Šahy

In a picturesque valley to be surrounded by the Krupinská uplands in the north, by the Börzsöny hills in the south and on both sides of the Ipeľ river is situated town Šahy.
The first written mention of town Šahy comes from the 13th century in a pergamen of the King Béla IV from the year 1237. Town was mentioned under the name Saag. Šahy in this time was a part of the Hontianska stolica (country) where the administrative centre was the castle Hont. Formation of country system comes from the beginning of the XI century during the reign of the King St Stephan.

Beginnings of doing the autonomous and public functions in history of Šahy reach to the era of premonstrate order. The Premonstrates had been living in the monastery founded by Márton in 1238. Character of a town, Šahy obtained during the reign of the King Zigmund who awarded the right to market in 1405 and two years later right to sword. Šahy has already obtained right to toll since 1266. The monastery had a great importance as a trustworthy town (a medieval public notary - locus exediblis) from its foundation to the Turks ocupation in the half of the 16th century. College of provosts was a trustworthy place not only for the Hontianska country, also for the countries Novohradská, Zvolenská, Tekovská, Gemerská. In the year 1657 was founded the parish registry (registry office was founded in 1896). Except church duties the mundane services were carried out here.
Since the half of the 16th century after the Turks invasion into Hungary the Hontianska country had not had its permanent seat and had met in Banská Štiavnica, Bátovce, Sebechleby, Vinica, Krupina. Since 1751 seat of the country had become village Kemence. When the country's house in Kemence burnt out in 1806, it was decided to move the seat to Šahy. This new position of Šahy as the seat of the Hontianska country brought an economical, cultural and social development. Town has become an administrative centre of Hont. In 1848 "stolica" name was cancelled and was replaced by the name "župa". The Austrian-Hungarian settlement in 1867 brought some administrative changes in the Hontianska župa, too. Instead of four districts there were five: Šahy, Krupina, Veľká Čalomija, Bátovce and Szob. The important position of districts results from the principle of these new countries ("župa"). The main representative was a governor ("župan") appointed by monarch. The superior authority of country was the General Assembly which members were meeting four times a year. The superior elected official was vice-governor - head of the General Assembly and representative of the country. Holders of individual offices were country's dignitaries. The direct executors of verdicts were the district's officers, the head was the elected principal. This period brought an extraordinary development and expansion in the history of town.
Desintegration of the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy and foundation of the Czechoslovak Republik in 1918 - these aspects were demostrated in the territorial reorganization of the countries. After signing the Trianon agreement on July 14, 1920 the Hontianska country was divided into two parts. A bigger part fell to Czechoslovakia and a smaller part to Hungary. Town Šahy became the frontier town of Czechoslovakia, was the seat of the northern part of the Hontianska country and the district till the administrative reform on January 1, 1923. Since this day Šahy has not already been the seat of country and district. There was established an expositure of the district Krupina.

Beach swimming pool

The era from 1919 to 1922 is the last stage of country development as forms of public administrations of the old committee formation. Following the government decree No. 310/1922Zb. from historical 16 countries were formed 6 big countries - "veľžupa". Area of the Hontianska country belonged to the Pohronská (Zvolenská) country. This country system existed till 1927. Following the law No. 125/1927Zb. countries ("župa") were replaced by regional formation and the governors ("župan") by district chiefs subordinated to the regional president.
According to the Munich agreement from the year 1938 Šahy became a part of Hungary. After World War II the Great Powers had decided the renewal of frontiers according to the Trianon agreement in August 1945 and Šahy was affiliated to the Czechoslovak Republik.

The era of a new form of public-administrative bodies - the national committee began. Šahy belonged to the district Krupina, and the expositure of the district national committee was reopened. There was established the Local national committee. On January 1, 1949 Šahy became the district till the year 1960, then the district Šahy was cancelled and town Šahy was affiliated to Levice. In connection with the administrative reform in 1960 in Šahy founded the Municipal national committee was founded. Later were established other municipal institutions - the Municipal educational centre, the Technical services of the town, the Municipal library and so on.
Because of political decisions in the 1980s came to village integration. There were founded the common national committees and smaller villages were affiliated to towns. In 1980 Hrkovce and Preseľany nad Ipľom became the part of Šahy. Village Tešmák was affiliated to Šahy in 1986. After changes of social system village Hrkovce made itself independent (1998).
Fundamental change not only in the social system also in system of public administration arises after the Velvet revolution in 1989. Following the law No. 369/1990 Zb. of municipal formation the national committees stopped their activities and the autonomies of towns and villages were established. In the first really democratic election citizens voted for the mayor of town and deputies of the Municipal Representation. The first mayor of town became JUDr. Ernest Zsolnay elected again in the following elections in the years 1994 and 1998. According to the law of municipal formation was established the Municipal Office in Šahy as the executive body of the Municipal Represenation and of the mayor. Simultaneously were established: the Municipal Council and Committees of the Municipal Representation. Following the reform of public administration in 1990 were formed local offices operated as detached workplaces of the district offices. Seat of the local office, the labour office and the tax office moved to Šahy. In 1996 were formed new districts, number of them is 79. Request of Šahy and its natural region to be the district town again, was not accepted.

Nowadays is prepared an another legislative modification of the public administration. It is speculating about cancellation the district and country offices and about strenghtening autonomy's position and establishment of two-level autonomy's bodies. At the beginning of the third millenium Šahy is a developed town with democratic and progressive thinking people who are able and ready to take destiny of their town in their hands.

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Prosím vykonať zmenu vo funkcii primátora mesta Šahy - nový primátor: Ing. Ján Lőwy, počet obyvateľov 8071