Srang Slowenski

Srang Slowenski was a movement in the early days of the Slovak migrations to Lovia and was mainly active in Oceana. It was founded by Kelový, the first governor of Oceana and the first Slovak mayor of Hurbanova. The movement was not nationalistic and not seeking for the independence of Oceana or Hurbanova. Its main goal was freedom for all mine workers and better working conditions.

Early days
In June 1879, Kelový asked other mine workers whether they were satisfied with the conditions they had to work in at the time. None of them answered positively. This was the start for Kelový's plan to "remove the undemocratic leaders of Calava" (the fore-runner of Hurbanova) and "replacing them with caring Slovak people". Kelový was far from a separatist as he feared that an independent Oceana would be lead by the same Americans that did not want to do anything to improve life standard for the local mine workers. Once he said: "Take a look at our neighboring state Sylvania. There the people don't have sore backs. Nor do they have huge financial problems. We can be like that!"

On August 14, 1879, he founded a political party called "Slobodu pre Banikow" (Freedom for Mineworkers) together with a group of other mine workers. However, his democratic ideas were ruined when the local mayor, William Springhorse, banned the party. According to him the party was "dangerous to the national safety and unity of Lovia. Therefore it had no right to exist." However, the official reason the party was banned was that nobody of it was able to speak English properly. Kelový became desperate and knew that if he wouldn't cease his party's activities he would be imprisoned. His ideas became more violent and he decide for himself that only removing the undermocratic leaders was not enough. They should be killed.

Srang Slowenski
On December 8, 1879, he founded an underground movement called "Srang Slowenski". His movement had a socialist ideology and he knew to attract many people; in January 1880 they already had about fifty members. Their most important plans were giving the miners the right to make decisions of the mines, giving Slovak and Polish people the right to speak their own language in public and the killing of William Springhorse and his entire family. As it was impossible to realise the first two plans without executing the last one, the killing of William Springhorse was given the priority.

The first year of their existence, 1880, they were hardly noticed, but in 1881 they started rioting. The devastated several shops in Calava and frightened off a large part of the American inhabitants. William Springhorse somehow managed to stay in charge and by not showing himself in public he knew to escape from those who had planned to kill him. The situation worsened however and in September all mines were shut down and Springhorse could no longer hide himself. He tried to flee from Calava, which was already renamed Hurbanova by the rioters, but he walked into a trap. He was killed on September 22.

He was succeeded by his son, George Springhorse. He decided to give in to the locals and stepped down on February 12, 1882. Kelový became the new mayor of Hurbanova. Later on, George regretted to have given up his position and tried to regain it. Kelový however wanted to prevent this and poisened him. George fell ill and could no longer fight for it. He died in 1886 after being ill for four years. Kelový was sent to court in 1883, where he was found guilty. Srang Slowenski was banned.

Aftermath
The Slovak and Polish mine workers were now free to do what they wanted and Oceana became a normal Lovian state in 1905. Calava is still called Hurbanova, even after more than one hundred years. There has never been a mayor of American origins ever since the happenings of 1881 and 1882. The first governing of non-Slovak origins was the German-born Maria Güngelberg in 1912, followed by Llanyu Gateigih in 1938, Khalid Al-Nāmūsiya in 1955 and Karl Uetersen in 2001. Kelový became very popular and was release early because of "people's demand". He was elected the first governor of Oceana in 1905.