Slavkov u Brna

Slavkov u Brna

Austerlitz (in German)
Slavkov u Brna Austerlitz (in German)
Town
	Aerial view
	Flag Coat of arms
	Slavkov u Brna Location in the Czech Republic
	Coordinates: 49°9′12″N 16°52′35″E / 49.15333°N 16.87639°E
Country	Czech Republic
Region	South Moravian
District	Vyškov
First mentioned	1237
Government
• Mayor	Michal Boudný
Area
• Total	14.95 km2 (5.77 sq mi)
Elevation	211 m (692 ft)
Population (2021-01-01)
• Total	7,045
• Density	470/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	684 01
Website	www.slavkov.cz

Slavkov u Brna (Czech pronunciation: [ˈslafkof ˈu br̩na]; historically known in German as Austerlitz, [ˈaʊ̯stɐlɪt͡s]) is a town in Vyškov District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 7,000 inhabitants. The town gave its name to the Battle of Austerlitz which took place several kilometres to the west of the town. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Etymology

The German name Austerlitz is derived from Latin Nova sedes (i.e. "New Settlement") which has gradually evolved over history through the names Novosedeliz (1237), Nausedlicz (1322), Neusserlicz (1343), Nausterlitz (1460) and Austerlitz (1611). The Czech name Slavkov is derived from Slávek (colloquial name of Bohuslav), who probably owned a manor house here. The Czech name was first documented in 1361. In 1918, Slavkov was renamed Slavkov u Brna to distinguish from other places with the same name.^[2]

History

At the end of the 12th century, Margrave Vladislaus III gave the area to the Teutonic Order. The first written mention of Slavkov is from 1237 in a deed of Wenceslaus I. It was originaly a market village with a fortified stronghold and a church, located at the crossroads of trade routes. The Teutonic Order founded a commandery here.^[2]

From 1396 to 1407, Slavkov was held by Jobst of Moravia. In 1407, it was returned to the Teutonic Order, but after the defeat of the Order in the Battle of Grunwald, Slavkov was confiscated from them in 1411.^[2]

In the 14th century, a Jewish ghetto was established near the commandery. The merger of the Christian and Jewish communities created a strong economic agglomeration, which was promoted to a town by King Wenceslaus IV in 1416. The town was strongly fortified and had four gates.^[2]

The town often changed owners until 1509, when the Moravian noble family of Kaunitz assumed control for more than 400 years. They made it the main seat of the family.^[3]

Sights

Baroque Slavkov Castle has 115 rooms and an impressive garden in the French style. The Palace was designed by Italian architect Domenico Martinelli. In its historic salon, an armistice was signed between Austria and France after the Battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805. There is a small museum and a multimedia presentation about the battle.

On the main square is a late Renaissance town hall and mansion. Parts of the old town wall can also be seen.

The parish Church of the Resurrection of the Lord is on the south side of the main square. The Neoclassical building with three pulpits was designed in 1786–1789 by the Viennese architect Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf of Hohenberg.

The cemetery Church of St. John the Baptist. Beneath the church is a vault which contains the tombs of the Kaunitz family.

Chapel of St. Urbanus (to the north on the Urbanus hill). The chapel from 1712 was badly damaged during the Battle of Austerlitz and had to be rebuilt in 1858–1861.

Only the synagogue (built in 1858) remains from the Jewish ghetto. There is also a Jewish cemetery.

Trivia

Much in the same way that in London, the English have named Waterloo Station to commemorate their victory at Waterloo, the French gave the name of Austerlitz to one of the major Parisian train stations, the Gare d'Austerlitz, the neighbouring bridge Pont d'Austerlitz, and the waterfront Quai d'Austerlitz. In the Netherlands, a village named Austerlitz was founded in commemoration of the battle, as was a small town of Austerlitz, New York.

Notable people

Abraham Aberle (1811–1841), poet and translator
František Koláček (1851–1913), physicist
Peregrin Obdržálek (1825–1891), Catholic priest, writer and humorist
Lubomír Tesáček (1957–2011), athlete

"Austerlitz" is a Jewish family name, of which the bearers are nowadays spread worldwide but which indicate and ultimate family origin in the town. The dancer Fred Astaire was born Fred Austerlitz, and thus it could be assumed that his ancestors lived in this town.