Sudeten Germans hope for a repeat in the Czech Republic

This is already the third newsletter in which the Sudeten German Day in Brno is prominently mentioned. If you are wondering why, because it seems to be of secondary importance for our border region, this is not the case this time. Both the wonderful sign of the invitation of the Sudeten Germans to the Czech Republic, who were often referred to as "our compatriots" in Brno, and the political squabbles surrounding it have had a major impact on German-Czech relations. They triggered an intensive discussion in Czech society, the (hopefully positive) consequences of which we will probably only be able to assess in retrospect in a few years' time. Below you will also find a few personal impressions from on site.

The Sudeten German Day in Brno began on Thursday with a commemorative event at the main railway station at platform 5, from where the transports to concentration camps had departed. It was attended by the son of Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved almost 700 Jewish children from the Nazis in 1939, and two of the so-called Winton children. On Friday, there was a public festival with music and dancing in the center of Brno, which was also attended by many locals.

Saturday and Sunday were the main days with many stands, events and several speeches by Czech and German representatives in an exhibition hall, which, according to personal estimates, was attended by around 2000 people. The Czech writer and resister against the communist regime, Milan Uhde, was awarded the Charlemagne Prize of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft. The National Socialists had murdered 18 members of Uhde's family, yet he was committed to reconciliation work throughout his life.

In addition, the Brno Reconciliation March Pohořelice (Pohrlitz) to Brno organized by Meeting Brno took place on Saturday, which this time around 1300 people completed in whole or in part. The meeting ended on Monday with an act of remembrance for the victims of National Socialism in front of the Kaunitz dormitory, the former Gestapo headquarters in Brno.

The counter-protests feared in advance were limited. At the commemorative events and the reconciliation march, there were sometimes a few dozen and sometimes up to 200 protesters. One action that was much discussed in the social media was the erection of a symbolic wall made of cardboard boxes in front of the exhibition grounds. However, visitors to Sudeten German Day did not notice this, as it was located in a hall at the other end of the exhibition grounds. Instead, visitors to an anime festival taking place at the same time were probably irritated. Given their creative outfits, this was probably mutual.

The largest counter-event took place on Sunday in the center of Brno, where around 2,500 people from all over the Czech Republic took part in a rally organized primarily by the Communist Party (KSČM), followed by a demonstration. However, this was far away from the exhibition center. Normally, such counter-protests always try to get within sight and earshot of their opponents, but that was not the case here. It was probably mainly about images for the media and perhaps also about the internal cohesion of a party in decline.

However, the Sudeten Germans are hoping for a repeat performance in the Czech Republic. In 2027, the Sudeten German Day will once again take place in Bavaria, in Nuremberg. But after that, it would be nice to alternate hosting, according to the chairman of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft, Bernd Posselt, on Bavarian radio. Several cities in the Czech Republic have shown interest in hosting the event.

Schluckenauer Zipfel faces five-month road closure

From June 1, a five-month period of suffering awaits drivers and residents on the edge of the Schluckenauer Zipfels. The reason is the five-month closure of state road 9 between Svor and Nová huť. This is necessary because the Czech Road and Highway Directorate is building a bypass around the village of Svor. The challenging terrain leaves no other option than a large-scale bypass.

The "9" is the main connection for road traffic in and out of the Schluckenau tip with the Czech interior. As a state road, it is also designed for large trucks weighing more than 7.5 tons. Some of these vehicles also use the "9" road for transit to Germany. These trucks now have to be rerouted. The transit trucks in particular are expected to drive around the area from Monday. An increased volume of traffic is to be expected on the detour route. Tourists and day-trippers from Saxony should therefore avoid it. To avoid having to use very small roads, the road from Horní Světlá below the Lausche via Nová huť to Kytlice has been designated as a one-way road in the direction of Kytlice.

In the communities along the detour route, but also elsewhere in the Schluckenau region, the plan to close the road had sparked protests in advance. They only found out about it from the media and still criticize the lack of communication with the road and freeway authorities. Nevertheless, together with the administrations of the Ústí and Liberec districts, they were able to get the duration of the closure reduced from the original 24 weeks to 20 weeks. It was therefore only supposed to last until October 16. However, the competent district office in Liberec did not stipulate a penalty if this deadline was exceeded.

Reopening of the Edmundsklamm gorge in June

Since the winter break, tourists in Bohemian Switzerland have had to forego the popular boat trips in Edmund's Gorge for safety reasons. But now it will soon be time again. The boats are due to return in June.

The reason for the closure was a boulder around 130 meters above the hiking trail to the boat landing stage. The unstable part of the boulder was removed and crushed by a specialist company by Friday. The rest of the boulder was secured and fitted with a net to hold back any stones that might come loose.

"We would like to open at the beginning of June, but we are still waiting for a geological and dendrological report," said the mayor of Hřensko, Kateřina Horáková, on Czech Radio.

Since the reopening after the major forest fire in the summer of 2022, tourists have only been allowed to enter Edmund's Gorge under professional supervision and in groups, as there is still a risk of rockfall. The Bohemian Switzerland National Park regularly checks the stability of the rocks.

However, the municipality of Hřensko has announced that a booking system will soon be put into operation so that entry to the gorge can also be conveniently booked online. The number of admissions is also set to increase slightly, but will remain limited.

The Wilde Klamm, where boats also operate, has been in operation since Good Friday, but can still only be reached from the lower landing stage. Hikers can get there either from Mezná or from Růžová.

Shift project brings Ústí important museum prize

The "Kingdom of Soap Bubbles" project at the District Museum in Ústí nad Labem has been awarded the Czech museum prize "Gloria musealis". It is about the work of the Schicht family of entrepreneurs, who grew up in the Schreckenstein district with the production of cosmetics, drugstore goods and oil. Later, Schicht even merged to form the multinational Unilever Group, which still exists today.

The title of the project is also the title of a documentary film about the Schicht family, which premiered last year after seven years of filming. However, according to Martin Krsek from the museum in Ústí, this is only the glorious conclusion of the project. The main work of the museum staff, including Krsek and others such as Tomáš Okurka, was the almost 20-year effort to re-establish contact with the Schicht family and regain their trust. The family had been expelled after 1945 and had lost their property in Czechoslovakia. The family's relationship to the events of the 1930s and 1940s was not uniform. One part of the family made pacts with the National Socialists, while another openly supported the Czechoslovakian resistance in exile.

Incidentally, the documentary will be shown on November 5 as part of the Czech-German Culture Days 2026 in Dresden.

The spa town of Teplice suffers from the Iran conflict

The war between the USA and Iran is also having an impact on the spa business in Teplice in northern Bohemia. The spa town is traditionally a destination for many guests from Arab countries, especially from the Arabian Peninsula. But these guests are not coming at the moment. "We only have a few clients from the Middle East at the moment. The conflict is having a major impact on whether people can travel to us, i.e. whether there are any flight connections at all," Iveta Slížková from the spa company is quoted as saying. Teplice is now hoping for Czech clients, at least those who would otherwise have traveled to the Middle East. It remains to be seen whether the plan will work out. The umbrella organization is already expecting a weak season.

Taiwanese company plans major investment in North Bohemia

The upcoming opening of ESMC's semiconductor plant in Dresden will also have an impact on northern Bohemia. The Czech Republic has repeatedly offered itself to supplier companies. Now the Taiwanese company i-TRANS Global is planning its European logistics center for semiconductor chemicals in North Bohemia. The company is currently looking for a suitable site measuring almost 17,000 square meters.

The company is being supported by the Ústí district and the state agency CzechInvest, which is helping with the company's relocation. The logistics center is scheduled to go into operation at the beginning of 2028, according to the plan. i-TRANS plans to invest 20 million euros in the center. The aim is to create 60 jobs.
In a second phase, i-TRANS envisions deeper cooperation with Czech chemical manufacturers. In addition to the proximity to Dresden, the focus of industry in the Ústí district on the chemical sector is the second main reason for locating in northern Bohemia.

Personal impression of the Sudeten German Day

As a visitor on site, I would like to add a few personal impressions: The unfortunately still widespread image of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft (SdL) as a stronghold of those who play off the expulsion against the crimes of National Socialism and want their former property back is (by now) completely wrong. Bernd Posselt in particular, as chairman, has ensured over the last 25 years that the SdL has become a more uncomfortable haven for diehards, revanchists and old Nazis. I was unable to hear anything at the stands, at events or at the beer table that reflected such views.

In all speeches from the German side, without exception, the crimes of the Nazis and the complicity of the Sudeten Germans were named first. The suffering of the expulsion was not concealed, but always placed in this context. In the spirit of the German-Czech Declaration of 1997, it became clear that we do not have to agree on the assessment of the past, but nevertheless want to work towards a common future in good neighborly relations. This does not mean forgetting or drawing a line under the past, but rather a joint, unbiased examination of the past. Bernd Posselt in particular has repeatedly emphasized that it is not about guilt and accusations, but about the lessons that must be learned from the events in order to learn from them for the future. With regard to the Beneš Decrees, for example, it was emphasized that they did not want to revise them, but that their basic approach of collective guilt and collective punishment could in no way be accepted in an enlightened society. However, I fear that both are simply not dead.

The Czech speakers all emphasized the importance of reconciliation, coming to terms and forgiveness, and it was nice to see how every sentence they uttered was eagerly applauded by the audience (even before the translation). I had the impression that the Sudeten Germans present were incredibly grateful for the invitation to the Czech Republic. They are real German-Czech bridge builders, and this was honored.

Rüdiger Kubsch

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

At Czech Film Wednesday on June 3, we have a very special specialty: the experimental film "Happy end" from 1967 by director Oldřich Lipský, which runs completely backwards. We think we can say with some certainty: You've never seen a movie like this!

The butcher Bedřich lies under the guillotine at the beginning, headless. But why was he executed? What did he do? Bedřich tells us himself, going back step by step. However, he tells it backwards, i.e. forwards. It takes a few pull-ups to reconcile the image and the narrative. Nevertheless, we follow him on his way back from the terrible deed to the romantic beginning of his marriage, where broken things become whole again, dead people get up again and drowned people become great swimmers again.

With audience favorites such as Vladimír Menšík and Josef Abrhám, some representatives of the first ranks of Czech actors have embarked on the experiment in the "wild 60s" of Czech cinematography.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Neues zur Schnellbahnstrecke Dresden-Prag

Auf dem Weg zur Realisierung des Erzgebirgsbasistunnels für die Schnellbahnstrecke Dresden-Prag wurde nun ein wichtiger Schritt gemacht: Nach einem positiven Votum des Verkehrsausschusses hat am Donnerstag der Bundestag der von der Bahn vorgelegten Vorplanung für die Neubaustrecke Dresden–Prag zugestimmt. Diese sieht einen Volltunnel ab Heidenau vor. In den ursprünglichen Planungen der Deutschen Bahn sah das noch anders aus, doch die intensive Arbeit der Bürgerinitiative „Basistunnel nach Prag“ hat sich ausgezahlt

Gleichzeitig geht aus dem Bericht, der dem Beschluss zugrunde lag, hervor, dass die Kosten für die Strecke auf deutscher Seite auf bis zu 8 Mrd. Euro steigen können. Vor einigen Jahren war von 1,3 Mrd. Euro die Rede, vor zwei Jahren noch von ca. 2,3 Mrd. Euro. Nun geht man von Kosten in Höhe von 5,6 Mrd. Euro aus, zu denen Puffer für steigende Baukosten und weitere unvorhersehbare Kosten gerechnet werden, die zur Schätzung von 8 Mrd. Euro führen. Darin wäre die Finanzierung von weiteren Forderungen aus der Region wie mehr Lärmschutz oder besserer Ausstattung der Feuerwehren noch gar nicht enthalten. Dennoch schätzt die Bundesregierung das Vorhaben als wirtschaftlich ein. Man hofft auf eine großzügige Förderung durch die EU.

Die Strecke war auch das wichtigste Thema des Treffens von Sachsens Infrastrukturministerin Regina Kraushaar mit dem neuen tschechischen Verkehrsminister Ivan Bednárik. Beide betonten die hohe Bedeutung des Vorhabens und drängen den Bund, den für die weiteren Planungen notwendigen Staatsvertrag abzuschließen sowie die rund 20 Mio. Euro an Planungskosten in den nächsten Haushalt einzustellen. Die Staatsministerin hatte am Donnerstag in einer Rede im Bundestag nochmals für die Zustimmung zu dem Projekt geworben.

Der Tunnel wird einmal ca. 30 Kilometer lang sein, davon 18 km auf deutscher Seite. Die Züge sollen im Tunnel bis zu 200 km/h erreichen, später auf tschechischer Seite Richtung Prag sogar bis zu 320 km/h. Durch das gesamte Vorhaben soll man Prag von Dresden in einer Stunde statt heute 2,5 Stunden erreichen. Die Deutsche Bahn hat bisher das Jahr 2032 für den Baustart avisiert und möchte rund 12 Jahre später fertig sein.

Schädel der heiligen Zdislava gerettet

Vorige Woche wurde der als Reliquie verehrte Schädel der Heiligen Zdislava aus der Basilika des Heiligen Vavřinec (Laurentius) im nordböhmischen Jablonné nad Podještědí (Gabel) gestohlen. Die Polizei fasste den Täter bereits nach zwei Tagen, wie wir letzte Woche vermelden konnten. Er hatte jedoch den Schädel in Beton gegossen, um ihn in einem Fluss zu versenken, weil er mit der Zurschaustellung nicht einverstanden war.

Restauratoren ist es gelungen, den Schädel nahezu unversehrt aus dem Beton zu befreien. Die Dominikaner, zu deren Kloster die Basilika gehört, sprachen daraufhin von einem Wunder. Allerdings waren beim Diebstahl fünf Absplitterungen vom Schädel entstanden, weil der Täter ein zu kleines Loch ins Schutzglas geschlagen hatte. Diese Splitter sollen nun wieder befestigt werden.

Hakenkreuze in Cheb

Auf das Gebäude in Cheb (Eger), in dem u.a. der "Bund der Deutschen - Landschaft Egerland" seinen Sitz hat, wurden in der Nacht zum Mittwoch Hakenkreuze gesprüht. Die Polizei ermittelt, und die Stadt Cheb verurteilte die Tat sehr deutlich. Der Bürgermeister erklärte, dass es in Cheb keinerlei Probleme mit den deutschen Landsleuten gebe, ganz im Gegenteil: „Wir verstehen uns gut mit dem Büro des Bundes der Deutschen und stehen in Kontakt; auch deshalb haben wir ihnen einen Platz direkt auf dem Marktplatz zur Verfügung gestellt. Was in der Nacht passiert ist, ist für uns daher inakzeptabel“.

Es ist vermutlich nicht zu weit hergeholt, einen Zusammenhang zwischen dieser Tat und der durch den ablehnenden Beschluss des tschechischen Parlaments zur Ausrichtung des Sudetendeutschen Tages in Brno (wir berichteten) erzeugten Diskussion zu sehen. Richard Neugebauer, Präsident der Landesversammlung der deutschen Vereine in der Tschechischen Republik (LV), äußerte sich diesem Sinne. Und in dieselbe Richtung gehen auch einige Kommentare unter einem entsprechenden Facebook-Beitrag der Stadt Cheb, sowohl dafür als auch dagegen. Sollte sich das bewahrheiten, würde es die letzte Woche hier geäußerte Befürchtung bestätigen, dass das Ausspielen der antideutschen Karte im politischen Wettbewerb nicht ohne Folgen bleiben kann, auch wenn die Initiatoren des Parlamentsbeschlusses das verneinen.

Der Sudetendeutsche Tag begann am Donnerstag mit einer Gedenkveranstaltung an die Opfer des Nationalsozialismus am Bahnhof in Brno. Dagegen protestierten rund 100 Menschen, die ausgerechnet bei dieser Veranstaltung den Vorwurf der Nähe zum Nationalsozialismus auf ihre Plakate schrieben. Wir sind vor Ort und werden nächste Woche an dieser Stelle ein Resümee des gesamten Wochenendes ziehen.

Hinsichtlich der durchaus geteilten Meinung der tschechischen Bevölkerung zur Einladung des Sudetendeutschen Tages nach Brno hat Radio Prag einen sehr aufschlussreichen Artikel verfasst.

 

In June, we can recommend three completely different Czech-German cultural events within just 8 days.

Excursion on the topic of "Food culture past and present" on June 6

Weesenstein Castle invites you to a culinary journey of discovery to Zubrnice and Česká Kamenice on June 6 as part of a German-Czech project. A lot of culinary history and more will be conveyed at both locations.

More information and registration

Reading with Jaroslav Rudiš on the steamer on June 9

Three days later, it's also about culinary delights: Jaroslav Rudiš will read from his book "Gebrauchsanweisung für Bier", but this time on the steamboat "Leipzig" as it glides past the beautiful Dresden backdrop in the evening between Terrassenufer and Pillnitz.

More information and registration

Country & Folk Festival with sporting family competition in Osek on June 13

The Country & Folk Festival "Osecká kytara" (Osek Guitar) will take place for the 33rd time on June 13 in - you guessed it - Osek. In the morning, Czech and German (family) teams can compete in a varied sporting competition. You can register for this on our website.

Around midday, various Czech and German music groups with children and young people will perform, including some from Dippoldiswalde.

Later, the actual Country & Folk program begins with bands and solo artists from the Czech Republic and Saxony. They include Bob a bobci from northern Bohemia, Ina Schirmer from Olbernhau, Sabina Uxová from Kolín, b.country from Thum, Lubomír Stranďa Stráník from the Ore Mountains and the oldest all-female country band Schovanky, which has already performed on stage with Johnny Cash.

The festival is supported by the Ore Mountains/Krušnohoří Euroregion Small Projects Fund.

More information and registration for the competition

 

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(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Czech parliament rejects Sudeten German Day

For the first time in its history, the Sudeten German Day will take place on the territory of the Czech Republic: This year, the gathering traditionally organized by the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft at Whitsun will be celebrated by invitation in Brno (Brünn) under the motto "All life is encounter".

A few days before the start of this historic event, a narrow majority in the Czech parliament has now spoken out against the meeting. A bill put forward by the Czech governing coalition of ANO, Motorists and the far-right SPD was approved by 73 out of only 77 MPs present. Three ANO MPs and the environment minister for the Motorists, Igor Červený, abstained from voting. The parliament comprises a total of 200 MPs, the governing coalition has 108 seats. The opposition MPs left the chamber in unison for the duration of the vote.

With the resolution, the parliament rejects the 76th edition of the Sudeten German Day on the soil of the Czech Republic and called on the organizers to cancel the event. The resolution also refers to those parts of the Sudeten Germans who question the conditions that have existed since the end of the Second World War. It condemns any expressions of historical revisionism, relativization of National Socialist crimes and a challenge to the legal and property relations in the Czech Republic in the post-war period, i.e. the so-called Benesch Decrees. It should be mentioned that the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft under Bernd Posselt already abandoned such demands 11 years ago. Without this progress, the invitation to Brno would never have been extended.

Speakers from the governing coalition also pointed out that relations between Germany and the Czech Republic are the best in modern history and that the rejection of Sudeten German Day should not affect them. However, the organization of Sudeten German Day in Brno was "not very happy and opens old wounds", according to the speaker of the ANO party Taťána Malá, or "a political provocation", according to the speaker of the Motorists, Minister of Sport Boris Šťastný. At the same time, the parliament emphasized the importance of the Czech-German Declaration of 1997, which confirms the existence of the Benesch Decrees, but refers to the past. An important consequence of the declaration was the establishment of the German-Czech Future Fund, which the foreign ministers of both states, Johann Wadephul and Petr Macinka, pledged to continue financing last week in Berlin.

The Sudeten German Day in Brno takes place at the invitation of the Meeting Brno organization. It has been organizing the Reconciliation March for years, which commemorates the expulsion of the Brno Germans after the Second World War. The organizers confirmed that the Sudeten German Day will take place as planned despite the decision of the parliamentarians. They see the decision of the House of Representatives as an expression of weakness and fear of their own past and not an expression of national self-confidence. The chairman of the Pirate Party in Brno, Adam Zemek, described the decision as a disgrace.

The chairman of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft, Bernd Posselt (CSU), described the vote as a "farce and a caricature of a parliamentary process". He pointed out that around a third of MPs from the governing parties did not show up or did not vote, including Prime Minister Babiš (Ano party).

In the past, the far-right SPD had already organized a protest event against Sudeten German Day. Several online petitions on the Petice.com portal with a total of almost 30,000 signatories oppose Sudeten German Day in the Czech Republic. Another petition from the beginning of May in support of Sudeten German Day has just over 6,000 signatories so far.

The number of Czech participants in Sudeten German Day has been increasing for years. At the same time, the proportion of the Czech population who have reservations about Germany and the Germans is steadily decreasing, but according to surveys it is still around 25 to 30 percent.

Scoring a few political points with this section of the population is likely to have been the main aim of the two small right-wing governing parties, both of which (especially the Motorists) are doing very badly in the polls. Even if they emphasize that they do not want to burden German-Czech relations with the decision, it is playing with fire if the anti-German card is pulled out again and again as soon as they hope to gain a small advantage from it.

Theft and return of a holy relic in the Czech Republic

Shock in the Czech Republic: On Tuesday evening, an unknown person stole the skull of Saint Zdislava from the Basilica of Saint Vavřinec (Laurentius) in Jablonné nad Podještědí (Fork) in northern Bohemia near the border with Saxony. According to the police, the perpetrator is said to have taken advantage of the fact that the alarm system was switched off shortly before mass in the evening. As the priest was preparing for mass, he smashed the double glass of the reliquary. The priest could only see the perpetrator disappear from the church. The crime is said to have occurred between 6 and 6.15 pm.

On Thursday evening, however, the police reported that they had caught the suspect in the neighboring district of Central Bohemia. The perpetrator is said to have changed his clothes after the crime and driven to Mladá Boleslav. At the same time, the police have already indicated that they know where the 800-year-old relic is located. On Friday afternoon, they then announced further details at a press conference in Česká Lípa (Bohemian Leipa). According to the report, the perpetrator had cast the skull in concrete in order to sink it in the river. According to the police, the suspect confessed to the theft. However, he had not wanted to sell the skull. He was annoyed that it was lying separated from the body in the church and wanted to give it eternal rest.

It was still unclear on Friday whether the skull could be removed intact from the concrete. Restorers are currently attempting to do so. For believers, the skull has above all a spiritual value. Zdislava was a Bohemian noblewoman who was particularly committed to helping the poor. She also founded the monastery in Jablonné v Podještědí. She died at the age of just 32 and was laid to rest in the Basilica of St. Lawrence.

She was beatified in 1907 and canonized in 1995 by Pope John Paul II. She is venerated as the patron saint of the poor and suffering. Since 2000, she has also been the patron saint of the diocese of Litoměřice. Tens of thousands of people make a pilgrimage to the shrine with her skull every year. In Jablonné, she is always commemorated with a pilgrimage on May 30. A new shrine with bulletproof glass is to be installed in the basilica by then.

Serious riots at the soccer summit

After serious rioting in the top match of the Czech soccer league between Slavia Prague and Sparta Prague, the league association imposed severe penalties, especially against the home team Slavia. At last Saturday's match, Slavia fans stormed the pitch shortly before the end of stoppage time and attacked several Sparta Prague players. Jakub Surovčík, the visitors' goalkeeper, was the most seriously affected. The match, which was 3:2 in favor of Slavia at the time of the attack, was scored 3:0 for Sparta. Slavia received the maximum fine of 10 million crowns (approx. 400,000 euros) and must play four home games without spectators. This still affects two home games in the championship round and the first two home games in the new 2026/27 season.

The race for the championship was briefly open again due to the new scoring of the game. After a win in the next game (in front of empty stands) and a draw by Sparta, Slavia were nevertheless able to secure the championship and participation in the group stage of the Champions League in the coming season ahead of schedule. However, Slavia did not feel like celebrating. The incident will keep the club busy for a while. The rioters are to be banned from the stadium for life. The police have already reported that they have identified most of the people involved. The police investigation is continuing. Sparta Prague also received a smaller fine, as Sparta supporters had also stormed the pitch. Slavia Prague is expecting losses of 50 million crowns (approx. 2 million euros) as a result of the riot.

Damage assessment for forest fire in Bohemian Switzerland

The national park estimates the damage caused by the forest fire at the beginning of May at 15 to 20 million crowns, i.e. up to 800,000 euros. This mainly relates to the damage caused to the forest by the fire, but also to the costs of the fire-fighting operation. The National Park is now claiming its insurance cover.

At the same time, the national park announced that the affected area between the villages of Rynartice and Chřibská will remain closed for longer. This is because there is a risk of further damage from falling trees, but rockfalls are also possible. This must now be investigated. Paths also need to be cleared and trees at risk need to be felled. Many paths were also affected by the fire. The fire also destroyed young beech and fir trees that were only 10 to 15 years old.

It had broken out in rough terrain on May 2. By May 7, when the fire was finally extinguished thanks to the onset of rain, 2,581 firefighters had been deployed. Helicopters dumped almost 3 million liters of water over the fire area. Despite the difficult terrain, the spread of the fire was stopped after 52 hours. The fire affected 100 hectares of forest, ten times less than the huge forest fire in the summer of 2022.

Czech Republic struggles for priority areas for wind power

The Czech Ministries of Environment, Industry and Trade and Regional Development have designated 80 areas for the faster construction of wind turbines and 14 areas for the construction of photovoltaic plants. A decision on the priority areas by the end of August is a prerequisite for receiving EU funding. The procedure for public comments is currently underway.

Two areas are planned for the Ústí district: one near Kryštofovy Hamry in the Ore Mountains and one near Podbořany in the Louny district. Another is mainly located in the Central Bohemian Region, but is close to the iconic Říp Mountain. The district administration of Ústí rejects this location. The administration also has reservations about the Ore Mountains site due to its proximity to an army radio station. In the Liberec district, wind turbines are planned in the former restricted area of Ralsko and in the Semily district.

However, motorist politician Filip Turek is currently campaigning against the construction of wind turbines. Turek is the government's representative for climate policy and the Green Deal, although he is an outspoken opponent of it. He actually wanted to become Environment Minister, but President Petr Pavel turned him down. Turek now wants to use the new building law to ensure that fewer wind turbines are built despite priority areas. He wants to tighten the distance regulations in the law. He wants wind turbines in priority areas to be at least 900 meters away from residential buildings. Outside of priority areas, the distance should be 1.2 kilometers if the wind turbine is no higher than 240 meters.

The Czech Republic is well behind other countries in the European Union when it comes to building wind power plants. To date, just over 200 wind turbines are in operation in the country. These produce around one percent of the Czech Republic's electrical energy. In order to fulfill the obligation of 3 gigawatts of installed capacity, 500 to 600 more wind turbines would have to be built.

Industry Minister Karel Havlíček had already said that the target of 30 percent energy from renewable sources by 2030 declared by the previous government is not achievable. Currently, 18 percent of energy in the Czech Republic is produced from renewable sources. Nuclear energy is dominant, with coal-fired power generation in second place. However, the Czech Republic wants to phase out coal-fired power generation in the 2030s.

Wind turbines are reportedly not popular in the Czech Republic. However, a survey by the STEM/MARK Institute shows a different picture. According to the survey, 74 percent of respondents view wind power positively. Hydropower plants and solar power plants are even more popular. Nuclear power is very popular with two thirds of respondents. Coal is the least popular, with only 23 percent of respondents viewing it positively.

Czech Republic supports village shops

The Ústí district is once again participating in the Ministry of Industry and Trade's program to support village stores. Specifically, the district is applying for 3.8 million crowns (just under 160,000 euros), which will be given to stores in villages with up to 1,000 inhabitants. Since the start of the program in 2021, the district has already distributed 17 million crowns (700,000 euros) to 200 stores in the region. The money is intended to pay salaries for sales staff, energy, telephone and internet costs or cash register fees. Each store can receive between 20,000 and 100,000 crowns (800-4,100 euros). The prerequisite is that the stores primarily offer food, drinks and tobacco products.

The number of stores with an area of up to 400 square meters was 11,701 throughout the Czech Republic in 2023, a decrease of more than 2,000 compared to 2017. However, the decline has since slowed. Compared to 2019, there were only 400 fewer outlets.

 

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)