Adolf Benda (27 November 1845 – 12 November 1878) was a

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...

n regional

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...

, council administrator and glass and jewelry craftsman. A glass engraver by trade, he was also a prominent figure in public and social life in Jablonec. He served on the board of directors of the council and the . Benda is best known as the author of the ''Geschichte der Stadt Gablonz und ihrer Umgebung'' (''History of the Town of Jablonec nad Nisou''), which was published in 1876–77.

Biography

Benda was born on 27 November 1845 as a German-speaking Bohemian in the town of Jablonec nad Nisou (now in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

). Most sources indicate he was born in 1845 and died in 1878 but several sources say he was born in 1841 and died in 1876. He was the last of a notable family of Jizera glass engravers in the region, going back several centuries. His father, Edward Benda (1819-1901), was a member of the Rifle Brigade Jablonec (Schützenkorps). Benda attended the local school and was then taught the glass family trade. In 1866, he was sent with the Imperial Army to participate in the

Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War, also by many variant names such as Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), (; "German war of brothers") and by a variety of other names, was fought in 186 ...

. After returning, he began extensive research in local historical studies. Benda became a prominent figure in public and social life in Jablonec, a member of several associations and served on the council. He was particularly involved in the Industrial and Educational Support Association (''Industrieller Bildungs und Unterstützungsverein'') and saw the importance of education in promoting economic development. From 1872, he was responsible for the federal library and in 1875 he became president of the Pindter Heinrich Association, until his death. Well connected politically, Benda was a noted

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

activist in the region and also served on the board of directors of the Duchcov-Podmokly Railway along with

Herbert Gutman Herbert George Gutman (1928–1985) was an American professor of history at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where he wrote on slavery and labor history. Early life and education Gutman was born in 1928 to Jewish immigran ...

, Dr. Moriz Aron, and Richard Lederer. He is best known as the author of the ''Geschichte der Stadt Gablonz und ihrer Umgebung'' which was published in 1876–77, shortly before his death. The book was the first complete history of the town, and took the perspective of the Jablonec craftsman, with attention to the social and economic life of the town, history and business development and civil society. In his work, Benda reported that in 1865 there were only 69 people in Jablonec, in comparison to 1876 when there were 145 in the whole district. The third section of the book is devoted to the

Hussite Wars The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, European monarchs loyal to the Cat ...

of the Prussian-Austrians; Benda, like his father, was interested in the military and weaponry. The fourth section is dedicated to local administration and the court and district affairs; and the fifth section, on industry, covers the important local industries including linen, cloth, manufacture of paper boxes, oil paintings and glass. The book also covers the ethnographic history of the city including its superstitions, tales and legends. In the autumn of 1878 Benda contracted

typhoid Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...

and died, on 12 November 1878, at almost 33 years of age. Today, Benda's book on the history of Jablonec is permanently on public display in the reading room of the Museum of Glass and Jewellery in Jablonec.

References

External links

Geschichte der Stadt Gablonz
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benda, Adolf 1845 births 1878 deaths People from Jablonec nad Nisou 19th-century Czech historians Glass engravers Czech librarians