Hranice (Cheb District)

Hranice (German: Rossbach) is a border town in Cheb District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. In 2005 the village had a population of 2,272.

Geography

Hranice lies in northernmost part of Aš-region, 12 kilometres north from Aš, at about 575 meters above sea level.

It neighbors with Trojmezí to the west, Pastviny to the southwest, Studánka to the south, Bad Elster (Germany) to the southeast, Gettengrün (Germany) to the northeast and Ebmath (Germany) to the north.

History

Hranice was first mentioned in 1413, when it was bought by the Zedtwitz. Until that time, Hranice was the property of the Neuberg. At the end of the 14th century, the Neubergs ran into financial trouble. After that, the Zedwitz controlled Hranice and the whole Aš-region for almost 500 years.

In 1542, Lutheranism appeared in the village for the first time.

In 1633, the bubonic plague killed 40 people.

In 1822 a new school was built, in 1850 a post office was opened and in 1868 the first fire squad was established.

In 1881, the emperor Joseph I gave Hranice market rights.

Textile industry

From the 19th century the textile industry expanded rapidly in whole Aš-region, include in Hranice. In 1806, a local textile factories was one the most successful in Bohemia, but only until 1840. In that year, a new road through the town was rejected by the local council. Because there was no railway connection and only bad roads, the textile industry in Hranice began to decline. Two new railway routes - Aš-Hranice (1885) and Hranice-Adorf (1906) - helped local industry greatly.

World Wars

During World War I, Hranice was almost ruined, and people suffered with misery and famine after many months without deliveries of food and hygienic supplies.

After World War I, in the Aš region, the Henlein movement was inaugurated. This led to the Sudetendeutsche Heimatfront (SHF), in Hranice. The Aš-region, which includes Hranice, was passed on to Hitler by Henlein before the Munich Agreement.

The US Army, under command of General Cliff Andrus, came to Hranice on April 18, 1945. Hranice was the first Czechoslovak town which surrendered to the Allies.

The name of the town

In Czech, Hranice means Border. The Old German name Rossbach means Horse Brook.

Landmarks

Buildings

• Evangelic church built in the 14th century,
• Catholic church of the Virgin Mary built in 1894,

Memorials

• World War I Memorial from 1928,
• World War II Memorial,
• RAF pilot memorial which crashed here during World War II.

Gallery

References

External links

• Municipal website