Bystré, Vranov nad Topľou District

Bystré (Tapolybeszterce, until 1899: Tapolybisztra) is a village and municipality in Vranov nad Topľou District in the Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia.

History
In historical records, the village was first mentioned in 1312. Bystré is also the birthplace of writer, poet and dramaturge Albert Marenčin.

Geography
The municipality lies at an altitude of 175 metres and covers an area of 13.211 km².

Population
According to the 2011 census, the municipality had 2,669 inhabitants. 2,313 of inhabitants were Slovaks, 305 Roma and 51 others and unspecified.

Jewish community
Historically, the town was once home to between 80 and 110 Jews. In 1828, there were 100 Jews living there. The community had a synagogue, cemetery, mikveh, cheder, and employed a religious teacher/ritual slaughterer who also served several neighbouring communities. By the latter half of the 19th century, the number of Jews in the village was diminishing, as young people moved to larger cities. At the beginning of the 20th century, about 100 Jews still remained in the village, and by 1940, only 70 remained. In 1942, most of the remaining Jews were sent to extermination camps. After liberation, no Jews returned to settle in the village.

Genealogical resources
The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Statny Archiv in Presov, Slovakia"


 * Roman Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1853-1910 (parish B)
 * Greek Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1803-1942 (parish B)