The economic growth of Pressburg was slowed down by the Napoleonic Wars at the beginning of the 19th century. French troops came close to Pressburg twice. The first time was in 1805, when they easily took the town. A squad of thirty cavalrymen occupied th shuttle bridge over the Danube and opened the way to three hundred cavalrymen and 9000 infantry soldiers. Shortly after the Battle of Austerlitz (today Slavkov) took place. The peace treaty that entered history as the Peace of Pressburg confirmed Napoleon`s famous victory. The documents were signed on December 26th 1805 in the Hall of Mirrors of the Primatial Palace. The treaty brought about great losses of territory for the defeated kingdom.

The second half of the 19th century is characterized by the onset of the industrial revolution. The number of industrial plants working in the city jumped up to forty-one in the sixties. In 1869 there were 2392 firms employing 5293 workers. And before the end of the 19th century another 19 factories giving jobs to additional 1700 pepole were founded. The development of industry was accompanied by that of modern transport.The introduction of steam engine in river navigation in 1818 meant a revolutionary progress in the industry. Travelling to the right bank of the Danube by the Pressburg “propeller” was a favourite pastime of the citizens. The following year they even could walk to the Petržalka park via the first fixed bridge over the Danube, later called after the Emperor Franz Joseph.


In 1840 the first train on the horse railway left Pressburg for Svätý Jur. Pressburg did not lag too much behind the rest of the world in the sphere of steam engines. The fiorst steam locomotive enetered its railway station on August 30th 1848. The railway track of the trains going to Marcheg was later extended to Vienna, and this track is linked with the oldest railway bridge and tunnel in the former territory of Hungary. When in 1895 the first tram set out on a journey across the city, it meant the beginnings of the modern municipal transport. Trolley buses were introduced in 1911.

Pressburg was spared the direct impact of the First World War. The population suffered from the war only indirectly. Nevertheless, the war lasted longer for the citizens of Pressburg. When the arms stopped firing on all fronts, the battle for Pressburg only began.

When the Czechoslovak Republik was declared on the ruins of the Monarchy on October 28th 1918 and two days later was confirmed in Martin by the Slovak National Council, the destiny of Pressburg was unclear. On February 2nd 1919 the Slovak Government led by Vavro Šrobár moved from Žilina to Pressburg, which became the capital of Slovakia. Pressburg lasted only for another mount, because on March 6th 1919 its name was changed to BRATISLAVA.

The first years of Bratislava in interwar Czechoslovakia were the ones of establishment of numerous national institutions, such as the Slovak National Theatre, Comenius University, etc. The population increased from 83000 in 1919 to 124000 in 1938. Bratislava remained a city of three nationalities also after the disintegretion of Monarchy, only in different ratios. The share of Slovaks (and Czechs) increased from 33% in 1919 to 59% in 1938 (Czechs were represented by 17%). The share of Germans dropped in the same period from 36 to 22%, and in case of Hungarians it was from 29 to 13%.