Zubrowka

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Republic of Zubrowka

Zubrowka
Flag of Zubrowka.svg
Flag
Shield of Zubrowka.svg
Shield
EU-Zubrowka Small.svg
Zubrowka within the European Union
Capital
and largest city
Lutz
Official languages Zubrowkan
Recognised regional languages German
Czech
Polish
Slovakian
Ethnic groups
(2019)
Religion
  • 83% Christianity
    • 81% Catholic
    • 12% Protestant
    • 6% Orthodox
    • 1% Unaffiliated

10% Irreligious
2.9% Judaism
4.1% Others
Demonym(s) Zubrowkan
Government Unitary parliamentary republic
Legislature Šnam
Establishment history
• Kingdom of Zubrowka
1308
• Zubrowkan Empire
1387
• Duchy of Zubrowka
1744
• Client state to the Austrian Empire
1865
1867
• Independent aristocracy
1918
• Occupied by Nazi Germany
1939
• Socialist republic
1945
• Absorbed into Czechoslovakia
1948
• Republic of Zubrowka established
29 November 1989
Area
• Total
17,250 km2 (6,660 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate
1,300,000
Currency Klübeck (ZKB)
Time zone UTC +1
• Summer (DST)
UTC+2
Date format dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side right
Calling code +42
Internet TLD .zb

The Republic of Zubrowka[a] (Zubrowkan: Republika Zubrowka) is a landlocked unitary parliamentary republic situated in Central Europe.[1][2] With an area of 17,250 square kilometers, is the 39th largest country in Europe. Also known as Srovia,[b][c] it borders Poland to the north, Slovakia to the southeast, and Czechia to the west. Centered along the Váh Valley, the country is embedded by a natural cradle between the Western Carpathians.[3] With a population of roughly 1.3 million, Zubrowka is among the smaller countries in Europe. The capital of Lutz is the largest city in Zubrowka, with around 300,000 inhabitants or around 25% of the population.[4]

The Slavs arrived in present-day Zubrowka in the 5th and 6th centuries. By the 9th century, Great Moravia formed along the western end of the Carpathians. Following the split of Great Moravia into the Duchy of Bohemia and the Principality of Hungary, those being the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks respectively, the Váh Valley became a border region between the two; this resulted in the formation of a distinct culture and customs. In the 11th century, following the Mongol invasion of Europe and Battle of Mohi, the Hungarian crown was severely weakened. The power vacuum following King Béla IV's escape from Mongol forces allowed the lords of the valley to rally up local forces to murder aristocrat Jakab Cseszneky and briefly seize Trenčín Castle, proving the potential of a local rebellion. The valley, famed for its abundance of sweet grass became its namesake as Zubrowské údolie (lit.'Valley of Sweet grass') around the 12th century. In the 13th century, Matthew I acquired the castle, and despite his Hungarian roots, was popular among the locals, as he promoted local Slovak nobility in the region. Matthew's contentious and hawkish relation to the other oligarchs of the Hungarian Kingdom in combination with his local popularity as a result of investment in the Váh Valley, inadvertently fostered an distinct and cohesive culture within his domain, culminating after his death in 1321. Following the crisis of succession in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1308, Matthew usurped his domain and declared his own kingdom, the Kingdom of Zubrowka. Following his passing, his privy council of nobles known as Muži Matúšovi (Matthew's Men), organized the kingdom as an elective monarchy. It successfully fended off an attack by the forces of Charles I of Hungary in 1322, further cementing its legitimacy as an independent state. The kingdom took advantage of nearby instabilities with considerable effectiveness, often enlarging its territory through allegiance rather than conquest; it recruited feudal lords from Žilina (now Lutz) and southern Silesia. Following the death of Charles IV, the ensuing instability throughout the Holy Roman Empire rippled into Moravia; several noble families vied for control, which the Kingdom used to recruit lords and nobles to its own allegiance. In 1385, it conquered several southern regions of Silesia, exploiting local instabilities and ethnic tensions following the Germanization of the region. The consolidation of these regions into the Kingdom by 1387 is considered the founding of the Zubrowkan Empire. In 1410 it became a client state to the Holy Roman Empire, through which it achieved stability and protection from Hungary and Poland. It later became a client state to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and following its collapse, became an independent aristocracy in 1918. It was ruled by a series of weak governments, before succumbing to Nazi German occupation in 1939.[5] Following the Second World War, the Zubrowkan Party of the Revolution (ZSR) seized power, establishing a socialist state before being absorbed into Czechoslovakia.[6] Following the Velvet Revolution in 1989, a strong and organized separatist movement resulted in the sudden but peaceful secession. Decades of authoritarian rule resulted in the formation of a new, liberal democratic republic on the 29th of November, 1989. Zubrowka has since become a part of the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and of the Partnership for Peace program. It pursues a philosophy of armed neutrality, but is generally regarded to be aligned with Western powers.

The culture of Zubrowka is a mixture of many influences, with Slovakian and Czech roots, and incorporating elements from Polish, German, Ruthenian, Goral, and Ashkenazim cultures and traditions. The heartland of Zubrowka, the Zubrowkan Valley or the Váh, has historically been an important trading route along the Carpathian mountains. It has subsequently resulted in a unique blend of cultures and languages for at least a thousand years. The main language of the country is Zubrowkan, a mixture of Slovak and Czech; since Zubrowka situated on the linguistic border between the two languages, it is a combination of the two, with significant German and some Hungarian and Polish influences.

Etymology

The etymology of Zubrowka is of Polish origin, from żubr (meaning bison) and -ówka (a diminutive suffix), referring to sweet grass, known as "bison grass" in Polish. The Váh valley was historically abundant in sweet grass, and became the namesake of the country. In the later half of the 18th century, the anglicization Srovia and Sorovia became commonly used in English contexts. These words were in turn derived from the germanized variant of the name, Sürwien. Following the integration of Zubrowka into the eastern bloc, the national government insisted on the name Zubrowka being used in all international contexts in the name of promoting pan-Slavic roots and unity. Since the independent and liberal democratic Republic of Zubrowka was established in 1989, there has been significant debate surrounding whether Sorovia or Zubrowka should be used to refer to the country. Both names are used interchangeably, with Zubrowka remaining the official name, used in most domestic contexts.

History

Great Moravia

The Slavs arrived in present-day Zubrowka in the 5th and 6th centuries. By the 9th century, Great Moravia formed along the western end of the Carpathians. Following the split of Great Moravia into the Duchy of Bohemia and the Principality of Hungary, those being the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks respectively, the Váh Valley became a border region between the two; this resulted in the formation of a distinct culture and customs.

Medieval ages

In the 11th century, following the Mongol invasion of Europe and Battle of Mohi, the Hungarian crown was severely weakened. The power vacuum following King Béla IV's escape from Mongol forces allowed the lords of the valley to rally up local forces to murder aristocrat Jakab Cseszneky and briefly seize Trenčín Castle, which it took several weeks for the Hungarian Crown to regain, proving the potential of a local rebellion on a wider scale. The valley, famed for its abundance of sweet grass became its namesake as Zubrowské údolie (lit.'Valley of Sweet grass') around the 12th century, likely from the Goral settlers of the valley.

Matthew I and Zubrowkan independence (1300–1400)

16th-century portrait of Matthew I of Zubrowka[V 1]

In 1296 the Hungarian nobleman Matthew I acquired the Trenčín castle, and began residing in it by 1302. Matthew acquired the castle and its lands through military service for the Hungarian King Andrew III. He later exploited the fragmentation of the Hungarian Kingdom after the succession crisis in 1301, enlarging his territory to cover most of modern-day Zubrowka. He was popular among the locals, as he promoted local Slovak nobility in the region and showed a deep understanding of the political intricacies of the feudal system, leveraging it to his advantage. As early as 1297 he organized his own courts and took control of royal prerogatives from the Hungarian king, effectively ruling his own vast domain as a monarch. Matthew also refused to abide by land grants made by the Hungarian Crown on his land, whilst forging his own alliances with local lords and noblemen. He made several preparations for a usurpation by allying himself with the Holy Roman Empire through the Margraviate of Moravia and marrying the widowed Viola of Teschen in 1307, providing him with legitimacy through royal blood and establishing the House of Teschen. His alliance with the Holy Roman Empire was strategic, as it prevented the Papacy from directly challenging his legitimacy; the Holy See experienced tumultuous relations with the Empire, and it was unlikely to risk reducing its influence further by making any decisive rulings. Following the crisis of succession in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1308, Matthew usurped his domain and declared the Kingdom of Zubrowka.[V 2] The weakened Hungarian Crown was unable to attack the Kingdom directly, despite losses by Matthew's allies at the Battle of Rozgony in 1312. He was a bitter enemy of Charles I, who attacked the kingdom after the death of Matthew in 1321. Following his passing, his privy council of nobles known as Muži Matúšovi (Matthew's Men), crowned Viola as Queen regnant, as her male heirs were too young to take the throne. She successfully fended off the attack by the forces of Charles in 1322, cementing Zubrowka's legitimacy as an independent state.

The newly founded kingdom took advantage of nearby instabilities with considerable effectiveness, often enlarging its territory through allegiance rather than conquest; it recruited feudal lords from lower Oravia and southern Silesia. Following the death of Charles IV, the ensuing instability throughout the Holy Roman Empire rippled into Moravia; several noble families vied for control, which the Kingdom used to recruit lords and nobles to its own allegiance. In 1385, it further conquered several southern regions of Silesia, exploiting local instabilities and ethnic tensions following the Germanization of the region. The consolidation of these regions into the Kingdom by 1387 is considered the founding of the larger Zubrowkan Empire, with subsequent monarchs being referred to as Emperor or Empress rather than King or Queen.

Further expansion (1400–1500)

Map of the historical regions of Zubrowka within the modern national border

Despite Zubrowka being a client state to the Holy Roman Empire, it took advantage of the Hussite Wars and emperor Ludvik I allied the kingdom with the Moravian Wallachians of eastern Moravia, consequently usurping the loyalty of those regions from Moravia to Zubrowka. It further maintained its sovereignty over these areas through skirmishes with Moravian forces, and by solidifying a collective identity of the region into Povaschia. In 1438 Ludvik I moved the capital from Trenčín to Lutz in order to reduce strategic vulnerability. The Zubrowkan privy council also reformed the national military forces throughout the 1440s into smaller, agile platoons. The professionalization of the armed forces also became apparent through the formation of two classes, Pravidelné (regular forces) and Nepravidelné (irregular forces). The empire continued to rely heavily on the support of local irregular groups, a relationship which it sought to formalize; through the Decree of Commoners Loyal of 1443, non-conscripted combatants would be compensated directly by the treasury in Lutz, following their swearing of the oath of allegiance. The military was further reformed through the centralization of the regular military under Lutz rather than under local lords, this allowed the Zubrowkan military to act under cohesive plans of action. In order to balance the power of the monarch, which maintained power of the military through national allegiance, the privy council retained the final decision on military action, and irregular forces remained under the control of the various noblemen and lords, despite their sworn allegiance to the kingdom.

Emperor Jozef I was elected by the privy council to the monarchy in 1459, a Slovak nobleman from western Liptau. Taking the throne at a fairly stable period in Central Europe, he subsequently sought to unify the Empire further in order to maintain its newly acquired lands in Silesia and Moravian Wallachia. This was done through his various formalizations of a unified Zubrowkan identity, recognizing the importance of ethnic and culture to maintain stability between the regions of the Empire; he urged the noblemen of the nation to embrace a broad civic identity. Whilst different ethnic groups largely remained separated, cultural exchanges did occur more frequently during this era, such as festivals and shared traditions. There is also some evidence to suggest that multilingualism increased during this period, especially in rural areas. This process has been described by modern historians as a "meticulous attempt at cultural proto-assimilation". The policies of Jozef I were met with more resistance in newly acquired territories, where allegiance to the Imperial Crown was often based on convenience and favorable taxation, rather than cultural or ethnic situations. In order to further strengthen the power of the Crown, the privy council was reformed in order to reflect the territorial reality of the Empire; the privy council was expanded from seven to twenty three noblemen. However, the fist seven of the council were awarded considerably more influence due to their historical connections to Matthew I, along with their strong allegiance to the Empire.

In 1486, the privy council elected Andrej I, who began exploiting the weaknesses in the Kingdom of Hungary following the death of Matthias Corvinus in 1490. He launched the Transdanubian campaign almost immediately following Corvinus' death, seizing Western Transdanubia. By allying himself with the local lords of the area, the Empire managed to retain Transdanubia, maintaining its military control through bandit battalions, violent mobs, and other irregular forces once the professional national army had conquered the territory. Its use of bandits and outlaw forces, Zbojníci, proved effective, though only through violent use of force to maintain loyalty; a chronicler of Wieselburg recounted "a gang of bandits defected their loyalty from the Srovian to the Hungarian king, for this they were hanged and paraded by order of the Srovian constable." Efforts to formally integrate outlaw forces into the national military were never attempted, attributed to their lack of discipline and allegiance without force.

Renaissance and territorial peak (1500–1600)

It later became a client state to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and following its collapse, became an independent aristocracy in 1918.

Overexpansion and internal struggles (1600–1700)

Decline (1700–1800)

Modern history

It was ruled by a series of weak governments, before succumbing to Nazi German occupation in 1939.[5] Following the Second World War, the Zubrowkan Party of the Revolution (ZSR) seized power, establishing a socialist state before being absorbed into Czechoslovakia.[6] Following the Velvet Revolution in 1989, a strong and organized separatist movement resulted in the sudden but peaceful secession. Decades of authoritarian rule resulted in the formation of a new, liberal democratic republic on the 29th of November, 1989. Zubrowka has since become a part of the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and of the Partnership for Peace program. It pursues a philosophy of armed neutrality, but is generally regarded to be aligned with Western powers.

Geography

Topographic map of Zubrowka

Zubrowka is located in eastern Central Europe, bordered by Poland to the north, Czechia to the west, and Slovakia to the southeast. Its border primarily runs along mountain ranges, such as the Beskids along Povaschia, the Gorce Mountains through Oravia, and the Low Tatras along Grantal and Bystrica. It is considered to be the most mountainous country in Europe, with nearly 80% of its area covered by mountains and foothills; populated valleys are found throughout Zubrowka, and its few flatlands are found in the north, central, and western regions of Oravia, Fatra, Nitra, and southern Povaschia. Historically considered to be the most remote domain in the former Kingdom of Hungary, and indeed among the most inaccessible in Medieval Europe, the difficult landscapes contributed to both Srovian culture and the feasibility of its independence; known as the Keep of the Carpathians, the geography of Zubrowka fostered a culture of deep reverence for it in traditions, and folklore.

Despite covering a relatively small area, the geography and climate of Zubrowka is highly varied.

Flora

The southwest of Zubrowka is a part of the Pannonian mixed forests, whilst the northeast contains the Carpathian montane conifer forests. Zubrowka is home to a great number of flora, including its namesake, bison grass.

Fauna

Zubrowka is home to a variety of animals, from carnivores such as the Brown bear, Carpathian lynx, and Eurasian wolf, to ungulates like the Red deer, Tatra chamois, and Wild boar. Small mammals include the European badger, Red fox, European hare, and the Eurasian otter.

Climate

The climate of Zubrowka generally consitutes the humid continental climate, mainly the hemiboreal climate subtype (Dfb), with parts of Oravia having hot summer climate subtype (Dfa), and high-altitude mountains (>800 m) in the east of the country having subarctic climate of the regular subarctic subtype (Dfd).

Government

Economy

Transport

The E-road network runs through the country, it is crisscrossed by the E50 running southwest to east, along with the E77 running south to north. In addition, four highways connects the various major cities throughout the country. The considerably mountainous geography of Zubrowka has resulted in an elaborate network of tunnels and bridges, among the largest amounts in Europe. All public roads in Zubrowka were initially owned and maintained by the regions of Zubrowka, but due to economic disparities the network was nationalized in 1995. A significant portion of roads in Zubrowka are privately owned and maintained, primarily in rural areas; these are usually owned by the villages or communities they lead to and are often toll-roads. The electronic toll system Ryzhmite (lit. quickly-toll), based on the American system E-ZPass, was introduced in 2003, and is widely used.

Railways in Zubrowka cover most of the country and were established in the 19th century, as a result, the standard-gauge rail is the dominant standard and was not replaced by the Soviet 1520 mm standard during Czechoslovak rule. Additionally, the narrow-gauge standard meter-gauge railway is common and widespread in most of Zubrowka, due to its versatility for traversing mountainous terrain. Generally, the standard-gauge is used for international rail, whilst domestic spur lines commonly use the meter-gauge. This makes Zubrowka one of few European countries where narrow-gauge railways are widespread and in frequent use. Railways in Zubrowka were opened following the market liberalization that occurred after decommunization, though some operators are region-owned, such as the Horehronska Isernut (Horehronian Railways).

Culture

Srovian culture is often considered to have been thoroughly shaped by the empires and larger nations surrounding the Carpathian valleys which constitute the ancestral homeland of the various ethnic groups which would later converge into a single Zubrowkan ethnicity. The mountainous geography of the Carpathian valleys protected the Kingdom of Zubrowka from military threats, and was often used as an effective defense from which to launch attacks and consolidate territory. The eventual failure of the Empire of Zubrowka reduced the territory of the Kingdom to the Carpathian mountains and valleys, collectively known as the Srovian heartlands. Subsequent, frequent attacks by larger empires and forces were ineffective in conquering Zubrowka, and were met with fierce resistance by the general population. The attacks contributed to a circle of distrust toward outside forces, as Zubrowka's geographic remoteness and the aggression from empires yielded further distrust and resentment. The occupation of Zubrowka by Nazi Germany, and the subsequent oppression by the Czechoslovak regime, further contributed to a national ethos of resilience and strong skepticism toward foreign powers, yielding the national epithet the Nation of Scars.

Srovian culture has often historically been perceived by Srovians themselves as being discriminated against, oppressed or belittled by other ethnic groups, which has been cemented into a lasting national grievance, according to scholar Jozef Nowak. Restrictions and discouragement of Srovian cultural expressions, such as the Srovian language, which occurred under the Czechoslovak regime, have left lasting impressions in Zubrowka, resulting in strong legal protections for the language in the Republic of Zubrowka, where it is the sole official language. Srovian language is deeply intertwined with Zubrowkan culture, partially as it mirrors the origin of the Srovian national identity, as a pidgin evolved from several languages into its own distinct language.

The mountainous geography of Zubrowka fostered resilience in the various groups residing in Zubrowka, the harsh climate and difficulty practicing subsistence agriculture forced communities to establish traditions and lifestyles that were compatible with the demanding weather patterns of the mountains. The milder climates of the large river valleys in Greater Turiec and parts of Oravia caused migration patterns to flow throughout the Kingdom of Zubrowka, further assimilating groups of various nationalities. Wallachian immigration to western Zubrowka brought traditions and skills surrounding pastoralism, in particular regarding herding sheep.

Local autonomy and community governance became a cornerstone to Srovian culture, especially in mountainous regions; this was unusual in feudal Europe, where local lords had considerable control over their subjects. The local autonomy of certain communities was reinforced by the 1367 law which enshrined a militia system into the entire Kingdom of Zubrowka; which provided some level of local, armed control normally held exclusively by lords. Primarily mountainous, rural communities, so-called goravesak (lit. mountain-villages) were exempt from vassalage; these villages were difficult to maintain control over and yielded fewer resources, and thus, less fealty. Goravesak also lacked the protection from lords, and were therefore more vulnerable to crime or banditry, though their remoteness often counteracted this. Villages in the valleys, Odolyvesak, were restricted by vassalage to their lords, but retained comparatively significant local control. This established a tradition of self-governance, which has manifested itself in modern Zubrowkan culture, with a strong belief in regionalism and considerable powers being granted to townships and villages.

The culture of Zubrowka is generally considered to be a hybrid between Slavic, Hungarian, and Germanic cultures and traditions; a distinct Srovian culture emerged in the 14th century following the establishment of the Kingdom of Zubrowka, first forming in the valleys around the river Váh. Cultural exchanges occurred on a frequent basis between Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Germans and Poles; as communities gradually grew, towns became multicultural and multilingualism was widespread. Domestic trade throughout the many valleys, between the many ethnic groups of the country facilitated the development of a creole language, which eventually formed into the Zubrowkan language by the 16th century. Following the growth of the concept of a nation state in the 17th and 18th century, the Imperial Crown made attempts to create a Zubrowkan national identity, it mandated that only Zubrowkan language be used and repressed cultural expressions which were different from the shared Zubrowkan culture. These efforts solidified Zubrowkan culture and ethnicity, but are considered destructive as Slovak, German, and Hungarian cultures were repressed and forced into assimilation.

Notes

  1. Also historically known and referred to as "Zubria".
  2. Srovia and its alternative spelling Sorovia is an Anglicization of Sürwien, which in itself a Germanization of the Slavic Zubrowka.
  3. Within the film The Grand Budapest Hotel, Zubrowka is never referred to as Srovia or Sorovia, this is added for realism within this wiki-project.

References

Verisimilar (non-fictional) source material

  1. Real-life 16th-century portrait of Matthew III Csák
  2. In non-fictional reality, whilst Matthew III Csák ruled his domain as a de-facto monarch and did in fact create his own courts and refuse land grants by the Hungarian king, he never sought to formally secede from the Kingdom of Hungary, nor did he marry Viola of Teschen. However, his hawkish spirit against the King of Hungary has since been celebrated by Slovaks, and to a lesser extent, Hungarians alike.

Source material from the film

  1. As presented at numerous points in the film "The Grand Budapest Hotel".
  2. Its location in "Mitteleuropa", German for Central Europe, is mentioned in the book "The Wes Anderson Collection: The Grand Budapest Hotel" by M. Seitz.
  3. In the film the location is mentioned as being "[in the spa town of Nebelsbad] below the Alpine Sudetenwaltz", the Sudetenwaltz likely being a reference to the Sudetenland or to the Sudetes mountain range. "Waltz" exists as a word in Czech, however, it refers to the dance, or "to dance". Likely this is just a playful fictionalization. The decision to place it in the Western Carpathians stems from the blend of Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and Polish influences throughout the film, blending the opaque location of the country.
  4. It is never mentioned explicitly in the film dialogue that Lutz is the capital of the country, however, in the screenplay of the film, the first scene is described as "A graveyard in the city-center of a great Eastern European capital", during this scene a wall is visible which is painted with the name "OLD LUTƵ CEMETERY" ('LUTZ'), confirming that Lutz is the capital, at least in current times, where the first scene is set. (See: Screenplay) Another example is Schloss Lutz ('Lutz Castle') which Madame Celine Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis ('C.V.D.u.T') owns and resides in within the film. The film prop of the "Trans-Alpine Yodel", in the section "Dowager Countess Found Dead in Boudoir", mentions that she was the "matriarch of arguably the greatest private fortune on the continent." Owing to this, it is reasonable to assume that she owns the castle in the capital of the country. However, it also stated that she was born in Lutz, the status of the city is not necessarily the reason she chose to live there. (See Trans-Alpine Yodel High Resolution excerpt)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Alluded to in the film by "ZZ" squads taking over the Grand Budapest Hotel to use as a headquarters, the "ZZ" squad being a clear analogy to the "SS" of Nazi Germany. Furthermore, difficulties in travel and change in personnel and outfits suggest that an occupying force has secured the country.
  6. 6.0 6.1 The country is mentioned as having succumbed to socialist rule through the brutalist renovation of the Grand Budapest Hotel in the 1960s and the "Trans-Alpine Yodel" being replaced by a news paper called the "Daily Fact" with a soviet-style crest in the middle.