Since the 19th century Strakonice was a main production site for fez hats, Strakonice became an industrial center known for its motorbikes and hand guns. Strakonice is also well known for a brewery called: DUDÁK. 49°15′N 13°54′E
The Jews and Jewish Communities of Bohemia in the past and present
cemetery photos [February 2009]
An annual [?] festival of Jewish culture and history called Jewish Days (www.zidovskedny.cz) was held in several locations in the Práchensko Region (Ckyne, Strakonice, Volyne, Písek) from July 17 until Sept. 23, 2007. The programme includes theatre and musical events, film screenings, lectures and literary evenings. A trip around the Jewish sites of the Práchensko region was planned. [February 2009]
DISTRICT: Strakonice district consists of three distinct landscapes. The southwest's the lower slopes of the Sumava mountains has a hilly and wooded landscape. The southeastern part's Ceske Budejovice Basin has a flat relief and numerous fish ponds and wetlands. The northern district's Blatna Highlands (Blatenska pahorkatina) has varied terrain, fish ponds, wetlands, dry boulder mounds, and small forests. At the confluence of the Volynka and the gold-bearing Otava rivers, Strakonice Castle rises from a rocky spur. Built in the second half of the 12th century by a powerful Bavors of Strakonice, the castle hosts the Museum of the Central Otava Region, that introduces visitors to the town's specialities: a factory of a kind of Turkish hat (a fez), the motorcycle factory, and bagpipe production. A gallery operating within the castle since 1997 offers works of artists from the entire Czech Republic. Every even-numbered years on the last weekend in August, the castle courtyard hosts the International Bagpipers Festival. Blatna is dominated by the water castle (built on an island). Across a stone bridge via a gate in the entrance tower is a courtyard surrounded by architecture of various styles and a landscaped park with mighty oaks and a herd of fallow deer. The town of Vodnany is surrounded by and linked with water in every respect with fisheries dating from the second half of the 15th century. Not far from Vodnany is Lomec with an altar copied as miniature of the one in St. Peters in Rome. Volyne's folk architecture includes buildings by Jakub Bursa and his followers. The villages, none with known Jewish inhabitants, of Zechovice, Jiretice, Litochovice, Nahorany, Krtetice, Kloub and Kvaskovice are considered exemplary jewels of folk architecture throughout the region. [February 2009]
map and photos: "The town Strakonice is sometimes called "the town of pipers". At the confluence of the Otava and Volyňka rivers about 45 km north-west of the town České Budějovice. The first mention originates from the first half of the 13th century, when a castle was built here (1220 - 1235). The settlement, which arose around the castle, was known as a small town around 1300. It was divided into the so-called Lower Town (or Smaller Town), which stood on an island in the Otava river (not far from the confluence with the Volyňka river), and Upper Town, which lay on the trade route called Boubínská Stezka or Vimperská Stezka (Boubín or Vimperk Path) on the bank of the Otava river. The Lower Town was the seat of the order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. The order controlled the town from 1242 and in 1402 became the owner of the whole domain.Strakonice was promoted to a town in 1367. Its biggest development started in the 16th century, but was stopped by the Thirty Years' War when the town was damaged and plundered twice (in 1619 and 1641). The new boom came in the 18th century. In 1776 a guild of stocking-weavers was founded and the production of hats started. At the beginning of the 20th century a new factory for the production of guns was built in Strakonice. Later bicycles and motorcycles were produced in this factory as well.The most important and the oldest sight in Strakonice is the castle, which stands near the square on the right bank of the Otava river. Here we see the junction of the manorial seat with the command of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, which is unique in South Bohemia. The monastery with the St. Procopius' Church, which was built in a style similar to the St. James' Church in Regensburg (Germany), stands in the southern part of the castle. The park with the Late-Napoleonic arbour (1837) was founded on the remains of former town walls. Several Baroque and Napoleonic houses have been preserved in the square. The dominant feature in the square is the Baroque Marian column (1730 - 1740), which was probably built in the place of the older one - the date on the pedestal is 1586. The Renaissance St. Margaret's Church, which is situated not far from the castle, was founded at the end of the 16th century in the place of an older sacral building. The important Czech poet František Ladislav Čelakovský was born in Strakonice. A statue of him by the sculptor Břetislav Benda is located in the town. Another important person of Strakonice was Josef Skupa, the creator of the well-known puppets Spejbl and Hurvínek. Strakonice is a well-known centre of South Bohemians bag-pipers. The regional museum can be visited in the castle.The ruins of the former castle and the Baroque mansion Střela can be found on the small hill about 2 km west of Strakonice above the road to the village Katovice." [February 2009] NEARBY:
village Kestřany
village Radomyšl
village Štěkeň
town Volyně
židovský hrbitov / the Jewish cemetery, Strakonice, Czech republic - Abandoned Cemeteries on Waymarking.com [November 2012]
photos [November 2012]
US Commission No. CZCE000311
- Alternate name: Strakonitz, Neu-Strakonitz, Neustrakonitz, Besdiekow or Beskiekau (before 1869) and Nove Strakonice; Bezdekov (before 1869) in Hungarian. Strakonice is located in South Bohemia, Strakonice at 49°16' N, 13°54' E , 54 km NW of Ceske Budejovice, 18 km WSW of Pisek and 41 miles SE of Plzeň.. Cemetery: 1600 m WSW of castle near road leading to Drachkov. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
- Town: Mestsky Urad, Revolucni namesti 2, 386 01 Strakonice; tel. 0342/223-01; Mayor Josef Strebl (tel. 0342/233-77) and Vice Mayor's tel. 0342/228-23.
- Local: Mestsky Urad-oddeleni kultury; tel. 0342/233-17.
- Regional: Okresni Urad-Referat Kultury, 386 01 Strakonice; tel. 0342/242-20. Jewish Congregation: Ms. Jana Wolfova, Zidovska Nabozenska Obec v Praze, Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-69-25 and Pamatkovy ustav, namesti Premysla Otakara 34, 370 21 Ceske Budejovice; tel. 038/237-92.
- Interested: Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85 and Muzeum stedniho Pootavi, hrad, 386 11 Strakonice, Dr. J.Z. Cvrcek, Husova 359, 386 01 Strakonice.
- Key holders: Antonie Kettnerova, ulice B. Nemcove 577/2, 386 01 Strakonice (member of Jewish congregation) and Mr. Kalisek, Technicke sluzby, 386 01 Strakonice; tel. 0342/210-45.
- Earliest known Jewish community was late 17th century. 1930 Jewish population was 169. Jewish fez manufacturers and factories were here since 1811 as main local industry. Peak Jewish population was in late 19th century (over 300 people). Jews moved to big towns in 20th century. Owners of fez factories (Furth, Gutfreund, Stein, Weill, and Zucker, etc. families) lived here. Native town of Austrian physiologist and biochemist Otto von Fuerth (1867-1938), of director of Milan music academy Ricardo Pick-Mangiagalli (1882-1949), of American writer and journalist Owen Elford (formerly Otto Furth) born 1894. The landmarked cemetery (Monument of First Category) Jewish cemetery originated about 1700 with last known Conservative Jewish burial legible 1967. Buried in the cemetery are rabbis, noblemen von Furth and other manufacturing families. Osek (Ger: Wossek) before their cemetery was founded in first half of 19th century and Pisek before 1879, 8 km and 18 km away, used this cemetery. The suburban flat isolated site has a Czech sign or plaque ("Cultural Monument"). Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission via continuous masonry wall and locking gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.2827 ha.
- 100-500 stones, all in original location, date from 1736-20th century. Marble, granite, limestone, sandstone and iron flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, sculpted monuments, multi-stone monuments,or obelisks have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some tombstones have bronze decorations or lettering, portraits on stones, and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery has special section for children but no known mass graves. Within the limits of the site is a pre-burial house with glazed prayer in frame and two biers as well as a wall. Praha Jewish community owns cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural and residential. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred 1945-1981. Jewish individuals and groups within country did restoration after WWII, in 1989 and occasionally. Jewish congregation does occasional clearing. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, vegetation and vandalism.
- Vlastmila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, Martina Chmelikova, Nad Ondrejovem 16, 140 00 Praha 4; tel. 02/69-20-350 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on 23 November 1992. Documentation: censuses of 1724 and 1930; Hugo Gold: Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohemens (1934); Jahrbuch fur die israelische Cultusgemeinden Bohemens (1894-1895); Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries of Bohemia and Moravia (1980); notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; research notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha (1965). The site was not visited. Mrs. Kettnerova and Mrs. Hinkova from Mestsky Urad Strakonice, both in 1992 were interviewed.