Doubrava
Encyclopedia
(Polish
: ) is a village in Karviná District
, Moravian-Silesian Region
, Czech Republic
. It has a population of 1,507 (2006) and lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia
.
The name of the village comes from the Slavic
for "oak
" and means "oak forest".
the village changed hands often. From 1746 to 1901 it belonged to the Mattencloit family, who in 1901 sold it to a member of the Viennese
banking family the Rothschild
s.
An important milestone in the history of the village was the discovery of coal
in 1822. The digging of small coal mines began, most of which were later abandoned. In 1854–1855 two mines were dug, christened Eleonora and Bettina. The majority of the local population worked in the coal mining industry. The local coal mines were later consolidated into a joint venture, Důl Doubrava (Doubrava Coal Mine). Tower of Bettina coal mine was detonated on 23 October 2006, tower of Eleonora coal mine was detonated on 2 November 2007.
After the division of Cieszyn Silesia
in 1920, the village became part of Czechoslovakia
as Dombrová. Following the Munich Agreement
, in October 1938, Doubrava and the whole Zaolzie
region were annexed by Poland
. The village was then annexed by Nazi Germany
at the beginning of World War II
. After the war it was restored to Czechoslovakia
.
In 1974 Doubrava was administratively joined to the town of Orlová
. Living conditions in Doubrava deteriorated during the Communist era as a result of extensive coal mining. In 1990 it once again became an independent municipality.
The most important landmarks in the village are the Roman Catholic church devoted to Saint Hedvika
, consecrated
in 1899, the 1928 Czechoslovak Hussite
church, and Národní dům (National House), built in 1903 to serve cultural and sporting purposes.
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
: ) is a village in Karviná District
Karviná District
Karviná District is a district within the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its administrative center is the city of Karviná. It was created by 1960 reform of administrative divisions in the area of former Fryštát District...
, Moravian-Silesian Region
Moravian-Silesian Region
Moravian-Silesian Region , or Moravo-Silesian Region, is one of 14 administrative Regions of the Czech Republic, until May 2001 it was formerly called the Ostrava Region . The region is located in the north-eastern part of its historical region of Moravia and in most of the Czech part of the...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. It has a population of 1,507 (2006) and lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia or Těšín Silesia or Teschen Silesia is a historical region in south-eastern Silesia, centered around the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín and bisected by the Olza River. Since 1920 it has been divided between Poland and Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic...
.
The name of the village comes from the Slavic
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
for "oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
" and means "oak forest".
History
It is not clear when the village was founded. It first appears in a written document in 1229. During the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the village changed hands often. From 1746 to 1901 it belonged to the Mattencloit family, who in 1901 sold it to a member of the Viennese
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
banking family the Rothschild
Rothschild banking family of Austria
The Rothschild banking family of Austria was founded by Salomon Mayer von Rothschild in 1820 in Vienna in what was then the Austrian Empire.-History:...
s.
An important milestone in the history of the village was the discovery of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
in 1822. The digging of small coal mines began, most of which were later abandoned. In 1854–1855 two mines were dug, christened Eleonora and Bettina. The majority of the local population worked in the coal mining industry. The local coal mines were later consolidated into a joint venture, Důl Doubrava (Doubrava Coal Mine). Tower of Bettina coal mine was detonated on 23 October 2006, tower of Eleonora coal mine was detonated on 2 November 2007.
After the division of Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia or Těšín Silesia or Teschen Silesia is a historical region in south-eastern Silesia, centered around the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín and bisected by the Olza River. Since 1920 it has been divided between Poland and Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic...
in 1920, the village became part of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
as Dombrová. Following the Munich Agreement
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
, in October 1938, Doubrava and the whole Zaolzie
Zaolzie
Zaolzie is the Polish name for an area now in the Czech Republic which was disputed between interwar Poland and Czechoslovakia. The name means "lands beyond the Olza River"; it is also called Śląsk zaolziański, meaning "trans-Olza Silesia". Equivalent terms in other languages include Zaolší in...
region were annexed by Poland
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
. The village was then annexed by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
at the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war it was restored to Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.
In 1974 Doubrava was administratively joined to the town of Orlová
Orlová
Orlová is a town in the Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia.- History :...
. Living conditions in Doubrava deteriorated during the Communist era as a result of extensive coal mining. In 1990 it once again became an independent municipality.
The most important landmarks in the village are the Roman Catholic church devoted to Saint Hedvika
Hedwig of Andechs
Saint Hedwig of Silesia , also Saint Hedwig of Andechs from the comital House of Andechs was Duchess of Silesia from 1201 and of Greater Poland from 1231 as well as High Duchess consort of Poland from 1232 until 1238.-Life:...
, consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
in 1899, the 1928 Czechoslovak Hussite
Czechoslovak Hussite Church
The Czechoslovak Hussite Church is a Christian Church which separated from the Roman Catholic Church after World War I in former Czechoslovakia. It traces its tradition back to the Hussite reformers and acknowledges Jan Hus as its predecessor...
church, and Národní dům (National House), built in 1903 to serve cultural and sporting purposes.
People
- Jan BuzekJan BuzekDr. Jan Jerzy Buzek was a Polish physician, activist and politician from the region of Zaolzie, Czechoslovakia....
, Polish physician and politician, worked in the village. - Józef KiedrońJózef KiedronJózef Kiedroń was a Polish mining engineer and politician from Cieszyn Silesia.He was born to a peasant's family. Kiedroń graduated from a school in Cieszyn and then studied at the Lwów Polytechnic. In 1902 he graduated from a Coal Mining Academy in Leoben...
, Polish engineer and politician, worked in the village.