Hlučín Area (Czech: Hlučínsko, German: Hultschiner Ländchen, Polish: Kraik hulczyński) is a part of Czech Silesia in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, named after the largest town Hlučín. Its area is 316.9 square kilometres (122.4 sq mi), in 2001 was inhabited by 73,914 citizens,[1] thus the population density was 233 per km².
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Archaeological finds suggest that the area is inhabited since 4500 - 2500 BCE.
The medieval bishoprics of both Olomouc and Wrocław were trying to control it, finally Olomouc won the dispute and the area became part of the March of Moravia. In 1269 Hlučín belonged to the lands that were split off Moravia by King Ottokar II of Bohemia as the Duchy of Opava, ruled by his illegitimate son Duke Nicholas I. Differences in culture, traditions and economical development to the rest of Moravia grew up during the time, mainly caused by Germanisation in the course of the Ostsiedlung. From 1526 onwards the Duchy of Troppau togeher with the Lands of the Bohemian Crown was part of the Habsburg Monarchy.
The history of Hlučínsko as an entity began with the Treaty of Breslau signed on 11 June 1742 between King Frederick II of Prussia and Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. In 1740 Prussia had started the First Silesian War and conquered most of Silesia. According to the terms of the treaty, the Duchy of Troppau was partitioned: while the lands south of the Opava river remained with Austrian Silesia, the northern part around Hlučín fell to Prussia and was incorporated into the Province of Silesia in 1815.
With Prussia part of the German Empire from 1871 onwards, the area after the German defeat in World War I became the place of an international dispute as it was inhabited by a majority of Czech speaking people. On February 4, 1920 Hlučínsko was handed over without a referendum to Czechoslovakia, according to Art. 83 of the Treaty of Versailles, though surveys suggested that its people felt more as Upper Silesians and, mostly, would have preferred to join the Weimar Republic. Minor border corrections followed in next few years.
On 1 October 1938 Hlučínsko was occupied by Nazi Germany as a part of areas lost by Czechoslovakia in accordance with the Munich Agreement. However, as distinct from other lost Czechoslovakian domains, it was not attached to the Reichsgau Sudetenland but again to the Prussian Province of Silesia (Upper Silesia from 1941). After the Second World War Hlučínsko like the rest of "Sudetenland" returned to Czechoslovakia. In the 1993 dissolution it became part of the Czech Republic.
Towns are bolded.
Bělá (Bielau) - Bohuslavice (Buslawitz) - Bolatice (Bolatitz) - Darkovice (Groß Darkowitz) - Dolní Benešov (Beneschau) - Hať (Haatsch) - Hlučín (Hultschin) - Hněvošice (Schreibersdorf) - Chlebičov (Klebsch) - Chuchelná (Kuchelna) - Kobeřice (Köberwitz) - Kozmice (Kosmütz) - Kravaře (Deutsch Krawarn) - Ludgeřovice (Ludgierzowitz) - Markvartovice (Markersdorf) - Oldřišov (Odersch) - Píšť (Pyschcz / Sandau) - Rohov (Rohow) - Služovice - Strahovice (Strandorf) - Sudice (Zauditz) - Šilheřovice (Schillersdorf) - Štěpánkovice (Schepankowitz) - Třebom (Thröm) - Velké Hoštice (Groß Hoschütz) - Vřesina (Wreschin) - Závada (Zawada bei Beneschau)
This municipalities cooperate in micro-region Sdružení obcí Hlučínska since 1992.
To the region used to belong also former municipalities of Malé Hoštice (Klein Hoschütz), now district of Opava, and Hošťálkovice (Hoschialkowitz), Lhotka (Ellguth), Petřkovice (Petershofen), Koblov (Koblau) and Antošovice (Antoschowitz), now districts or parts of Ostrava.
Hlučínsko lies between the Beskids (east) and Jeseníky Mountains (west). Opava River flows through Hlučínsko. The area attracts tourists, especially for its cycle trails. There are many historical buildings, unique architecture and folk customs.
Main attractions are: