities and cities of Vojvodina
Towns in Serbia