Zbůch
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Zbůch () is a municipality and village in
Plzeň-North District Plzeň-North District () is a Okres, district in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the city of Plzeň. The most populated town of the district is Nýřany. Administrative division Plzeň-North District is divided into two Dis ...
in the
Plzeň Region Plzeň Region or Plzeňský Region (also known as Pilsen Region; ) is an Regions of the Czech Republic, administrative unit () of the Czech Republic, located in the western part of the historical land of Bohemia and named after the capital, Plz ...
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 3,100 inhabitants.


Administrative division

Zbůch consists of two municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census): *Zbůch (2,620) *Červený Újezd (104)


Etymology

The origin of the name is unclear. It was probably derived from the Old Czech ''zbóh, zbuoh'' (in modern Czech ''zbůhdarma''), meaning 'in vain'.


Geography

Zbůch is located about southwest of
Plzeň Plzeň (), also known in English and German as Pilsen (), is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 188,000 inhabitants. It is located about west of P ...
. It lies in the
Plasy Uplands Plasy (; ) is a town in Plzeň-North District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,900 inhabitants. It is known for its former monastery of the same name, which is protected as a national cultural monument. Administrative di ...
. The terrain is flat to slightly undulating. The highest point is at above sea level.


History


Early history

The first written mention of Zbůch is from 1253, when it was cited as a property of the Premonstratensian monastery in Chotěšov. However, the settlement is thought to have its roots in prehistoric times, as evidenced by numerous
archeological Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes. Archaeology ...
finds in the area dating from the
Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
. During the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, the area was established farmyard that was owned by a number of secular
feudal lord An overlord in the English feudal system was a lord of a manor who had subinfeudated a particular manor, estate or fee, to a tenant. The tenant thenceforth owed to the overlord one of a variety of services, usually military service or s ...
s, such as Velek of Zbůch or Votík of Chotěšovice during the 15th century. Shortly after the 17th century, tax records state that only five farmers lived in the village. The last feudal lords, whose family farmed Zbůch until the first
land reform Land reform (also known as agrarian reform) involves the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership, land use, and land transfers. The reforms may be initiated by governments, by interested groups, or by revolution. Lan ...
, built a large
manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were usually held the lord's manorial courts, communal mea ...
on the northern outskirts of the village. The site is still partially preserved. Records from the 19th century suggest the village consisted of 28 houses. In 1861 a railway line from
Plzeň Plzeň (), also known in English and German as Pilsen (), is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 188,000 inhabitants. It is located about west of P ...
to Brod was built near the village, however, a railway station for the village was not opened until 1906.


20th century

By the end of the 19th century, Zbůch was a small agricultural village connected to the nearby
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
of Úhercům. The village consisted of a small village square lined with farmhouses, which was dominated by the chapel. In the first 20 years of the 20th century, the population increased from the original few dozen to about two thousand by 1921. This population boom was due to the development of the coal mines on the edge of the village. In January 1919, the first general school was established in Zbůch. By 1932, after many delays, a fully functional school building was built in the village. By the mid-1920s, the village had built a town hall with a memorial statue of president
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk Tomáš () is a Czech name, Czech and Slovak name, Slovak given name, equivalent to the name Thomas (name), Thomas. Tomáš is also a surname (feminine: Tomášová). Notable people with the name include: Given name Sport *Tomáš Berdych (born 198 ...
out front. In October 1938, following the
Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement was reached in Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Third Republic, French Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy. The agreement provided for the Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–194 ...
, Zbůch was ceded to the
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
, along with other lands in the
Sudetenland The Sudetenland ( , ; Czech and ) is a German name for the northern, southern, and western areas of former Czechoslovakia which were inhabited primarily by Sudeten Germans. These German speakers had predominated in the border districts of Bohe ...
region. Although there were many Czech/non-Germans living in the village who migrated there to work the coal mines, the village was considered German and subject to the Munich Agreement. Many Czech miners were forced into early retirement to accommodate large numbers of
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
and later
Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...
prisoners of war which were interned here. At the beginning of 1945 U.S. tanks liberated the area from Nazi occupation on their way to meet with Russian allies in
Torgau Torgau () is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district Nordsachsen. Outside Germany, the town is best known as where on 25 April 1945, the United States and Soviet Armies first met near ...
. After the war the region was ceded to the new
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
. Most ethnic Germans were forcibly removed and resettled within the newly established borders of Germany. In the period after February 1948, the
communist government A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state in which the totality of the power belongs to a party adhering to some form of Marxism–Leninism, a branch of the communist ideology. Marxism–Leninism was ...
took
state ownership State ownership, also called public ownership or government ownership, is the ownership of an Industry (economics), industry, asset, property, or Business, enterprise by the national government of a country or State (polity), state, or a publi ...
of the mine and
collectivized Collective farming and communal farming are various types of "agricultural production in which multiple farmers run their holdings as a joint enterprise". There are two broad types of communal farms: agricultural cooperatives, in which member-o ...
the local peasant labor force. The former camp was gradually transformed into a
hostel A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory sleeping 4–20 people, with shared use of a lounge and usually a kitchen. Rooms can be private or shared - mixe ...
. Although part of the area works was acquired by private individuals. The pub near the railway station was built to house a cultural hall, which became the largest facility of its kind in the
Plzeň-North District Plzeň-North District () is a Okres, district in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the city of Plzeň. The most populated town of the district is Nýřany. Administrative division Plzeň-North District is divided into two Dis ...
. Since 1990 the private companies have transformed the mining facilities for the production of precast concrete, interlocking tiles, and several other products. Several apartment buildings were built near the concrete plant and near the
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
field in the centre of the village. In recent times the northern and eastern side of the village square was demolished and planning for the site includes a small mall.


Červený Újezd

The nearby small village of Červený Újezd is now part of the municipality of Zbůch. The first written mention of this village is in the property listing of the Kladruby monastery dating from 1115. Later the village became the property of the monastery in the neighbouring Chotěšov. In the late 18th century, the village consisted of 16 residential listings. In October 1938 the village was annexed by the Nazi Germany along with Zbůch. After the war, the local ethnic Germans were forcibly resettled within the new German boundaries and replaced by settlers from the Plzeň region as well as the Czech Republic's interior. The village has retained its historic village square, with a chapel and several valuable estates. Address No. 2 is a unique residential
timbered Lumber is wood that has been carpentry, processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beam (structure), beams and plank (wood), planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for framing (construction), construction framing ...
house dating from 1773. At the beginning of the 1950s, a military airfield was built in the woods above the village.


Mining activities

The Western Bohemia Mining stock club was built in 1906–1908 on the eastern outskirts of the village, between Zbůch and the nearby village of Červený Újezd. The site has two deep mining pits (800 and 720 m) of exceptional quality
coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...
, used in the manufacturing of gas and coke, and also in the chemical industry. After 1918 the original name was changed to Masaryk Jubilee mine in honor of
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk Tomáš () is a Czech name, Czech and Slovak name, Slovak given name, equivalent to the name Thomas (name), Thomas. Tomáš is also a surname (feminine: Tomášová). Notable people with the name include: Given name Sport *Tomáš Berdych (born 198 ...
, the first President of
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
. This name lasted until 1948, with an exception during World War II when the name was temporarily changed to the Adolf Hitler mine. The mining of coal significantly increased the size of the village during the early 20th century. At one time the mine was among the largest buildings of its kind in the Plzeň Region. After 1948, Masaryk Jubilee was renamed the Jubilee Mine Pit Defenders of Peace. Mining operations ceased in 1977. The area around the former mine has become an industrial zone.


Demographics


Transport

The I/26 road from Plzeň to Domažlice passes through the municipality. Zbůch is located on the railway line Plzeň–
Domažlice Domažlice (; ) is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 11,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument reservations, urban monument reser ...
.


Sights

There are two protected cultural monuments in the municipality: a chapel in Zbůch and a chapel in Červený Újezd. Both date from the first half of the 19th century.


Notable people

* František Hertl (1906–1973), double bassist and composer


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zbuch Villages in Plzeň-North District