BRIEF HISTORICAL REVIEW
In the picturesque foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, in Derenivka area, among wonderful landscapes, a unique curative water originates, which has made the resort and the landmark famous all around Europe as far back as four centuries ago. Nobles, military officials, merchants and artists went to Derenivka to visit the bathing-places and to drink the life-giving water. It restored health, strength and even renewed youth, according to the legend. Derenivska Kupil Sanatorium Complex invites visitors to delve into the history of one of the oldest resorts of Zakarpattia.
Prayer of Danyil Serednianskyi dated December 19, 1634 (copy of the original archival documents)
FIRST MENTIONINGS of the Derenivska Kupil (1582)
Situated near Nyzhnie Solotvyno village, Derenivka area (Hungarian “Derenó”) has been known as early as since the times of the Drugeths. Famous Drugé family of French-Italian origin came to the Kingdom of Hungary at the beginning of the 14th century along with the new king of the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen Charles Robert of Anjou. Anjou dynasty of Venetia became the rulers of Hungary in 1308, succeeding the Arpad dynasty. From that time and until the end of the 17th century the Drugeth family owned the great estates comitats (counties) of Zemplin (nowadays Slovakia) and Ung (nowadays Velykobereznianskyi, Perechinskyi and Uzhhorod districts in Ukraine), where they were rulers (ispans or counts) and direct owners of numerous estates and lands. Nyzhnie Solotvyno village is mentioned in the 15th and 16th century manuscripts under the name of Slatina, and together with Derenivka area was a part of the Uzhansky comitat, thus being the property of the Drugeth family. Famous in the Kingdom of Hungary, the family had residences in Zemplin, Nevytsk and Uzhhorod castles. For the first time, Derenivka was mentioned in a document dating back to 1582. From this document, we know that Miklos Korlat, a magnate from Chlmec village, was in litigation with the Drugeth family over the right to own the forests in the Derenivka area. The sources have no mention of the outcome, but the documents of the following centuries make reveal that the object of dispute could have be the curative bathing-place mentioned repeatedly in
Prayer of Danyil Serednianskyi dated April 21,1658 (copy of the original archival documents)
the manuscripts of the 17th century—the preserved prayer texts of priest Danyil the elder of Serednianka. The texts were recorded for a considerable time with exact dating starting December 19, 1634. Several people were recording them scrupulously, among which was deacon Ramvelii, pater Visarii and deacon Sylvesterii. Priest Danyil of Serednianka often mentions a bathing-place, calling it Zhalobny Derentse, Derentsa zholoboborniia, Derents oreberna vaserovna, Derentska zholobkovnia. So, Derenivska Kupil near Slatina was indeed known for its curative properties at the least from the 1630s, according to the available records. Surroundings of Slatina and its neighbouring region for a long time had been a frontier (border zone) between Austria and Transylvania. From the middle of the 16th century and up until beginning of the 18th century, Uzhhorod castle and the territory on the north-west from Uzhhorod belonged to the House of Habsburgs, while Mukachevo castle and lands on the south-east from Mukachevo were under the rule of the princes of Transylvania. Otherwise speaking, it was a conventional border between the Austrian possessions of Habsburgs and Transylvanian possessions of the Rakoczi dynasty. Probably, in the midst of furious standoff between the Habsburgs, which were Roman Catholics) and the princes of Transylvania, which were Hungarian Protestants (Calvinists), the Ung comitat along with Uzhhorod castle, which remained in the
Drugeths’ possession for a several centuries until 1688, passed on to count Miklós Bercsényi (1665-1725), a hero of the war between Habsburgs and the Turks, the husband of Krisztina Drugeth. It happened in 1691, the year when his wife died, as well as the last male representative of the Drugeths—Balint Drugeth, the bishop de Korbova. Count Miklós Bercsényi at first assumed the post of ispan (count) of the Ung comitat in 1691. A year later, the former domain of the Drugeths in the valley of Uzh
Count Miklós Bercsényi
River, including the Uzhhorod castle, also came into his possession. The researcher Oleksandr Mytsiuk directly relates the name count Miklós Bercsényi, the widowed 26-year-old father of three (married for the second time in 1695 to the twice widowed 41-year-old beautiful and rich daughter of the royal judge count István, Krisztina Csáky (1654–1723)) with establishment of bathing-places at Uzhanskyi comitat. Institutional formation of Derenivska Kupil confirms this relation.
Countess Krisztina Csáky
DERENUS SILBERS WASSER Derenivska Silver Water (1697)
Official emblem of Derenus Silbers Wasser, 1697 (copy of the original archival documents)
For example, in the 1790s, the records of count Miklós Bercsényi and the Austrian Habsburgs mention the curing water as the DERENUS SILBERS WASSER. As distinguished from the previous evidence, this time it is considered a resort, recognized on the local (comitat) and national level under the official name Derenivska Silver Water. Since then, the fame of Derenivka rapidly spread widely across neighbourhood. At the end of the 17th century, the resort, which was called in a European manner SLATINO, was already attended by Austrian and Hungarian noble magnates, who, in spite of everyday struggles, managed to find time to treat themselves and wounded soldiers. The Baths of Derenivka were famous for not only curative, but also anti-aging properties. From the available archival documents, we know that for noble and demanding visitors, according to their social standing and needs, a big (by the standards of that time) palace with towers and verandas was built not far from the bathing-place, where visitors could rest in a cozy and picturesque nook of Europe after bathing. Unfortunately, in 1705, during the war between the Prince of Transylvania Francis II Rákóczi and the Habsburgs, SLATINO was burnt to the ground. For example, there is a mention of that in a record of Uzhhorod inhabitant named Gregor dated April 18, 1705. Referring to information provided by some “pastor Franz”, probably a witness of the events, the author says that in April of 1705 all the buildings around “the sacred water” in Slatino Derenus were burnt
down.
A view of Derenivska Kupil in 1692, before it was burnt down in 1705 (copy of the original archival documents)
Eternal glory to Jesus Christ, the son of our God, Our Saviour. Dear pastor Franz! Your request regarding yourself and your relatives cannot be satisfied. The deadly fight between the Prince of Transylvania Francis II Rákóczi and the Habsburgs has commenced. Any treatment and therapy in the silver waters and ponds with curative properties in Slatino baths and pools fell into disarray and was stopped. For the nobles, a beautiful building was made of wood, with three towers and the tiled roof. For many years, it has served for treatment of people—noblemen and all sick persons alike. Last year, in April of 1705, the savages burnt down this sacred building. Nobody knows, who did it, the Habsburgs or Francis II Rákóczi, ordinary people or those who mocked the treatment. Dear Pastor Franz! We are witnesses of this irreparable conflagration and anguish. Sahamorai Geisa, Kiratu Rudolf and Deshe, Rorakher Kari and Vinhard, Shallie Arpad, Hans, Gregor, Buschanu Dzhyla, and Oscar. Wait for further information from the Son of God, dear pastor. Your friends Oliver, Olivan, Emmanuel, Yanos, Emerich. Uzhhorod, April 18, 1705. Gregor, 1705. A copy of the letter of Gregor from Uzhhorod, dated April 18, 1705 (copy of the original archival documents)
Translation of the letter from German into English
However, in early 18th century, sour water was reportedly delivered to Moscow along with wines from the lands of the last of the Rakoczis in the MukachevoChynadiiv dominia. The water was considered to be equal in quality with the so called Eger water (i.e. Carlsbad and Marienbad water). Considering that count Miklós Bercsényi was a faithful ally of Francis II Rákóczi since war broke out, the water was likely taken from Derenivska silver bathing-place. After the defeat of Francis II Rákóczi in the Hungarian national liberation war (1703–1711), the Habsburgs confiscated all estates and properties of the leaders of the uprising. After a short time, a part of the Rakoczis’ land (for example, Mukachevo-Chynadiiv dominia) Vienna passed to the powerful Austrian family of Shenborns, but the former demesne of count Miklós Bercsényi in the valley of Uzh River remained a
state property. Since that time, functioning of the destroyed Derenivska Kupil building depended solely on the Austrian administration. It is probably because people wanted to use the unique curative water so much that the Austrian government reconstructed the resort soon after the war. It is hard to tell when it happened. For instance, in 1830s, while preparing his book about Uzhanskyi comitat for publication, famous surveyor and historian Matthias Bel writes about Slatino only that it was located far from the rough mountains, bathing in the sunshine all day long, and could be used for viniculture and was fully populated by the Russian families. It is likely that Derenivska Kupil, not mentioned by sharp-sighted Matthias Bel, was reconstructed a little later.
DERENIVSKA KUPIL AND SOLOTVINO FORGE during Austrian and Austro-Hungarian period
N. Solotvino, 1829 (A copy of the original documents)
Letter of deacon Ivan on providing financial support for treatment of handicapped kids (A copy of the original documents)
Nyzhnie Solotvino, 1829 Smithy, tin, peening, cart, wheel workshops (A copy of the original documents)
Examples of products of the Solotvino forge (copy of the original archival documents)
Since first quarter of the 19th century, Derenivka was known as a balneotherapeutic health resort. In a schematism (description) of the Mukachevo GreekCatholic Eparchy dating back to 1821, there is a record noting that on the territory of Derenivska Kupil (Derenó balneum in Latin) there were 4 permanent residents from among the followers of the Ruski Komarivtsi village parish. They could be the staff of the bathing place. In the topographic historical and statistical description of the Kingdom of Hungary dating back to 1833, the following information about Nyzhnie Solotvino is provided. “Kis oder Puszta Szlatina” includes 23 households with 169 Greek-Catholic disciples. The village was a branch of the the Ruski Komarivtsi parish. It had one bathing place in Derenó and numerous wine storages. Nevertheless, the data provided by Elek Fenyes, the founder of the Hungarian statistical science and a corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, in his two-volume work Geographical Dictionary of Hungary, provides are more detailed account of the situation. For instance, the Russian village in the middle of the 19th century had the population of 187, including 148 Greek Catholics, 28 Roman Catholics and 11 Jews. There was also an affiliated
Greek Catholic wooden church built in 1609 and a “balneotherapeutic health resort with mineral waters called Derenova”. According to the documents from the first half of the 19th century, the curative water from Derenivka was ordered for treatment and health improvement to the neighbouring and distant regions of the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Eparchy. For instance, sacristan Ivan from Holiatyn village of Maramorosh comitat (nowadays Mizhhirskyi Region) ordered the curative water for his daughters-in-law Hafa and Yevka in 1814. There is also a plea to “cure the soul and vile body” in the baths of Nyzhnie Solotvino in the letter from icon painter Tyvodar of Pasiky village (nowadays Svaliavskyi Region) to his sister on April 17, 1820, for himself and his countrymen Joseph Stribnytskyi, Mihal Krasynskyi, Mikulas Ivashkovych, Vasyl Rostotskyi and Mirko Rohach. The letter dated June of 1821 to his relatives Ivanko and Yevochka, sacristan Mitro from Suskovets village (nowadays Suskove village of Svaliavskyi region) is talking about treatment of the youngest daughter Marika Khmeli suffering from “laboured breathing” at the “curative baths of Slatino”. Derenivska water was used not only for treatment,
Cadastral map of Derenivka bathing-places, 1863
but also for metalwork in the famous Slatino forge, tin, peening, cart, and wheel workshop. About Derenivska curative water (and about skillful craftsmen and smiths) we know from numerous documents and pictures of special basins, wooden baths made for bathing places of Derenivka. Prosperity of the famous Derenivka baths is proved by the cadastral map of the Austrian period (1863), where land allotments and main resort facilities are marked.
DERENÓI FÜRDŐ (1913)
Shortly before the World War I and dissipation of Austro-Hungary (1914-1918), Derenivska Kupil again won the national recognition. In 1913, the Hungarian government officially noted Derenivska Kupil (DERENÓI FÜRDŐ, literally “the Baths of Derenivka”) as a place recommended for visiting. At those times, the most famous European families often preferred the wonderful landscapes of the Carpathian Mountains and the curative water of the Derenivka resort, which was much more affordable than more famous and more expensive Karlovy Vary and Baden-Baden.
Describing the healing properties of the water in Derenivka, local and national Hungarian newspapers called it “our Golden Slatino water” or “Silver Slatino water”. Another country-wide recognition of Derenivska Kupel was arguably a consequence of a large-scale Verkhovina economic action for improvement of social and economic living conditions for inhabitants of the north-eastern comitat of Hungary held in 1897-1918 and initially was related to the name of Edmund Egan (1851-1901), an Irish-born reformer from the Ministry of Agriculture.
NYZHNIE SOLOTVINO AND DERENIVSKA KUPIL in the times of Czechoslovakia After the dissipation of Austro-Hungary (October Kupil at that time had, in addition to the balnearies 1918), a region called the Subcarpathian Ruthenia with 2- and 3-bath rooms and lodges for visitors (10 remained a part of the Czechoslovak Republic, rooms), a little park for leisure and walks. In a research created on the ruins Habsburg monarchy. With the work Mineral Springs of the Subcarpathian Ruthenia exception of a short-time Hungarian occupation (1935) Czech scientist Frantisek Vizner of the Subcarpathian Ruthenia (1938–1944), wrote about the Derenivska water: “Being development of the region directly a scientist, I am privileged to directly depended on the policy of Prague. recommend it for consumption to The unique climatic and geographical both locals and all citizens of the properties, well-executed informative Czechoslovak Republic”. In different and touristic popularization of periods of the resort existence, the Subcarpathian Ruthenia by the may prominent figures visited it: conscientious Czechoslovak officers and Ferenc Liszt, a 19th century Hungarian travellers from the Czechoslovak tourist club composer, Edmund Egan, a Hungarian in Prague, this region already was called in cabinet officer, Tomas Masaryk, the first Frantisek Vizner (1893–1970) Europe not only “a small Switzerland”, but also president of the Czechoslovak Republic, “Subcarpathian Davos” at that time. Rev. Avgustyn Voloshyn, the Prime As of 1936, the Subcarpathian Ruthenia was Minister of the autonomous Subcarpathian Ruthenia – represented in the best tourist guidebook of the Carpatho–Ukraine, and others. Czechoslovak Republic by Yaroslav Dostal. Derenivska
COOPERATOR SANATORIUM After the Soviet authority was set up in Zakarpattya by the government of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, a sanatorium of the All-Soviet Union importance Cooperator was created at the premises of waters of Derenivka in May of 1960, remaining functional until 2003. After changing ownership to private investors, it received back its historical name— Derenivska Kupil. Over four centuries Derenivka area outlived six
states (the Kingdom of Hungary, the Principality of Transylvania, the Austrian monarchy of Habsburgs, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, the Czechoslovak Republic, and the Soviet Union). During this time, infrastructure and architecture of the establishment were transformed, but the Silver Water of Slatino remained unchanged and still gives health and vivacity to people.
Cooperator Sanatorium in 1989. Photo from the sanatorium archive
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Volodymyr Fenych Cand. Sc. {History},PhD, Senior Lecturer in History of Ukraine, coordinator of Logos research and development centre of historical and religious studies, dean of the Faculty of history of the Uzhhorod National University vf@vf.uz.ua
Derenivska Kupil Resort www.derenivska-kupil.ua 89442, Nyzhnye Solotvino Village, 150, Uzhhorod District, Zakarpattya Region, Uzhhorod