Soljani

Slovak Evangelical Church

Slovaks settled in the village in the 1830s and 1840s, with an increase in settlement from the 1860s and with the 20th-century settlement of Vojvodina Slovaks from Kisač, Selenča, and Pivnice.[3] Since some of the first settlers were predominantly Roman Catholic, just like the majority of the residents of the village, assimilation process was relatively easy and quick.[3] Subsequent Slovak settlers from Vojvodina were mostly adherents of the Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession with majority of residents who today continually declare themselves as Slovaks belonging to the Evangelical Church.[3] Local Slovak Evangelical parish has around 100 members.[4] Before Soljani Evangelical parish gained its independence in 1911 religious services were provided by Slovak parish in Bingula and by the Slovak Evangelical Church in Šid.[4]

The first Slovak reading room in the village was established in 1932 when the local Slovak football club Zora was established as well.[3] Elementary school in Soljani at the time provided classes in Slovak for 30-40 pupils.[3] Matica slovenská in Soljani was established on 17 October 1993.[3] Alongside cultural links with other Slovaks in Croatia and Serbia, over the years local community developed links with Krnča municipality of the Nitra Region in Slovakia.[3]