Rudolice nad Bílinou

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Statistics
Population of Chánov	1,500 - 2,000 (estimate 2006) 1,300 officially
Map

Rudolice (Rudolice nad Bílinou [Rudolice upon river Bílina]) is a quarter of city of Most, Czech Republic. The most known part, settlement Chánov, is infamous as a ghetto inhabited by Roma (Gypsies).

[edit] Chánov

The location is named after nearby village Chánov, administrative part of village Obrnice. The settlement is geographically separated part from the 2 km distant rest of Most.

During 1976 - 1978 12 large paneláks (concrete tenements) with 380 fully equipped flats, school building and infrastructure had been built here to accommodate people from parts of Most torn down to make a place for mining. The intention was to create an exemplary community for Roma (Gypsies) living until then scattered throughout Most in low quality housing and to prove that socialist state is able to integrate them. A government commission visiting Chánov in 1985 found most of the flats devastated and the people living in isolation from the rest of the city. About 50 flats were abandoned. The commission recommended not to concentrate Roma in one place, to bring in ethnic Czechs and to reconstruct the place. (Details in Czech, p. 115 - 122.)

This panelák is inhabited

Since the 1990s, Roma started to move into Chánov while the remaining Czechs moved out, creating de-facto ghetto. The Roma, many newly arrived from Slovakia, often lack the skills to assimilate, have low or no education and are unemployed (90% in 2006). Almost every inhabitant is a recipient of state welfare. About 38% of inhabitants are under age of 15. 94% of the people have only primary education (often not completed).

The place lacks the majority of basic services. Hot water was cut off in 2000 as it was not paid for. Families that do not pay electricity have it cut off but illegal consumption is common. Almost no one pays the rent. Security is terrible as police patrols prove ineffective, and over time this place has become a symbol of Roma ghettoization and criminality. One of 13 block houses (No.9) was completely devastated and torn down in 2002, several others are damaged and likely to be torn down in the future. 291 flats are inhabited, 64 flats are uninhabitable (2006). The city of Most periodically repairs the houses and the infrastructure (e.g. in 2006 boiler house was reconstructed with expense of 30 million of CZK ^[1]).

Most of other places with high concentration of Roma people in Most and the Czech Republic are in similar state, only on smaller scale and less known.

[edit] Rudolice

Rudolice ^map is one of quarters of Most. Chánov (officially called "locality Most - 14", "sídliště Most - 14") is administrative part of Rudolice.

The area was inhabited since neolithic age. The first written mention of Rudolice (as Rudolfsdorf) comes from 1298. The place was also known under names: Rudoltice, Rudolec, Rudolfsdorf, Rudelsdorf an der Biela. During 1298 - 1349 Osek Monastery (klášter Osek) bought out the estate and kept it until 1848.

Until the end of 18th century Rudolice was a tiny hamlet; later, number of inhabitants started to grow up, peaking in period 1921 (389 inhabitants) - 1930 (1,279 inhabitants). In 1947 the village became part of the city of Most. Most of the houses were torn down during second half of 1960s to make place for mining and transportation infrastructure.

Today, Rudolice is mainly industrial area.