Chrastava is made up of town parts of Chrastava, Dolní Chrastava and Horní Chrastava, and of villages of Andělská Hora, Dolní Vítkov, Horní Vítkov, Víska and Vysoká.
GeographyEdit
Chrastava is located about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Liberec. On the north, the municipal territory borders Germany. It lies mostly in the Zittau Basin, but it also extends into the Jizera Mountains on the north and into the Ještěd–Kozákov Ridge on the south. The highest point is the hill Dlouhá hora at 748 m (2,454 ft) above sea level. The town is situated at the confluence of the Lusatian Neisse and Jeřice rivers.
HistoryEdit
Chrastava in the second half of the 18th century
Chrastava in about 1900
The first written mention of Chrastava is from 1352 as Cratzauia, already referred to as quite big settlement. It was founded probably at the end of the 13th century by German settlers, having been invited by King Ottokar II of Bohemia. They came mainly from the town of Pirna in Saxony and began to mine metals in the vicinity of Chrastava, in particularly copper, tin, lead, iron and silver.[2]
Chrastava, then known mostly by the German name Kratzau, was occupied by the Hussites who use the town as a base for expeditions into Lusatia during the Hussite Wars. In 1433, the local castle and the whole town was conquered and damaged. This caused general decline, departure of population and stagnation of trade, which lasted for several decades.[2]
In the 16th and 17th centuries, ore mining in Chrastava declined, when most of the reserves had already been mined. The population therefore gradually reoriented to the textile industry. The first large textile factory was built in 1815. In 1859, the railway was built.[2]
In 1943, during World War II, two forced labor camps were set up in the area by Organization Schmelt. These camps provided workers for the Tannwald Textile Works and an ammunition factory (Deutsche Industriewerke AG) that produced hand grenades and other military material for the armed forces of Germany. The camps became subcamps of Gross-Rosen in October 1944. Female prisoners were transported to Kratzau from Auschwitz, as well as from other Gross-Rosen subcamps that were being evacuated. By then the subcamps included Polish, Czech, French, Belgian, Dutch and Danish women.[3]
As more women arrived from the evacuated Gross-Rosen subcamps conditions at Kratzau worsened. Zenon Lis, who was a child at the time, has said the food at Kratzau was "poor and varied at different times: black coffee, dry bread, rutabaga soup, a potato on rare occasions, and a piece of liverwurst on exceptional ones". Joseph Mengele is known to have visited Kratzau three times between October 1944 and March 1945 to conduct a "selection"; after each of these visits the selected women were sent to a subcamp in Zittau.[3]
After the German population was expelled in 1945–1947, Chrastava was resettled mainly by Czechs.
The largest employed with its headquarters in the town is a branch of the Benteler International company, focused on the production of automotive parts. The factory was built in 1999 and employs about 600 people.[6]
TransportEdit
The I/35 expressway (part of the European route E442) from Liberec to the Czech-German border passes through the town.
The main landmark of Chrastava is the Church of Saint Lawrence. It was originally a wooden church from the 14th century. A massive stone tower was added at the end of the 16th century. The church was rebuilt into its current pseudo-Gothic form in 1866–1868. The baroque rectory next to the church dates from 1739.[7]
The town hall was built in the second half of the 17th century, after the old town hall was destroyed by fires in 1621 and 1642. Its current appearance with Neoclassical elements dates from 1899.[8]
The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is located in Horní Vítkov. It was built in the Baroque style in 1671.[9]
The Church of Oour Lady of the Snows is located in Andělská Hora. Its present Empire form dates from 1833.[10]
^ abcd"Město: Historie města" (in Czech). Město Chrastava. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
^ abMegargee, Geoffrey P. (2009). The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933–1945: pt. A. The early National Socialist concentration camps. Introduction to the early camps. Indiana University Press. pp. 754–756. ISBN978-0-253-35429-7.
^"Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Liberec" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21. pp. 7–8.
^"Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
^"Chrastava – výrobní závod" (in Czech). Benteler International. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
^"Kostel sv. Vavřince v Chrastavě" (in Czech). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
^"Radnice" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
^"Kostel Navštívení Panny Marie" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
^"Kostel Panny Marie Sněžné" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
^"Partnerská města" (in Czech). Město Chrastava. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chrastava.
Official website
Virtual show
October 23, 2023
chrastava, czech, pronunciation, ˈxrastava, german, kratzau, town, liberec, district, liberec, region, czech, republic, about, inhabitants, towntown, hall, máje, squareflagcoat, armslocation, czech, republiccoordinates, 81694, 96889, 81694, 96889country, czech. Chrastava Czech pronunciation ˈxrastava German Kratzau is a town in Liberec District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic It has about 6 300 inhabitants ChrastavaTownTown hall on 1 maje SquareFlagCoat of armsChrastavaLocation in the Czech RepublicCoordinates 50 49 1 N 14 58 8 E 50 81694 N 14 96889 E 50 81694 14 96889Country Czech RepublicRegionLiberecDistrictLiberecFirst mentioned1352Government MayorMichael Canov SLK Area Total27 46 km2 10 60 sq mi Elevation295 m 968 ft Population 2023 01 01 1 Total6 316 Density230 km2 600 sq mi Time zoneUTC 1 CET Summer DST UTC 2 CEST Postal code463 31Websitewww wbr chrastava wbr cz Contents 1 Administrative parts 2 Geography 3 History 4 Demographics 5 Economy 6 Transport 7 Sights 8 Notable people 9 Twin towns sister cities 10 References 11 External linksAdministrative parts EditChrastava is made up of town parts of Chrastava Dolni Chrastava and Horni Chrastava and of villages of Andelska Hora Dolni Vitkov Horni Vitkov Viska and Vysoka Geography EditChrastava is located about 8 km 5 mi northwest of Liberec On the north the municipal territory borders Germany It lies mostly in the Zittau Basin but it also extends into the Jizera Mountains on the north and into the Jested Kozakov Ridge on the south The highest point is the hill Dlouha hora at 748 m 2 454 ft above sea level The town is situated at the confluence of the Lusatian Neisse and Jerice rivers History Edit nbsp Chrastava in the second half of the 18th century nbsp Chrastava in about 1900The first written mention of Chrastava is from 1352 as Cratzauia already referred to as quite big settlement It was founded probably at the end of the 13th century by German settlers having been invited by King Ottokar II of Bohemia They came mainly from the town of Pirna in Saxony and began to mine metals in the vicinity of Chrastava in particularly copper tin lead iron and silver 2 Chrastava then known mostly by the German name Kratzau was occupied by the Hussites who use the town as a base for expeditions into Lusatia during the Hussite Wars In 1433 the local castle and the whole town was conquered and damaged This caused general decline departure of population and stagnation of trade which lasted for several decades 2 In the 16th and 17th centuries ore mining in Chrastava declined when most of the reserves had already been mined The population therefore gradually reoriented to the textile industry The first large textile factory was built in 1815 In 1859 the railway was built 2 Chrastava became part of Czechoslovakia after the collapse of Austria Hungary from World War I The town was almost entirely ethnic German however and was ceded to Nazi Germany along with the rest of the Sudetenland after the Munich Agreement in 1938 2 In 1943 during World War II two forced labor camps were set up in the area by Organization Schmelt These camps provided workers for the Tannwald Textile Works and an ammunition factory Deutsche Industriewerke AG that produced hand grenades and other military material for the armed forces of Germany The camps became subcamps of Gross Rosen in October 1944 Female prisoners were transported to Kratzau from Auschwitz as well as from other Gross Rosen subcamps that were being evacuated By then the subcamps included Polish Czech French Belgian Dutch and Danish women 3 As more women arrived from the evacuated Gross Rosen subcamps conditions at Kratzau worsened Zenon Lis who was a child at the time has said the food at Kratzau was poor and varied at different times black coffee dry bread rutabaga soup a potato on rare occasions and a piece of liverwurst on exceptional ones Joseph Mengele is known to have visited Kratzau three times between October 1944 and March 1945 to conduct a selection after each of these visits the selected women were sent to a subcamp in Zittau 3 After the German population was expelled in 1945 1947 Chrastava was resettled mainly by Czechs Demographics EditHistorical populationYearPop 18696 680 18806 814 2 0 18906 781 0 5 19006 983 3 0 19107 671 9 9 YearPop 19216 996 8 8 19307 264 3 8 19504 654 35 9 19614 807 3 3 19704 900 1 9 YearPop 19805 200 6 1 19915 597 7 6 20015 944 6 2 20116 013 1 2 20216 091 1 3 Source Censuses 4 5 Economy EditThe largest employed with its headquarters in the town is a branch of the Benteler International company focused on the production of automotive parts The factory was built in 1999 and employs about 600 people 6 Transport EditThe I 35 expressway part of the European route E442 from Liberec to the Czech German border passes through the town Chrastava lies on the railway line Liberec Zittau Varnsdorf Sights Edit nbsp Church of Saint LawrenceThe main landmark of Chrastava is the Church of Saint Lawrence It was originally a wooden church from the 14th century A massive stone tower was added at the end of the 16th century The church was rebuilt into its current pseudo Gothic form in 1866 1868 The baroque rectory next to the church dates from 1739 7 The town hall was built in the second half of the 17th century after the old town hall was destroyed by fires in 1621 and 1642 Its current appearance with Neoclassical elements dates from 1899 8 The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is located in Horni Vitkov It was built in the Baroque style in 1671 9 The Church of Oour Lady of the Snows is located in Andelska Hora Its present Empire form dates from 1833 10 Notable people EditLeopold Alois Hoffmann 1760 1806 Austrian writer Joseph von Fuhrich 1800 1876 Austrian painter Wilhelm Kandler 1816 1896 German Bohemian painter Theodor Korner 1873 1957 Austrian politician President of Austria in 1951 1957 grew up here Willi Sitte 1921 2013 German painterTwin towns sister cities EditSee also List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic Chrastava is twinned with 11 nbsp Eichstatt Germany nbsp Lwowek Slaski PolandReferences Edit Population of Municipalities 1 January 2023 Czech Statistical Office 2023 05 23 a b c d Mesto Historie mesta in Czech Mesto Chrastava Retrieved 2022 10 17 a b Megargee Geoffrey P 2009 The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933 1945 pt A The early National Socialist concentration camps Introduction to the early camps Indiana University Press pp 754 756 ISBN 978 0 253 35429 7 Historicky lexikon obci Ceske republiky 1869 2011 Okres Liberec in Czech Czech Statistical Office 2015 12 21 pp 7 8 Population Census 2021 Population by sex Public Database Czech Statistical Office 2021 03 27 Chrastava vyrobni zavod in Czech Benteler International Retrieved 2022 10 17 Kostel sv Vavrince v Chrastave in Czech CzechTourism Retrieved 2022 10 17 Radnice in Czech National Heritage Institute Retrieved 2023 06 30 Kostel Navstiveni Panny Marie in Czech National Heritage Institute Retrieved 2023 06 30 Kostel Panny Marie Snezne in Czech National Heritage Institute Retrieved 2023 06 30 Partnerska mesta in Czech Mesto Chrastava Retrieved 2019 08 28 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chrastava Official website Virtual show Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chrastava amp oldid 1162641816, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
