Lázně Kynžvart, Bohemia

Barbora Kaprálová

Lázně Kynžvart is the name of a small town in the western part of Bohemia, or if you wish Czech Republic. It is a forgotten, unimportant village with population of around 1500 people. The word “lázně” means spa but the second part of the name doesn´t make any sense in Czech language. Nobody really gave it any thoughts because it is really common in this part of the country that the names are very unusual or even strange. The rest of the cities or villages on the east, north or south are mostly derived from old Czech language, Celtic or Slavic names, but the west is special. The names are part of the history, but unfortunately the very part that was being suppressed for a long time and now there is almost no one to remember. The reason is that most of these names are German and admitting the German origin of these names leads naturally to the question how did they appeared in a country where is the majority of over 94% of Czech or Moravian people.
The truth is that over three millions of Germans were living side by side with Czech people, mostly near the borders with Germany; they had been living there for centuries as Czech king´s subjects. But after WWII they were expelled from the country on behalf of collaboration with Hitler´s Third Reich. As much as we can understand the craziness of that time and the fear for the future of the republic even the thirst for retribution, there cannot be found any justification for the way these people were driven out of the land that had belonged their ancestors, how they were robbed and humiliated and many of them hurt or even killed. The west became a land of ghost, but not for a long time. The houses and lands were offered to destitute Czech people and the land was settled again. The only way these new settlers could live in peace on this stolen property was not to ask about the history and forget the little they had already knew.
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The name means Königswart – “king´s guard”, a proud name of a town founded by one of the most respected Czech kings in the history, for many generations settled by Czech, German and Jewish people. Let´s not forget.

The German minority in the Czech Republic 1921-2001 in %.