THIS precious, old postcard made by photographer Pavol Socháň dates back to before World War I. The text is in Slovak – which was typical for this educated and nationally-oriented photographer. He is probably the only photographer who published postcards in Slovak earlier than 1914. The high aesthetic quality of Socháň’s pictures is also characteristic of his work.
We see a married couple from Liptovská Osada, a village on the northern side of the Low Tatras. Today, it is a large municipality.
As late as the Middle Ages, a Benedictine monks’ hermitage stood in this place. As there are deep forests around Liptovská Osada, it is no surprise that its residents engaged mainly in logging and pastoral farming.
The village lies on the road connecting the Pohronie region with Liptov – a transport route which gradually grew in importance and that is why as early as the 18th century a post station was opened in the village.
The village’s coat of arms also reflects its strategic location near the busy road as it includes a wooden wagon with harnessed horses.
There is another interesting historical note connected with Liptovská Osada. In the 1920s, a parish administrator and diocese Bishop were involved in a row which resulted in a religious schism.
One group of residents joined the Czechoslovak Hussite Church, which was not very popular in Slovakia.
The schism lasted for almost two decades and ended only after a state decree banned the activities of the Hussite church.
