Český Těšín

Until 1918 it was called Saska Kępa (local dialect: Sasko Kympa, German: Sachsenberg) and was a small suburb of the town of Cieszyn (German: Teschen) in the Duchy of Cieszyn, within Cieszyn Silesia in Austria-Hungary. Following the fall of the dual monarchy, the Polish and Czechoslovak local councils agreed on a partition of the area running along ethnic lines, however that treatment wasn't fully accepted by the Czech government. In 1919, with Poland fighting with Soviet Russia and West Ukrainian National Republic, Czechoslovakia (fighting in Slovakia against Red Hungarian Army), driven chiefly by economic aims and accordingly with purpose from 31.10.1918 to govern all area of Duchy of Cieszyn invaded the area on the 23 January^[1] (which included the suburb). After the ceasefire both sides agreed to hold a plebiscite. However, it didn't took place, as the atmosphere in the region was heated and turned violent. Whole area was divided by the decision of the Spa Conference, thus creating a Zaolzie and leaving a sizeable Polish minority on the Czech side. In 1938, following the Munich agreement which allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, Poland coerced Czechoslovakia to surrender Český Těšín, by issuing an ultimatum to that effect September 30, which was accepted by Czechoslovakia on the first of October. Following negotiations with Czech authorities, who were given an additional 24 hours to evacuate the area, Polish troops and authorities entered it on October 2, 1938, and the territory was annexed by Poland.^[2] After the German invasion of Poland, in 1939, the entire territory was annexed by Germany. During the World War II it was a part of Nazi Germany.^[3] The area was divided along the previous 1920 border again in 1945, and Poland returned the disputed area to Czechoslovakia.

In 19 July, 1970 during heavy floods five Polish firefighters from Cieszyn died when a bridge with them fell into the Olza River.^[4]

[edit] Population

In 1849 in western part of Cieszyn lived only 14.9% of town's total population, in 1880 24% and in 1910 33.4%.^[5]

Cieszyn and Český Těšín was known for its national and cultural diversity, comprising mostly of Polish, Czech, German and Jewish communities.^[3]

There was also a small but lively Hungarian community in the town comprised mostly of officers and clerks.^[5]

In 1938 there was a sizeable Jewish minority in the town, about 1500 in Cieszyn and 1300 in Český Těšín.^[6] Almost all of them were killed by Nazis in the concentration camps.^[7] Most of synagogues were destroyed. Today only one synagogue is still standing in the town (today, it is a Polish cultural centre).[1] Jewish cemetery in Český Těšín is abandoned (see the photos below). Even more sizeable German community fled to Germany after the war. There are no Jewish and German communities in the town today.

[edit] The town today

Today Poles comprise a minority in Český Těšín, with 16.1% of town's population,^[8] although the real number is considerably higher. This number is historically lowering because of continuing assimilation. Although a border town, there is no longer any real ethnic tension between Czechs and Poles - even in the near past it was rather rare. The town is an important Polish culture center of Zaolzie. The town has both a Polish primary school [2] [3] and gymnasium [4]. Český Těšín's theatre [5] [6] has a Polish and Czech ensembles. Plays are presented in Polish and Czech languages. Some of the actors in Polish plays are from Cieszyn. The town is a centre of commerce and paper industry.

[edit] People

Ludvík Aškenazy (1921-1986) - writer
Jaromír Hanzlík - actor
Norbert Heller - pianist
Jaromír Nohavica - musician (lived many years here)
Jiří Třanovský - Protestant scholar and poet
Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944) - musician
František Vláčil - film director

[edit] Gallery

Český Těšín	Divided city. Cieszyn (left), Olza (centre) and Český Těšín (right).	Polish primary school and gymnasium in Český Těšín.	Český Těšín Cemetery
Český Těšín Cemetery	Forgotten history. Fragment of fallen grave. Abandoned Jewish Cemetery in Český Těšín.	Fragment of abandoned Jewish Cemetery in Český Těšín.	Memorial dedicated to WWII resistance fighters in Český Těšín.
Winter in Český Těšín.	Winter in Český Těšín.	Winter in Český Těšín. Olza River as seen from its Czech bank.

[edit] Footnotes

^ Zahradnik 1992, 59.
^ Nowa Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN 1997, vol. VI, 981.
^ ^a ^b Wawreczka et al 1999, 13.
^ Cicha et al 2000, 20.
^ ^a ^b Wawreczka et al 1999, 10.
^ Spyra 1999.
^ Wawreczka et al 1999, 11.
^ Czech Statistical Office (2001 census)

[edit] References

Cicha, Irena; Kazimierz Jaworski, Bronisław Ondraszek, Barbara Stalmach and Jan Stalmach (2000). Olza od pramene po ujście. Český Těšín: Region Silesia. ISBN 80-238-6081-X.
Spyra, Janusz (1999). Zarys dziejów ludności żydowskiej w Cieszynie i okolicach, Żydowskie zabytki Cieszyna i Czeskiego Cieszyna.
Wawreczka, Henryk; Janusz Spyra and Mariusz Makowski (1999). Těšín, Český Těšín na starých pohlednicích a fotografiích / Cieszyn, Czeski Cieszyn na starych widokówkach i fotografiach. Nebory, Třinec: Wart. ISBN 80-238-4804-6.
Wawreczka, Henryk; Irena Adamczyk, Vlasta Byrtusová and Janusz Spyra (2001). Cieszyn wczoraj i dziś / Český Těšín včera a dnes. Český Těšín: Wart. ISBN 80-238-7590-6.
Zahradnik, Stanisław; and Marek Ryczkowski (1992). Korzenie Zaolzia. Warszawa - Praga - Trzyniec: PAI-press.
"Zaolzie". Nowa Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN VI. (1997). Warszawa: PWN. ISBN 83-01-11969-1.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Český Těšín

Official municipal website (English)
Official website (Czech)
Documents and photographs about situation in Zaolzie in 1938 (Polish)
History of Cieszyn during the World War II (Polish)
History of Český Těšín (Polish)

History of Cieszyn and Těšín
Cieszyn \| Olza \| Český Těšín
Duchy of Cieszyn \| Silesia \| Upper Silesia \| Austrian Silesia \| Czech Silesia \| Cieszyn Silesia \| Zaolzie

Towns and villages in Zaolzie with significant Polish population*

* More than 10% of total population; 2001 census data. **Karviná fell under 10% after the 1991 census.
Villages with significant Polish population under the administration of another municipality are not listed.

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Categories: Cities and towns in the Czech Republic | Karviná District | Divided cities

Český Těšín

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Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Population

[edit] The town today

[edit] People

[edit] Gallery

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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