25 January: Remembering Juraj Jánošík on Birthday

OV Digital Desk
3 Min Read
Juraj Jánošík

Image Courtesy: Google Doodle

Juraj Jánošík (25 January 1688 — 17 March 1713) was a Slovak highwayman. Jánošík has been the main character of many Slovak novels, poems, and films. He was also known as Jurko the Robber or “The Slovak Robin Hood.”

Life and Career

He was born on 25 January 1688 Terchová, Slovakia. He is a cultural icon in Slovakia and Poland, where he is celebrated for his Robin Hood-like behavior of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

Jánošík was born in the small village of Terchová in the Kingdom of Hungary, which is now in Slovakia. He became a highwayman in the 1720s, and quickly gained a reputation for his daring robberies, in which he targeted wealthy merchants and landlords. He is said to have shared his loot with the poor, and to have protected the oppressed and the weak.

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Jánošík was eventually captured by the authorities in 1713 and was sentenced to death by hanging. His execution took place in Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia on the 21 March 1713.

His legend has been passed down through the generations, and he is still celebrated in popular culture as a symbol of resistance against oppression and injustice. His name and story is known to most Slovak and Polish people.

Many movies, songs, and books have been written about his life, and there are several monuments and statues dedicated to him in Slovakia and Poland.

Award and Legacy

Jánošík’s legacy includes many movies, songs, and books that have been written about his life, including a film named “Jánošík” directed by Martin Frič in 1921, which was one of the first sound films in the world and widely popular in Czechoslovakia.

In Slovakia, there are several monuments and statues dedicated to him, including one in his hometown of Terchová and another in Liptovský Mikuláš, where he was executed.

In Poland, there is also a statue of him in the town of Nowy Targ, which is said to be the site of one of his robberies.

Jánošík is honored each year on 21 March, the anniversary of his execution, which is celebrated as Jánošík’s Day in Slovakia and Poland.

In addition, the annual Jánošík Award is presented in Slovakia to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the promotion and preservation of Slovak culture.

On 25 January 2013, Google Doodle celebrated Juraj Jánošík’s 325th Birthday.

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