The center of the village is 530 meters above sea level. PLAVNICA is situated in the LEVOCA MOUNTAINS in the valley of the creek SAMBRONKA. Most of the surrounding area is forested with pine trees and there are rolling hills in this area. There is a sulfur spring in this area and the soils are mostly brown. The village is first mentioned in 1325 when DRUGETH commanded the inheritor Mayor Mikulas to inhabit Plavnica which was partly deserted. In 1366 there is mention of New Plavnica. In 1427 these two villages merged. It was a serf village to the Plavec castle. From the 16th century it belonged to the family PALOCSAY. In 1787 the village had 135 houses and 1,055 inhabitants. In 1828 there were 167 houses and 1,211 inhabitants. During the second part of the 19th century there was a lumber mill located here and a sand quarry. At the beginning of the 20th century there was liquor manufacturing here. In 1880 and in 1914 there was a mass exodus of people who moved to find employment. Many inhabitants of this village immigrated to the United States. Today, many of the inhabitants are employed in various industrial factories which are located in Presov, Stara Lubovna and other towns. Private farmers still work the soil in this village. There is a development of row housing around the creek and folk costumes are a variant from the village of Jakubany which is not far from Plavnica. Christmas theatrical plays were still held here during the early part of the 20th century.
Churches:
To this day there have been only two churches serving the village of Plavnica. The Roman Catholic Church of St. James is in early Gothic style and dates from 1325. It was remodeled after 1662. During the first part of the 18th century the church was remodeled to the Baroque style.
In 1998 construction began on a new Roman Catholic Church. This was completed in the year 2003. The new church was dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows and opened its’ doors in that same year. St. James has been decommissioned and its’ parishioners now attend Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church was constructed in 1806. The chapel located at the cemetery was built in 1826.
Village Statistics
Names:
There have been different names of the village over time:
Village is located in former Saris County; then was part of the Presov region until 1960. In 1968 village was placed in Stara Lubovna district, Eastern Slovakia Region.
Village size is 1953 HA. HA is short for Hektar. 1 Hektar is 2,471 acres.
Ethnic Makeup:
The historical ethnic makeup of the village was that of Slovak and Slovak/Germans along with Gypsies, Jews, and a limited number of Carpatho-Rusyns, and Hungarians.
Marriage Entries From Plavnica, Slovakia (RC) Church:
Greek Catholics From Ujak & Hajtovka
1800 - 1836
This information was graciously offered to TCC by Mr. Tom Peters. Tom has been involved with genealogical work for many years. We thank Tom for his time and for his generosity in sharing this information with others. Thanks Tom!
20 May 1806
Stephan MUHA, GC, Hajtovka & Anna GERAK, RC, Hajtovka
17 Nov 1806
Petrus ARENDACS, GC, Hajtovka & Catharina KADUTSEK, RC, Hajtovka
The Plavnica Jewish Cemetery is located on an isolated agricultural hillside with no sign or marker. It can be reached by crossing a public field or by following the dirt road up from the Roman Catholic Cemetery. Access is open to all via a broken masonry wall without gate. There are 20-30 visible stone 19th-20th century flat shaped tombstones with Hebrew inscriptions. 18 of the stones that had enough visible writing are transcribed here. There may have been other stones not visible due to the overgrown vegetation.
TCC would like to thank Menachem Honig for his translation of the dates and for his efforts in seeking out the assistance of Dr. Esther Cohen. The original dates were Jewish ones. Dr. Cohen translated the “poetic” text and the acrostics, although the names are written with a different number of letters in Hebrew. The photos are courtesy of Steven M. Osifchin. Photographed in May, 2004.
Here lies
Our mentor, Rabbi Yosef Friedmannen
(Son of Hai, may he rest in peace)
Who died on November 2, 1915
Your hands were not bound and your feet did not respond
On the loss of the Ark of the Torah I will take ? ?? ???
So our protector has gone, our joy became mourning and grief
(E)For here lies Yosef, a fruitful bough, a beloved soul
Sighing and tearful do I rise and lament I will for days on end
Our crown has fallen, dear soul
Hashem, (=God), Your beauty and Your glorious name shall appear in light
And Your deeds be shown to Your children, whose souls are intertwined with yours
In peace shall the deceased rest, and his soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
The dear man, eminent in Torah
And Godfearing ??
Zvi Eliezer
Son of our mentor, Rabbi Zeev Vilner, may his light shine
He was sick for most of his life, yet
He devoted himself to Torah and labor
?????? ???? in purity and righteousness
Died at 25 years of age on September 15, 1935
His mother was Friedel, may she rest in peace
May his soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
An old man, full of years
The honorable Rabbi Shlomo
Son of our mentor, rabbi Yitshak Kornfeld
Died on ____________________
May his soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
An upstanding and righteous man, eminent in Torah
The honorable Rabbi Tovi' Katz
Son of the honorable Rabbi Eliezer Leni?
Died on November 17, 1918
T? ascended to heaven
Of him we know that a lover of peace was he
Very deeply do we feel his absence
Indeed, his name will not be forgotten
(k)Also a reminder
To all, his righteousness glory and splendor will ever be
May his soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
A man of righteous ways
???? in deeds and sublime of stature
The great rabbi
Our mentor, Yosef Aryeh, blessed be his memory
Son of Rabbi Moshe Bergmann may his light shine
From the village of Maly Lipnik
Died and buried at the age of 64
On July 30, 1915
Yosef devoted his days to labor, his nights to the divine
On his shoulders bore he the yoke of Torah and of obeying the commandments
Several books purchased he, to pursue the T(orah)
(e)Funds galore gave he to aid the poor who arrived
Always to find bread and board in his home ???? wide open was it
Righteous and kind was his soul, a doer of good, never evil
Yes, a ???? of love, and his share of heaven did grow
(e)His sons' and daughters' praises to this do attest
May his soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
An upright and unblemished man
Who trod righteous paths
The honorable Rabbi Eliyahu
Son of the honorable Rabbi Alexander
Died on February 4, 1912
May his soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
A cherished woman
She stretched out her hand to the poor
Mrs. Leah
Daughter of the honorable Rabbi Zeev
Died on March 26, 1911
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lie
An upright and unblemished man
Old and full of years
The honorable Rabbi Zeev
Son of ??? Yehuda
Died on December 21, 1898
May his soul be guarded with the living souls
Friedmannen
The cherished and modest
Woman, Mrs. Tzirtel
Wife of Rabbi Zeev
Friedmannen
??????
Here lies
An upright and unblemished woman
Dear Mrs. Sarah
Daughter of Rabbi Zeev, may he rest in peace
Weisslavitch
Died on March 20, 1939
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
A cherished and important woman
Mrs. Riva Gittel
Daughter of our mentor, Rabbi ???? Halevi
Wife of our mentor, Shlomo Zalman, may he rest in peace
Friedmannen
Died on January 24, 1939
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
A modest woman Mrs. Mindel
Daughter of our mentor, Yaacov, may he rest in peace
Wife of Rabbi Shmuel Goldman
Died on March 6, 1934
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
A modest and cherished woman
Mrs. Frieda
Daughter of Rabbi Shmuel Goldman
Died on August 5, 1916
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
Here is buried
The cherished woman, Mrs. Frieda
Daughter of M Avraham Moshe, may he rest in peace
Wife of Rabbi Hayim Friedman
Died on December 15, 1917
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
The cherished and praiseworthy woman
Mrs. Rosa
Daughter of Rabbi Yisrael, may he rest in peace
Wife of Rabbi Yeheskel
Friedmannen
Died on May 3, 1936
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
The modest and important woman
Mrs. Gittel
Daughter of Rabbi Dov Sega
Wife of Rabbi Yisrael Siegeler
Died on the Fast of Gedalyahu, September 19, 1917
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
An upright and righteous man
Godfearing
Of unblemished deeds
Kind to the poor
The honorable Rabbi Shmuel, may he rest in peace
Son of the honorable Rabbi Zvi Goldmannen, may he rest in peace
Died on the eve of the Day of Atonement, September 14, 1937
May his soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies
A cherished woman, full of years
Mrs. Haya
Daughter of the honorable Rabbi, Zee Fireberg, may he rest in peace
Wife of M Yechiel Neimannen
Died on March 23, 1931
May her soul be guarded with the living souls
Here lies a cherished and modest woman
Mrs. Reisel, daughter of
???????????????
Here lies
A righteous man full of years
The honorable rabbi Zvi son of Rabbi Yehuda
Viiezenhapper
????????????
Videos of the Village
The New Church of Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church with Clips of the Old Church of Saint James
To this day there have been only two churches serving the village of Plavnica. The Roman Catholic Church of St. James is in early Gothic style and dates from 1325. It was remodeled after 1662. During the first part of the 18th century the church was remodeled to the Baroque style. 
Here lies
Here lies 
Here lies
