Czech Silesia

Historical land in the Czech Republic

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Historical land in Czech Republic

Czech Silesia

České Slezsko (Czech)
Czeski Ślōnsk (Silesian)

Historical land

Moravian-Silesian Beskids

Flag

Coat of arms

Anthem: "Slezská hymna"

Czech Silesia (green) overlapped with the current regions of the Czech Republic

Location of Czech Silesia in Europe

Coordinates: 50°N 18°E﻿ / ﻿50°N 18°E﻿ / 50; 18
Country| Czech Republic
Former capital| Opava
Largest city| Ostrava
Area

• Total| 4,459 km2 (1,722 sq mi)
Population

[1]

• Total| 830,000
• Density| 190/km2 (480/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+2 (CEST)
Primary airport| Leoš Janáček Airport Ostrava
Highways|

Czech Silesia[a] (Czech: České Slezsko; Silesian: Czeski Ślōnsk; Lower Silesian: Tschechisch-Schläsing; German: Tschechisch-Schlesien; Polish: Śląsk Czeski) is the part of the historical region of Silesia now in the Czech Republic. Czech Silesia is, together with Bohemia and Moravia, one of the three historical Czech lands.

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1869| 420,707| —
1880| 464,646| +10.4%
1890| 501,635| +8.0%
1900| 572,000| +14.0%
1910| 638,404| +11.6%
1921| 654,433| +2.5%
1930| 716,698| +9.5%
1950| 604,498| −15.7%
1961| 737,872| +22.1%
1970| 842,454| +14.2%
1980| 894,725| +6.2%
1991| 895,776| +0.1%
2001| 887,141| −1.0%
2011| 846,855| −4.5%
2021| 811,433| −4.2%
Source: Censuses[6][7]

Silesia lies in the north-east of the Czech Republic, predominantly in the Moravian-Silesian Region, with a section in the northern Olomouc Region. It is almost identical in extent with Austrian Silesia (also known as the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia), before 1918; between 1938 and 1945, part of the area was also known as Sudeten Silesia (German: Sudetenschlesien; Czech: Sudetské Slezsko; Silesian: Sudecki Ślōnsk; Lower Silesian: Sudetaschläsing; Polish: Śląsk Sudecki).

## Geography

[edit]

Czech Silesia now lies across several of the northern regions

Czech Silesia borders Moravia in the south, Poland (Polish Silesia) in the north (in the northwest the County of Kladsko, until 1742/48 an integral part of Bohemia) and Slovakia in the southeast. With the city of Ostrava roughly in its geographic centre, the area comprises much of the modern region of Moravian-Silesia (save for its southern edges) and, in its far west, a small part of the Olomouc Region in the area of Jeseník District. After Ostrava, the most important cities are Opava and Český Těšín. Historically Český Těšín is the western part of the city of Cieszyn, which nowadays lies in Poland.

About two thirds of the territory is situated in the Eastern Sudetes. The rest of the territory extends into the Ostrava Basin, Moravian Gate, Moravian-Silesian Foothills and into the western section of the Western Beskids. Its major rivers are the Oder, Opava and Olza (which forms part of the natural border with Poland).

## History

[edit]

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In the Middle Ages, Silesia formed part of Piast-ruled Poland, and in the 14th century it gradually passed to the Kingdom of Bohemia. Modern-day Czech Silesia derives primarily from a small part of Silesia that remained within the Bohemian Crown and the Habsburg monarchy at the end of the First Silesian War in 1742, when the rest of Silesia was ceded to Prussia. It was re-organised as the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia, with its capital at Opava (German: Troppau, Polish: Opawa). In 1900, the Duchy occupied an area of 5,140 km2 and had a population of 670,000.

In 1918, the former Duchy formed part of the newly created state of Czechoslovakia, except for Cieszyn Silesia, which was split between Czechoslovakia and Poland in 1920, Czechoslovakia gaining its western portion. Hlučín Region (Czech: Hlučínsko, German: Hultschiner Ländchen), formerly part of Prussian Silesia, also became part of Czechoslovakia under the Treaty of Versailles in 1920.

Following the Munich Agreement of 1938, most of Czech Silesia became part of the Reichsgau Sudetenland and Poland occupied the Trans-Olza area on the west bank of the Olza (the Polish gains being lost when Nazi Germany occupied Poland the following year). In 1939–1940, during the anti-Polish Intelligenzaktion campaign, many Polish activists, priests, officials, teachers and school principals were deported by the German occupiers to concentration camps and then murdered there.[8] The Germans operated multiple forced labour camps in the region, including several Polenlager camps for Poles,[9][10][11][12] multiple subcamps of the Stalag VIII-B/344 prisoner-of-war camp for Allied POWs,[13] and subcamps of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Bruntál and Světlá Hora for mostly Jewish women.[14][15] The occupiers also established several POW camps, including Oflag VIII-E, Oflag VIII-G, Heilag VIII-G and Stalag VIII-D, for Polish, French, Belgian, British, Serbian, Dutch and other Allied POWs.[16]

With the exception of the areas around Cieszyn, Ostrava, and Hlučín, Czech Silesia was predominantly settled by German-speaking populations up until 1945. Following the World War II, Czech Silesia and Hlučín Region were returned to Czechoslovakia and the ethnic Germans were expelled in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement. The border with Poland was once again set along the Olza (although not confirmed by treaty until 1958).

## Demographics

[edit]

See also: List of people from Silesia

The population mainly speaks Czech with altered vowels. Some of the native Slavic population speak Lach, which is classed by Ethnologue as a dialect of Czech,[17] although it also shows some similarities to Polish. In Cieszyn Silesia, a unique dialect is also spoken, mostly by members of the Polish minority there.

## Municipalities

[edit]

There are 203 municipalities fully located in Czech Silesia, although including municipalities whose cadastral area lies on the Moravian-Silesian border, the number can reach up to 235.[18][circular reference][19][circular reference]

Name  | Population (2024)[1]

|

Albrechtice | 3,818
Andělská Hora | 378
Baška (Silesian part)  | 1,900
Bělá | 669
Bělá pod Pradědem | 1,729
Bernartice | 843
Bílá Voda | 327
Bílov | 588
Bílovec (Silesian part)  | 7,340
Bítov | 493
Bocanovice | 498
Bohumín | 20,519
Bohuslavice | 1,786
Bolatice | 4,501
Branka u Opavy | 1,074
Brantice | 1,392
Bratříkovice | 158
Bravantice | 1,041
Březová (Silesian part)  | 1,270
Brumovice | 1,531
Bruntál (Silesian part)  | 15,243
Bruzovice | 979
Budišovice | 788
Bukovec | 1,372
Býkov-Láryšov | 166
Bystřice | 5,266
Čaková | 329
Čavisov | 512
Čermná ve Slezsku | 379
Černá Voda | 544
Česká Ves | 2,336
Český Těšín | 23,282
Chlebičov | 1,177
Chotěbuz | 1,395
Chuchelná | 1,258
Chvalíkovice | 696
Darkovice | 1,380
Děhylov | 746
Dětmarovice | 4,435
Dlouhá Stráň | 123
Dobrá | 3,248
Dobratice | 1,399
Dobroslavice | 782
Dolní Benešov | 3,892
Dolní Domaslavice | 1,460
Dolní Lhota | 1,518
Dolní Lomná | 920
Dolní Lutyně | 5,315
Dolní Tošanovice | 396
Doubrava | 1,164
Frýdek-Místek (Silesian part)  | 31,500
Frýdlant nad Ostravicí (Silesian part)  | 2,000
Fulnek (Silesian part)  | 1,700
Háj ve Slezsku | 3,245
Hať | 2,555
Havířov | 69,694
Heřmanice u Oder | 362
Heřmánky | 185
Heřmanovice | 344
Hlavnice | 675
Hlubočec | 576
Hlučín | 13,421
Hněvošice | 1,003
Hnojník | 1,501
Holasovice | 1,366
Holčovice | 721
Horní Benešov | 2,214
Horní Bludovice | 2,591
Horní Domaslavice | 1,053
Horní Lhota | 858
Horní Lomná | 367
Horní Suchá | 4,366
Horní Tošanovice | 706
Horní Životice | 335
Hošťálkovy | 635
Hrabyně | 1,131
Hradec nad Moravicí | 5,485
Hradec-Nová Ves | 395
Hrádek | 1,920
Hrčava | 248
Jablunkov | 5,257
Jakartovice (Silesian part)  | 600
Jakubčovice nad Odrou | 633
Janovice | 2,001
Javorník | 2,586
Jeseník | 10,619
Jezdkovice | 244
Jistebník | 1,721
Kaňovice | 363
Karlova Studánka | 176
Karlovice | 982
Karviná | 49,724
Klimkovice | 4,536
Kobeřice | 3,204
Kobylá nad Vidnavkou | 376
Komorní Lhotka | 1,498
Košařiska | 354
Kozmice | 1,921
Krásná | 726
Krasov | 362
Kravaře | 6,655
Krnov | 22,716
Kružberk | 233
Kyjovice | 849
Leskovec nad Moravicí | 442
Lichnov | 1,051
Lipová-lázně | 2,085
Litultovice (Silesian part)  | 70
Lučina | 1,595
Ludgeřovice | 4,980
Ludvíkov | 277
Malá Morávka (Silesian part)  | 600
Malenovice | 797
Mankovice | 537
Markvartovice | 2,204
Melč | 677
Město Albrechtice (Silesian part)  | 3,400
Mezina | 381
Mikulovice | 2,524
Milíkov | 1,312
Milotice nad Opavou | 442
Mladecko | 147
Mokré Lazce | 1,165
Moravice | 240
Morávka | 1,413
Moravskoslezský Kočov (Silesian part)  | 130
Mosty u Jablunkova | 3,687
Návsí | 3,852
Neplachovice | 1,061
Neplachovice | 1,061
Nižní Lhoty | 294
Nošovice | 1,013
Nové Heřminovy | 357
Nové Lublice | 178
Nové Sedlice | 500
Nýdek | 2,080
Oborná | 452
Odry (Silesian part)  | 7,100
Olbramice | 725
Oldřišov | 1,500
Opava | 55,600
Orlová | 27,794
Ostrava (Silesian part)  | 117,000
Ostravice (Silesian part)  | 550
Ostružná (Silesian part)  | 25
Otice | 1,497
Pazderna | 396
Petrovice u Karviné | 4,945
Petřvald | 7,407
Písečná | 1,053
Písek | 1,894
Píšť | 2,085
Pražmo | 897
Pržno | 1,101
Pustá Polom | 1,349
Pustějov | 975
Radkov | 493
Raduň | 1,184
Raškovice | 2,052
Razová | 516
Řeka | 551
Řepiště | 1,896
Rohov | 603
Ropice | 1,747
Rudná pod Pradědem | 344
Rychvald | 7,783
Sedliště | 1,725
Šenov | 6,585
Šilheřovice | 1,592
Široká Niva | 550
Skorošice | 708
Skřipov | 998
Služovice | 840
Smilovice | 857
Soběšovice | 956
Sosnová | 401
Stará Červená Voda | 601
Staré Hamry (Silesian part)  | 120
Staré Heřminovy | 211
Staré Město | 911
Staré Město | 1,518
Staré Těchanovice | 128
Stěbořice | 1,452
Štěpánkovice | 3,169
Štítina | 1,292
Štítina | 1,292
Stonava | 1,758
Strahovice | 884
Střítež | 1,074
Studénka (Silesian part)  | 3,000
Sudice | 624
Supíkovice | 644
Svatoňovice | 257
Svatoňovice | 257
Světlá Hora | 1,367
Svobodné Heřmanice | 558
Těrlicko | 4,841
Těškovice | 815
Tísek (Silesian part)  | 900
Třanovice | 1,083
Třebom | 206
Třemešná (Silesian part)  | 150
Třinec | 34,266
Uhelná | 473
Úvalno | 982
Václavov u Bruntálu | 488
Václavovice | 2,115
Vápenná | 1,183
Velká Kraš | 717
Velká Polom | 2,146
Velké Albrechtice | 1,176
Velké Heraltice | 1,611
Velké Hoštice | 1,830
Velké Kunětice | 528
Vělopolí | 295
Vendryně | 4,486
Větřkovice | 755
Větřkovice (Silesian part)  | 700
Vidnava | 1,194
Vítkov | 5,641
Vlčice | 452
Vojkovice | 784
Vratimov | 7,360
Vražné (Silesian part)  | 250
Vrbno pod Pradědem | 4,752
Vřesina | 2,831
Vřesina | 1,694
Vršovice | 523
Vyšní Lhoty | 884
Zátor | 1,172
Závada | 623
Zbyslavice | 661
Žermanice | 356
Zlaté Hory | 3,736
Žulová | 1,125

## Notable people

[edit]

Notable people from Czech Silesia include (in order of birth):

* Martin of Opava (Martinus Polonus, †1278), chronicler, chaplain of several popes
* Jiří Třanovský (1592–1637), pastor and hymnwriter, the "Luther of the Slavs"
* Jindřich František Boblig of Edelstadt (c. 1612–1698), egregious inquisitor
* Gregor Mendel (1822–1884), biologist, founder of genetics (inheritance laws)
* Hans Kudlich (1823–1917), politician, main figure in the struggle for abolition of serfdom in Austrian Empire
* Vincenc Prasek (1843–1912), historian
* Johann Palisa (1848–1925), astronomer
* Petr Bezruč (1867–1958), poet
* Józef Kożdoń (1873–1949), politician, leader of Silesian autonomists, proponent of the idea of a distinct Silesian nation ("Slonzaks")
* Helen Zelezny-Scholz (1882–1974), architectural sculptor
* Óndra Łysohorsky (1905–1989), poet, creator of the literary form of the Lach dialect
* Joy Adamson (1910–1980), writer
* František Vláčil (1924–1999), film director and screenwriter
* Armin Delong (1925–2017), physicist specializing in electron microscopy
* Věra Chytilová (1929–2014), film director and screenwriter
* Hana Zagorová (1946–2022), pop singer, the best-selling Czech female singer of all time
* Jaromír Nohavica (born 1953), songwriter and poet
* Iva Bittová (born 1958), avant-garde violinist, singer, and composer
* Leon Koudelak (born 1961), classical guitarist
* Petra Kvitová (born 1990), tennis player
* Krystyna Pyszková (born 1999), Miss Czech Republic, Miss World

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ /saɪˈliːʒə, saɪˈliːʃiə/ sy-LEE-zhə, sy-LEE-shee-ə, UK also /saɪˈliːziə/ sy-LEE-zee-ə, US also /saɪˈliːʒiə, saɪˈliːʃə, sɪˈliː-/ sy-LEE-zhee-ə, sy-LEE-shə, sil-EE-.[2][3][4][5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Population of municipalities of the Czech Republic, 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 17 May 2024.
2. ^ "Silesia". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
3. ^ "Silesia". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
4. ^ "Silesia". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2020-03-11.
5. ^ "Silesia". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
6. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21.
7. ^ "Results of the 2021 Census - Open data". Public Database (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
8. ^ Wardzyńska, Maria (2009). Był rok 1939. Operacja niemieckiej policji bezpieczeństwa w Polsce. Intelligenzaktion (in Polish). Warszawa: IPN. pp. 138–142.
9. ^ "Polenlager Nr. 93 Petersdorf". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 November 2023.
10. ^ "Polenlager Freistadt". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 November 2023.
11. ^ "Polenlager Karwin". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 November 2023.
12. ^ "Polenlager Oderberg". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 November 2023.
13. ^ "Working Parties". Lamsdorf.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
14. ^ "Freudenthal". Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
15. ^ "Lichtewerden". Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
16. ^ Megargee, Geoffrey P.; Overmans, Rüdiger; Vogt, Wolfgang (2022). The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV. Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. pp. 207, 257–258, 450–451. ISBN 978-0-253-06089-1.
17. ^ "Czech". Ethnologue. 1999-02-19. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
18. ^ "Seznam měst a obcí Českého Slezska".
19. ^ "Seznam měst a obcí na pomezí Moravy a Slezska".

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