Towns Involved in the Project
 

Iliašovce (Spišská Nová Ves District)
Levoča (Levoča District)
Mníšek nad Hnilcom (Gelnica District)
Nálepkovo (Gelnica District)
Rudňany (Spišská Nová Ves District)

Spišská Nová Ves (Spišská Nová Ves District)
Spišské Podhradie (Levoča District)
Spišský Hrhov (Levoča District)
Spišský Štvrtok  (Levoča District)
Švedlár (Gelnica District)

 

RUDŇANY

Background
The town of Rudňany is located in the Spišská Nová Ves district, and in the past it was the mining center of Middle Spiš. At present, the mining industry has ceased, and this fact has contributed to an increase of unemployment in the municipality and its nearby surroundings. The population of Rudňany is 3,202. Out of the total number of inhabitants, there are 1,176 Roma. 491 people are unemployed, including 217 women, and approximately 40 homeless people live in the municipality.

In the past, the main employers for the inhabitants of Rudňany were iron ore mines, the village public maintenance department, mining buildings, textile factory, a furniture factory, and a district building firm. At present, the main employers for the inhabitants are the firms Želba, Inc. and Embraco, Ltd. In addition, 17 tradesmen are working in the village.

Because of the mining character of the village, the only architecturally interesting building that is worth mentioning is the Roman Catholic Church from the 2nd half of the 19th century. The contemporary crisis in the mining industry in Slovakia has also adversely affected Rudňany. Iron mining was stopped here several years ago.

There are several non-governmental organizations operating in the village of Rudňany. The Mother and Child Foundation educates Romany mothers about responsible parenthood. The NGO Dignified Life has established The Romany Community Center, whose aim is to improve life of the Roma in the village. The Slovenský raj Rudňany branch of the organization Backwoodsman (Zálesák) is a society of children and youth who enjoy being in the open air.

History
Rudňany is a mining village with old traditions. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area was settled in the Neolithic Period.

The oldest written reference to Rudňany is in the charter issued by the Hungarian king Belo IV in 1255. It mentions a sparsely settled area called “Kuffurbach” where Rudňany later appeared. As early as in the 14th century there was a settlement there with inhabitants who made a living from mining. They mined silver, copper and later also iron and mercury. The village got its name from copper (Cufurbach-Kupperbach-Kuffurbach-Kotterbach-Koterbachy), or the “Copper creek”. Since 1948, the village has been called Rudňany. It grew close to the village of Poráč, which belonged to the Máriássy family. The lower part of Rudňany was owned by the Csákys, who managed it from Odorín.

In the 18th century, many of the mines belonged to the Mining Association of Upper Hungary, in which a well-known Spiš family – the Probstners, played a significant role. Andrej Probstner was one of the most important shareholders in the Poráč-Rudňany mining association “Rochus”. Since the 2nd half of 18th century, Rudňany delivered iron ore for developing the iron industry in the Spiš region, and in the 19th century it was exported abroad. At the end of the 19th century, emphasis was placed on iron exploitation and modernization of the mines. Rudňany became one of the greatest producers of mercury in the country, but economic crises in 1900 - 1903 and 1913 - 1914 hit Rudňany very hard.

Involvement with the Program
The beginning of the implementation of YOUR SPIŠ - Sustainable Community Development in Middle Spiš in Rudňany was affected by the mistrust of the mayor, members of the municipal council, and residents to foreign assistance in general. During the past 10 years Rudňany was visited by a large number of various delegations, including the president of Czechoslovakia, the head of the European commission, and the Prime Minister of the Slovak government. Some visits of these delegations resulted in significant changes in the municipality, such as the construction of 31 apartments for the Roma. According to the mayor’s words, however: “nothing has changed,.... and eventually everything is still left on the shoulders of the municipality and the mayor…“

Despite setbacks and difficulties, the positive energy and hard work of the program’s community activists helped to support the growth of two groups interested in improving the lives of community members – potential Romany community organizations. One of these is an informal group of housing tenants in the locality 5RP II. Through cooperation with YOUR SPIŠ, this group would like to improve the environment adjacent to the newly constructed apartment building.

The other group, Zabíjanec Roma Club (Klub Rómov Zabíjanec), has been established in the second Roma settlement of Rudňany, Zabíjanec. This club’s members are particularly worried about the waste-polluted surroundings of their homes. They therefore prepared a project called Waste Removal In the Settlement of Zabíjanec, which obtained financial support in the form of a YOUR SPIŠ grant. This project also involves the cooperation of other residents, the mayor and Municipal Office.

The broader goals of these two new groups are to encourage local people to enhance the quality of their lives, reduce the tension between members of the majority population and the Roma, create conditions for better cooperation with the local government, start improving their economic and social situation, be positive role models for young people, and create a positive image to represent the Romany community.