Petrești

Lying on E671 (DN19) road, 53 km south-west from Satu Mare and 12 km from Carei, Petreşti is situated in the contact zone of Carei Plain and Ier Plain. The municipality has 1683 inhabitants, 47,32% Hungarian, 31,49% German and Kraut and 11,82% Romanian. It includes two settlements, Petreşti and Dindeştiu Mic.

Petreşti was mentioned in a 1316 document for the first time under the name Mezeu Petri. It belonged to the Kaplony estate and was later divided between two families, the Vadai and Károlyi families. Along the centuries, a conflict regarding these lands took place between the two families. Its strategic position, on a road that tied two big regional centers, Satu Mare and Oradea, made Petreşti vulnerable to robberies of the Turkish, Austrian or Kuruc armies. By the end of the revolt led by Rákóczi, the village was almost completely deserted. In 1740 count Sándor Károlyi brought Kraut settlers to the village. In the XIXth century, two tragedies shattered the village, the 1834 earthquake and the 1875 fire.

In January 1945 over 200 Krauts were deported to labor camps in the USSR. The number of Kraut inhabitants decreased further due to massive emmigration during communist decades. Many of the emmigrants kept their houses and come back yearly to spend time in their home village.

Agriculture is still the main occupation. The Petreşti agricultural association does both farming and livestock breeding. Smaller commercial units and a restaurant also work in the village. Community development is eased by a local community center and by TeleFormer regional training centre that holds trainings under the care of CREST Resource Center of Satu Mare.

The municipality is part of „Carei and Ier Plain" Rural Association that aims to develop local infrastructure and tourism.

The Roman Catholic church, dedicated to Saint Elisabeth was built in 1786. In the 1834 earthquake the church's tower fell over the nave, destroying the building almost completely. Another major renovation took place after the 1875 fire.

The Calvinist church was built in 1876 and has been renovated several times.

The Kraut Museum of the village is representative for the settlement's special popular art. It was founded in 1993. A traditional household, built in 1881 reconstitutes the everyday life of Petreşti's inhabitants in the XIXth-XXth century to the smallest detail.

Stefan Vonház (1881-1945) was born in the village. His main area of interest was the history of Kraut colonization in the Satu Mare region. The obelisk in front of the mayor's office was dedicated to his memory.

 

Dindeştiu Mic only had 268 inhabitants at the time of the last census. The settlement was founded on the spot known as Besenyőd. The village's German name- Beschend still keeps it original designation. Its current name was mentioned in 1913 and was linked to Dindeştiu Mare (Andrid municipality). Dindeştiu Mic was part of Dindeştiu Mare until the 1950's. Between 1938-1943 the Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Vendel was built. Previously, mass had been said in the chapel that had been built in 1872.







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