Kárpátalja településeinek vallási adatai 1880–1941 (2000)

ELŐSZÓ

PREFACE With the assistance of the National Scientific Research Fund (NSRF) it became possible to present the population by mother tongue and nationality of the localities of historical Hungary in publications containing time series. So was the first published in 1991 the volume of 534 pages on the Distribution of localities in Transylvania by nationality (mother tongue) (1850-1941). It was followed by edition of the volume of 656 pages on the Nationality (mother tongue) distribution of the localities of Upper Northern Hungary (Felvidék) and of the volume of 263 pages on the Nationality (mother tongue) distribution of the localities of Subcarpathia (Kárpátalja) (1880-1941). As a continuation we published a volume documenting the ethnic composition of Southern Hungary (Délvidék) according to nationality and mother tongue. Completing the series of publications containing nationality and mother tongue data of the annexed localities we published in 2000 a volume of 259 pages on the Nationality and mother tongue data of localities of Burgenland. It was planned that with the assistance of NSRF we prepare a series on data of religions similarly to that of nationalities (mother tongue). Within the framework of earlier research we already published volumes containing religiuos data. Such volumes were: - The religiuos data of the 1949 Census (In the then social- political situation there was no way to publish religious data. It became possible after the 1990 political change only.); - The percentage distribution of the religious data of the 1949 Census by localities; - Religious data of the localities of Hungary (in two volumes). Within this research framework it was followed by the publication of the volumes - Religious data of the localities of Southern Hungary, 224 pages - Religious data of the localities of Upper Northern Hungary, in two volumes, totally 769 pages. At the nationality (mother tongue) volumes the order of the publications by regions was different as the volume of Southern Hungary preceded the others, because when we explored and compiled the nationality (mother tongue) data of this volume we found those processing tables and other sources, of which we alsó could compile the religious data. The volume presenting the religious data of the localities of Subcarpathia contains the data of three Hungárián (1880, 1910, and 1941) and two Czechoslovak (1921 and 1930) Censuses. The correct and unbiased understanding and use of the data require at least a short summary of main conceptual, content and organisational characteristics of population censuses. Several problems related to different definitions, modified locality names, administrative changes and bordér arrangements had to be surmounted in this work. 9