Information portal of Jiřetín pod Bukovou village

History of the village

In the 17th century a mountain village was established on the land of what was then the Smržovka estate. The oldest written records of the village date back to the years 1654 to 1676. The exact date on which the village was established has never been determined. It is assumed that it was founded at the same time as Albrechtice, making it the year 1670. Jiřetín is first mentioned as a separate village in a land register of 1707. This shows that there were 7 farmers (farms) and 10 crofters. The address numbers of these farms were 6, 8, 15, 16, 17, 19 and 21. The first reeve in the village is given as Christian Seibt in the year 1727. The most recent name for the village – Jiřetín pod Bukovou – comes from the name of one of the first three settlers, Georg Kreuzinger, and has changed several times over the years: 1656-Geörgthal, 1676-Geörgensberg or Georgensberg or Girgenthal, through to Georgenthal. This was later translated as Jiřetín.

Jiřetín pod Bukovou was part of Smržovka between the years 1850 and 1991, when it was given independence through a decree from the Ministry of the Interior dated 1.1.1992. The first duly elected mayor of the newly independent village was ing. Josef Kucin.

Schooling

The first lessons for children were held in 1804 in house no. 33, belonging to Frant. Richter, and later in no. 27, although when the number of children reached 129 the Seibt brothers offered rooms in their house at no. 15. (These brothers, by the way, played a decisive role in the further development of education in Jiřetín – author’s note).

In 1842 building no. 244 was acquired and in 1852 purchased to meet the need for a real school (the building in the cadastre of Smržovka – author’s note). After building modifications carried out in 1860 and the addition of another floor in the years 1883-84 the village of Jiřetín finally had a “proper school”.

The final solution, however, was the construction of a new school building in the village following plans drawn up by the architect Hemrich. This school, at no. 80, was opened with great ceremony on 12th September 1909. Precisely-kept attendance records show how many children visited the school: the most children attended the school in the 1915/16 school year – a total of 129, and the lowest attendance was during the war in the 1941/42 school year – a mere 25. The former school at no. 80 is now home to Penzion Buková.

Industry

The most influential company in the history of the village was that of Johann Schowanek, which made the village famous throughout the world. The company was established by the businessman Johann Schowanek from Paseky nad Jizerou, who purchased land in Jiřetín from the local coal merchant for 25,000 CZK on 16th June 1906. In 1907 the building was constructed and on January 1st 1980 production was started. In 1934 the firm employed 1308 workmen and 37 office staff. After his death in 1934 the management of the firm was taken over by his son Hans, who ran the company until the year 1945, when he and his head clerk were arrested. With the help of his friends he later managed to flee the country and build up a business in Salzburg, which was later transferred to Pidding.

After 1945 the Schowanek firm was confiscated and the name later changed to TOFA, a state concern; production was expanded to include piano and keyboard mechanics and the factory was incorporated under ČSHN Hradec Králové. After privatisation the company’s present name is DETOA s.r.o.