Velká Kraš () is a municipality and village in

Jeseník District Jeseník District () is a Okres, district in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Jeseník. With approximately 36,000 inhabitants, it is the least populated district of the Czech Republic. Administrative division Je ...

in the

Olomouc Region Olomouc Region (; , ; ) is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western and central part of its historical region of Moravia (''Morava'') and in a small part of the historical region of Czech Silesia (''České Sl ...

of the

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

. It has about 700 inhabitants.

Geography

Velká Kraš is located about north of

Jeseník Jeseník (; until 1947 Frývaldov (); , ) is a spa town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 10,000 inhabitants. Administrative division Jeseník consists of three municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 202 ...

and north of

Olomouc Olomouc (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 103,000 inhabitants, making it the Statutory city (Czech Republic), sixth largest city in the country. It is the administrative centre of the Olomouc Region. Located on the Morava (rive ...

, on the border with

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

. It lies on the border between the Žulová Hilly Land and Vidnava Lowland. The highest point is the hill Smolný vrch at above sea level. The Vidnávka River flows through the municipality.

History

The first written mention of Velká Kraš is from 1256. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the German occupiers operated two

forced labour Forced labour, or unfree labour, is any work relation, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will with the threat of destitution, detention, or violence, including death or other forms of ...

subcamps of the Stalag VIII-B/344

prisoner-of-war camp A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured as Prisoner of war, prisoners of war by a belligerent power in time of war. There are significant differences among POW camps, inte ...

in the village. Four POWs attempted to escape from one of the subcamps and were killed by the Germans, and then buried in nearby Vidnava. From 1973 to 1990, Velká Kraš was a part of Vidnava.

Demographics

Transport

Velká Kraš is located on the railway line Javorník–

Lipová-lázně Lipová-lázně (until 1960 Dolní Lipová; ) is a spa municipality and village in Jeseník District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,000 inhabitants. Administrative division Lipová-lázně consists of three municipal p ...

Sights

The most valuable monument is the Church of Saint Florian. It was built in the Neoclassical style. The construction was finished in 1799. The second church in Velká Kraš is the Church of the Virgin Mary, which dates from the beginning of the 19th century.

Twin towns – sister cities

Velká Kraš is twinned with: *

Neuburg an der Donau Neuburg an der Donau (Central Bavarian: ''Neiburg an da Donau'') is a town which is the capital of the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in the state of Bavaria in Germany. Divisions The municipality has 16 divisions: * Altmannstetten * Bergen, N ...

, Germany

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Velka Kras Villages in Jeseník District Czech Silesia