ANO wins the elections in the Ústí district

Richard Brabec is spoiled for choice. The leading candidate of the ANO party and sovereign winner of last weekend's elections in the Ústí district can choose his coalition partners. ANO is only two seats short of a majority government. The smallest party represented in the district parliament, Lepší Sever, has four seats. That would be enough to elect Richard Brabec as district governor. Both ANO and its district leader Richard Brabec are considered to be so flexible programmatically that they would actually form a coalition with any party. They could even form an alliance with the right-wing national populists from the SPD or the alliance of communists and social democrats Stačilo! (Enough!) with former district governor Oldřich Bubeníček at the helm. A total of six parties made it into parliament. But while ANO narrowly missed out on an absolute majority with 26 seats, the mayoral party STAN and the conservative-liberal Civic Democrats ODS only managed 7 seats each in the following places. The election was disappointing for both parties. For the last four years, the ODS was the second strongest party in the district government. Whether this will work again this time is very doubtful. STAN was almost able to repeat its result, but had expected more with the still young mayor of Česká Kamenice, Jan Papajanovský, at the helm.

However, the Pirate Party and its allies Spojenci (Greens, TOP09, JsmePro) were hit the hardest. The Pirates plummeted from over 10 percent to just 3 percent and are no longer represented in parliament. The Spojenci alliance is also out, achieving just over 4 percent. Four years ago, 5,000 more voters voted for them. In the end, the Spojenci were even part of the coalition.

It was not to be expected that ANO would end up so dominant. After all, the party had to change its lead candidate shortly before the elections. The previous candidate, Marek Hrabáč, Lord Mayor of Chomutov (Komotov) until the beginning of September and also represented on the district council, was arrested by the police on suspicion of corruption and is still in custody today. However, this did not seem to slow down the voters. It was known that ANO has loyal voters in the Ústí district. However, it owes this outstanding result to nationwide politics. The elections became a vote on the government in Prague.

However, because the choice of possible coalition partners is now so large, it is taking longer to find one. The second round of the Senate elections, which will take place next weekend, also plays a role. Observers assume that a decision on the coalition partner will not be made until the beginning of next week. But then things should happen very quickly. There is a lot for the new government to do. Among other things, the district will decide on school policy and public transport in the district. In the coming years, important projects such as the construction of the new railroad line from Prague to Dresden, lithium mining in the Ore Mountains and the classification of the Ore Mountains as a landscape conservation area are on the agenda. The district also has a say in everything.

Clearing of the Edmundsklamm gorge begins

The chainsaws are expected to start screeching in the Edmund Gorge (Edmundova soutěska) in Bohemian Switzerland as early as next week. Then 80 damaged trees will be removed from the stream bed or the edge of the gorge. This procedure is a bit of a surprise. For two years, the Bohemian Switzerland National Park Authority resisted any intervention in the Edmund Gorge. There are a large number of trees there that are so damaged by the bark beetle and, above all, the forest fire in the summer of 2022 that they could fall into the gorge at any time. For safety reasons, the Edmundsklamm gorge, which is popular with tourists, has therefore been closed until further notice. At the same time, the damaged trees and tree trunks could not be removed because it would be too dangerous for the workers and the work in the difficult-to-access terrain would be too expensive overall. The intervention would also damage the strictly protected gorge to such an extent that it would contradict the protection prescribed by law.

The national park administration therefore decided in March to close the gorge until at least 2027. Then they want to check whether the trees have already fallen on their own so that they can be removed and the gorge reopened. However, this also means that the closure could last even longer than just until 2027 if the damaged trees have not yet fallen in sufficient numbers. Nature could and should help itself. A video from the national park from March shows the situation at the time (available on YouTube).

Six months later, everything is different. Over the next few weeks, not only will the 80 or so damaged trees be removed from the stream bed and the edge of the gorge. The forestry work will also continue on the section above the route, where boats used to sail in the dammed water of the Kamenice stream until summer 2022. Damaged trees are also to be removed above the landing stage.

The background to the surprising change of heart is the flooding. Although the municipality of Hřensko (Herrnskretschen), which owns the land in the gorge, had repeatedly asked the national park to remove the damaged trees, it was not listened to. Due to the heavy rainfall two weeks ago, the municipality now also feared a rise in the level of the Kamenice. Once again, the municipality requested that the tree trunks be removed from the stream bed. They could have dammed up the water or been swept away by the water. In both cases, this could have caused serious damage not only to the gorge, but also to the village.

The municipality turned not only to the national park, but also to the Ohře River Company, which is responsible for the Kamenice River, and to the Ministry of the Environment, which is superior to both the national park and the river company. And suddenly everything happened very quickly. Not fast enough for the current flood, but fortunately it went off without a hitch. The Kamenice did not rise significantly and the village was only threatened by the backwater from the Elbe. However, a company has now been found and the work in the Edmundsklamm gorge can finally begin. It should be completed in the fall. It is not yet clear whether this will mean that the gorge can be opened to tourists earlier, perhaps as early as next year.

On our own behalf: name search

This newsletter has been around for a year now and is fortunately becoming increasingly popular. We are no longer really happy with the original name "Wochenrückblick". It does not adequately describe the issue.

So, in the hope that we'll be able to draw on the intelligence and creativity of the swarm, we'd like to ask you: What would you call our weekly look at the Czech Republic and the border region? The title should describe exactly that, but at the same time be catchy and not too long and also work on social media. What title would make you want to read it?

Can you think of one? Then please send us your ideas to newsletterelbelabe.eu. If we decide on a suggestion, we will thank you with a Historical Atlas of the Elbe/Labe Euroregion and a selection of special Bohemian beers.

If you would like to receive our weekly review regularly in your email inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

To the newsletter registration

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

ANO wins the elections in the Ústí district

Richard Brabec is spoiled for choice. The leading candidate of the ANO party and sovereign winner of last weekend's elections in the Ústí district can choose his coalition partners. ANO is only two seats short of a majority government. The smallest party represented in the district parliament, Lepší Sever, has four seats. That would be enough to elect Richard Brabec as district governor. Both ANO and its district leader Richard Brabec are considered to be so flexible programmatically that they would actually form a coalition with any party. They could even form an alliance with the right-wing national populists from the SPD or the alliance of communists and social democrats Stačilo! (Enough!) with former district governor Oldřich Bubeníček at the helm. A total of six parties made it into parliament. But while ANO narrowly missed out on an absolute majority with 26 seats, the mayoral party STAN and the conservative-liberal Civic Democrats ODS only managed 7 seats each in the following places. The election was disappointing for both parties. For the last four years, the ODS was the second strongest party in the district government. Whether this will work again this time is very doubtful. STAN was almost able to repeat its result, but had expected more with the still young mayor of Česká Kamenice, Jan Papajanovský, at the helm.

However, the Pirate Party and its allies Spojenci (Greens, TOP09, JsmePro) were hit the hardest. The Pirates plummeted from over 10 percent to just 3 percent and are no longer represented in parliament. The Spojenci alliance is also out, achieving just over 4 percent. Four years ago, 5,000 more voters voted for them. In the end, the Spojenci were even part of the coalition.

It was not to be expected that ANO would end up so dominant. After all, the party had to change its lead candidate shortly before the elections. The previous candidate, Marek Hrabáč, Lord Mayor of Chomutov (Komotov) until the beginning of September and also represented on the district council, was arrested by the police on suspicion of corruption and is still in custody today. However, this did not seem to slow down the voters. It was known that ANO has loyal voters in the Ústí district. However, it owes this outstanding result to nationwide politics. The elections became a vote on the government in Prague.

However, because the choice of possible coalition partners is now so large, it is taking longer to find one. The second round of the Senate elections, which will take place next weekend, also plays a role. Observers assume that a decision on the coalition partner will not be made until the beginning of next week. But then things should happen very quickly. There is a lot for the new government to do. Among other things, the district will decide on school policy and public transport in the district. In the coming years, important projects such as the construction of the new railroad line from Prague to Dresden, lithium mining in the Ore Mountains and the classification of the Ore Mountains as a landscape conservation area are on the agenda. The district also has a say in everything.

Clearing of the Edmundsklamm gorge begins

The chainsaws are expected to start screeching in the Edmund Gorge (Edmundova soutěska) in Bohemian Switzerland as early as next week. Then 80 damaged trees will be removed from the stream bed or the edge of the gorge. This procedure is a bit of a surprise. For two years, the Bohemian Switzerland National Park Authority resisted any intervention in the Edmund Gorge. There are a large number of trees there that are so damaged by the bark beetle and, above all, the forest fire in the summer of 2022 that they could fall into the gorge at any time. For safety reasons, the Edmundsklamm gorge, which is popular with tourists, has therefore been closed until further notice. At the same time, the damaged trees and tree trunks could not be removed because it would be too dangerous for the workers and the work in the difficult-to-access terrain would be too expensive overall. The intervention would also damage the strictly protected gorge to such an extent that it would contradict the protection prescribed by law.

The national park administration therefore decided in March to close the gorge until at least 2027. Then they want to check whether the trees have already fallen on their own so that they can be removed and the gorge reopened. However, this also means that the closure could last even longer than just until 2027 if the damaged trees have not yet fallen in sufficient numbers. Nature could and should help itself. A video from the national park from March shows the situation at the time (available on YouTube).

Six months later, everything is different. Over the next few weeks, not only will the 80 or so damaged trees be removed from the stream bed and the edge of the gorge. The forestry work will also continue on the section above the route, where boats used to sail in the dammed water of the Kamenice stream until summer 2022. Damaged trees are also to be removed above the landing stage.

The background to the surprising change of heart is the flooding. Although the municipality of Hřensko (Herrnskretschen), which owns the land in the gorge, had repeatedly asked the national park to remove the damaged trees, it was not listened to. Due to the heavy rainfall two weeks ago, the municipality now also feared a rise in the level of the Kamenice. Once again, the municipality requested that the tree trunks be removed from the stream bed. They could have dammed up the water or been swept away by the water. In both cases, this could have caused serious damage not only to the gorge, but also to the village.

The municipality turned not only to the national park, but also to the Ohře River Company, which is responsible for the Kamenice River, and to the Ministry of the Environment, which is superior to both the national park and the river company. And suddenly everything happened very quickly. Not fast enough for the current flood, but fortunately it went off without a hitch. The Kamenice did not rise significantly and the village was only threatened by the backwater from the Elbe. However, a company has now been found and the work in the Edmundsklamm gorge can finally begin. It should be completed in the fall. It is not yet clear whether this will mean that the gorge can be opened to tourists earlier, perhaps as early as next year.

On our own behalf: name search

This newsletter has been around for a year now and is fortunately becoming increasingly popular. We are no longer really happy with the original name "Wochenrückblick". It does not adequately describe the issue.

So, in the hope that we'll be able to draw on the intelligence and creativity of the swarm, we'd like to ask you: What would you call our weekly look at the Czech Republic and the border region? The title should describe exactly that, but at the same time be catchy and not too long and also work on social media. What title would make you want to read it?

Can you think of one? Then please send us your ideas to newsletterelbelabe.eu. If we decide on a suggestion, we will thank you with a Historical Atlas of the Elbe/Labe Euroregion and a selection of special Bohemian beers.

If you would like to receive our weekly review regularly in your email inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

To the newsletter registration

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Beim Tschechischen Filmmittwoch am 2. Oktober gehen wir weit zurück in die Filmgeschichte, bis ins Jahr 1948. Der Film »Krakatit« wurde in der kurzen Periode einer demokratischen Tschechoslowakei zwischen 1945 und 1948 nach einem Roman des berühmten Karel Čapek gedreht.

Krakatit ist der Name eines Sprengstoffs mit unvorstellbarer zerstörerischer Wirkung. Sein Erfinder, der Ingenieur Prokop, ist selbst entsetzt darüber, aber für viele andere ist es ein begehrtes Instrument der absoluten Macht. Prokop wandelt im Film durch verschiedene Szenen, bei denen nie ganz klar wird, was Wirklichkeit und was Wahn ist. Er verliebt sich, er wird gefangen genommen und zur Sprengstoffentwicklung gezwungen, er wird von einer Prinzessin um den Finger gewickelt, er versucht die Welt zu retten und jagt sie doch in die Luft.

In Karel Čapeks gleichnamigem Roman aus dem Jahr 1924 waren Prokops Experimente und ihre Folgen eine reine Vision des Autors. Im Gegensatz dazu spiegelt die Verfilmung, die nicht lange nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg und den Angriffen auf Hiroshima und Nagasaki entstanden ist, zum Teil deutlich die tatsächlichen Ereignisse wider. Abgesehen von seinem eindringlichen moralischen Appell besticht er auch heute noch durch seine delirierende Atmosphäre und seinen visuellen Einfallsreichtum in realen Außenaufnahmen und fantastischen Kulissen.

Mehr zum Film und Tickets

1st Ano, 39.47%ˇ, 26 seats/mandátů

2. STAN+PRO Zdraví, 11.94%, 7 seats/mandátů

3. ODS, 10.94%, 7 seats/mandátů

4th SPD, Trikolora a PRO, 10.44%, 6 seats/mandátů

5. Stačilo! v Ústeckém kraji, 7.94%, 5 seats/mandátů

6. Lepší sever, 6.63%, 4 seats/mandátů

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Czech Republic after the floods

Broken dams, flooded towns, washed-out roads and railways have been the main features of the landscape over the past few days, particularly in northern Moravia and the Silesian part of the Czech Republic. Entire districts in Ostrava, the third largest city in the Czech Republic, were under water. The town of Hanušovice was flooded within a very short time by a tidal wave from the Morava (Morava) because a dam had burst. The worst hit towns were Krnov, Jeseník and Opava, which were almost completely submerged for several days. Even in parts of the city where nobody had expected it. Thousands of people had to be evacuated and five people lost their lives.

Not only the transport infrastructure and private homes were affected. Companies were also flooded. For example, a packaging warehouse belonging to drinks manufacturer Kofola in Krnov was flooded. Kofola also owns the two breweries Holba and Litovel in Hanušovice and Litovel. However, they were prepared and were able to avoid major damage.

The extent of the financial damage is still being calculated. The Ministry of Finance wants to increase the current budget by 30 billion crowns (1.2 billion euros). At the same time, the Ministry of Finance assumes that it will have to compensate for a quarter of the damage. This would mean that the total damage would be higher than ever before at 120 billion crowns. The damage caused by the floods in August 2002 was the highest at 71.49 billion crowns. This was followed by the severe flood in Moravia in July 1997 with 25.99 billion crowns.

Other forecasts assume that the damage will be lower than 22 years ago. The reason for this is the long warning period. The forecasts were very accurate and most of them came true as predicted. This meant that precautions could be taken in good time. Dams released water in advance to provide more storage space for the flood. Thanks to the Vltava cascades, the floods on the Vltava and Elbe were kept within limits and were manageable. Many flood protection measures taken since 1997 also came into effect and prevented worse. However, not only the people, but also the authorities and aid organizations reported that the situation was worse than expected, especially in some regions of Moravia and Silesia.

By the end of the week, the water had receded in most regions and alert levels were revoked. The water level on the Elbe is also falling faster than expected. On Friday morning, more than half a day earlier than expected, the river in Děčín had already dropped to alert level 2. Only in South Bohemia on the Lužnice River was the third flood warning level still exceeded on Friday.

Castle hill in Varnsdorf reopened

After four years of renovation, the chalet on Hrádek Hill near Varnsdorf has been reopened. The reopening had to be postponed again and again as the renovation proved to be more complex than expected. The historic hut was also given a new terrace, the steps and paths were redesigned and the access road was modernized and equipped with lighting. Hrádek (German: Burgsberg) is located in the immediate vicinity of Seifhennersdorf and is a popular excursion destination. The observation tower has been opened for the time being. There is also a restaurant in the chalet, which has been equipped with a new kitchen. The town is still looking for an operator for the restaurant.

Czech Commissioner for Development Aid

First energy, then trade and finally "international cooperation" and the Global Gateway project. Czech EU Commissioner Jozef Síkela had to take a back seat in the allocation process for the commissioner posts in Ursula von der Leyen's new EU Commission. Nevertheless, his subject area is likely to be influential. With the Global Gateway project, the EU wants to limit China's influence, particularly in Africa and Latin America, and become an important strategic partner for countries on both continents. Síkela's department is heavily funded and staffed. This shows the importance that the EU attaches to cooperation with the countries of the so-called Third World.

District and senate elections

The Czech Republic faces an important election this weekend. On Friday and Saturday, district parliaments and a third of senators will be elected. Despite the immense damage, the government decided to hold the elections in the hard-hit districts.

The elections are seen as a test of the mood for the national elections next fall. However, interest is traditionally low. Voter turnout is usually below 50 percent. In the Liberec district, the mayoral party of the ruling district governor Martin Puta is slightly favored. In the Ústí district, ANO can hope to win the election, despite a corruption scandal shortly before the elections.

ANO already has Jan Schiller as district governor, but had decided to go into the elections with new top personnel. However, the leading candidate and mayor Marek Hrabáč stumbled across a corruption scandal in August. He has been in custody since then and has been stripped of all his offices. Former manager of the Lovochemie chemical plant and Environment Minister Richard Brabec is now standing as the ANO's lead candidate. Brabec has already announced that he will not relinquish his seat in the Czech parliament in Prague even if he becomes district governor.

Polling stations opened on Friday between 2 and 10 pm. On Saturday, polling stations will open from 8 am to 2 pm. The first results are expected on Saturday evening.

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To the newsletter registration

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

It's back: the small project fund in the Elbe/Labe Euroregion for the promotion of German-Czech projects. Compared to the past, a few things have changed this time, in most cases for the better. In addition, the Euroregion has introduced a special project service that makes it easier to use the small project fund. We would like to inform interested parties about this.

The target group of the event are representatives of associations, schools and daycare centers, public administration and other institutions that want to carry out such projects.

You can get an overview of the Small Projects Fund in advance on our website.

When: on 23.09.2024 from 6 pm
Where: Dippoldiswalde town hall, council chamber

To plan seating capacity, please register in advance on the event page.

Further information and pre-registration

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

The Local Steering Committee is the body that decides on funding applications for the Elbe/Labe Euroregion Small Projects Fund. At its meeting on 13.09.2024 in Litoměřice, it approved seven project applications, one was rejected. The individual projects and the funding amounts can be found in the overview.

To the overview of the projects dealt with

The Small Projects Fund is funded by the European Union via the INTERREG Saxony-Czech Republic program.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Czech Republic prepares for floods

Meteorologists are expecting masses of rain similar to those in the flood years 1997 and 2002 in the Czech Republic this weekend. In 1997, the country had to contend with a flood in Moravia, which turned into the Oder flood in Germany days later. In 2002, the Bohemian part of the country was affected. As in Germany, the Elbe reached record levels.

It could be the same this time. The masses of water are mainly raining down over the Jeseníky Mountains. Heavy rain is also expected in the Krkonoše Mountains. The Jeseníky Mountains drain into the Morava and the Oder, the Krkonoše into the Elbe. However, rainfall is forecast for the whole of the Czech Republic. According to the Hydrometeorological Institute, water levels are rising rapidly due to the rain that started on Friday. The water levels were already high anyway because the dams were releasing more water to hold back the floodwaters. In Ústí nad Labem, the first flood warning level is expected for Saturday afternoon. This corresponds to a water level of 4.50 meters. 24 hours later, the mark for the third warning level of 6 meters is expected to be exceeded. However, the fourth level for extreme flooding (10.85 meters) is unlikely to be reached.

At the same time, the Hydrometeorological Institute assumes that the consequences will be less dramatic than in 1997 and 2002. The overall weather situation is more favorable today, as the heavy rainfall will hit soils and reservoirs that are ready to absorb it after the dry weeks. The situation could only become dramatic in the mountains because less water can be retained there.

In addition, the Czech Republic has invested over 1 billion euros in flood protection measures over the past 22 years. The effect of these measures was already evident during the Elbe floods in 2013. "This time, we have a three-day head start compared to the floods 20 years ago," Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný told the daily newspaper Hospodářské noviny.

At the same time, the Czech Republic now also has a better warning system. The authorities actively communicate with residents via text messages, apps and village radios. Residents, in turn, can quickly report disaster situations such as fallen trees via photos in apps.

The president shows off the crown jewels

They have an air of mystery about them. The Bohemian crown jewels are only displayed on special occasions. Seeing them is a bit like traveling to Mecca. Every inhabitant of the Czech Republic should have seen them at least once in their life. In a few days it will be that time again. From September 17 to 30, the crown jewels will be on display at Prague Castle (Hradcany) on the occasion of the feast day of St. Wenceslas (September 28). The Wenceslas crown, orb and sceptre will be on display daily from 9 am to 5 pm in the Vladislav Hall in the Old Royal Palace. Admission is free, but long queues are expected. On September 19 and September 26 until 1 p.m., the exhibition is reserved for school groups only. On September 16, the crown jewels will be moved from the Crown Chamber of St. Vitus Cathedral to the Vladislav Hall. All seven holders of the keys must come together for the opening of the Crown Chamber. In addition to the President, they include the Prime Minister and the Archbishop of Prague.

There is hopeful news for all those who cannot make it to the crown jewels this time. While the crown jewels were previously only displayed on special occasions, President Petr Pavel plans to display them regularly once a year.

Czech Republic ahead of regional elections

In the Czech Republic, the regional parliaments will be re-elected on September 20 and 21. In addition to regional priorities and special features, the elections are also seen as a mood test for the national elections, which will take place next fall. In nationwide polls, the ANO party of former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is clearly in the lead. His party is also considered to have the best chances in the districts. Whether it will actually win in all districts is still questionable. It is also questionable whether ANO will then be involved in the district governments. According to the Kantar polling institute, ANO has the least chance of being involved in the district leadership in the Liberec district, where the mayoral party of the incumbent district governor Martin Půta is traditionally strong.

In the Ústí district, however, ANO is the favorite. The district is traditionally a stronghold of the Babiš party. This also applies after the ANO lead candidate Marek Hrabáč was involved in a corruption scandal and was replaced by the former environment minister Richard Brabec. Brabec is considered a close confidant of party leader Andrej Babiš. The question is whether ANO can repeat its result of just under 26%. Without the affair, ANO's chances would have been well over 30 percent.

Behind ANO, the right-wing populist SPD, the liberal-conservative ODS (Civic Party) and the mayors (STAN) are considered to have the best chances of entering parliament. However, they are likely to finish well behind ANO. The alliances Lepší sever (Better North) led by the mayor of Most, Jan Paparega, and Stačilo! led by the former captain Oldřich Bubeníček also have a good chance of getting over the 5 percent hurdle. It could be close for the Spojenci pro kraj (Allies for the District - coalition of Christian Democrats, Liberals and Greens) and the Pirates.

An alliance of ANO, ODS and Spojenci pro kraj has governed the Ústí district for four years.

At the same time, a third of the senators in the Czech upper house are also elected.

Cities and municipalities with record surpluses

Budget holes, austerity programs. What makes politicians in German cities and municipalities despair are foreign words for many Czech municipalities. This year, together with the districts, they are once again reporting record surpluses. At the end of the first half of the year, they totaled 82 billion crowns (the equivalent of around 3.3 billion euros). 220 cities and municipalities and several districts contributed to the surplus. The surpluses are partly parked at the Czech National Bank as term deposits against interest on savings. The Czech government uses the relatively low interest rate to pay off its national debt at low cost.

Critics complain that the money would be better invested. Other voices are calling for a redistribution of taxes. This is because both the districts and the municipalities are financed from the tax equalization of the state budget. The state therefore collects most of the taxes and returns them to the districts and municipalities as part of the regional tax distribution. However, a change in tax distribution is not foreseeable. The necessary two-thirds majority is lacking in parliament.

October 12 becomes Samizdat Day

The Czech parliament has designated October 12 as Samizdat Day. This is to commemorate the independent publishing activities during the communist era, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, the works of many writers were not allowed to be published. They were therefore distributed in small editions by Samizdat. One of the best-known self-publishers was Edice Petlice by dissident and writer Ludvík Vaculík.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Tschechischer Minister wird Energie-Kommissar

Noch ist es inoffiziell. Aber wie die Tageszeitung Die Welt diese Woche berichtete, hat sich Tschechien offenbar mit seinem Wunsch-Kandidaten und dem Wunsch-Ressort in der neuen EU-Kommission durchgesetzt. Demnach habe Ursula von der Leyen den Industrieminister Jozef Síkela für den Posten des EU-Kommissars für Energie vorgeschlagen. Endgültig werden die Mitglieder der Kommission nach einer Anhörung vom EU-Parlament bestätigt. Tschechien hatte von Anfang an Ansprüche auf das Energieressort angemeldet und auch eine klare Vorstellung, wer dies besetzen sollte. Der Aufforderung von der Leyens, auch eine weibliche Kandidatin zu benennen, kam die Regierung nicht nach, sondern blieb bei Síkela.

Dieser hat als Industrieminister wiederholt betont, dass für Tschechien Innovationen vor allem in Verbindung mit dem Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien und anderer emissionsarmer Energiequellen entscheidend sind. Mit Síkela bekäme die Kommission aber auch einen Vertreter eines Landes, das weiter auf Atomkraft als emissionsarme Energiequelle setzt. Bei erneuerbaren Energien ist in Tschechien noch viel Luft nach oben. Während der Ausbau von Photovoltaikanlagen in den letzten Jahren wieder an Schwung gewonnen hat, ist die Windkraftnutzung rudimentär. Außerdem bemüht sich Tschechien um den Ausbau der Wasserstoffnutzung. Hier leidet das Land aber darunter, dass bislang Wasserstoff, der nicht aus erneuerbarer Energie stammt, nicht von der Europäischen Union gefördert wird.

Síkela gehört der tschechischen Regierung für die Bürgermeisterpartei (STAN) an. Der 57-jährige ist ein politischer Seiteneinsteiger, dessen Karriere erst relativ kurz vor den letzten Parlamentswahlen 2021 begann. Der erfahrene Banker, der lange in führenden Positionen der österreichischen Erste-Bank-Gruppe tätig war, spricht fließend Deutsch, Englisch, Französisch und Russisch.

Nationalpark fällt Bäume in der Edmundsklamm

Die Nationalparkverwaltung der Böhmischen Schweiz lässt in den kommenden Wochen mindestens 70 Bäume fällen. Dabei handele es sich um eine Hochwasserschutzmaßnahme, so die Erklärung aus der Nationalparkverwaltung. Gefällt werden Bäume, die durch Trockenheit oder Borkenkäfer so weit geschädigt sind, dass sie auf den Weg in der Edmundsklamm oder direkt in den Fluss Kamenice fallen könnten. Bei Starkregen oder langanhaltenden Niederschlägen könnten die umgestürzten Bäume in der Kamenice zur Bedrohung für die Gemeinde Hřensko werden.

„Auf die Baumfällaktion haben sich der Nationalpark, die Gemeinde Hřensko  und der zuständige Flussbetrieb Ohře geeinigt“, teilt Nationalparksprecher Tomáš Salov mit. Aktuell holt der Nationalpark Angebot für die Baumfällarbeiten ein.

Die Edmundsklamm ist seit dem verheerenden Waldbrand im Sommer 2022 wegen möglicher Gefahren durch Baum- oder Felsbruch für Besucher gesperrt.

Straße in Hřensko wieder frei

Seit Freitagnachmittag ist die Straße in Hřensko wieder frei. Die Sperrung war wegen eines instabilen Felsens nötig geworden. Seit Montag arbeitete eine Firma an der Stabilisierung des Sandsteinfelsens. Dabei wird der Felsblock mit einem Stahlnetz gesichert und im Felsen verankert. Laut der Bezirksstraßenverwaltung wurden Netze am Freitag festgezogen.

Ab Nachmittag konnte dann der Verkehr wieder rollen. Die Sperrung betraf die Straße im Ort links des Flüsschens Kamenice. Damit war die Zufahrt zu den Parkplätzen im hinteren Teil des Ortes sowie nach Mezní Louka oder Janov nur mit großen Umwegen möglich. Die Straße an der Elbe von Schmilka nach Děčín war von der Sperrung nicht betroffen.

Reallohnzuwächse in Tschechien

Das durchschnittliche Bruttomonatsgehalt ist im zweiten Quartal dieses Jahres in Tschechien kräftig um 6,5 Prozent gestiegen. Da die Verbraucherpreise nur um 2,6 Prozent zulegten, stiegen die Gehälter real im Schnitt um 3,9 Prozent. Das durchschnittliche Bruttomonatsgehalt lag im zweiten Quartal bei 45.854 Kronen (ca. 1.834 Euro) und damit um knapp 2.800 Kronen höher als im gleichen Zeitraum 2023.

Während sich die seit 2022 hohe Inflation abschwächte, konnten hohe Lohnzuwächse die Reallohnverluste der letzten Jahre etwas ausgleichen. Das Gehaltsniveau in den Regionen unterscheidet sich allerdings deutlich von dem in der Hauptstadt Prag. Im Bezirk Ústí lag das Durchschnittsgehalt mit 42.801 Kronen (1.712 Euro) noch weit unter dem landesweiten Wert.

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The Sahra Wagenknecht alliance achieved a double-digit result from a standing start and could even become part of a new government.
The previous coalition partners, the Greens and the SPD, are also represented in the state parliament again. 31.9 percent of voters gave it their second vote. The AfD, classified as far-right by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, came second with 30.6%. The BSW achieved a double-digit result on its first attempt with 11.8%.

According to preliminary results, the SPD (7.3%) and the Greens (5.1%) made it into the state parliament. The Left Party (4.5 percent) and FDP (0.9 percent) failed to clear the five percent hurdle.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Aerial bomb keeps refinery on tenterhooks

The discovery of a British aerial bomb on the site of the chemical plant in Litvínov a week ago is still keeping the emergency services busy. As it is a bomb with a chemical time program, the specialists initially waited until Tuesday in case the mechanism was triggered by then. As this did not happen, the targeted detonation was planned for Friday, depending on the weather conditions.

The bomb is a very dangerous model that is unknown in the Czech Republic. For this reason, the experts also sought help in Germany, where such bombs have already been found. Due to the unpredictability of an explosion, 600 people were evacuated and the area was cordoned off.

The bomb weighs 250 kilograms and the explosives alone weigh 150 kilograms. An uncontrolled explosion would have devastating consequences, as there are chemical plants nearby. The state currently supplies petrol stations from its reserve, as the refinery in Litvínov is the most important in the country.

To protect the industrial plants, a wall of sandbags was built for the controlled explosion on Friday.

Road closure due to boulder in Hřensko

If you want to drive to Pravčická brána (Pravčická Gate) at the weekend, you have to take a long detour. In the border town of Hřensko, a 12 cubic meter boulder is threatening to fall onto the road. This is the result of a geological survey that was commissioned after cracks were discovered in the rock. As a result, the road in the center of the village to the left of the Kamenice has been closed since Wednesday morning as a precautionary measure. Drivers can still get as far as the Hudy Sport store. After that it's over. However, the road along the Elbe is not affected. The road between Schmilka and Děčín is passable.
The responsible district road administration is preparing the renovation. One option is to stabilize the rock with a protective net. "It looks like the work can start on Monday," says Aleš Kocián, Head of the Děčín Department of the Regional Road Administration. It currently looks like the closure will last at least a week.
The mayor of Hřensko, Kateřina Horáková, expressed relief that the closure will not take place until the end of the Czech school vacations. However, for many hikers, the trip to the Prebisch Gate will be an odyssey. The nearest parking lot to the Prebischtor at the end of the village can only be reached by taking a long detour via Děčín, Ludvíkovice, Arnoltice and Janov.
However, those arriving by train will have no problems. It is possible to use the path on foot on the right side of the Kamenice stream past the church.
However, a trip to the Wild Gorge, which can be reached either from Mezná (Stimmersdorf) or Růžová (Rosendorf), is more difficult. Drivers must take the detour described here. An alternative is bus 435, which runs from the bus stop "Hřensko, Soutěsky" (Klammen) to Mezní Louka (Rainwiese), Mezná or in the other direction to Janov.

Czech willingness to donate to Ukraine increases

Czechs once again donated more to Ukraine in July. One reason for this was the Russian attack on a hospital. The aid organization Člověk v tísni (People in Need) alone recorded a record donation of 100 million crowns (4 million euros) in July. According to data from February this year, private individuals in the Czech Republic have donated over 7 billion crowns (280 million euros) since the start of the Russian invasion.

Křešice is the village of the year in the Ústí district

Křešice on the Elbe east of Litoměřice has won the title of "Village of the Year" this year. The competition is held every year. The main focus is on social life in the village and the preservation of cultural heritage and nature. Křešice will represent the Ústí district in the national competition with the winners in the other 13 districts. The title also comes with a cash prize of half a million crowns (20,000 euros).

School starts

School starts in the Czech Republic on Monday. Pupils return to class after a two-month vacation. According to the Ministry of Education, 118,000 first graders are new to schools this year. Traditionally, the first day of school after the summer vacation is September 1. As it falls on a Sunday this year, school starts on September 2.

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At Czech Film Wednesday on September 4 at 8 p.m. in the Zentralkino, we have something very special on offer this time: The 2014 film "Osmy" (Eighth) was produced for television and has probably never been shown in Germany before. Premiere!

The story: Richard has signed Charter 77 while drunk. The next day offers a series of disasters: In addition to his boss's ultimatum to revoke his signing of the charter, there's the threat of a deadline at work, a colleague who wants a divorce for him, a broken sewer pipe at home that floods the apartment and jeopardizes his marriage; the unexpected fatherhood of his fifteen-year-old son, which he is expected to take on.... To top it all off, he has an appointment at the dentist to have his wisdom teeth ("eights" in Czech) removed

Showing ordinary people in absurd everyday situations is almost a film genre in its own right in the Czech Republic. In this case, everything takes place against the backdrop of the leaden period of "normalization" in the 1970s, which brings in some more serious aspects (compared to "Příběhy obyčejného šílenství", for example, which was shown here last year). Nevertheless, the result is not a difficult movie. Instead, the typical fine Czech humor comes across very well.

More about the movie and tickets

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Memory of 1968

On Wednesday, the Czech Republic commemorated the invasion of five Warsaw Pact armies led by the Red Army 56 years ago. On the night of August 21, Czechoslovakia was occupied and the reform movement known as the Prague Spring was crushed. While units from other socialist countries such as Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria withdrew again, the Red Army remained until the end of June 1991. The GDR army only participated logistically and did not invade Czechoslovakia itself.

The new Czech film "Vlny" (Waves) by director and actor Jiří Mádl, which deals with the resistance of the radio editors of Czech Radio during the occupation, caused a stir in recent weeks. The now iconic photos by Czech-French photographer Josef Koudelka were also taken during the invasion. A biography of him has just been published.

Postal voting for Czechs abroad

As expected, the Czech Senate adopted the law on postal voting abroad with a clear majority. The lower house of parliament, the Sněmovna, had already approved the law. President Petr Pavel's signature is still required, but this is considered a formality.

The vote in the Senate was also a formality, as it was the senators who had made several attempts to vote by post abroad but failed due to a lack of support in the Chamber of Deputies. The new law means that Czech citizens who live abroad for a longer period of time will in future be able to vote by post for the President and members of the European Parliament and the Czech Chamber of Deputies. As before, they must be registered in the lists of foreign representations. Postal voting must also be applied for in good time.

Postal voting makes voting easier for those citizens who live in larger countries or in countries with only one foreign representation (usually an embassy or consulate) or no representation at all. In the past, they often had to travel by plane to exercise their right to vote. In Germany, Czech citizens can vote not only at the embassy in Berlin but also at the consulates general, one of which is located in Dresden.

In the past, the majority of Czechs abroad voted liberal, which explains why parties beyond the liberal spectrum such as ANO, ČSSD, SPD or KSČM rejected the amendment. The opposition in parliament has already announced that it will take the law to the Constitutional Court. The MPs fear a violation of the principle of free and secret elections.

Renewed imperial view

The town of Děčín has had one of the most beautiful views renovated. The Emperor's View is located on the south-western corner of Kvádrberk and is one of the most popular destinations near the city. It owes its name to the imperial couple Franz Josef I and his wife Elisabeth, known as Sissi. The obelisk was erected in honor of their silver wedding anniversary in 1879 and has now been restored by the city. The stairs and railings around the viewing terrace have also been renovated. From here, you can enjoy a panoramic view not only of the city and the Elbe Valley, but also of the peaks of the Bohemian Uplands and the High Snow Mountain (Děčínský sněžník).
From 1870 there was a restaurant in the immediate vicinity of the platform, initially a hut, from 1889 a log cabin and later a stone building. It was in operation until 1945 and was demolished at the end of the 1940s after the Germans were expelled.

Czech Republic expects a good hop harvest

The hop harvest has begun in the Czech Republic. The most important growing areas are in northern Bohemia in the Žatec (Saaz) region and near Litoměřice (Leitmeritz). Farmers expect the harvest to be around ten percent larger than in the previous year. In the Saaz hop region, it is even expected to be 30 percent higher. Around 7,000 tons of hops were harvested in the Czech Republic in 2023.

So at least there is good news for beer drinkers. As in Germany, fruit growers in particular, but also some grain farmers, are facing heavy losses. Large parts of the fruit harvest fell victim to a sudden frost following an unusually warm period in spring.

Taking part in the mountain meadow camp

Anyone who has always wanted to wield a scythe, especially on both sides of the German-Czech border, now has the opportunity to do so. The German-Czech Hay-Hoj-Camp still has places available. Jitka Pollakis from Naturschutzstation Osterzgebirge e.V. and her team are organizing the camp in Bielatal and Telnice for the 10th time. During the camp, mountain meadows are mowed to preserve the flowering splendor and biodiversity of this unique biotope in the Eastern Ore Mountains. A scythe workshop is part of the program. The week will be crowned with a neighborhood festival on 1 September at the church in Cínovec (Bohemian Zinnwald). More information on the program and registration can be found on the association's website.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Disappointment with Czech Olympic record

The Czech Olympic team returned from Paris with the worst medal tally since the Czech Republic was founded in 1993. The Olympians won three gold and two bronze medals, falling short of the result from Beijing 2008 (three gold, three silver and one bronze).

The chairmen of the National Sports Federation, Miloslav Jansta, and the National Olympic Committee, Jiří Kejval, considered the result a failure, even though they emphasized the achievements of the medal winners and those in the top 10. They identified underfunding in sport as the reason for the poor performance. This includes the payment of coaches and a lack of or inadequate infrastructure. This particularly affects team sports, where the Czech Republic has no chance of participating in the Olympic Games or other finals in the long term, with the exception of ice hockey and soccer.

Jansta and Kejval also lamented the lack of appreciation for sport and even more so for competitive sport in society. Children are less active than they were years ago, there are too few sports lessons per week and there is little club involvement, except in a few sports.

Typically for smaller countries, the Czech Republic excels in a few sports. At the Olympics since 2008, 80 percent of medals have been won in six sports: tennis (7), javelin (7), shooting (6), canoe sprint (6), canoe slalom (5) and rowing (4). This time, only the canoe sprint, tennis and javelin were convincing. The bronze medals in the epee fencing team competition and for javelin thrower Nikola Ogrodníková were surprising. Hopes for the next Games are raised by 30 places in the top 10, with the six classic Czech sports again taking more than half.

Farewell to the Olympic Festival in Most

Just like the Olympic Games, the Olympic Festival in Most came to an end on Sunday. The National Olympic Committee organizes the Olympic Festival in a different city for each Olympic Games. Over two weeks, a total of 70,000 visitors were able to try their hand at various sports or get autographs from Olympic athletes. The epee fencing team, who surprisingly won bronze in Paris, also paid a visit. President Petr Pavel also paid a visit to the festival. The eye-catcher of the festival was an almost 13-metre-high replica of the Eiffel Tower made from marine plastic, which was produced using 3D printers. It has not yet been decided who will host the Olympic Festival for the next Winter Games.

Kangaroos break out of prison

This story has even made it onto the big American late night shows: two kangaroos have returned after escaping from a prison in Jiřice, central Bohemia, north-east of Prague. After the first was caught, the second returned on its own. Both had dug their way to freedom under the fence. However, as the kangaroos do not live in the prison as punishment, but for therapy and as a reintegration aid for the inmates, their return was not too difficult.

The prison in Jiřice is a so-called open prison. Not only kangaroos are kept here, but also other animals. The inmates are encouraged to take responsibility by caring for them.

Czech embassy in Berlin before renovation

The Czech Embassy in Berlin is moving out of its iconic building on Wilhelmstrasse for the next five years. The reason for this is the renovation of the striking building near Potsdamer Platz. This is already overdue and is primarily intended to provide better insulation and reduce operating costs. The refurbishment of the building by the well-known architect couple Věra and Vladimír Machonin, who designed other well-known Brutalist buildings such as the Kotva department store in Prague, will be correspondingly costly. When the government decided to renovate the building in 2017, the planned costs still amounted to around 727 million crowns (29 million euros).

Meanwhile, the embassy is moving to an office building at Hausvogteiplatz 10. The Czech Center, which was previously based nearby on Leipziger Straße, was also last located in the embassy building and has been at the alternative location at the Goethe-Institut on Neue Schönhauser Straße for some time now
The consular section of the embassy will close on August 19 and reopen two weeks later at Hausvogteiplatz. The refurbishment, on the other hand, will not begin until spring 2025 at the earliest and will not be ready for the building's 50th anniversary in 2028. After completion, an application will be made for the building in Wilhelmstrasse to be listed as a historical monument.

ANO appoints new top candidate for district elections

A week and a half after the arrest of the mayor of Chomutov, Marek Hrabáč, his party ANO has presented a replacement. Hrabáč was also his party's lead candidate in the upcoming district elections. He is now being replaced by a political heavyweight in Richard Brabec. The former manager of the chemical plant in Lovosice and later long-time environment minister is one of party leader Andrej Babiš's closest allies. The chemical plant in Lovosice belongs to the Agrofert Group, which made Babiš one of the richest Czechs. Brabec later went into politics with his boss.

The nomination of Brabec shows how raw the nerves are in Prague. Members of the ANO party had already caused problems for the Prague headquarters in the past. The 2015 coup against its own primátor (mayor) of Ústí nad Labem, Josef Zikmund, is unforgettable. The current district governor Jan Schiller, who is also a member of the ANO party but was obviously not considered good enough for a second legislative term and the election campaign, almost ended in a similar way. Schiller is therefore definitely stepping down after the elections. At the same time, he has applied for a seat in the Senate.

So now someone from the center and close to boss Babiš is supposed to take over. The scandal comes at an inopportune time for ANO. As mayor, Marek Hrabáč is said to have manipulated the awarding of lucrative construction contracts in such a way that the same company was always awarded the contract. ANO is committed to fighting corruption. The Ústí district is also very important because it is a stronghold for ANO.

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We would like to draw your attention to three German-Czech events on Friday and Saturday of this week.

Open-air cinema in Markersbach

For once, we are not recommending a Czech movie on a Wednesday in Dresden, but on Friday in Markersbach (Bad Gottleuba). "Občanský průkaz" (Identity Card) from 2010 will be shown there at 9 pm open air at the village community center as OmU.

The comedy by director Ondřej Trojan from 2010 follows the fates of four teenagers in Prague in the 1970s who try not to lose their common sense and sense of humor in a totalitarian state. They go through a series of episodes, some ridiculous with a touch of absurd grotesqueness, others dramatic or tragic. The film offers a glimpse into the era of totalitarianism in the 1970s with typical enigmatic Czech humor and shows what young people and adults had to deal with back then. The film also has a lot of 70s flair.

From 7 p.m., you can gather at the Markersbach village community center for a delicious barbecue and cool drinks. There will also be a bouncy castle and goal wall shooting for younger guests. The film starts at 9 pm, in case of bad weather in the neighboring sports hall.

Admission is free. The event is supported by the small project fund of the Elbe/Labe Euroregion.

More about the event (e.g. how to get there)

Dubí train station festival

For the second time, a pretty station festival will be held on Saturday at Dubí station to mark the 140th anniversary of the Vltava-Friuli railroad.

You can visit the small private railroad museum at Dubí station. In addition to the regular trains, there are also a number of special trains, e.g. to the town festival in Ossegg. There will also be a connection with a historic bus to the Border Beech Festival in Zinnwald.

More about the event

Border Beech Festival Cínovec

The third event to be celebrated in Cínovec (Bohemian Zinnwald) and Zinnwald is the traditional Border Beech Festival on Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be lots of music and motorized veterans. Of course, there will also be cakes and barbecues.

The festival is organized by the Wetterverein Zinnwald.

More about the event

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Bribery affair shakes northern Bohemia

Czech police are investigating 14 suspects suspected of manipulating public contracts. The police are also investigating five companies. Three of the 14 suspects have been remanded in custody following a decision by the district court in Chomutov. Among them is the mayor of Chomutov, Marek Hrabáč. However, Hrabáč is not only the mayor, but was also the ANO party's lead candidate for the district elections taking place in October. ANO had decided against the incumbent district governor Jan Schiller (also ANO) and in favor of Hrabáč without necessity. Hrabáč has already been removed from the list of candidates. The decision on a new top candidate has not yet been made. Schiller is running for ANO in the parallel Senate elections. In the current district government led by Schiller, Hrabáč is a district councillor for transport. His agenda was temporarily taken over by District Councillor for Finance Jan Růžička.

So far, there is little official information on the allegations of manipulation. It is said to be about construction contracts, as construction companies are now being investigated. The director of the district road administration, Libor Tačner, has also been taken into custody.

Hrabáč is being investigated for abuse of office, bribery and tax evasion, among other things. Other people being investigated by the police include the head of the Chomutov municipal police and the director of the Chomutov Zoo. A Karlovy Vary city councillor is also among the suspects.

For the ANO party, which is led by former prime minister and one of the richest Czechs Andrej Babiš, the scandal comes at an inopportune time. However, several political analysts interviewed by the media do not believe that the scandal will have a negative impact on the election results. At least the regular voters of ANO would vote for any person who is put forward as a top candidate for ANO, no matter who it is. The Ústí district has long been one of ANO's strongholds.

Coal-fired power plant loses exemption permit

The Czech coal-fired power plant Počerady emits excessive levels of mercury, which is why Czech environmental organizations have been calling for its closure for years. The district court in Ústí nad Labem has now upheld a lawsuit filed by the law firm Frank Bold on behalf of several environmental organizations and revoked a corresponding exemption permit. According to the court, the values permitted in the permit were too high. According to Frank Bold, the power plant must now be shut down.

The power plant in Počerady, south-east of Most, is one of the largest emitters of pollutants in the Czech Republic. The state-owned energy company ČEZ had once sold it as investments in environmental protection were no longer worthwhile. The lignite magnate Pavel Tykač bought it with his company Sev.en. The company operates opencast coal mines around Most, from which a direct railroad line leads to the power plant. In the meantime, the European Union imposed stricter environmental standards. Since then, Sev.en has only been operating the power plant with special permits. The company had already applied for an extension until April 2027. Now it could actually be closed.

This is not only due to the lack of a permit, but also to the imminent end of coal extraction in the ČSA opencast mine near Horní Jířetín, which is due to take place this year. After that, Sev.en will only operate the Vršany opencast mine west of Most, which is to be operated until the Czech Republic's coal phase-out in the 2030s.

The power plant has five units, each with an installed capacity of 200 MW. Nevertheless, there is no threat of a shortage of electricity following a shutdown, as the Czech Republic has produced an abundant surplus of electrical energy since the Temelín nuclear power plant was commissioned. Although energy consumption has risen since then, the last five years in particular have seen a massive increase in renewable energy capacity in the Czech Republic, especially in the field of photovoltaics.

Joy over falcon offspring

In the Bohemian Switzerland National Park and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains Protected Landscape Area, peregrine falcons have raised 20 young this year. According to the national park administration, that was two more than last year. The administration also found seven young among the black storks, which are also strictly protected. To ensure undisturbed breeding, a ban on entering the breeding grounds was in place until the end of July.

Some of the offspring were ringed by employees of the national park. This provides the conservationists with valuable information. This year, for example, they observed a mother falcon near Ostrov that had hatched in Hamr na Jezeře near Česká Lípa. Her mother was born in the Affensteinen in Saxon Switzerland in 2005. This year, the national park was made aware of a black stork that was observed in Senegal, 90 kilometers southeast of Dakar, and whose ringing indicated its origin from the Elbe Sandstone Mountains.

Algae in bathing lakes

The district hygiene office in Ústí nad Labem has reported a deterioration in the quality of three bathing lakes. According to the report, the occurrence of green algae in Lake Chmelář near Úštěk, Matylda near Most and in the lake in Varvažov has increased and the water clarity has decreased. Bathing is still possible, but not recommended for children, pregnant women and people with allergies or weakened immunity.

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The vacations are over, but there's a Czech Film Wednesday: on August 7, we're showing the relatively unknown film "Probuzení" (Awakening) at 8 pm in the Zentralkino Dresden.

16-year-old Jitka is a member of a group of "hooligans" who mainly want to dance rock'n'roll, hang out in Prague's restaurants, bars and dance halls and commit petty theft. She is sent to a youth hostel, but quickly runs away again and returns to the "gang", whose leader, Wilda, is her boyfriend. The waiter's apprentice Tonek takes a liking to Jitka. The girl reciprocates his feelings, but at the same time she doesn't want to drag him into the abyss. But her cronies have no scruples. So Tonek becomes a member of their gang...

We only have a few films from the 1950s at Film Wednesday, which is simply because there are few good or popular Czechoslovakian films from this decade. The reason for this is the ideological cultural policy and the strict censorship. Probuzení is one of the few exceptions, even if from today's perspective we have to overlook some of the platitudes and woodcut-like depictions, which were probably not unusual for the cinema of the time. Director Jiří Krejčík had to bow to some requests for changes to his work, but he probably still managed to smuggle his most important messages past the censors. The film also offers an interesting - albeit only partial - insight into life in socialist Prague in the 1950s and, despite all the ideological over-shaping, is probably also a contemporary document.

More about the movie and tickets

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Previously, only small projects with a verifiable number of participants could be funded. Now projects without a verifiable number of participants are also possible, ideal for e.g:

Festivals and concerts

Dear applicants, from July 19, 2024, it will be possible to submit applications for encounter projects with an unverifiable number of participants (e.g. festivals, city festivals, etc.).

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Former Hejtman competes again

In the Czech districts (meaning "kraj", sometimes also translated as "region"), the regional representatives and thus indirectly also the respective Hejtman, i.e. the highest post, will be newly elected on September 20 and 21. In the Ústí district, there will definitely be a change in the hejtman, as the previous incumbent Jan Schiller from the ANO will not be standing again. He wants to become a senator. Instead, the ANO is sending the primátor (mayor) of Chomutov, Marek Hrabáč, into the race and is likely to have the best chance of winning the election.

There is a surprise on the left: on the one hand, the Communists (KSČM) and Social Democrats (ČSSD) are running together and, on the other, they are fielding a very familiar face in Oldřich Bubeníček (KSČM). He was Hejtman of the Ústí district from 2012 to 2020 and was very popular.

Celebrating 10 years of the national park railroad

On July 5, Dolní Poustevná and Sebnitz celebrated the 10th anniversary of the closing of the gap between the two towns and the National Park Railway, which has been running between Děčín and Rumburk via Bad Schandau ever since. To mark the occasion, the "Lužickohorský rychlík" train, which normally runs from Prague to Mikulášovice at weekends, was extended to Sebnitz. There was a varied program in Dolní Poustevna, including Ivan Mládek, who became famous in the 1970s with funny songs such as "Jožin z bažin" or "Prachovské skály".

Sculpture exhibition on July 27 in Řehlovice

This weekend, an international sculpture symposium will begin at the Řehlovice Cultural Center near Ústí nad Labem with the theme "Artificial intelligence - curse or blessing?" This year marks the 25th edition of the symposium. Around two dozen artists from the Czech Republic, Germany and around the world will express in sandstone how they perceive the influence of modern technologies on society.

The results will be presented to the public at the Řehlovice Cultural Center on 27 July. If you don't know the place yet, you should definitely go there(see this map).

Invitation to the vernissage (PDF)
 

Germany not so unpopular with the Czechs

The Czech opinion research institute STEM has been regularly investigating the attitudes of the Czech population towards selected countries for years. In this year's survey, Austria emerged as the winner for the first time, just ahead of Slovakia, which usually comes in first place. China, Russia and Palestine were at the bottom of the list by a wide margin.

Germany was rated 1 or 2 by 55% of respondents, placing it in the middle of the field. This is hardly a change compared to recent years, but a clear improvement compared to the 1990s (see chart). The average score of 2.4 is also in the - very broad - midfield.

Czech-speakers can find the results on the STEM website .

On our own behalf: Two-week break

Due to vacation and the usual summer break, the newsletter will now take a two-week break. We will be back in August and wish you a great summer until then!

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The schlösserlandKARTE gives you free entry to 40 palaces, castles, gardens, parks, monasteries etc. in Saxony, including many highlights such as Königstein, Moritzburg and Pillnitz.

The digital annual pass is currently available for just 48 euros (instead of 60). The promotion is valid until August 10, 2024 and is sponsored by Sachsenlotto.

1. The digital ticket requires the "Schlösserland erleben" app, which is available for Android or iOS.

2. You can buy a digital schlösserlandKARTE for 1 year in the app. If you enter the promotional code #Sachsenlotto in the field "Rabattcode eingeben" (enter promotion code) during the purchase process, the annual pass will appear as an additional offer for 48 euros.

3. The duration of the schlösserlandKARTE begins with the first visit. So you can buy it until August 10 and activate it later.

Two children up to and including the age of 16 accompany the cardholder free of charge. Events and guided tours are excluded.

Major step forward for the Ore Mountains conservation area

In a few weeks, the government will publish its plan to declare a protected landscape area (LSG) for large parts of the Ore Mountains on the Czech side. At 1,200 square kilometers, the area will be the largest of its kind in the Czech Republic. The Ministry of the Environment, which is in charge of the project, believes it is making good progress. In order to increase acceptance, negotiations have been held with municipalities in recent months. An agreement has now been signed with them. The towns include Jáchymov (Joachimsthal). The subject of the negotiations is a compromise that gives the towns and municipalities a free hand in the further development of the inner areas of the municipalities. The outer area, on the other hand, will be protected by the future LSG.

As soon as the process is set in motion with the publication of the plan to declare an LSG, a 90-day period for comments begins. A lot of headwind is expected, especially from the mountain village of Boží Dar. The municipality has been against a protected landscape area from the outset and could not be convinced during the negotiations. Jáchymov was also skeptical, especially as part of the town is already under UNESCO protection (mining region). However, they are now satisfied with the compromise that has been reached.

The Ore Mountains are the only low mountain range in the Czech Republic without contiguous protection. In recent years, illegal felling of beech forests, for example, has caused criticism. A few years ago, similar beech forests in the Jizera Mountains were declared a World Heritage Site, the only one in the Czech Republic. Large wind power projects are also repeatedly criticized. The Ore Mountains have long been considered unattractive. Until the 1990s, the mountains suffered from heavy industrial emissions, especially in the Bohemian Basin. As the environmental situation has improved, the appeal of this long and sparsely populated mountain range on the Bohemian side has increased. Still an insider tip, it is already in the sights of investors who want to build vacation homes, condominiums or leisure parks here. In the last 15 years, there has been increased investment in winter sports areas and their year-round use.

Population decline in the Czech Republic

The Czech population fell by 41,000 people in the first quarter. According to the Czech Statistical Office, there were 10.86 million inhabitants in the Czech Republic at the end of March. This is also the fourth-highest figure in the history of the Czech Republic, which has been independent since 1993. At the end of 2023, the population had climbed above the 10.9 million mark for the first time.

Behind the decline is the return of many Ukrainian refugees to their homeland. Many of them had special protection status, which expired on March 1 of this year. In addition, the mortality rate was significantly higher than the birth rate. However, this is a common phenomenon for the first quarters, according to the statistics office.

The Czech population had grown steadily until the beginning of 2020, but suffered a painful decline of almost 200,000 people as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The resumption of growth from 2021 was given a strong boost by the refugees from Ukraine. By mid-2022, the coronavirus decline had been made up for and even exceeded. The Czech Republic is one of the countries that took in the most Ukrainian refugees. At times, up to 600,000 refugees found refuge in the country. At the same time, the country's already strong Ukrainian minority helped it to take in refugees.

The statisticians also determined the number of marriages. This fell by 800 to 3,200 in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. In contrast, the number of divorces rose by 100 to over 5,000 in the same period.

Krupka closes Kyšperk castle ruins

ins

The town of Krupka has closed the nearby Kyšperk castle ruins due to dilapidation. The measure was taken after stones came loose from the remains of the tower. The town assumes that other parts could come loose and has issued an urgent warning against entering the ruins. The town now hopes to receive funding for the restoration. The castle ruins are a popular excursion destination in the Ore Mountains.

Building permit in 30 days

A new building law has been in force in the Czech Republic since the beginning of July. The new legislation, which took years to prepare, is intended to make life easier for applicants. In future, only one office will process applications. Applicants will no longer be sent from office to office to obtain the necessary confirmations that are a prerequisite for planning permission. If, for example, the application is missing the necessary statements from the responsible bodies, the building authority will take care of this itself.

The digitalization of the administration is a prerequisite for faster processing of applications. However, as the processors have not yet been able to work with the new application, initial difficulties are expected. In addition, applications submitted before July 1 will still have to be processed in the old way.

After a transitional period, the Minister for Regional Development, Ivan Bartoš, whose area of responsibility includes digitization, is hoping for clearly positive effects for all sides. In future, it should therefore only take 30 days to obtain approval for the construction of a detached house. Approval for more complex construction projects is also to be reduced to 60 days. For a transitional period, authorities can still extend these deadlines by 60 days.

Until now, the average wait for a permit to build a detached house in the Czech Republic has been 3 to 6 months. For more complex projects, approval could take a year or longer.

The Sokol Congress celebrates in Prague

Up to 2,000 athletes on the pitch of Europe's largest stadium, performing up to 12 choreographies. This will be the highlight of this year's Sokol Congress at the weekend. After six years, members of the Sokol movement from home and abroad have gathered again in Prague for their congress.

The Sokol movement (Sokol = falcon) emerged from the gymnastics movement and was influenced by the German father of gymnastics, Jahn. The gymnastics movement was founded by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner. Both were originally Germans with German parents and German names: Fridericus Emanuel Tirsch the one and Heinrich Anton Fügner the other. Both later had their names Czechized. The Sokol movement is close to the national revivalist movement. Incidentally, Tirsch was born in Děčín, where the old Elbe bridge is still named after him today.

The Sokol movement grew with the founding of independent Czechoslovakia. It was banned during the period of the German protectorate, but continued to operate underground. Jozef Gabčík, one of the two successful assassins of the deputy Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich, was a member of the Sokol movement. Together with Jan Kubiš, he was able to rely on a dense and loyal network of helpers.

Sokol was also a thorn in the side of the communist rulers who had been in power since 1948. They banned the organization, but tried to replace it with their own sports congresses. The Sokol movement then moved abroad, where regular Sokol congresses were held. Sokol was re-established in 1990.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

On July 4, 2014, a train rolled between Sebnitz and Dolní Poustevna for the first time since the end of the war. This was preceded by over 20 years of political struggle to close the gap. The Elbe/Labe Euroregion was also involved time and again. The topic was already included in the very first founding documents of the Euroregion in 1992.

The main program will take place at the train station in Dolní Poustevna. The festival starts there at 1 pm. Ivan Mladek and his banjo band will play at 3 pm, followed an hour later by the Sebnitz band "Grenzgänger". Railroad models and historical photos will be exhibited in the station. The musical finale is scheduled for around 6 pm.

There will be an exhibition at Sebnitz railroad station throughout the day. There will also be musical entertainment there.

The event is supported by the small project fund of the Neisse-Nisa-Nysa Euroregion.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

With the beginning of July, another Czech Film Wednesday is approaching, traditionally always on the first Wednesday of the month.

This time we have selected the comedy "Marečku, podejte mi pero!" (Marek, pass me the pen!) from 1976. It ranks 4th among the most popular Czech films of all time at csfd.cz. This clearly demonstrates the public's enthusiasm for the legendary Smoljak/Svěrák duo, several of whose films reached top positions.

"Marečku, podejte mi pero!" is about mature adults who have to go back to school. The main hero Jiří Kroupa, a foreman in an agricultural machinery factory, has to improve his qualifications in order to keep his job after the planned modernization of the company. Otherwise there is a risk that the nerdy Hujer will get the job, and nobody really wants that. So Kroupa tortures his old head, in which nothing is sticking, but refuses to let his son help him. Other originals among the pupils and teachers round off the amusing ensemble.

In contrast to films such as "Die Feuerzangenbowle", things are much less slapsticky here, but you can enjoy the typical fine Czech humor. Some of the abundant wordplay will only be understood by those who speak Czech, but there is still plenty of fun to be had.

More about the movie and tickets

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Bezirk Ústí stimmt Schnellbahntrasse zu

Der Bau der Neubaustrecke Dresden-Prag hat in Tschechien eine wichtige Hürde genommen. Das Bezirksparlament in Ústí hat der Trassenführung zugestimmt. Diese sieht die Fortführung des Erzgebirgstunnels bis Chlumec (Kulm), einen weiteren Tunnel durch das Böhmische Mittelgebirge und ein neues Terminal in Ústí auf dem Gelände des heutigen Westbahnhofs (Ústí-západ) vor. Für den Trassenvorschlag stimmten 30 Abgeordnete, 13 waren dagegen, 8 enthielten sich.

Das Bezirksamt hatte sich zuvor mit mehr als 600 Stellungnahmen zu dem Trassenvorschlag auseinandersetzen müssen. Eine Zeit lang drohte sogar, dass die Entscheidung des Parlaments nicht mehr in der laufenden Legislaturperiode fallen könnte. Im September wird in den Bezirken gewählt.

Da der Trassenverlauf nun feststeht, kann der Investor, die staatliche Infrastrukturverwaltung Správa železnic, an der Vorbereitung der erforderlichen Genehmigungen arbeiten. Allerdings kann es rund um den Trassenverlauf noch zu Verzögerungen kommen. Vor allem der Tunnelausgang bei Chlumec, aber auch der Tunnelausgang südlich vom Böhmischen Mittelgebirge bei Hrobce werden vehement kritisiert. Beide Gemeinden konnten bis zum Schluss nicht überzeugt werden und kündigten nun Klagen an. Die Infrastrukturverwaltung hätte im Fall von Chlumec keine Alternativen vorgelegt, sondern von Beginn auf nur einer Variante bestanden.

Unstrittig ist dagegen der Streckenverlauf von Prag über Roudnice, wo ein Terminal entsteht, bis Lovosice/Litoměřice. Dort soll der Bau noch in den 2020er Jahren beginnen. In den 2030er Jahren soll der Bau durchs Erzgebirge beginnen. Als letzter Abschnitt wäre das Teilstück durch das Böhmische Mittelgebirge dran. Mit dessen Fertigstellung wird allerdings nicht vor 2045 gerechnet.

Neuer tschechischer Botschafter in Berlin

Tschechien entsendet Jiří Čistecký als neuen Botschafter nach Berlin. Čistecký hat bereits seine Bestätigung durch die Bundesregierung erhalten und löst den bisherigen Botschafter Tomáš Kafka ab. Er tritt sein Amt Anfang Oktober an.

Čistecký ist bereits seit 30 Jahren für das tschechische Außenministerium tätig und wirkte bereits an vielen Stationen im Ausland. 2019 bis 2023 führte er das Generalkonsulat in Istanbul. Danach leitete er bis zuletzt in Abwesenheit des regulären Botschafters die tschechische Botschaft in Moskau.

Der Wechsel in Berlin erfolgt fast zeitgleich mit einem Diplomatinnenwechsel in Dresden. Dort löst bereits ab September Ivona Valhová als neue Generalkonsulin Markéta Meissnerová ab. Valhová wechselt aus dem Au´ßenministerium nach Dresden. Dort leitete sie den Bereich Gemeinsame Internationale Sicherheitspolitik in der Europäischen Union. Zuvor war sie in verschiedenen Leitungspositionen tätig. Im Außenministerium arbeitet sie seit 2002. Neben Deutsch und Englisch spricht sie auch Französisch. Als eine der ersten Amtshandlungen wartet auf die neue Generalkonsulin die Eröffnung der Tschechisch-Deutschen Kulturtage am 24. Oktober in Dresden.

Stabile Brutzahlen bei Wanderfalken

Erfreuliche Nachrichten aus der Böhmischen Schweiz und dem Elbsandsteingebirge: Bei den Wanderfalken zeichnet sich eine gute Brutsaison ab. Vorläufigen Zählungen zufolge haben die Brutpaare in dieser Saison mindestens 19 Jungtiere aufgezogen. Das wäre ein Junges mehr als im letzten Jahr.

Um den Vögeln Ruhe für die Aufzucht zu gewähren, werden jedes Jahr Wanderwege außerhalb der Ruhezone in der Nähe von Nestern vorübergehend gesperrt. Die Sperrung für Wanderfalken und Uhu dauert noch bis Sonntag. Außerdem sind vier Gebiete gesperrt, in denen der Schwarzstorch brütet. Hier gilt die Sperrung noch bis Ende Juli.

Bis 2020 lag die Zahl der Wanderfalkenjungen in Nationalpark und Landschaftsschutzgebiet Elbsandsteingebirge teils deutlich über 20 Jungtieren. 2020 kam es zu einem tieferen Einschnitt. Damals brachten Wanderfalken nur 15 Junge zur Welt. Beim Schwarzstorch war der Rückgang sogar noch deutlicher. Statt 17 Jungen im Jahr 2019 wurden nur noch 7 Jungtiere gezählt. Seitdem stieg die Zahl der Wanderfalkenjungen langsam wieder an. Allerdings scheinen die umfangreichen Wegesperrungen infolge des Waldbrands 2022 keinen entscheidenden Einfluss auf die Wanderfalkenpopulation zu haben.

Umfrage: Mehrheit für Dosenpfand

Noch im Juli möchte die tschechische Regierung einen Entwurf für eine Ausweitung der Pfandregelung vorlegen. In Tschechien gilt die Pfandregelung nur für Bierflaschen. Vor allem PET-Flaschen und Dosen sind in unserem Nachbarland bisher vom Pfand befreit. Zwar hat Tschechien inzwischen ein ausgefeiltes Mülltrennsystem. Sogar PET-Flaschen, aber auch Tetrapacks werden extra gesammelt.

Doch von einer Pfandregelung verspricht sich die Regierung noch mehr Müllvermeidung. Geht es nach einer Umfrage, macht die Regierung alles richtig. Laut der Agentur Ipsos sprachen sich drei Viertel der Befragten für einen Pfand aus. Am höchsten ist die Zustimmung im Bezirk Ústí an der Grenze zu Sachsen mit 84 Prozent. Ob das am guten Vorbild in Sachsen liegt?

Der Gesetzesentwurf schlägt 4 Kronen (16 Cent) Pfand vor und damit etwas weniger als in Deutschland. Auf Bierflaschen gibt es 3 Kronen (12 Cent) und damit mehr als bei uns. Das hat bereits gelegentlich zu Pfandtourismus geführt.

Über den Wenzelsplatz fährt künftig wieder die Tram

Am Samstag beginnen in Prag die Arbeiten zum Bau von Straßenbahnschienen auf dem Wenzelsplatz. Geht alles nach Plan, sollen im oberen Teilstück des berühmten Platzes in drei Jahren wieder Straßenbahnen fahren. Die waren nach dem Bau der Metro 1980 verschwunden. Doch die Stadtverwaltung sieht einen Bedarf, die Tram auf den Platz zurückzuholen. Zwar gibt es eine Metroverbindung zwischen oberem ("Muzeum") und unterem Ende ("Můstek") des Platzes. Doch die Strecke mit der Metro zu fahren lohnt sich nicht. Zu weit ist der Weg in den Untergrund und wieder zurück. Außerdem verbessert sich mit der neuen Straßenbahn die Anbindung an das Stadtviertel Vinohrady, durch das momentan die Linie 11 fährt. Diese Strecke erhält dann eine Direktverbindung über den Wenzelsplatz. Im unteren Teil werden die Gleise an die bestehende Strecke durch die kreuzenden Straßen Vodičkova und Jindřišská angebunden.

Gleichzeitig wird der Wenzelsplatz grüner und autofreier. Es wird eine neue Baumreihe angepflanzt und die Fußwege werden auf Kosten der Straße verbreitert. Diese Bauarbeiten dauern bis Ende September dieses Jahres.

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The Assembly of Members of the Labe Euroregion is the supreme body of the Euroregion. The exclusive responsibilities of the Assembly of Members of the Labe Euroregion include, among others

reviewing and approving the Council's annual report on the activities of the EL, approving the EL budget for the coming year and determining the amount of regular membership fees

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

The local steering committee, whose task it is to decide on applications for the small projects fund from the European Interreg program Czech Republic-Saxony, met at the district office of Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains in Pirna.

A total of 18 small project applications were submitted. The committee reviewed the projects and finally approved the following 15 projects.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Amerikanische Onsemi erweitert Chip-Fabrik in Tschechien

Der US-amerikanische Chiphersteller Onsemi hat die Erweiterung seiner Fabrik in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm im Osten Tschechiens nahe der Grenze zur Slowakei bekanntgegeben. Onsemi möchte nach der Erweiterung in Rožnov leistungsfähige intelligente Halbleiter herstellen, die den Wirkungsgrad von Elektroautos, Anlagen auf dem Gebiet der erneuerbaren Energien sowie KI-Datenzentren verbessern. Dafür investiert Onsemi rund 2 Milliarden US-Dollar. Durch die Erweiterung soll die Zahl der Mitarbeiter von heute 1.700 auf dann 3.000 steigen. Aktuell verhandelt die tschechische Regierung die Bereitstellung von Investitionsbehilfen. Eine Möglichkeit ist die Befreiung von Steuern. Die Beihilfen müssen durch die Europäische Kommission genehmigt werden.

Bezirk Liberec will Berghotel Jeschken sanieren

Der Bezirk Liberec verhandelt mit der Kommunikationsfirma České rádiokomunikace über den Verkauf des Fernsehturms auf dem Berg Ještěd (Jeschken). Das ikonische Gebäude des Architekten Karel Hubáček beherbert auch ein Hotel und Restaurant mit teils futuristischer Ausstattung. Der Bezirk möchte den Turm sanieren und ihm zum Titel des UNESCO-Weltkulturerbes verhelfen. Hintergrund für einen Verkauf ist die Möglichkeit für den Bezirk Liberec, für die Sanierung öffentliche Fördermittel zu beantragen. Für private Firmen gibt es diese Möglichkeit nicht.

Präsident Pavel auf Besuch in Nordböhmen

Der tschechische Präsident Petr Pavel weilte in dieser Woche zu einem zweitägigen Besuch im Bezirk Ústí. Auf dem Programm standen neben Verhandlungen mit Spitzenpolitikern des Bezirks auch ein Gesprächsabend mit Bürgern im Kulturhaus Ústí. Am zweiten Tag setzte Präsident Pavel ein Statement und besuchte Litvínov und da konkret den Stadtteil Janov. Das Plattenbaugebiet gilt als eine der größten Roma-Siedlungen Tschechiens und  als sozialer Brennpunkt. Pavel besuchte dort das Stadtteilhaus Libuše, eine verfallene Villa am Randes des Plattenbaugebiets, das der rührige Lokalpolitiker Petr Globočník nach und nach saniert und als Begegnungsstätte zur Verfügung stellt.

Pavel legt von Beginn seiner Präsidentschaft an großen Wert auf eine bessere Integration der Roma-Minderheit, vor allem des Teils, der von Sozialhilfe lebt. Dies wurde neben mangelnder Gesundheitsversorgung, zu wenig Bildungseinrichtungen und der Energiesicherheit auch auf dem Bürgergespräch als eines der wichtigsten Themen genannt. Pavel möchte die Erkenntnisse aus Litvínov im laufenden Prozess für eine neue Sozialgesetzgebung einbringen. Dabei geht es um mehr und günstigeren Wohnraum sowie um eine Neufassung der Sozialhilfe.

Unrühmlich bekannt ist in Tschechien das "Sozialunternehmertum", welches mit armen Menschen – oft eben Roma – profitable Geschäfte macht: Unternehmer kaufen billig Wohnhäuser in schlechtem Zustand und vermieten sie teuer an Roma, die kaum eine Alternative haben. Das Wohngeld für die Roma fließt dann direkt an den Vermieter. Seine Höhe bemisst sich nicht an der ortsüblichen Miete, sondern am Landesschnitt, in den auch Prag mit seinen hohen Mieten einfließt. Diese Geschäftemacher erhalten also für schlecht ausgestattete unsanierte Wohnungen ungleich mehr, als der Wohnungsmarkt hergeben würde, während die Bewohner unter oft sehr schlechten Bedingungen leben und ihnen die hohen Wohngeldkosten auch noch vorgeworfen werden.

Letzte Station von Präsident Pavel war am Donnerstag das Schloss Jezeří (Eisenberg), wo er sich zu der Transformation der Kohleregion nach dem Kohleausstieg informierte.

Biertrinker sollen wertvolle Grablege retten

Die Stadt Krásná Lípa (Schönlinde) bemüht sich um die Sanierung des Mausoleums der Unternehmerfamilie Dittrich. Das Gebäude verfällt seit Jahren. Ein erster Versuch der Rettung durch den Verein Omnium scheiterte. Seit die Stadt das Mausoleum übernommen hat, konnte das Gebäude zumindest statisch abgesichert werden. In wenigen Wochen soll das Dach erneuert werden, so dass es auch nicht mehr in das Gebäude regnen kann. Allerdings ist die Sanierung des opulenten und raffiniert ausgestatteten Mausoleums am Rande des städtischen Friedhofs ein teures Unterfangen, das die Möglichkeiten einer Kleinstadt übersteigen. Krásná Lípa nutzt bereits Fördermittel vom Bezirk Ústí. Weitere Fördermittel sind beantragt. Zusätzlich hat die Stadt nun eine Spendensammlung initiiert. Der hat sich der Unternehmer Jan Srb angeschlossen, der die örtliche Brauerei Falkenštejn betreibt. Zur Rettung der Grablege der Textilunternehmerfamilie hat er das Bier Dittrich gebraut. Von jedem Dittrich-Bier, das bestellt wird, spendet die Brauerei für die Rettung des Mausoleums.

Museum Česká Lípa übernimmt Heimatarchiv Waldkraiburg

Nach langen Verhandlungen hat das Museum in Česká Lípa (Böhmisch Leipa) das Archiv der Heimatvertriebenen aus dem oberbayerischen Waldkraiburg übernommen. Waldkraiburg ist eine von fünf Vertriebenenstädten in Bayern, in denen sich nach dem Zweiten Weltrkrieg Vertriebene aus Mittel- und Osteuropa ansiedelten. Unter ihnen waren auch viele Vertriebene aus dem Gebiet um Böhmisch Leipa, die in Waldkraiburg die Glasindustrie begründeten.

Das Museum möchte nun das Heimatarchiv digitalisieren und der Öffentlichkeit zur Verfügung stellen. Es ist erst das zweite Heimatarchiv Sudetendeutscher, das in die alte Heimat, nach Tschechien gelangte. Vor sieben Jahren übernahm die Zweigstelle des Staatsarchivs in Děčín das Archiv des Heimatkreises Tetschen-Bodenbach. Und nicht nur das, auch die Heimatstube gelangte in das Archiv an der Elbe. Das Archiv in Děčín stand auch am Beginn der Verhandlungen zwischen Waldkraiburg und Česká Lípa um eine Verlagerung der Archivs nach Tschechien.

Zukunftsfonds bewilligt deutsch-tschechische Projekte

Der Deutsch-Tschechische Zukunftsfonds teilt Fördermittel in Höhe von 1,2 Millionen Euro an 182 grenzübergreifende Projekte aus. Zu den vielfältigen Aktivitäten, die gefördert werden, gehören die Tschechisch-Deutschen Kulturtage, die in diesem Jahr zum 26. Mal in der Euroregion Elbe/Labe (Dresden, Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz/Osterzgebirge, Bezirk Ústí) stattfinden. Sie beginnen am 24. Oktober und enden am 11. November.

Gefördert wurden außerdem Projekte zum 100. Todestag Franz Kafkas sowie zum Deutsch-Tschechischen Jahr des Sports. Außerdem einigte sich der Verwaltungsrat auf seiner einmal pro Quartal stattfindenden Sitzung in Prag auf das Jahresthema für 2025. Zum 80. Jahrestag des Endes des Zweiten Weltkriegs lautet das Motto: "Wie sagt man heute 'never again'". Projekte, die sich auf das Jahresthema beziehen, können mit bis zu 70 Prozent des Projektvolumens gefördert werden. Die übliche Förderung bei Projekten liegt sonst bei 50 Prozent.

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A lesson learned in the Czech Republic too

In the Czech Republic, too, the European elections were a reckoning with government policy. Prime Minister Petr Fiala's Spolu alliance managed to achieve a relatively good second place with 6 of the 21 seats. However, the Mayor's Party and especially the Pirates were caught off guard. Five years ago, they had won 3 seats, but this time they only managed one.

As expected, the ANO party of former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš won and will enter the EU Parliament with 7 seats. ANO benefited from the increased voter turnout to 36.45 percent. That was an increase of almost eight percentage points. The losers also included the anti-EU right-wing nationalist SPD, which only has the abbreviation in common with the German Social Democrats. They only won 1 instead of 2 seats. The right-wing populists around the Czecho-Japanese Tomio Okamura usually manage to get around 10 percent in parliamentary elections. This time they only managed to exceed 5 percent.

The electoral alliance of "Car Drivers and Oath" came in completely unexpectedly at over 10 percent, which is enough for two seats in the new EU Parliament. They chose racing driver Filip Turek as their top candidate, who attracted attention with some tasteless gestures and Nazi-approving rhetoric. This was evidently well received.

The electoral alliance "Stačilo!" (Enough is enough!) came in just behind. This is a similar platform to the BSW in Germany. The communist and long-time MEP Kateřina Konečná is also rhetorically adept and is more to the right than to the left on issues such as climate protection and migration. That was enough for 2 mandates.

In the Ústí region, where ANO traditionally has its stronghold, the party did significantly better than in the whole of the country. The Spolu alliance received correspondingly fewer percent. Things also looked slightly better for the Motorists and the alliance of Kateřina Konečná as well as the Okamura party. The Mayor and the Pirates were below the national average.

Overall, the European elections brought further gains for Eurosceptic parties. They predominantly advocate a more rigid migration policy and a weakening of the Green Deal. The number of their mandates rose from around 12 to 16-17.

Exchange of old crowns ends in banks

From July 1, the exchange of old banknotes will only be possible in branches of the Czech National Bank (ČNB). These are banknotes in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 crowns issued between 1995 and 1999. They were withdrawn from circulation at the end of June 2022. Until the end of June, every commercial bank branch will accept them and exchange them for new notes.

The old notes differ from the new banknotes primarily in the width of the security strip. This is wider on the new notes. In addition, the color of the strip remains the same when the banknote is turned over. The stripes on the new notes change color from brown-violet to green. Other features are colored dots in the white field on the left and the year of issue indicated (see image).

According to the central bank, there are still around 41 million old banknotes in circulation. In addition to the headquarters in Prague, there is also the possibility of exchanging the banknotes in Ústí nad Labem.

Ústí District attracts filmmakers as a film location

There are places in northern Bohemia that you think you have seen before. In a film, in fact. The small town of Úštěk near Litoměřice, for example, with its picturesque and, above all, still historic backdrop, was the setting for films such as the American tragicomedy Jojo Rabbit or the Czech Oscar winner Kolja from the 1990s. Sometimes places only appear briefly, such as the Tisa Walls in The Chronicles of Narnia, as well as the Pravcicka Gate. If you would like to research more, we recommend the website www.filmovamista.cz .

The Ústí region would now like to expand the film business and has launched a 50 million crown (around 2 million euros) funding program. The production of feature films, TV films, series and documentaries will be funded. Even though the funding amounts are manageable - a maximum of 3.5 million crowns (140,000 euros) is possible per film - the region is expecting good demand. The funding comes from the "Fair Transformation" fund, which was set up for regions that are phasing out coal mining. 15 billion crowns (600 million euros) are earmarked for the Ústí region alone.

It is well known that it takes more than money to attract film productions to northern Bohemia. For eight years, a film office in the Ústí region has been supporting film productions. It arranges attractive filming locations and takes care of communication with the relevant municipalities, authorities and institutions. The Ústí region hopes to receive direct income from the film business and indirectly promote tourism.

Conference on "homesick tourism" of displaced persons in Teplice

How did private trips by Sudeten Germans who had been displaced from the GDR to their old Czech homeland contribute to new friendships and reconciliation? How difficult were these trips and what conflicts stood in the way? These and other questions were addressed at a conference in Teplice entitled "Displaced persons, (homesick) tourists and 'new settlers'" in the border regions of the GDR, Czechoslovakia and the People's Republic of Poland, organized by the Euroregion Elbe/Labe together with the German Society. Around 70 participants from the Czech Republic and Germany heard lectures from 15 scientists from the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland and dealt with the topic from several angles in five rounds of discussions. The conference was opened by the Vice-Captain of the Ústí District, Jiří Řehák. The conference itself also took place in an unusual location: in the rooms of the Garden Restaurant of the Monopol Brewery near the spa district of Šanov (Schönau), which was created by combining historical buildings and new construction.

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From 9 to 16 July 2024, the online application system of the Small Projects Fund in the Elbe/Labe Euroregion will be temporarily shut down. During this time, it will not be possible to log in to the website or use any other function.

This downtime is necessary for the introduction of the new system, which is currently being developed. The planned shutdown of the online system will not only take place in the Elbe/Labe Euroregion, but also in all other Euroregions in the Czech-Saxon border area.

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Source: https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/p/vysledky-voleb/2024/volby-eurovolby/kraj/4200-ustecky-kraj

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Schweres Zugunglück fordert vier Tote

Bei einem frontalen Zusammenstoß eines Nachtzugs und eines Güterzugs in Pardubice starben in der Nacht auf Donnerstag vier Personen. Der Nachtzug der Firma RegioJet war von Prag ins slowakische Košice unterwegs. Wie das ukrainische Außenministerium informierte, handelte es sich bei zwei der Toten um Frauen aus der Ukraine. Die zwei anderen Todesopfer waren slowakische Staatsbürgerinnen. Weitere 27 Personen wurden verletzt. Die meisten konnten aber im Laufe des Donnerstags die Krankenhäuser wieder verlassen. Auch die beiden Lokführer überlebten, nur einer von beiden wurde leicht verletzt. Der Unfall ereignete sich auf einer der am meisten ausgelasteten Zugstrecken Tschechiens. Der Zugverkehr war zwischen Pardubice und Kostěnice noch am Freitag gesperrt.

Indessen wurden die polizeilichen Ermittlungen aufgenommen. Medienberichten zufolge hätte der Nachtzug nicht weiterfahren dürfen. Ob der Lokführer das Haltesignal übersehen hat oder es sich um einen technischen Fehler handelte, ist Gegenstand der Ermittlungen. Wie weiter bekannt wurde, konnte der Lokführer des RegioJet den Zug zum Stehen bringen, bevor es zum Zusammenprall kam. Die Passagiere traf das Unglück größtenteils im Schlaf.

In Tschechien wird bereits gewählt

In Tschechien haben am Freitag die Wahlen zum Europäischen Parlament begonnen. Die Wahllokale öffneten 14 Uhr und schließen am Freitagabend, 22 Uhr. Am zweiten Wahltag am Samstag haben die Wahllokale von 8 bis 14 Uhr geöffnet. In Tschechien wird traditionell Freitag und Samstag gewählt. Anders als bei Wahlen zu tschechischen Parlamenten werden die Wahlergebnisse nicht bereits am frühen Samstagabend, sondern erst am Sonntagabend veröffentlicht.

Tschechien wählt insgesamt 21 Abgeordnete. Vor fünf Jahren gewann die ANO-Partei 6 Mandate, die ODS von Regierungschef Petr Fiala 4 und die Piraten 3 sowie die Bürgermeisterpartei und TOP 09 gemeinsam 3 Mandate. Die Wahlbeteiligung lag bei 28,7 Prozent.

Krupka saniert St.-Wolfgang-Kapelle

Bis Oktober saniert die Stadt Krupka (Graupen) die Sankt-Wolfgang-Kapelle im Stadtteil Horní Krupka (Obergraupen). Die Kapelle, die sich nur wenige Hundert Meter vom Gipfel des Komáří vížka (Mückentürmchen) entfernt befindet, bekommt ein neues Schindeldach. Außerdem werden Dachbalken ausgetauscht. Einige sind sogar noch original aus dem Jahr 1700, berichtet der Tschechische Rundfunk (Český rozhlas). Die Arbeiten werden von der Firma des Handwerkers Jindřich Luňák ausgeführt. Die Sanierungskosten belaufen sich auf fast 5,5 Millionen Kronen (220.000 Euro).

In der Wolfgangkapelle finden regelmäßig im Mai deutsch-tschechische Gottesdienste statt. Krupka saniert nach und nach alle seine Kirchen, die vor 15 Jahren von der Kirche auf die Stadt übertragen wurden. Als nächstes wird der Einbau eines Elektroanschlusses für die Jungfrau-Maria-Auferstehungskirche vorbereitet.

Neue Attraktionen am Milada-See

Die Interessengemeinschaft Milada bereitet für die Sommersaison einige Neuheiten vor. Nach einer Ausschreibung wurden die Dienstleistungen an dem Tagebausee vor den Toren von Ústí nad Labem an drei Stellen am Hauptstrand am Ostufer sowie eine Position am Strand Trmice neu vergeben. Wie bisher stehen Besucher verschiedene Gastro-Stände zur Verfügung, und das nicht nur am Hauptstrand und am Strand Trmice, sondern auch am Parkplatz Hrbovice und am Strand Roudníky. Außerdem gibt es Verleihe von Wassersportangeboten sowie reservierte Orte für Freiluftübungen wie zum Beispiel Yoga. Ganz neu gibt es dieses Jahr einen Wasserskilift. Ansonsten bleibt das Angebot unverändert. Das Gebiet ist durch vier Parkplätze in Hrbovice, Trmice, Roudníky und Zalužany erschlossen.

Laut der staatlichen Firma DIAMO, die sich um die Rekultivierung und Renaturierung von Tagebauflächen kümmert, seien die Bedingungen für weitere Investitionen durch die Konzeptstudie Milada geschaffen worden. Die Investitionen müssten nun durch die Städte und Gemeinden im Interessenverband oder private Investoren erfolgen. Der Interessengemeinschaft gehören unter anderem die Städte Ústí, Chabařovice und Trmice an.

Neue Züge zwischen Děčín und Rumburk

Auf der Bahnstrecke durch das Lausitzer Gebirge zwischen Děčín und Rumburk über Česká Kamenice und Jedlová (Linie U8) hat nach langer Verzögerung der Einsatz neuer Triebwagen der Tschechischen Bahnen (ČD) begonnen. Ursprünglich sollten die neuen Fahrzeuge bereits seit Dezember vergangenen Jahres im Einsatz sein, doch aufgrund von Problemen mit der Zulassung durch das tschechische Bahnamt verzögerte sich der Start. Dabei handelt es sich keineswegs um neue Garnituren, sondern um etwa 20 Jahre alte Triebwagen des etablierten Typs Siemens Desiro. Nahezu baugleiche Fahrzeuge sind bereits seit vielen Jahren auf der Sächsisch-Böhmischen Nationalparkbahn U28 im Einsatz.

Die jetzt in Betrieb genommenen Triebwagen fallen besonders durch ihre hellgrüne Farbgebung auf, die an das Design des Bezirk Ústí (Ústecký kraj) angelehnt ist. Aufgrund der Verzögerungen hatte die ČD auf der Linie U8 in den vergangenen Monaten unter anderem klassische lokbespannte Züge mit Wagen im Einsatz. Dies hatte zahlreiche Eisenbahnfreunde aus Deutschland und Tschechien angelockt.

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Czech Republic is ice hockey world champion

The whole of the Czech Republic is riding a wave of euphoria. The victory of the national ice hockey team at the World Championships at home has sent the whole country into a collective frenzy of joy. The public television recorded an incredible 76 percent of viewers for the final against Switzerland. Apart from public viewing in public squares, the streets were deserted.

The Czech Republic won a home World Cup for the first time in 39 years. But the country had to wait a long 14 years for its 13th title - if you count Czechoslovakia's six titles. The Czechs, led by superstar David Pastrňák, last won the World Cup in Germany in 2010. This means that the independent Czech Republic has now won more titles than Czechoslovakia. Ice hockey fans can look forward to a meeting between Germany and the Czech Republic at the 2025 World Cup in Denmark and Sweden. Both teams are already playing against each other in the group phase.

After their triumph, the ice hockey heroes were received by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who awarded all the players the Karel Kramář Medal. It is the highest award that the Prime Minister can bestow. President Petr Pavel also received the ice hockey players. But there it was the other way round: the players dedicated a gold medal to him.

Garrison towns receive funding

From June, the Czech historical garrison towns of Terezín (Theresienstadt) and Josefov (Josefsstadt) can apply for money from the Czech regional ministry's new program for the preservation and development of garrison towns. A total of 1.2 billion crowns (48 million euros) are available for the next ten years. A further 500 million crowns (20 million euros) can be applied for from the respective districts. In addition, the Ministry of Culture has launched an emergency program for the years 2024 to 2028. This is intended to renovate buildings that are at risk of collapse or have already partially collapsed.

Terezín has also presented plans for the use of the buildings. The former Žižka barracks in Terezín, which is already in danger of collapsing, are to be converted into apartments. The former hospital is to continue to be used by social and health facilities.

The garrison towns built during the Austro-Hungarian era have been struggling with the decaying structure of their buildings for some time. In Terezín, many buildings have been empty since the Czech army withdrew in the early 2000s and are not being preserved. Some of them have been gradually renovated with the help of subsidies. There are also ongoing problems with their use. The number of buildings is simply too high for the relatively small population.

Border controls are extended

Germany is once again extending the temporary controls at the borders with the Czech Republic, Poland and Switzerland. This time, the measure will be extended by six months, specifically until December 15th. Germany justified this by wanting to continue to restrict illegal migration and people smuggling. The controls were introduced in October last year. Most recently, they were extended by three months until June 15th.

The interior ministers of the Czech Republic and Saxony, Vít Rakušan and Armin Schuster, met in mid-May. Both ministers agreed to increase monitoring of illegal migration across the border

Gas transit fees are abolished

Germany has abolished the levy for gas transport for its neighboring countries. The levy will be abolished at the borders from next year, said State Secretary for Economic Affairs Sven Giegold in Brussels. The levy has been in force in Germany since autumn 2022. But it also affected import companies in other countries that obtain gas via German pipelines. Austria and the Czech Republic had therefore accused the federal government of hindering gas transport from ports in the Netherlands, for example, as an alternative to deliveries from Russia. They spoke of distortion of competition. The EU Commission then put pressure on Germany.
Domestically, the gas storage levy will remain in place – and could now rise further for German consumers.

The Czech Minister for Industry and Trade, Jozef Síkela (independent), has welcomed Germany's decision to abolish transit fees for natural gas. It will contribute to strengthening energy security in Central Europe, Síkela wrote on Thursday on X.

Financing of the Beneš Bridge has been clarified

The renovation of the Beneš Bridge in Ústí nad Labem is getting closer. The Ústí District has received a promise of funding from the Integrated Regional Funding Program in the amount of 524 million crowns (almost 21 million euros). The district is contributing 92.5 million crowns (3.7 million euros) from its budget. This will ensure that the renovation of the aging bridge is financially secured. The construction of a temporary bridge for pedestrians and cyclists is currently laying the foundations for the work, which is due to begin next year. In June, the Ústí District will then present the concept of traffic measures for the complete closure of the bridge. The Beneš Bridge is one of two road bridges in the city of Ústí nad Labem. The steel bridge with the characteristic arch was built between 1934 and 1936 and named after the second president of Czechoslovakia.

The renovation has been overdue for some time, but has been postponed again and again. In the meantime, traffic on the bridge has been more restricted. For example, trolleybuses have not been allowed to pass each other on the bridge for years. The bridge has been closed to trucks for some time.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

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Petr Zelenka tells the story of Jaromír Nohavica, Karel Plíhal and the band Čechomor in an unconventional way, taking a documentary look at the period when the singer was recovering from his alcohol addiction. The film is enriched with interviews not only with the actors, but also with other interesting people, which undoubtedly include the musician Jaz Coleman and the Dutch documentary filmmaker Jan Holman (Jan Prent), who wants to catch Nohavica at the moment he starts drinking again. A skilled mystifier, Zelenka also has scenes in his film with a surreal, mystical - even supernatural - tone.

In 2002, the film won the main prize at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival as well as the Bohemian Lion film award in six categories.

More about the film and tickets

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The Night of Churches is a really big deal in the Czech Republic, which is actually quite non-religious. This year it takes place on Friday, June 7th. 1,757 churches and prayer houses throughout the country are taking part. In the Ústí region there are 180.

The Night of the Churches is a good opportunity to visit places that are otherwise not so easy to get into. These include, for example , the monastery in Doksany , the oldest Premonstratensian monastery in Bohemia. In addition, most of the houses also have a special program for the evening.

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Spektakuläre Kunst am Prager Kaufhaus Máj

Zwei riesige Schmetterlinge, deren Körper an die Jagdflugzeuge Spitfire der Royal Air Force aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg erinnern, sind gerade in Prag der Hingucker für Einheimische wie Touristen. Sie wurden in dieser Woche an der Fassade des bekannten Einkaufszentrums Máj in der Prager Neustadt installiert. Die beiden Objekte sind ein Werk des Künstlers David Černý. Sie hängen nicht nur an der Fassade, sondern bewegen ihre Flügel und leuchten in verschiedenen Farben. Nach einem Probebetrieb in dieser Woche sollen die Schmetterlinge ab nächster Woche ein Jahr hängen bleiben.

Die Objekte symbolisieren laut Černý die tschechoslowakischen Piloten, die während des Zweiten Weltkriegs in der britischen Luftwaffe gegen Hitler-Deutschland gekämpft hatten. Nach dem Ende des Krieges kehrte der Großteil von ihnen in die Heimat zurück und war nach dem Machtantritt der Kommunisten und des Übergangs zur sozialistischen Diktatur 1948 Verfolgung und Benachteiligung ausgesetzt. Nach 1990 wurden die Piloten rehabilitiert. Sie sind wichtiger Teil des tschechischen Selbstverständnisses, vergleichbar mit den Legionären im Ersten Weltkrieg, die später eine der Grundsäulen des neuen tschechoslowakischen Staates bildeten.

Die zwei riesigen Kunstwerke wurden laut Černý eigentlich für den neuen Sitz der NATO in Brüssel geschaffen. Dann wurde jedoch der Eigentümer des Kaufhauses Máj auf sie aufmerksam und bestellte zwei Schmetterlinge für die Fassade. Das Denkmalamt Prag bewilligte die Anbringung der Kunstwerke zunächst für die Dauer eines Jahres.

Černý gehört zu den bekanntesten Künstlern Tschechiens. Auch seine Werke sind bekannt und beliebt. Zu ihnen zählt der Trabant auf Beinen (unter anderem in der Deutschen Botschaft Prag), die kriechenden Babys (am Fernsehturm Prag) sowie der in sich drehende Kopf Franz Kafkas (im Hof der Bühne Neue Szene/Nová Scéna des Nationaltheaters/Národní divadlo).

Kleiner E-Auto-Boom in Tschechien

In Tschechien wurden im April um ein Viertel mehr Elektroautos verkauft als im Vorjahresmonat. Damit steht die Entwicklung im Kontrast zum rückläufigen Interesse in Deutschland und anderswo in Europa. Doch der kleine Boom hat einen Grund: Tschechien zahlt seit März je Auto bis zu 200.000 Kronen (8.000 Euro) Kaufprämie für die Anschaffung eines Elektroautos. Den Zuschuss können allerdings nur Gewerbetreibende und Firmen beantragen. Bedingung ist ein Mindestpreis von 300.000 Kronen (12.000 Euro). Maximal darf das Auto 1,5 Millionen Kronen kosten (60.000 Euro).

Bis zum 21. Mai wurden laut Tageszeitung Hospodářské noviny Zuschüsse für 1.932 Autos beantragt, darunter 38 LKWs. Insgesamt beinhaltet das Förderprogramm, das aus Geldern der EU-Kommission aufgelegt wurde, Mittel für 4.055 Autos. Experten gehen davon aus, dass die Mittel innerhalb weniger Monate ausgeschöpft sein werden. Das mit Abstand größte Interesse verzeichnet die Národní rozvojová banka (NRB - Nationale Entwicklungsbank) an Autos der Marke Tesla. Auf Tesla entfielen über 1.000 Anträge. Mit großem Abstand folgen Volvo (192 Anträge), Volkswagen (99 Anträge) und Škoda (99 Anträge).

Für den stotternden Elektroautomarkt in Tschechien dürfte die Förderung nur ein kleines Strohfeuer bewirken. Elektroautos haben am Neuwagenmarkt in Tschechien bisher nur einen Anteil von 2,5 Prozent. Die Nachfrage war zudem in den letzten Monaten rückläufig. Erst im April stieg sie wieder über den Vorjahreswert.

60. Beethoven-Festival in Teplice

Wie beim berühmten Musikfestival Prager Frühling erklang in diesem Jahr auch bei der Eröffnung des Beethoven-Festivals am Donnerstag in Teplice (Teplitz) der Zyklus „Má vlast“ (Mein Vaterland) von Bedřich Smetana. Damit verneigt sich der 60. Festivaljahrgang vor dem Klassiker der tschechischen Musik, dessen Geburtstag sich am 2. März dieses Jahres zum 200. Mal jährte. Die berühmte Komposition kam in der langen Geschichte des Festivals erst zum zweiten Mal zur Aufführung. Das restliche Programm erweist aber auch Namensgeber Ludwig van Beethoven die Ehre, der zweimal in Teplice zur Kur weilte. Auf dem Programm stehen unter anderem sein drittes Klavierkonzert in c-Moll, die Große Fuge in B-Dur und sein Streichquartett Nummer 8 in e-Moll. Zur Aufführung kommen des weiteren Werke von Gershwin, Dvořák, Bruckner und Janáček.

In den vier Festivalwochen finden insgesamt 18 Konzerte an 10 verschiedenen Orten statt. In Teplice erklingen die Konzerte in diesem Jahr im Krušnohorské divadlo (Erzgebirgstheater), das seinen 100. Geburtstag feiert. Es ist auch das Ausweichquartier für die Nordböhmische Philharmonie, die sonst ihren Konzertsaal im Kulturhaus hat, das gerade saniert wird. Weitere Konzertorte sind unter anderem das Schloss Jezeří (Eisenberg), Děčín (Tetschen) und Most (Brüx). Das Abschlusskonzert findet am 20. Juni im Erzgebirgstheater statt, wo die Oper "Der Bergmönch" von Josef Wolfram zur szenischen Aufführung kommt.

Präsident Pavel leicht verletzt nach Motorradunfall

Kurzer Schreckmoment Mitte der Woche: Der tschechische Präsident Petr Pavel erlitt einen Motorradunfall. Die Verletzungen seien nicht ernst, trotzdem wurde der Präsident im Krankenhaus behandelt, das er am Freitag wieder verlassen konnte. Der Präsident kuriert seine leichte Verletzung nun zu Hause aus, hieß es aus der Präsidialkanzlei.

Pavel ist als leidenschaftlicher Motorradfahrer bekannt, der seinem Hobby auch nach seiner Amtseinführung vor über einem Jahr weiter nachgeht. Der Unfall soll sich laut Tageszeitung Deník N auf einer Rennstrecke im Mittelböhmischen Bezirk zugetragen haben. Der genaue Ort wurde nicht bekannt gegeben.

Präsidentensprecher Vít Kolář geht davon aus, dass der Präsident sein geplantes Programm fortsetzen kann. Das betrifft unter anderem eine Auslandsreise.

Teplice zeigt Ausstellung über den Hohnsteiner Kasper

An den legendären Puppenspieler Harald Schwarz erinnert derzeit eine Ausstellung im Regionalmuseum Teplice (Teplitz). Schwarz wurde am 13. April in Teplice-Šanov geboren. Sein Interesse am Puppenspiel führte ihn in den 1930er Jahren nach Hohnstein, wo er noch unter Max Jakob lernte. Von dort konnte er nach 1945 nicht mehr zu seinen Eltern nach Teplice zurück. Für drei Jahre übernahm er das zweite Hohnsteiner Kaspertheater, mit dem er 1948 nach Essen übersiedelte, wo er die Tradition fortsetzte. Schwarz blieb zeitlebens seiner Heimat verbunden. Mit dem Prager Puppenmacher Václav Havlík knüpfte er in den 1960er Jahren eine Zusammenarbeit. Havlík stattete die Stücke von Schwarz mit seinen Puppen aus, die jedoch im Unterschied zu den klassischen Hohnsteiner Puppen einen ganz eigenen Stil begründeten. Ab 1990 trat Schwarz wieder regelmäßig in Tschechien auf und spielte in tschechischer Sprache. 1995 starb er kurz vor einem Auftritt in Svitavy.

Die Ausstellung ist bis zum 30. August zu sehen. Autor ist Markus Dorner, der die Ausstellung gemeinsam mit dem Museum für PuppentheaterKultur in Bad Kreuznach entwickelte. Geöffnet ist von Dienstag bis Freitag 13-17 Uhr und am Wochenende von 10-12 und 13-17 Uhr. Am 2. Juni kommt es im Rokoko-Saal zum Aufeinandertreffen von Hohnstein mit den tschechischen Klassikern Spejbl und Hurvínek. Es spielen der Kurator der Ausstellung Markus Dorner aus Neustadt an der Weinstraße und die Prager Puppenspieler Martin Klásek und Michal Barták. Schon an diesem Wochenende lädt Hohnstein wieder zum jährlichen Puppenspielfest ein.

Neue Elbfähre zum Kult-Freibad

In Ústí nad Labem (Aussig) hat eine neue Fähre über die Elbe ihre Fahrt aufgenommen. Sie verbindet den Stadtteil Vaňov mit dem Freibad in Brná. Die Fähre pendelt täglich von 8 bis 18 Uhr. In den Sommerferien soll der Betrieb auf 20 Uhr ausgeweitet werden.

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Partial confession in arson trial

The trial for the large forest fire in Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland in the summer of 2022 began on Thursday at the District Court in Ústí nad Labem. The accused is former national park ranger Jiří L. He confessed right at the start that he had set smaller fires last year. This included the historic lodge on Vlčí hora (Wolfsberg) near Krásná Lípa (Schönlinde). The lodge burned down completely. The observation tower was also damaged in the fire.

The defendant continued to deny having started the large forest fire in Bohemian Switzerland in the summer of 2022. However, this is what the prosecution accuses him of. The defendant had admitted to the arson during a police interrogation, but later retracted it.

The trial was interrupted to obtain another psychiatric report. The court also did not accept the confession because there was uncertainty about the defendant's state of health. The defendant suffers from mental illness.

Wolfsberg Tower reopened

Last weekend, the observation tower on Vlčí hora (Wolfsberg) was ceremoniously reopened. It had been extensively renovated after a fire a year ago. The reopening coincided with the tower's 135th anniversary. The tower is the oldest in the Šluknov area and is popular because of its extensive view as far as the Giant Mountains.

Police report more violations in motorway tunnel

The Czech Panenská Tunnel in the Ore Mountains on the motorway from Dresden to Prague is increasingly becoming a gold mine. The responsible municipal authorities of Ústí nad Labem (Aussig) reported almost 85,000 violations of the speed limit last year. The speed limit in the tunnel and in the Libouchec tunnel further towards Prague is 80 km/h. The Panenská Tunnel has a system for measuring speed using so-called section control. This measures an entire stretch of road and not just a single point.

According to the figures, the officials had an average of over 230 cases on their desks every day. The city therefore plans to strengthen the department and hire additional staff soon. This year, almost 20,000 violations have been identified by the end of April. This is particularly good news for the city's coffers: in 2023 up to the end of April this year, the magistrate collected around 44 million krone (1.76 million euros) in fines, including many notices sent to Germany.

On the D8 motorway, as the A17 is called in the Czech Republic, there are two more tunnels in the low mountain range, the Radejčín tunnel and the Prackovice tunnel. The city council of Lovosice (Lobositz) deals with the fines there.
Traffic violations have increased dramatically in the city of Ústí. While there were almost 3,900 violations last year, this year there have already been over 5,500. In particular, illegal parking has been punished more frequently. This is also due to a stricter approach.

Museum Ústí wins prize

The City Museum in Ústí nad Labem has won the most important museum award in the Czech Republic. The "Gloria Musaealis" award for 2023 in the category of Museum of the Year was awarded to the research project "Database of old quarries in the area of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains Protected Landscape Area". The project, which also included the special exhibition on sandstone, was recognized as an example of applied research with a major social impact. The project was carried out in cooperation with the Purkyně University (UJEP) in Ústí.

The award ceremony was very successful for the Ústí Region. The North Bohemian Gallery of Fine Arts in Litoměřice and the Gallery of Modern Art in Roudnice nad Labem were also recognized for an exhibition and a publication. The Gallery of Fine Arts received the special prize in the category of "Museum Publications" for the volume "Pious Morning: The Art of Seeing / Mystics, Esoterics, Automation in Czech Fine Arts". The Gallery in Roudnice received second prize in the category of Museum Exhibition for the exhibition "The Principle of Heraclitus: 100 Years of Coal in Czech Art".

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The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

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This year marks 20 years since the Czech Republic joined the European Union. One of the main benefits that EU membership has brought is access to EU funding. Cohesion policy supports not only projects on Czech territory, but also initiatives that strengthen cross-border relations. Over the past 20 years, the Czech Republic has invested billions in joint projects with Saxony. How do the regional partners assess this cooperation? And how do they envision the next 20 years?

• What is the benefit of cross-border cooperation between the Czech Republic as a "new" EU member state and Germany
• as a "long-standing" EU member state?
• How has the role of the Czech Republic in cross-border cooperation developed over the last 20 years in the EU?
• How do the regional partners assess this cooperation? And how do they envisage it in the future?
• What has proven successful in the collaboration over the years? What have been the successes of the collaboration so far? And what should be improved?
• become?
• Which lighthouse projects are financed by the Interreg programme? And which projects are in the preparation phase?

Elke Zepak, Managing Director of the Erzgebirge Euroregion, and Vladimír Lipský, Managing Director of the Elbe/Labe Euroregion, have been invited to take part in the discussion.

The event is organised by the European media network EURACTIV.

You can find more information about the event in this flyer . You can register here .

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Czech Republic closes first open-cast mine

The phase-out of coal in the Czech Republic is approaching. The first open-cast mine to close in the coming weeks is the ČSA open-cast mine south of Horní Jiřetín. By July, the open-cast mining company Severní energetická plans to lay off 485 employees, mainly in technical positions. The employees will receive severance pay amounting to eight times their monthly salary. Some of those affected are already of retirement age.

Coal mining will initially cease. 150 employees will remain in the mine. In the event of an emergency next winter, coal mining could be restarted for a few months. For this purpose, employees could be temporarily withdrawn from the second active opencast mine, Vršany, west of Most. However, no new employees will be hired in this case. And if it does come to that, it will be over for good next spring. Because all the coal that would still be in the ground is protected by a government decision from 1991. According to this, no more towns or communities may fall victim to coal. Further mining would inevitably affect the towns of Horní Jiřetín and partly also Litvínov. There are still 750 million tonnes of brown coal stored there. In 2015, the then government finally confirmed the 1991 decision and the future began for Horní Jiřetín.
The Czech Republic plans to phase out coal by 2035. Until then, mining will continue in Most, Sokolov, Chomutov and Bílina.

Chemnitz christens tram "Ústí nad Labem"

Ústí nad Labem and Chemnitz have been twinned since 1970. This is now also reflected in the Chemnitz tram, which has been named after the northern Bohemian city. On the occasion of Europe Day on 9 May and the 20th anniversary of the EU's eastward expansion in 2004, since which the Czech Republic has also been a member of the community, the tram's godfather, Ústí's mayor Petr Nedvědický, together with Chemnitz's mayor Sven Schulze, presented the new name of the Škoda tram with the number 921 on Friday afternoon. This is already the thirteenth christening of a Chemnitz tram, most of which are named after the twelve twin cities. In their welcoming speeches, Schulze and Nedvědický emphasised the importance of the partnership, which will be celebrating its 55th anniversary next year, when Chemnitz will be the European Capital of Culture. In his speech, Nedvědický also promised to "repay" his city in an appropriate manner in the near future for this great honor. David Joram, head of vehicle service at Chemnitzer Verkehrs-AG, also emphasized that in 2018 Chemnitz was the first city in Germany to order trams from the neighboring Czech Republic since reunification. Several German transport companies have now joined this development.

Soon trains to Krupka again

Trains are expected to run from Děčín to Krupka again this year. The rail network administration Správa železnic (SŽ) plans to renovate the section from Telnice to Krupka in the coming months. This will provide a direct rail connection to the valley station of the chairlift to the Mosquito Tower and to the UNESCO old town of Krupka.

The Ice Hockey World Championship starts in the Czech Republic

The most important sporting event in the Czech Republic is still the annual Ice Hockey World Championship. Every May, hearts beat faster and the whole nation hopes for nothing other than the title. This year, the Czech Republic is hosting the World Championship for the first time in nine years and expectations are accordingly even higher. The World Championship began on Friday with the first games, Norway against Switzerland and Slovakia against Germany. In the evening, the Czech Republic played its first game in the sold-out Prague O2 Arena against Finland.

Whether the Czech Republic will actually win another World Cup title will be decided in the final on May 26th at the latest. One of the toughest competitors could be Germany, who finished runners-up a year ago and thus did better than the traditionally stronger Czechs for the first time. The Czech Republic last won a bronze medal two years ago. The last World Cup title was 14 years ago. Back then, the Czech Republic triumphed in Germany. Winning a home World Cup is not that common, by the way. But two years ago, the Finns showed the Czechs how to do it and won at home.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Hřensko's new mayor wants to close border huts

The border town of Hřensko will be run by women in the future. Kateřina Horáková was elected as the new mayor on Monday. Her deputy, Alena Pačáková, is also a woman. Horáková succeeds Zdeněk Pánek, who resigned at the end of the year and was mayor of the municipality for many years. Pačáková replaces the previous deputy Robert Mareš, who had temporarily led the municipality since the end of the year and has now resigned not only as deputy mayor but also as municipal representative.

Horáková takes over the office at a difficult time. For years, Hřensko was able to rely on a buoyant income from the operation of boat trips in the Edmund Gorge. But since the major forest fire in the summer of 2022, the gorge has been closed due to the risk of trees breaking. As a result, Hřensko has already had to lay off employees. Only the smaller Wild Gorge, which is more difficult to reach, remains open for tourist boat trips. It is not possible to say when the Edmund Gorge will open. A few weeks ago, the national park announced that it would remain closed for at least another three years.

The first goal for the newly elected mayor is therefore to negotiate with the national park about opening the gorge. The new mayor also wants to introduce parking meters in the municipal office in order to reduce the costs of parking space management.

Horáková said her second major goal was to reduce the number of stalls where mainly Vietnamese traders sell their sometimes wild mix of goods. She cited safety as the reason. Some of the stalls make it impossible for fire engines and ambulances to get through. But she also hinted that the stalls, where counterfeits and fakes have repeatedly been confiscated during checks, where right-wing extremist items are also offered for sale and which in the past have also turned out to be a transshipment point for drugs, do not fit the image of the community that she wants. "We want more tourists to visit us. That's why we will do everything we can to ensure that our village finally arrives in the 21st century. So that visitors like it here," said Horáková.

Jeschken cable car is being extended

The Liberec city council has decided. In the future, a cable car with just one large cabin suspended from two cables will lead up to the local mountain, Ještěd. At the same time, the city representatives decided to extend the cable car by 770 meters to the tram terminus in Horní Hanychov. The old cable car was 1.2 kilometers long.

The representatives made their decision based on a feasibility study. According to this, a circular variant with several gondolas would have been somewhat cheaper to build, but the city representatives were also guided by visual considerations. A cable car with circular gondolas would not suit Jeschken, they said.

However, it will still be some time before Liberec's local mountain can be reached by cable car again. Optimistic forecasts suggest that this will happen by 2029.

Pirna students translate fate of a Winton child

For three years now, a large, colorful mural has been located in a once dark passageway at Ústí nad Labem (Aussig) main train station. It tells the story of the unusual life of Ruth Hálová. Shortly after its completion, the mural was even viewed by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender, who made a special stopover in Ústí on their trip to the neighboring country. Recently, this mural, in the form of a leaflet, was the subject of a lesson for a German-Czech class at the binational Schiller Gymnasium in Pirna. "Ruth came from Český Krumlov in southern Bohemia. She was one of the 669 Jewish children who were rescued and brought to Great Britain shortly before the Second World War on the initiative of the Briton Nicholas Winton. (This heroic act is commemorated in the currently running film "One Life" starring Anthony Hopkins.) After the war, Ruth settled in Ústí and led a team that developed vaccines," explained Michaela Valášková, who had the idea for the mural and also for the leaflet that resulted from it.

The students' task is now to translate the leaflet into German. Ruth Hálová's story is not one that only has to do with Ústí. "It has a universal dimension that appealed to our Czech and German students," says class teacher Jana Neuper, adding: "Thanks to the translation, they are acquiring new skills that will help them in their further development." Work is still being done diligently on the translation. As soon as it is finished, a German leaflet version will of course be printed.

The mural and leaflet were created as part of the "Unknown Heroes" project and are the work of the artists Adéla Bierbaumer and Magdalena Gurská. The project presents the stories of people who were born in Ústí or who lived there and made history, sometimes later, when they no longer lived in Ústí, in public spaces in Ústí. In this way, works of art have already been created in honour of the graphic artist Heinz Edelmann, the illustrator and creator of the famous Beatles film "Yellow Submarine", or the nuclear physicist Lilli Hornig, who was involved in the development of the first atomic bomb in America and campaigned throughout her life for more women in science.

Steinmeier and von der Leyen in Prague

On May 1st 20 years ago, eight Central and Eastern European countries joined the European Union together with Malta and Cyprus. This largest wave of accession in the history of the European Union is therefore also called the EU's eastward enlargement. This week, two important politicians were in Prague: Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier took part in the anniversary celebrations. He called the accession an "epochal turning point". Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also paid tribute to the historic date with her visit. For both of them, the war against Ukraine was also the dominant topic. Steinmeier, together with his counterpart, Czech President Petr Pavel, emphasized the ongoing support for Ukraine. "Our solidarity has no expiration date," said Steinmeier. Ursula von der Leyen, who is running for a second term, also visited Czech arms manufacturers, whom she thanked for their deliveries to Ukraine.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

The situation of displaced persons and refugees from the former German eastern provinces and settlement areas of East Central Europe who had settled in the Soviet occupation zone/the GDR differed in important respects from that of their compatriots in the West. One crucial aspect was that the states in which their former homeland was located were among the "friendly brother countries" of the socialist camp and the people living there were considered friendly peoples. Refugees and displaced persons in the GDR were thus able to return to their old homeland in Bohemia or Silesia somewhat earlier and against a different political background than those in the Federal Republic.

Hundreds of thousands more GDR citizens traveled to Czechoslovakia and Poland on holiday or for business and met people there who often only arrived after 1945. For the refugees and displaced persons, such trips were always also trips into the past, to their former homeland, to the graves of their ancestors, to the houses in which they once lived and where other people now lived. Later, this was also possible for people from the Federal Republic, who - unlike those from the GDR - were able to speak publicly about it after their return and often did so in writing, which is why a lot of information is already available on this. Since this was not possible in the GDR, less is known about it.

This fact, often mentioned by those affected, has so far received little attention in research and in public. Encounters with Czech and Polish "new settlers" and their views on the former residents have also been sparsely investigated in this context. The conference is dedicated to these stories in the previously predominantly German-populated areas of Czechoslovakia and takes a comparative look at the situation in the People's Republic of Poland. More than 35 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, we also want to take a look at previous reconciliation initiatives from Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic and talk to practitioners of cross-border cooperation about the future of understanding.

More about the conference and registration
 

This event is a cooperation project of the Deutsche Gesellschaft e. V. and the Euroregion Elbe/Labe.

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs based on a resolution of the German Bundestag, the Small Projects Fund in the Euroregion Elbe/Labe (applied for) and the Institut für Kultur und Geschichte der Deutschen in Nordosteuropa (IKGN) e.V. – Nordost-Institut (funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media based on a resolution of the German Bundestag).

Roma memorial Lety opens

A memorial to the Porajmos, the genocide of the Roma under National Socialism, was opened in Lety in southern Bohemia. Both President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala spoke at the inauguration ceremony. The memorial, which will be open to the public from May 12, commemorates a concentration camp that was set up here for Roma from the Czech Republic during the years of National Socialist occupation. A labor camp primarily for Roma had previously stood on the same site.

After 1945, the place was forgotten, and later a pig farm was built. Since the Velvet Revolution, there have been efforts - also encouraged by the then President Václav Havel - to set up a reverent place of remembrance. But the respective governments refused to close the pig farm. For a long time, the government did not want to acknowledge that the Roma had been genocide, let alone that it was its own fault. This lack of interest was also due to the fact that Roma in the Czech Republic still have only a small lobby and are largely socially excluded.

It was not until 2018 that the state agreed to buy the pig farm. In 2022, the demolition was completed and construction of the memorial could begin. It is affiliated with the Museum of Roma Culture in Brno.

1,308 Roma, both old and children, men and women, were held in the camp between August 1942 and May 1943, 327 died and over 500 were murdered in concentration camps. In Hodonín u Kunštátu in Moravia there was a second camp that served as a holiday camp after 1945. A small memorial had already been set up there. You can find out more about the history of the camp in Lety at www.holocaust.cz .

New location for Czech lithium production

The lithium in the Ore Mountains has also created a gold rush atmosphere in the Czech Republic. The raw material is to be mined in the old mining town of Cínovec. The Czech Republic hopes that this will give it independence from the world market in this important area and enable it to move into the technological forefront. But not much has happened for years. The Geomet company was taken over by the majority state-owned energy company ČEZ. But mining is still a long way off.

Now Geomet has even had to accept a setback. Due to protests from local residents, the company gave up the desired location for the lithium processing plant in the town of Újezdeček, south of Dubí, and decided to build the plant in Prunéřov, west of Chomutov.

Residents had been protesting against the plant in Újezdeček for two years. The residents of the small settlement of Dukla in particular were afraid of the plant, which would have bordered on their property. For two years they fought a David versus Goliath battle. Geomet always claimed that Újezdeček was the best location. Criticism from district administrator Jan Schiller was certainly crucial to the success of the protest. Other regional and local politicians also sided with the residents. Geomet was repeatedly criticized for its information policy.

Now the residents of the Dukla settlement can celebrate. Geomet now wants to transport the mined lithium to Prunéřov by train. Újezdeček is only planned as a transfer point for the ore to the railway. There is a ČEZ coal-fired power plant in Prunéřov. Geomet wants to locate both the mechanical and chemical processing of lithium there. Up to 60 lithium trains per week are planned from Újezdeček to Prunéřov.

When lithium mining will begin in the Czech Ore Mountains is still up in the air. A feasibility study, which was supposed to be available at the end of 2023, has not yet been completed. The only thing that is certain is that mining will take place underground. The transport of the ore from the shaft to the transshipment point in Újezdeček is also still an open question. Most recently, two options were considered: a transport lift or a conveyor belt. Geomet plans to mine over 2 million tons of ore per year, which will be processed into around 25,000 tons of lithium.

Žatec wins another title

A year ago, the hop town of Žatec was left empty-handed. Then, on September 18, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Exactly seven months later, Žatec was also named a "Historic Town of the Czech Republic." The town was thus recognized for its long-term, successful renovation of the historic town center and individual buildings. The jury particularly emphasized that, in addition to using state funding, the town also succeeds in motivating private homeowners to carry out renovations in accordance with the monument's preservation requirements.

Žatec won the coveted title at the eighth attempt. The winners in each district always make it to the final. Žatec won the Ústí district for the eighth time in a row in 2023. The nationwide winner will receive 1 million crowns (40,000 euros) for monument preservation.

New Elbe bridges for pedestrians and cyclists

Construction of a new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists has begun in Ústí. The new Elbe crossing is being built downstream of the Beneš Bridge. It is a temporary solution for the period of the renovation of the Beneš Bridge. The temporary solution is to be three meters wide and to be completed by next winter. All supply lines that currently run over the Beneš Bridge will also be diverted over the temporary bridge. The long-overdue renovation of the Beneš Bridge is to be completed in October 2026.

A bridge for pedestrians and cyclists is also being built in Děčín. It will be built onto the railway bridge. Unlike the one in Ústí, however, it will not be a temporary bridge, but will make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross. In future, this will also make crossing the Elbe easier for all those who are using the Elbe cycle path. Until now, they had to take the inconvenient route over the Tyrš Bridge.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

School year 1945/1946: The students in a boys' class are so undisciplined that they send their teacher to the madhouse. Then a new teacher takes over and fascinates the boys: on the one hand, military uniform and caning with the cane, on the other hand, he makes the tough boys cry with his violin playing to the story of Jan Hus and amazes them with his stories from the various war fronts. If it weren't for his uncontrollable passion for women...

This film by father and son Svěrák is probably a classic example of the Czech film that many people in Germany love: lovingly drawn characters in a rather rural setting who experience different, more or less everyday stories, and all of this is staged without any great sensationalism. The background is an important time in Czech history, which was certainly anything but easy, but here it is given a conciliatory sepia tone. The film is one of the most popular films of all time in the Czech Republic and is number 6 on the list at csfd.cz.

For Jan Svěrák, this was his first feature film as a director; his father Zdeněk Svěrák wrote the screenplay and acted in it. The film was nominated for the 1992 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

100 years of the Ore Mountain Theatre Teplice

The spa town of Teplice is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Ore Mountains Theatre (Krušnohorské divadlo). The monumental building on the edge of the spa park was ceremoniously opened as the "Teplitz-Schönau Municipal Theatre" on April 20, 1924. At the time, it was the largest theatre building outside of Prague. It was built in just under two years on the site of the previous building. It was destroyed in a fire in 1919. The current building is a Dresden co-production. The architectural competition was won by the Dresden architect with Bohemian roots, Rudolf Bitzan. He is known for the crematorium in Liberec (Reichenberg), designed the town hall in Freital-Döhlen and was also involved in the design for Leipzig Central Station. The interiors were designed by the Dresden artists Richard Guhr and Alexander Baranowsky.

Programs from the 1920s show a lively cultural life. The theater had three sections: opera, operetta and drama. Performances were performed at least once a day, sometimes several times. In addition to the large hall with over 700 seats, the theater had a small hall with 500 seats, a restaurant, a café and a cinema, as well as several other salons for dance events, for example. Due to the German-speaking majority of the population, performances were usually performed in German. At least once a month there was a Czech-language event. Many actors of Jewish descent also performed at the theater. Despite growing pressure from the fascist-minded Sudeten German Party, the directors managed to keep the Jewish actors, who made up about a third of the ensemble, until the Wehrmacht invaded the Sudetenland in 1938. In 1938 the theater not only lost its Jewish actors, but also some Germans quit their jobs. After 1945, the ethnic German population had to leave the country.

Today the theatre is run by the town of Teplice, which subsidises all venues under the roof of the cultural centre with 2 million euros every year. In addition to the modern cultural centre itself, this includes the Ore Mountains Theatre and, among others, the Zahradní dům (Garden House) near the castle. Today the theatre mainly hosts external productions, but cultural centre director Přemysl Šoba has announced four of his own premieres for the first time this year, partly supported by musicians from the Teplice Conservatory. As the cultural centre is currently being renovated, the Ore Mountains Theatre is also the venue for the North Bohemian Philharmonic this year. The Beethoven Festival in early summer will also take place in the Ore Mountains Theatre.

Interest in the European Union is increasing in the Czech Republic

On June 9, the people of the European Union will elect a new parliament. A Eurobarometer survey conducted in the Czech Republic in February suggests that voter turnout will be higher this time. According to the survey, 38 percent of eligible voters will go and vote. That may not be much for other countries. But in the Czech Republic, where turnout in EU elections has always been among the lowest, that would be a new record.

Interest in the European elections was already rising again before the last elections, after voter turnout had fallen to a historic low of 18.2 percent in 2014. After the Czech Republic joined the European Union on May 1 with nine other countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Southern Europe, voter turnout had always been just over 28 percent. In 2019, it returned to this level and even reached a new high of almost 29 percent.

When asked about priorities for the European elections, the Czech Republic's priorities are defense and security (45 percent), independence in energy supply and industrial production (40 percent) and the future of Europe (35 percent). This differs in some ways from the overall picture of all 27 EU states, where only defense and security are higher in priority. The issue of migration and asylum is also given greater weight in the Czech Republic (33 percent) than in the EU as a whole (24 percent).

There are more similarities in the values that the EU Parliament is to defend over the next five years. Peace and democracy are at the forefront here. While the Czech Republic places a little more emphasis on solidarity between EU states and regions and respect for national identities, cultures and traditions, the EU as a whole places greater emphasis on the protection of human rights and the rule of law.

When asked what the EU should focus on to strengthen its influence in the world, however, the picture is again mixed. Defence and security, as well as independence in the supply of energy and raw materials and infrastructure, are top priorities. In the Czech Republic, however, the emphasis is on strengthening the competitiveness of the economy and industry (40 percent/EU27: 27 percent). In contrast, the EU27 rate food supply and agriculture higher at 30 percent than Czech respondents (23 percent).

High-speed rail line: decision in June

While the route of the new high-speed rail line from Dresden to Prague has been clarified on the German side, the decision on the Czech side is still pending. The ball is currently in the Ústí district's court. The district office is evaluating over 600 statements. In particular, the section south of the Bohemian Central Mountains, through which the high-speed rail line is to be run via a tunnel, has still not been decided between three options. The exit of the Ore Mountains Base Tunnel on the Czech side is still controversial. But the railway infrastructure administration Správa železnic is pushing for a decision. "June is our big wish. Otherwise everything will be delayed - not just the Ore Mountains Tunnel, but also the Prague-Lovosice section, which is to be built first," says Pavel Hruška, head of planning at Správa železnic.
The district office is expected to have processed all 600 statements by June. After that, the members of the district parliament will have the final say. If no decision is reached, the Ministry of Transport wants to take over the process and force a decision. This will enable it to revise the building law. District administrator Jan Schiller (ANO) is opposed to such a course of action: "We have already struggled so intensively with all the affected communities. It would all have been in vain," said the district administrator. He is still hoping to find a compromise.

Whooping cough wave in Northern Bohemia

In recent weeks, there has been an increase in whooping cough cases in northern Bohemia. Last week, the Ústí District Hygiene Station reported an increase of 130 new cases. Most of them were registered in the Děčín District (27). The disease is also increasingly appearing in the Chomutov (25 cases) and Ústí (24 cases) districts. The prevalence in the district remains unchanged at 16 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The disease is most prevalent in the 15-19 age group, with almost 92 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Overcoming language barriers is the most important and at the same time the most difficult task for all Saxon-Czech border regions. Immersing children in the neighboring language at an early stage is a special opportunity for the entire border region.

We have accepted this challenge as a project team of the INTERREG project “Neighbouring language from the beginning - Jazyk sousedů od začátku!” All Saxon-Czech Euroregions, the Saxon State Office for Neighbouring Language Education (LaNa) and TANDEM Pilsen Coordination Office for German-Czech Youth Exchange form a great team and were able to start the ambitious project in January 2024. We would like to design and implement the project together with you.

Conference programme

MONDAY AND AFTERNOON 29.04.2024

10 AM I 10 PM

Location: Library of the Ústí Region, Winston Churcilla 3, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem

Event language(s): German and Czech

The project "Neighbouring language from the start" is funded with EU funds from the Saxony-Czech Republic cooperation programme 2021-2027.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Funding for eight projects in the Elbe/Labe Euroregion approved

The Elbe/Labe Euroregion manages a small project fund filled with EU funds to support German-Czech projects. At today's meeting of the local steering committee in Děčín, eight project applications with a total funding volume of 69,236.80 euros were approved. These include, for example, holiday camps, sports games, joint excursions or cooperation between dog sports clubs. The applicants came from Sebnitz, Dolní Poustevna, Bad Gottleuba, Tisá, Teplice, Bannewitz, Krásná Lípa, Obercunnersdorf, Bärenstein, Česká Kamenice and Dresden.

You can find out more about the funding opportunities offered by the Small Projects Fund at www.elbelabe.eu/kpf . We would be delighted to receive many good project proposals. Please spread the word!

To the list of approved projects

Ústí District modernizes Rumburk Hospital

Five years ago, the hospital in Rumburk was still a nursing case. Insolvent and threatened with closure. Some departments were closed, there was not only a lack of money, but also of staff. In between there was the takeover by the hospital holding company of the Ústí district and the Covid pandemic, during which the hospital regained importance. Especially since the borders were temporarily closed and patients could no longer be cared for by Saxon clinics as once planned.
The situation for the hospital has now improved. In the coming years, the district will invest heavily again. The equivalent of 37.5 million euros is planned. The money will be used to renovate the polyclinic, i.e. the medical care center. A completely new emergency room will be built and the hospital will finally have its own helipad. The majority of the investments should be completed by 2027. The renovation of the main building will take a little longer.
The hospital, which cares for 50,000 people in the Schluchsee area, was due to be closed years ago. At the same time, negotiations were underway with facilities in neighboring Saxony that were waiting for patients from the Czech Republic. But the plan failed due to lack of funding.

Děčín acquires electric buses

Public transport in Děčín will change in the next few years. This will be achieved by purchasing new electric buses for the city lines. The city has already started a bidding process to purchase 20 electric buses. The first ten buses are expected to be delivered next year. The city will only pay a fraction of the price. The majority will be covered by subsidies from the European Union.
Děčín has been testing electric buses from various manufacturers for three years now. The decisive factor was whether the buses could also handle the mountainous terrain of the Elbe city. The result was positive. The transport company is only expecting one additional quick charge during the day.
Which company ultimately supplies the buses depends solely on the lowest price bid. The city also demands a guarantee for the batteries for the full 12-year lifespan.
In order to reduce emissions, Děčín has already purchased 21 natural gas-powered buses, whose operating costs rose sharply following the price increases after Corona and Russia's war against Ukraine. Děčín also has diesel buses in its fleet.

Unemployment highest in Northern Bohemia

Ústí nL Unemployment in the Ústí region remains the highest in the Czech Republic. In March, the employment offices reported an unemployment rate of six percent. That was two percentage points higher than the national average. However, the rate remained unchanged from February. 33,643 people were registered as unemployed compared to almost 11,000 vacancies.

The affair surrounding Bystron and the Czech newspaper Deník N

AfD politician Petr Bystron has been in the headlines for almost three weeks. He is said to have accepted money from the Russian propaganda portal Voice of Europe. Bystron denies this and the party executive of the Alternative for Germany has expressed its trust in him. But the longer the affair lasts and the more details and new findings become known, the more the politician becomes a burden for the AfD. After all, he is second on the list of candidates for the European elections in June. The name of the Czech newspaper Deník N is always mentioned in connection with Bystron. It was at the beginning and first made the allegations public.

This is no coincidence. After all, Bystron is a politician with Czech roots. Born in Olomouc in 1972, his family emigrated to Germany at the end of the 1980s. For several years now, he has had a meteoric rise in the AfD. Nevertheless, Czech media continue to write the politician's name in Czech. That means Petr remains Petr, but his surname is Bystroˇň, with a soft N at the end. His origins explain the great interest of the media in the Czech Republic in him. However, Czech media have very good sources, especially when it comes to researching Russian influence. Long before Russia's attack on Ukraine, the Czech secret service warned of the threat from Russia and its growing influence not only in the Czech Republic, but also in other parts of Europe. Czech journalists are also among the most active in Europe, researching Russian influence in networks with colleagues from other EU countries. It was no coincidence that a Europe-wide network designed to investigate Russian fake news was headed by a Czech journalist years ago.

Added to this is the long-standing investigative tradition and the growing media landscape in the Czech Republic, which has even grown in the last ten years. Deník N is the best example of this. The daily newspaper was founded when newspapers were closing elsewhere. It originated in Slovakia, where it quickly found readers and subscribers. It was so successful that after years it founded a branch in the Czech Republic. This is what has now set the Bystron affair in motion.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

The Elbe/Labe Euroregion manages a small project fund filled with EU funds to support German-Czech projects. At today's meeting of the Local Steering Committee, eight project applications with a total funding volume of EUR 69,236.80 were approved.

Česká Kamenice has an astronomical clock again

No visit to Prague is complete without a visit to the famous astronomical clock on the Old Town Square. Every hour on the hour, a huge crowd of people gathers to watch the spectacle of the apostles. A similar crowd formed on Easter Sunday in Česká Kamenice on Nerudova Street, which connects the main square with the pilgrimage church of the Virgin Mary. An astronomical clock was put into operation there. The 12 apostles can also be seen here. Two bell ringers, a skeleton and a knight complete the ensemble.

The astronomical clock was once built by a clockmaker to boost his business. But after 1945 he lost his business. What became of the clock is not known. But the place where the clock was once installed was still visible. The house on Nerudova has since been renovated and last year the town decided to install an astronomical clock again. Almost half of the money was raised through a fundraiser. The figures were made by the glass school in neighboring Kamenický Šenov.

Construction starts on the Eger cycle path

People have been talking about it for over ten years. The cycle path along the Ohře river, which has its source in Bavaria and is called the Eger there, and flows into the Elbe near Litoměřice. It is already signposted and quite a few people are already using it for cycling tours. But so far it has led along roads or forest and field paths. Some of the roads are very busy, and the forest and field paths are not always of a quality suitable for bicycles. Now the path is to have its own, mostly asphalted route. The Ústí District, as the developer, is already looking for companies to build the first sections. The first section is 3.8 kilometers long and is located between the towns of Litoměřice and Libochovice. The second section is five kilometers long and covers the stretch between Žatec and Kadaň. A total of 20 sections of cycle path are being built between the Ohře estuary and the border with the Karlovy Vary District.

German-language tours at Ústí Zoo

The zoo in Ústí nad Labem is particularly worthwhile right now. You have the unique opportunity to observe four cheetah cubs. The quadruplets are no longer very small, but at just over seven months old they are still very playful. Along with two others, they are the only cheetah cubs in Europe this year.

It is now possible to combine a visit to the zoo with an expert guided tour, even in German. The German volunteer Amelie Konzelmann has been working at the zoo since the autumn. She was introduced to the zoo by the Paritätische in Dresden, which has been active in German-Czech volunteer exchanges for years. Amelie Konzelmann did not acquire her knowledge of the zoo animals in Ústí, but came to the city on the Elbe with prior knowledge. The tours start this weekend at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Historical tours or night tours are also possible. Advance registration is required. All information, including contact details, can be found on the German version of the zoo's website. Tickets for the tour are available at the ticket office. Konzelmann also offers exciting educational programs for school classes on various topics such as "The food chain," "Behavioral biology" or "Illegal animal trade." They are designed for different age groups. More information can also be found on the website .

Day without haste

Take it easy for a day. The Czech Republic allows itself this once a year. On Wednesday, the day came. Everyone in the Czech Republic was called upon to slow down. This day was initiated by the Czech Insurance Association. The reason was the number of road deaths, which are often caused by excessive speed or inattentiveness resulting from haste. The day is therefore intended to remind people to stick to the speed limits on the roads and to drive stress-free.

But the day of no rush was not only about traffic. In Opava, the semi-final cup match between hosts Opava and favorites Sparta Prague began a few minutes later to mark the day. Theater performances also started later. Even the puppet show of the famous astronomical clock at Prague City Hall was stopped for a few minutes at 10 a.m. Instead, death rang the bell 138 times - once for every victim who died in traffic last year due to excessive speed.

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

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April begins on Easter Monday, which means that Wednesday is another Czech Film Wednesday. This time we are showing “Bílá nemoc” (The White Disease) from 1937.

This will be the oldest film so far at Czech Film Wednesday. The 1930s in Czechoslovakia were characterized by relatively shallow comedies, which is why suitable films from this decade are rare. “Bílá nemoc” stands out, which is certainly due to the original by the famous Karel Čapek.

About the content: A mysterious illness is raging in a totalitarian state where a strict marshal rules and threatens neighboring states with war. The marshal is supported by the arms magnate Baron Krog, and the propaganda minister is constantly preparing the population for war. Young people in particular, who are searching in vain for work, fanatically support the marshal and believe that a victorious war is the only way out of the gloomy situation.

Dr. Galén, a slum doctor, has found a cure for the white disease, but he does not want to give the formula to any government until it gives up weapons and commits to lasting world peace. He covers poor people in the suburbs and rich people seeking peace. He refuses to treat the infected Krog unless the conditions are met. The marshal rejects this. Instead, he starts war against the neighboring country. The crowds cheer, but things turn out differently than you might expect...

The film clearly takes up developments in neighboring Germany since 1933, which is also heading towards war. Czechoslovakia becomes the first victim of Hitler's war ambitions in 1938, just one year after the film, through the Munich Agreement and in 1939 through the final occupation. This makes the film also an important contemporary document.

More about the film and tickets

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The Czech Republic celebrates Easter with a giant Easter egg

Easter is not only just around the corner, but in Jablonné v Podještědí, Czech Republic, it is a huge Easter egg in the middle of the main square. Only six kilometers from the border with Saxony, it has become a tourist attraction in recent days. Photos with the egg are eagerly shared on social networks. “The egg was made by eager craftsmen in the Heřmanice district in 80 hours of after-work work,” says Mayor Jiří Rýdl. It is around three meters high and is probably the largest egg around. It consists of a steel wire mesh through which willow branches and colored fabric panels have been woven. “We had already set it up last year, but only as a pure wire mesh. So the decorated Easter egg is a first,” the mayor continued. It can still be admired at least until Easter Monday. “We will definitely not take it down again on Tuesday, but will leave it there for a few days after Easter,” says Rýdl, given the great interest.
The Easter egg also has a tradition that is still alive today in the Czech Republic. It is considered a symbol of fertility. Colorfully decorated in many variations, it was traditionally presented on Easter Monday by women to men as they moved from house to house.

Railway lines are coming back to life

The tourist railway lines start the new season in the neighboring country on Good Friday. This also applies to train routes that are closed during the rest of the year. This applies, for example, to the popularly known Goat Railway from Děčín to Telnice, the Opárno Express from Litoměřice to Chotiměř in the Bohemian Central Mountains or the route from Ústí-Střekov to Zubrnice, which is also known as a museum village. The trains run on weekends and public holidays and the Elbe-Labe ticket is valid. Historic trains are used on most routes. The Elbe-Labe ticket is also valid on the tourist boat lines T91 to T93 on the Elbe from Ústí to Litoměřice or Hřensko. Timetables and other routes for the lines marked with a “T” can be found on the Ústí district website . Although the site is only in Czech, it is possible to navigate on the left via " Železniční linky " (rail lines) and " Lodní linky a přívozy " (ship lines and ferries).

Easter riding in Mikulášovice

On Easter Sunday the Easter riders are also out and about among our Czech neighbors. The custom, which has been practiced again in Mikulášovice for several years, is originally a tradition of the German minority that still lives there. The procession with the horses starts immediately after Holy Mass, which begins at 10 a.m. in the Church of St. Nicholas.

NGOs criticize housing situation in Prague

Several Czech non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have published the results of a study that rates the housing situation in Prague as the worst in Europe. Nowhere else is accommodation as unaffordable as in the Czech capital, the study says. The NGOs are calling for municipal housing construction, which currently does not exist in Prague, as well as the regulation of rents.

The results of the study, which follows a comparable study in 2018, correspond to the assessment of economist Martin Červinka in the daily newspaper Hospodářské noviny. He points to the increasing purchase prices for private living space and the limited supply, which is further increasing prices. Housing construction had also come to a standstill in the Czech Republic due to skyrocketing construction prices. In addition, the Czech central bank had raised key interest rates significantly more than the European Central Bank, which increased costs for home buyers and also dampened the provision of new living space. The central bank has now made its first interest rate cut. But housing construction has not yet started again. Rents also remain at a high level.

Červinka points to data from the statistics office that Prague has grown by 100,000 residents in the last two years. Cell phone data suggests the number of residents is even higher than the official 1.38 million. The main reason behind this is the influx of Ukrainian refugees in recent years. At the same time, Červinka also viewed the situation positively. It is remarkable how the housing market has accommodated the influx of so many people in such a short time.

The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Präsident Petr Pavel zu Besuch in Dresden

Am 15. März weilte der tschechische Präsident Petr Pavel in Dresden. Anlass war die Eröffnung der Ausstellung "Fragmente der Erinnerung" der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen gemeinsam mit dem sächsischen Ministerpräsidenten Michael Kretschmer im Lipsius-Bau. Diesen traf Präsident Pavel zuvor zu Gesprächen über die sächsisch-tschechischen Beziehungen und die wirtschaftliche und kulturelle Zusammenarbeit (sicher auch über unsere Tschechisch-Deutschen Kulturtage). Abschließend stand ein Besuch im Dresdner Werk des Halbleiterherstellers GlobalFoundries auf dem Programm.

Ausstellung des Reliquienschatzes des Prager Veitsdoms im Lipsiusbau

Am 15. März wurde im Dresdner Lipsiusbau an der Brühlschen Terrasse die Ausstellung "Fragmente der Erinnerung" eröffnet (siehe oben), die bis zum 8. September zu sehen sein wird.

Im Zentrum steht der über Jahrhunderte gewachsene Reliquienschatz des Prager Veitsdoms – eine der bedeutsamsten Sammlungen von Belegstücken des christlichen Glaubens – der als heilig und wunderwirkend verehrt wurde. Die Ausstellung präsentiert diesen Schatz anhand 125 mittelalterlicher und frühneuzeitlicher Stücke zum ersten Mal in seiner Geschichte außerhalb seines ursprünglichen Bestimmungsortes.

Darüber hinaus eröffnen drei zeitgenössische Künstler zusätzliche Perspektiven auf das Thema des zivilisatorischen Gedächtnisses. Edmund de Waal regt mit keramischen Werken zur Reflexion über Geschichte an, die teilweise nur noch aus fragmentarischen Erinnerungen besteht. Josef Koudelka zeigt mit großformatigen Fotografien der Mauer zwischen Israel und der palästinensischen Westbank, wie diese Landschaft zerschnitten wird, in der die drei großen monotheistischen Weltreligionen ihre Wurzeln und sakralen Stätten haben. Der Film „In the Land of Drought“ von Julian Rosefeldt verwendet verlassene Filmkulissen, um Erinnerungen an die biblische Vorgeschichte und die Geschichte der Menschheit, vor allem im Nahen Osten und in Nordafrika, wachzurufen. Außerdem wendet sich der Film den realen Spuren der industriellen Vergangenheit Mitteleuropas mit großen Kratern und verlassenen Industriemaschinen zu, die heute zerstörte Landschaften prägen.

Zur Website der Ausstellung

Ústí verabschiedet legendäre Škoda-Obusse

Das Straßennetz von Ústí nad Labem ist künftig um eine Attraktion ärmer, zumindest aus Sicht vieler Obusfreunde: Diese Woche verabschiedete der städtische Verkehrsbetrieb DPmÚL die legendären Škoda-Oberleitungsbusse vom Typ 15Tr. Die durch ihr eckiges Äußeres markanten Fahrzeuge fuhren seit Januar 1989 in der Stadt und wurden nun durch moderne, ebenfalls von Škoda/Solaris stammende Neufahrzeuge ersetzt. Diese verfügen zusätzlich über Hilfsantriebe auf Batteriebasis und ermöglichen daher, auch Linienabschnitte ohne Oberleitung zu befahren. Die letzten regulären Einsätze des Škoda 15Tr fanden bereits Ende Februar statt, doch diese Woche – also bis morgen! – fahren zwei bis zum Schluss aktive Exemplare noch ein letztes Mal im Rahmen einer Abschiedswoche auf verschiedenen Linien. Am Sonntag gibt es eine offizielle Abschiedsrundfahrt durch die Stadt, die jedoch bereits zwei Tage nach ihrer Veröffentlichung ausverkauft war. Das zeigt die Beliebtheit der kantigen Oldies.

Zwischen 1988 und 2004 wurden im Škoda-Werk in Ostrov nad Ohří knapp 500 Exemplare des 15Tr für zahlreiche Staaten des einstigen Ostblocks gefertigt. In Ústí fuhr mit insgesamt 77 Fahrzeugen die weltweit größte Flotte dieses Typs. Obusse verkehren in Ústí nad Labem seit 1988 und sind heute fester Bestandteil des lokalen ökologischen Verkehrskonzepts. Das Netz wurde in den 1990er und frühen 2000er Jahren erheblich erweitert. Die Topografie der Stadt mit ihren in Höhenlagen errichteten Neubaugebieten bietet optimale Voraussetzungen für die Nutzung dieses Verkehrsmittels.

Filmfestival »Jeden svět« gestartet

Am Mittwoch wurde in Prag das Menschenrechts-Filmfestival »Jeden svět« (Eine Welt) eröffnet. Das Festival wurde 1999 ins Leben gerufen und ist fester Bestandteil der Arbeit der international tätigen Hilfsorganisation "Člověk v tísni" (Mensch in Not). Heute ist das Festival das größte seiner Art weltweit.

Präsentiert werden Dokumentarfilme über Menschenrechte aus aller Welt. Jedes Jahr kommen nicht nur Filmemacher aus verschiedenen Ländern der Welt dorthin, sondern auch Protagonisten und Verteidiger der Menschenrechte. Gespräche mit ihnen sind eine der Säulen des Programms.

Das Festival findet nicht nur in Prag statt, sondern in diesem Jahr in 47 weiteren Städten in ganz Tschechien. In unserer Region werden Filme in Ústí nad Labem (bis zum 23. März bei unseren Freunden vom Hraničář) und vom 10. bis 13. April in Děčín gezeigt.

Mehr Zugverbindungen nach Prag

Ab dem 26. März startet das Unternehmen European Sleeper eine neue Nachtzugverbindung zwischen Prag und Brüssel. Diese verkehrt allerdings nicht täglich, sondern nur dreimal pro Woche. Für die Strecke Dresden-Prag wird wohl niemand einen Liegewagen buchen, aber der Zug bietet auch Sitzplätze. Von Prag startet der Zug 18.04 Uhr, so dass an bestimmten Tagen zwischen 17.30 und 18.30 Uhr gleich drei Züge nach Dresden fahren. Später am Abend sieht es aber erstmal weiter mau aus. In der Gegenrichtung fährt der Zug um 8.31 Uhr ab Dresden Hbf.

Vom 11. Juni bis 15. September wird ein zusätzlicher Eurocity mit Abfahrt in Prag um 20.28 Uhr eingesetzt, der eine späte Fahrt ermöglicht. Wichtig für alle Fans: Dieser EC soll einen bewirtschafteten Speisewagen haben. Umgekehrt kann man bereits sehr früh, um 3 Uhr, nach Prag fahren.

Die Einschränkungen durch die Bauarbeiten im Elbtal werden geringer, so dass bereits seit Mittwoch der Railjet zwischen Dresden und Graz über Prag, Brno und Wien wieder verkehrt, der im Dezember vorübergehend eingestellt werden musste. Außerdem entfällt ab nächster Woche der gelegentliche Schienenersatzverkehr für den Eurocity zwischen Ústí nad Labem und Dresden.

Sanierte Synagoge in Žatec eröffnet

Am Dienstag wurde die frisch sanierte Synagoge in Žatec im Beisein des tschechischen Kulturministers Martin Baxa feierlich eröffnet. Das Besondere ist dabei nicht nur, dass sie das zweitgrößte jüdische Baudenkmal in Tschechien darstellt (nach der Großen Synagoge in Plzeň), sondern auch, dass die Sanierung komplett von einem Privateigentümer durchgeführt wurde. Der Unternehmer und frühere Oberbürgermeister von Chomutov Daniel Černý hatte die Synagoge 2012 in einer öffentlichen Auktion für rund 1,5 Mio. Euro erworben und sie dann für nochmal rund 2,2 Mio. Euro saniert. Dafür nutzte er vor allem EU-Fördermittel. In der Synagoge werden nun wieder Gottesdienste stattfinden, während im benachbarten Rabbinerhaus ein Museum eingerichtet wurde.

Es gibt eine eigene Website zur Synagoge, auf der man viele historische Fotos findet, die u.a. auch den beklagenswerten Zustand vor der Sanierung zeigen.

Tschechische Literatur in Leipzig

Gestern wurde in Leipzig die diesjährige Buchmesse eröffnet. Tschechien ist dort wieder mit einem Stand des Tschechischen Literaturzentrums (České literární centrum, CzechLit) vertreten. Noch bis Sonntag können Sie sich dort informieren, welche aktuellen tschechischen Werke auf Deutsch erschienen sind. Außerdem finden mehrere Lesungen tschechischer Autorinnen und Autoren im Rahmen der Reihe "Echo Tschechien" statt.

Zum Programm von Echo Tschechien

Die Erstellung dieses Newsletters wird mitfinanziert durch Steuermittel auf der Grundlage des vom Sächsischen Landtag beschlossenen Haushalts.

The renowned human rights film festival “Everyone Svět” (One World) opened in Prague on Wednesday. The festival was launched in 1999 and is an integral part of the work of the well-known foundation "Člověk v tísni" (People in Need). Today the festival is the largest of its kind in the world.

Documentaries about human rights from all over the world will be presented. Every year not only filmmakers from different countries of the world come there, but also protagonists and defenders of human rights. Conversations with them are one of the pillars of the program.

The festival takes place not only in Prague, but this year in 47 other cities across the Czech Republic. In our region, films are shown in Ústí nad Labem (at our friends from Hraničář) and in Děčín .

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With our support, the Bohemian Switzerland National Park was able to add German subtitles to its video about the situation on the Gabrielensteig and the Edmundsklamm.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

National Park closes Edmundsklamm for another three years

The popular Edmund Gorge (Edmundova soutěska) in Bohemian Switzerland will remain closed for significantly longer than previously known. The Bohemian Switzerland National Park announced that it will not carry out any tree felling work in and above the Edmundsklamm until 2027. The same applies to the Gabrielensteig (Gabrielina stezka) from Mezní Louka (Rainwiese) to Prebischtor (Pravčická brána). This means that the popular paths remain closed for safety reasons.

According to the national park administration, the area around the two paths should be left to its own devices for three years. “It has been shown that we can reopen the paths as quickly as possible if we give nature some time to regenerate,” explains national park director Pavel Kříž. As part of studies, a test felling was carried out above the Edmundsklamm. The intervention showed that felling on a large scale would destroy the nature around the paths and at the same time safety would not be guaranteed. “The felling would disturb the thin layer of soil,” says director Kříž. Stones and boulders could come loose. In addition, the felling itself is not without danger and involves high costs.

According to Kříž, simply leaving the burned stumps has other advantages. They store moisture and ensure sustainable drainage of rainwater into soil layers. At the same time, the tree stumps are food for insects, which in turn keep birds in the area as food. Some species of birds and bats also use the dead trees as nesting places. In addition, the burned trees scattered thousands of seeds that sprouted last year. Logging would also destroy this natural reforestation. A video commissioned by the national park shows what it looks like on the Gabrielensteig and above the Edmundsklamm and what consequences an impact would have.

The lockdown until 2027 is a hard blow. In an initial statement, the municipality of Hřensko, which owns the Edmundsklamm and runs the barge trips, was particularly disappointed. “The problem is that we largely take over the tasks of the state. We finance a fire department that not only takes care of fire protection on the front line, but also the mountain rescue service. We spend a lot of money on local police, who in many ways replace the absent state police. That costs a lot of money and we are sorely missing the income from the Edmundsklamm,” said deputy mayor Robert Mareš in an initial reaction to the daily newspaper Mladá fronta Dnes.

Děčín Zoo is car-free for three months

Anyone who wants to visit the zoo in Děčín in the coming months will have to be prepared for a short walk. Due to construction work, the only access road to the zoo, Žižkova Street, has been closed since Monday. The road should be open again from June 9th, before the start of the main season. But until then, visitors with fitness are required, as the zoo is located above the Shepherd's Wall (Pastýřská stěna). The road is only closed between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week. But times can still change and outside of construction work times, passage is only possible for cars.

Either way, the Děčín magistrate recommends leaving the car in the parking lot on Práce Street between the railway tracks and the Elbe and using the footpath over the Jahn Lookout (named after gymnastics father Friedrich Ludwig Jahn) and further uphill to the zoo. At 670 meters, this would also be the shortest route to the zoo. This option is also easily accessible from the main train station. As a second option, the red-marked hiking trail from the Tyrš Bridge over the Puchmayerova Street up to the Schäferwand is recommended. The car could then be parked at the parking lot below the Tyrš Bridge. This route is a little longer at just under a kilometer.

The closure comes at an inopportune time for the zoo, as it is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. In an initial reaction, he quickly moved one of his anniversary events from May to August. Now the zoo is calling on its fans on August 31st to come to the zoo with a bear Nicki. The Siberian brown bear Bruno is the zoo's mascot and by far the most popular animal. The zoo wants to set a new record with as many Nicki bearers as possible.

The Czech Republic celebrates 25 years of NATO membership

Three JAS-39 Gripen fighters, two Eurofighter Typhoon fighters and an A-400MS Atlas transport from Germany flew just 200 meters over the Czech capital on March 12. With this symbolic formation, the Czech Republic celebrated 25 years of membership in NATO. In March 1999, Poland and Hungary became the first former Eastern Bloc states to join the transatlantic defense alliance.

The then US President Bill Clinton took part in the celebrations in Prague as a guest of honor. His visit brought back memories, especially since the Czech President and former highest-ranking NATO general Petr Pavel gave his guest a visit to the legendary Reduta jazz club. Former President Václav Havel took him there in 1994. Clinton was not only enthusiastic, but was also persuaded to do a saxophone solo.

He left the music-making to others that evening, but he recalled that it was he who appointed the Czech-born Madeleine Albright first as UN ambassador and later as foreign minister. Albright, Havel's good friend, vehemently supported his efforts to get the Czech Republic into NATO as quickly as possible. Havel put all his foreign policy weight behind this, and it is indicative of the priorities in the neighboring country that the Czech Republic first joined NATO and then the European Union.

It was also significant that this week of all days the Czech Republic was able to report that it had collected enough money to purchase 800,000 rounds of artillery ammunition from third countries in order to quickly solve the ammunition shortage in Ukraine. Britain's The Telegraph could not praise this initiative highly enough. "If it's true that artillery is the king of war, then this small Eastern European country is the kingmaker..." Apart from the fact that Czechs see themselves more as Central Europeans, many people in the Czech Republic will be able to agree with this sentence.

Trouble between Prague and Bratislava

Where otherwise no leaf can fit between them, there is currently a cool distance: the two neighboring countries Czech Republic and Slovakia, which separated from Czechoslovakia into two independent states in an exemplary manner over 30 years ago, are currently divided over how to deal with Russian aggression in Ukraine. At the beginning of March, the Czech government decided to suspend regular government consultations.

It was only in the fall, after the left-wing populist Robert Fico took over as head of government in Bratislava, that both sides agreed to continue consultations. The summit of the Visegrád states, i.e. between Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, also ended on a conciliatory note in Prague at the end of February. The views on Russia and Ukraine couldn't be more different. On one side are the Pole Donald Tusk and the Czech Petr Fiala, both clear allies of Ukraine and staunch transatlanticists. On the other hand, Viktor Orbán is the eternal troublemaker in the EU, who doesn't want to give up his admiration for Putin. Robert Fico may have other motives, but in his pro-Russian stance he has nothing to do with Orbán.

But this meant that a red line had now been crossed for Prague. The Czechs have just successfully forged a coalition to supply ammunition to Ukraine. Fico's refusal to provide military support to Ukraine is an affront. How long the new ice age will last and whether and when consultations will resume is not yet known.

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The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

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On March 4, 2024, circulation procedure No. 1 took place in the Elbe/Labe Euroregion. 1 project has been confirmed, the total amount is EUR 19,928.00.

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Vorerst keine RegioJet-Züge nach Prag

Das tschechische Eisenbahnunternehmen RegioJet startet vorerst keine regelmäßigen Zugverbindungen zwischen Prag und Berlin. Ursprünglich sollten auf der Strecke Prag-Dresden-Berlin ab 20. März täglich drei Zugpaare pendeln. Wie das Unternehmen mitteilte, hätte die Deutsche Bahn als Netzbetreiber keine ausreichende Streckenkapazität zur Verfügung gestellt. Auf Nachfrage von saechsische.de antwortete die Deutsche Bahn allerdings, dass RegioJet Kapazitäten erhalten hatte. Allerdings hätten sich die Fahrtzeiten aufgrund von Bauarbeiten verändert. Das sei für RegioJet offenbar nicht mehr attraktiv gewesen. "Die Slots waren nicht gut", wird RegioJet-Sprecherin Alexandra Janoušek Kostřicová von saechsische.de zitiert, und meint damit die von Deutsche Bahn angebotenen Fahrzeiten. RegioJet startet dagegen in Österreich und Ungarn durch. So wird die Zahl der Zugverbindungen zwischen den Hauptstädten Wien und Budapest aufgrund der hohen Nachfrage ab 4. April auf acht verdoppelt. Auch zwischen Prag und Brno kommt in den Morgen- und Abendstunden jeweils ein Zugpaar hinzu. Zwischen Prag und Dresden sowie Berlin bietet RegioJet aber wie gehabt Fernbusse an.

Kleiner Trost für die Strecke Berlin-Dresden-Prag ist die Verlängerung der Nachtzugverbindung European Sleeper aus Brüssel und Amsterdam nach Berlin weiter über Dresden in die Moldaustadt. Damit ergibt sich immer dienstags, donnerstags und samstags morgens eine weitere Direktverbindung aus Dresden und Bad Schandau. Der Zug fährt ab Dresden 8.24 Uhr (Neustadt) bzw. 8.31 (Hauptbahnhof) sowie ab Bad Schandau (8.58 Uhr).

Von Prag aus kommt (18.04 Uhr ab Hauptbahnhof) jeweils Dienstag, Donnerstag und Sonntag eine zusätzliche Verbindung am Abend hinzu.

Bischofsweihe in Litoměřice

Am 2. März wurde der erst 52-jährige Stanislav Přibyl zum neuen Bischof des Bistums Litoměřice (Leitmeritz) geweiht. Der Weihe in der bis auf den letzten Platz besetzten Stephans-Kathedrale wohnten zahlreiche geistliche Würdenträger auch aus dem Bistum Meißen bei. Gleichzeitig bedeutete die Weihe den Abschied des scheidenden Bischofs Jan Baxant, der sein Amt aus Altersgründen nach 15 Jahren niederlegte.
Přibyl ist der jüngste Bischof der katholischen Kirche in Tschechien. In Litoměřice ist er kein Unbekannter. Der gebürtige Prager diente von 2009 bis 2016 im Bistum als Generalvikar. Wenn es seine Zeit zulässt, spielt Přibyl Orgel. Er spricht mehrere Sprachen, darunter auch Deutsch.

Tschechien stärkt Deutsch als Minderheitensprache

Das tschechische Parlament hat einer Erweiterung des Deutschen als Minderheitensprache zugestimmt. Damit wird Deutsch auf eine neue Stufe gehoben. Der Beschluss trat zu Ende Februar dieses Jahres in Kraft.

Die neuen Bestimmungen beziehen sich auf die Europäische Charta der Minderheitensprachen, die Tschechien bereits im Jahr 2006 verabschiedet hat. Sie besteht aus verschiedenen Stufen je nachdem, wie stark die Minderheitensprache geschützt wird. Deutsch wurde mit dem Beschluss nun in die dritte und höchste Stufe aufgenommen. Das gilt in den Regionen, in denen die deutsche Minderheit am stärksten vertreten ist. Neben drei Kreisen in Mährisch-Schlesien und Südböhmen sind das vor allem Kreise in Nordböhmen nahe der Grenze zu Sachsen wie Cheb, Sokolov, Karlovy Vary, Ústí und Liberec.

Für diese Kreise gelten neu 35 Förderbestimmungen. Dazu gehören unter anderem zweisprachige Schulen und Kindergärten, ein verstärkter Deutsch-Unterricht, aber auch die Möglichkeit, Deutsch bei Gericht sowie bei Behörden zu gebrauchen oder Rechtsurkunden auf Deutsch auszustellen. Auch außerhalb der acht Kreise soll Deutsch verstärkt gefördert werden. Das betrifft zum Beispiel den Unterricht in der Geschichte und Kultur der Deutschen in Tschechien sowie eine Förderung des Deutsch-Unterrichts.

Sowjetdenkmal muss weichen

Die Abgeordneten der Stadt Litoměřice haben beschlossen, das Denkmal des Sowjetsoldaten aus dem Jirásek-Park zu entfernen. Die Abgeordneten reagierten damit auf eine Petition, die zu einer Beseitigung des Denkmals aufgerufen hatte. Sie verabschiedeten aber einen Kompromissvorschlag. Demnach soll das Denkmal, das 1975 errichtet wurde, nicht ganz beseitigt, sondern an einen alternativen Ort verlegt werden. Autor des Denkmals ist der Künstler Otakar Petroš. Die Enthüllung erfolgte aus Anlass des 30. Jahrestages, an dem Tschechien von den Alliierten befreit wurde.

Der jetzige Standort im Jirásek-Park ist sehr prominent. Das Denkmal war in der Vergangenheit schon mehrfach beschmiert worden. Allein seit dem Überfall Russlands auf die Ukraine war es zu zwei neuen Farbanschlägen gekommen. Nach dem zweiten Farbanschlag hatte ein weiterer Unbekannter die Farbe teils wieder beseitigt und auf die ukrainischen Soldaten verwiesen, die in den Reihen der Roten Armee an der Befreiung Tschechiens beteiligt waren.

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With direct bus from Schmilka to Prebischtor

With the start of the excursion season, the transport connection from Saxony to Bohemian Switzerland is improving. The new bus route 435 will run every hour on weekends and public holidays from Schmilka, parking lot via Hřensko, Mezní Louka to Mezná. It also stops at the Tři prameny stop, where the footpath to Pravčická brána begins.

Line 435 already existed. The course has changed. She also travels much more frequently on an hourly basis. It begins operations on Good Friday (March 29th) and runs all year round until November 3rd. In the two summer months of July and August the bus even runs daily.

For tourists from Saxony there are two boarding options: one in Schmilka and one in Hřensko, where the ferry takes you from the Schöna S-Bahn station. What the exact connections will be remains to be seen, as the timetable will not be approved by the Ústí District Council until March 20th. “A connection to the S-Bahn and the ferry was not primarily our issue,” says Magdalena Fraňková, spokeswoman for the Ústí district. “In connection with line 438, which comes from Děčín and also goes to Mezná with a half-hour delay, there is an interesting half-hourly service from Hřensko to Mezná,” Fraňková continued.

The 435 buses also stop near the Schöna ferry, which makes it easier to change. In addition, the version of the timetable that has yet to be approved provides a transfer option to line 434 at the next stop Hřensko střed (Center), with which you can continue to Jetřichovice (Dittersbach) and Krásná Lípa (Schönlinde). Buses 438 continue to stop at Hřensko, nábřeží.

Despite starting in Schmilka, the 435 will run entirely under the Czech DÚK tariff (Ustí District Transport Association), so that no cross-border tariff will apply. This makes the connection interesting for Germany ticket holders as well as for those excursionists who come by car. They could then conveniently leave it in Schmilka. "For example, the ticket from Schmilka to the Prebischtor junction at Tři prameny costs 20 crowns (0.80 euros), the ticket to Mezná costs 31 crowns (1.24 euros). Payment is made on the buses either in cash in crowns or with a credit card The Elbe-Labe ticket is of course also valid on the bus.

By the way, shortly before Easter, the construction-related restrictions on the German side between Bad Schandau and Schmilka will no longer apply. From March 20th the S-Bahn will run again to Schöna. The National Park Railway is also running regularly again.

This year too, holidaymakers who stay at least two nights in Bohemian Switzerland, the Czech Elbe Sandstone Mountains or in the Schwenauer Zipfel can use public transport free of charge. The vouchers for this are issued electronically in the hotels and guesthouses. However, since this does not always happen automatically, it is advisable to ask if necessary.

Elbe shipyard near Děčín is insolvent

One of the last Elbe shipyards is insolvent. The district court in Ústí nad Labem (Aussig) approved the bankruptcy application of 30 employees of the České loděnice company. The company with a shipyard in the Křešice district of Děčín owes its employees over one million crowns (around 40,000 euros) in outstanding salary payments. This meant that the employees anticipated an application from the company itself. It talks about liabilities amounting to 60 million crowns (2.4 million euros). But that's not all. Other creditors are encouraged to come forward. At the same time, the company has already prepared a template for the reorganization of the company. The creditors' committee must approve this in the first half of May.

The shipyard's problems began with the Covid pandemic in 2020 and intensified with rising energy prices the following year and generally high inflation, which accelerated with Russian aggression in Ukraine. In addition, there was slow payment behavior from the shipyard's customers. The uncertain navigability of the Elbe was also a permanent problem for the shipyard. In some years it took months before finished ships could be transported to the clients in the Netherlands or Germany.

The tradition of shipbuilding in the Křešice shipyard dates back to the 19th century. In recent years, ship hulls for large freight ships in particular have been launched, which were then transported in a convoy to Germany or the Netherlands and then fully assembled on site. You can see the shipyard clearly from the train.

The future of the shipyard now lies in the hands of the creditors. If a majority of them agree to the restructuring in May, shipbuilding in Děčín can continue. If they reject the proposed plan, it will no longer be possible to prevent the end of the 150-year history of shipbuilding in Děčín.

Average income in the Czech Republic is around 10,700 euros

The average income in the Czech Republic in 2022 was 259,900 crowns (equivalent to approximately 10,700 euros at the end of 2022) per person per year. This means that it has increased by 7.7 percent compared to the previous year. However, due to very high inflation – one of the highest in Europe – real incomes fell by 6.5 percent. This was announced this week by the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ), which surveys 11,500 households every year.

The number of people living below the poverty line fell from 10.2 to 9.8 percent in 2023. The poverty line in the Czech Republic was an income of 16,774 crowns (approx. 661 euros at the current exchange rate) per month for a single person. In the EU statistics, so-called material and social deprivation is also considered with regard to poverty. This is accepted if people cannot afford 5 of 13 selected products ( more on this at the Federal Statistical Office ). This affected 6.3 percent of people in the Czech Republic last year, compared to 4.8 percent the previous year.

Small ski areas are drawing a line

The small ski resorts in the Ústí district have declared the winter season over. Some still had the hope of making snow again if the temperatures fell below zero. But now that spring break is almost over in the Czech Republic and school is back in session in Germany and the weather has gotten even warmer, it's no longer worth it. The lifts are only still running at Klínovec or Ještěd and in the Giant Mountains.
For most of the ski resorts in the Ústí district, it was a winter to forget. Thanks to the early snow in November, they had as many lift days as in a normal season. But already in January the weather was rather rainy, which is why few visitors came. Only in Klíny were they satisfied with the number of visitors.

Parliament rejects “marriage for all”.

A proposed law for “marriage for all” failed to find a majority in the Czech parliament. On Wednesday, however, the MPs approved a compromise draft with a clear majority of 123 votes to 53, according to which the rights of same-sex couples will be significantly strengthened in the future. The partners can now enter into a registered partnership in which one partner can adopt the other's biological child. One partner is also now entitled to a widow's or widower's pension if the other partner dies.

The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

On Friday, February 2, 2024, the first meeting of the KPF EEL took place in Ústí nad Labem. A total of 5 projects were approved, the funding totals €38,144.00.

Overview of approved projects

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Like every first Wednesday of the month, we will be showing a Czech film classic in the “ Czech Film Wednesday ” series on March 6th at 8 p.m. in the Central Cinema. This time we're playing "Rozpuštěný a vypuštěný" (Dissolved and Drained) from 1984.

With this film we have a crime thriller in our program for the first time, albeit an absurdly funny one. Towards the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Inspector Trachta and his intern Hlaváček investigate the murder of the manufacturer Bierhanzl, who made a miracle ointment for hair loss from duck eggs and was apparently dissolved in sulfuric acid in a bathtub and his remains were flushed down the drain.

The legendary duo Svěrák/Smoljak has brought a piece of their Jára Cimrman theater to the screen. Jára Cimrman is a fictional character of an absurd universal genius invented by Zdeněk Svěrák in 1966. The whole Czech Republic knows and loves Jára Cimrman. He doesn't appear in this film, but the tradition of absurd theater is brilliantly implemented here. The film is bursting with ideas, even if you will unfortunately only fully understand the abundant wordplay with a good knowledge of Czech. But there are still enough absurdities and funny ideas to make it a lot of fun for the local audience.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

New prices for motorway tolls in the Czech Republic

From March 1st, new prices will apply for the use of motorways in the Czech Republic. The prices for most variants fall slightly, only the annual vignette increases significantly. A one-day vignette will be introduced.

The prices for cars (up to 3.5t), teams (i.e. with trailers) and mobile homes in detail:

• 1 day: 200 Kč
• 10 days: 270 Kč
• 30 days: 430 Kč
• 1 year: 2300 Kč

Natural gas or biomethane vehicles pay a reduced price. Although electric vehicles are exempt from tolls, you have to apply for this first for vehicles registered abroad.

By the way: When driving into the Czech Republic, the route from the border to the Řehlovice exit is toll-free. In the other direction, however, this only applies between Řehlovice and Knínice (exit 80, see picture). You have to pay a toll for the last 12 km to the border.

Flooding again in Dolní Žleb

In Dolní Žleb, due to heavy rainfall in the Czech Republic in the next few days, it is expected that the road will be flooded again and the town will be cut off from its only access route. Only six weeks ago we were able to report that the road was above water again. Train traffic will not be affected.

Corruption scandal in Ústí

A corruption scandal is currently being investigated at the Ústí District Health Service, as the newspaper Deník reports. On Monday, the police searched the administration premises. The managing director was immediately dismissed. The investigation concerns overpriced purchases of medical equipment through the manipulation of public tenders. The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Luxembourg said there was damage of at least one million euros. This is dealing with the case because the purchases were largely financed with EU funding.

The Ústí District Health Service operates seven hospitals in the district. The Czech name "Krajská zdravotní as" is abbreviated as KZ, which sounds very unpleasant to German ears and is actually understood that way in the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, the title “Kauza KZ” is used for the scandal.

Legendary express train runs to Prague again

Finally, another topic that has something to do with the Czech Republic rather indirectly: Some may still remember the legendary SVT Görlitz express train (officially VT 18.16 or BR 175), which was one of the highest quality trains from the 1960s to the early 1980s GDR trains ran on international routes. For example, he traveled as Vindobona from Berlin via Prague to Vienna or as Karlex or Karola between Berlin and Karlsbad.

A lively association, with funding from the federal government, set out to make a copy of this train roadworthy again under the project title “ A Train for Central Germany ”. The first railcar was recently painted, the second will be there soon. After completion, which is expected in the next few months, the train will be used for special tourist trips. These also lead to Prague, among other places. More information can be found on the association's website.

The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Neuer Mandau-Radweg durch Tschechien und Sachsen

Tschechische und sächsische Partner haben sich auf einen neuen Radweg entlang des Mandau-Flusses geeinigt. Die Mandau entspringt als Mandava bei Brtníky in Tschechien, wo auch der neue Radweg beginnen soll. Er führt auf bestehenden Wegen weiter über Staré Křečany und Rumburk auf die deutsche Seite nach Seifhennersdorf, dann weiter nach Varnsdorf in Tschechien und danach endgültig nach Sachsen. Über Großschönau verläuft der Weg an der Mandau dort, wo heute bereits der Rübezahl-Radweg entlangführt, und endet in Zittau an der Mündung der Mandau in die Neiße.

Der Weg soll in diesem Jahr ausgeschildert werden. Das Symbol befindet sich in einem blau umrandeten Kreis auf blauem Grund und bildet ein weißes M für Mandau, Mandava, aber auch Most, das tschechische Wort für Brücke. Letztendlich erinnern die Brückenbögen auch an ein Umgebindehaus, der für beide Seiten typischen Architektur dieser Region.

Mit dem Mandau-Radweg entsteht eine neue Verbindung von der Neiße zur Elbe über den in Brtníky beginnenden Kirnitzsch-Radweg, der an der Kirnitzschmündung in Bad Schandau endet.

Kirchenbezirk Dresden-Mitte beschließt Partnerschaft mit Děčín

Der evangelische Kirchenbezirk Dresden-Mitte hat eine Partnerschaftsvereinbarung mit der Děčíner Kirche der böhmischen Brüder unterzeichnet. Damit wird eine schon 20 Jahre Verbindung offiziell bestätigt. Beide Gemeinden sind über regelmäßige Kinder- und Jugendfahrten aus Dresden nach Děčín verbunden. Initiiert und begleitet vom Kirchenbezirkskatechet René Herrmann hat sich ein vielfältiger Austausch entwickelt, der auf beiden Seiten bleibende Spuren hinterlassen hat und in immer neue Ideen der Zusammenarbeit mündet. Letzte Projekte waren die Erinnerung an den Besuch und ein Orgelkonzert des deutschen Pioniers der Entwicklungshilfe Albert Schweitzer in der Děčíner Christuskirche oder die Erforschung der sächsischen Geschichte der Christuskirche, die maßgeblich von der damals im mehrheitlich katholischen Děčín stationierten sächsischen Zollbeamtenschaft begründet wurde.

Eine Delegation mit Superintendent Christian Behr an der Spitze nahm kürzlich an der Einweihung des neuen Denkmals in Erinnerung an die Selbstverbrennung der jungen Tschechen Jan Palach und Jan Zajíc vor 55 Jahren teil.

Beide Gemeinden planen schon weitere gemeinsame Begegnungen. „Vieles verbindet unsere Regionen und noch vieles mehr wartet darauf, entdeckt zu werden“, sagt René Hermann. Im Rahmen der tschechienweiten „Nacht der Kirchen“ am 7. Juni 2024 singt in der Kirche des Děčíner Ortsteils Dolní Žleb der Bergsteigerchor „Kurt Schlosser“. Am 14. September 2024 werden Schülerinnen und Schüler der Evangelischen Musizierschule Dresden in der Evangelischen Christuskirche Děčín auftreten.

Schneemangel bedroht Grundwasser

Der Schneemangel bremst nicht nur den Wintersport aus. Wissenschaftler machen sich auch Sorgen um das Grundwasser. Denn das speist sich wesentlich auch aus dem langsam abtauenden Schnee. Doch der Wasseranteil im Schnee ist im Bezirk Ústí laut aktueller Angaben des tschechischen Hydrometeorologischen Instituts auf dem niedrigsten Stand der letzten 50 Jahre. Aufgrund der Regenfälle der letzten Wochen hat sich der Grundwasserstand wieder erholt. Doch der fehlende Schnee kann die Situation schnell wieder umkehren, so das Institut.

Innenministerin kündigt Verlängerung der Grenzkontrollen an

Bundesinnenministerin Nancy Faeser kündigte bei einem Besuch in Prag eine weitere Verlängerung der Kontrollen an der deutsch-tschechischen Grenze an. Durch die Kontrollen will Deutschland die Schleuseraktivitäten verhindern und den Flüchtlingsstrom kanalisieren. Die Kontrollen waren im vergangenen Herbst eingeführt worden.

Bei dem Treffen mit ihrem tschechischen Amtskollegen Vít Rakušan informierte Faeser, dass die aktuell bis Mitte März genehmigten Kontrollen voraussichtlich um ein halbes Jahr verlängert werden. Tschechiens Innenminister Vít Rakušan bedankte sich bei Faeser für die ausgezeichnete polizeiliche Zusammenarbeit, betonte aber, dass man das gemeinsame Ziel habe, in Zukunft wieder zu einem offenen Schengenraum ohne Binnengrenzen zurückzukehren. „Es sind Ausnahmelösungen, die man auch so wahrnehmen sollte. Wir sollten uns nicht an die Grenzkontrollen gewöhnen.“

Bei dem Treffen berieten die Minister auch über die Zusammenarbeit beim grenzübergreifenden Katastrophenschutz und das gemeinsame Vorgehen bei der organisierten Rauschgiftkriminalität.

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By the end of 2026, the Elbe/Labe Euroregion, together with other Euroregions and other partners, will be carrying out a project for early neighborhood language education in kindergartens in Saxony.

Part of the project are so-called “language baths”. By this we mean a low-threshold offer in which preschool children are introduced to the Czech language in a relaxed manner. The language guides visit the daycare centers once a week, take part in the daycare center's normal day-to-day life, work with the children and convey educational content - all simply in Czech. We have already had very good experiences with this, as the children begin to say individual words in Czech by their third visit at the latest.

We are looking for two people to run these language baths on the German side of the Elbe/Labe Euroregion from now until the end of 2026 . The tasks include the following:

• A daily visit to one of five daycare centers in the border region (approx. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), repeated weekly
• Conducting a language bath in Czech with the children
• Child-friendly communication of Czech culture and way of life
• Developing your own activities to engage with children
• Writing reports on the activity
• Participation in training courses
• Participation in exchanges of experiences with other language guides

Very good Czech language skills are absolutely necessary for these tasks.

We would like to use one person for daycare visits in the Hohnstein/Sebnitz area and one in the Dippoldiswalde/Altenberg area. Due to the location in the border area, it is advisable to have a driving license. Cars can be made available via partial car. The Euroregion bears the travel costs (tickets or kilometer allowance).

According to TVöD, remuneration is in pay group 9b.

We would be happy to accept your application by email to bewerbungenelbelabe.eu until March 15, 2024 .

Work should start on April 1, 2024 if possible.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Děčín is renovating the Long Ride

The time had come on Monday. Construction vehicles arrived and excavators tore up the asphalt surface of the almost 300 meter long drive to the castle in Děčín. Classic access to the castle will be closed almost all year round. The reason is the renovation of the access road that was built almost 350 years ago. Not only the condition of the road, but also the high walls surrounding it were already in poor condition. In the meantime, part of the wall had to be stabilized. By December, the asphalt will be replaced with concrete, the color of which will be reminiscent of historic gravel paths, and the wall will be completely renovated.
Since the entire access route, including side entrances, is closed, visitors sometimes have to take detours. It becomes almost impossible for people with restricted mobility to visit the castle. As an alternative access, the castle recommends using the southern gardens. But there are stairs there too. There is also a small parking lot near the warehouse. Alternatively, the path on the north side of the Elbe bank and the Tyrš Bridge can be used. The path winds up the northern slope and is relatively steep. Both alternative paths lead into the first castle courtyard.
The Langefahrt is one of the most sophisticated castle entrances. On the north side, in the upper part, is the rose garden, which has been closed since last August and whose renovation will take until 2025.

Ski resorts defy the thaw

The high temperatures and rainy weather make winter sports in the mountains almost impossible shortly before the start of the winter holidays in Saxony. The snow has also all but melted away in the Bohemian Ore Mountains. This means there is no snow for cross-country skiing. Some ski areas have also stopped operating for the time being. These include the ski areas at Bouřňák (Sturmer) near Mikulov and in Český Jiřetín. On the other hand, the ski areas in Telnice and Klíny still have enough artificial snow, but the conditions are not getting any better. The precipitation in the middle of the week caused a short-term improvement, as it fell as snow at altitudes over 500 meters, but disappeared again the next day.

Skiing is completely problem-free on the highest mountain in the Ore Mountains, the Klínovec (Keilberg). But even at this altitude the temperatures are currently above zero. The ski areas at Plešivec and Ještěd are also open. The relatively warm weather has been around for over three weeks. Low temperatures are not in sight until the end of next week. Until then, other ski areas could close temporarily.

Czech Republic continues without euro

President Petr Pavel made the introduction of the euro a topic in his New Year's speech. When it joined the EU in 2004, the Czech Republic actually committed itself to introducing the common currency. However, the Union is still waiting for this today.

But politicians had to react to the president's offer, especially since the mayor's party STAN, a government partner, has been trying for a long time to open the way to the introduction of the euro. The Pirates and TOP09 have also long been supporters. Prime Minister Petr Fiala's ODS is strictly against this.

At the beginning of the week, European Minister Martin Dvořák (STAN) created facts and appointed a coordinator for the introduction of the euro. It is the renowned economist Petr Zahradník. In doing so, Dvořák duped his coalition partners. On Wednesday it was agreed not to have a coordinator for the time being. However, Zahradník remains in office as Dvořák's advisor. However, he is not allowed to carry out cross-departmental coordination.

This means that the fate of the euro in the Czech Republic is likely to be sealed again. The parties know only too well that such a step would not have a majority among the Czech population. On the contrary, a large majority is in favor of retaining the crown.

Former ambassador to Germany František Černý is dead

He was there wherever Germany and the Czech Republic came together. Former ambassador František Černý died at the beginning of February at the age of 93.

Born in Prague in 1931 into a German-Czech family, Černý carried the communication gene. After the Second World War, he first learned to be a machine lathe operator. In the 1950s and 1960s he experienced the growing thaw and the Prague Spring as a broadcast journalist. After the crackdown, he was no longer allowed to work as a journalist and made ends meet as a German teacher.

But after the Velvet Revolution his hour came. President Václav Havel knew only too well why he sent Černý as ambassador to Germany. First to Bonn, from where he moved the embassy to Berlin. But even the well-deserved retirement didn't end there. On the contrary, František Černý was very active in the sometimes painful process of growing together between the two states and in working through the sore points. Together with the last author of German-language literature by Kafka and Brod, Lenka Reinerová, and the Germanist Kurt Krolop, he founded the Prague German Language Literature House, where he was active until the end.

With Černý, not only the Czech Republic but also Germany is losing a mediator who was always interested and prepared to approach people with the nobility of the old school. He was actually an ambassador until the end and not just in retirement

The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Overburden excavator near Most should be an attraction

In a few years, all that will be left of the huge ČSA open-cast brown coal mine near Most (Brüx) will be a large lake. Next year, coal mining will end there and recultivation will begin. If everything goes well, there could still be a witness to coal mining. The Ústí district is negotiating with the owner, the mining company Sev.en, about the preservation of the RK 5000 overburden excavator. It is the largest of its kind in northern Bohemia. It was still in operation until 2016. However, to preserve it, it would have to be moved around one kilometer. Its current location will be underwater in the future. The crucial thing is to agree on who will cover the costs of the transport. These are estimated at around 3 million euros.
The bucket chain excavator is almost 160 meters long and almost 40 meters high. The giant, weighing 15,000 tons, was used from 1983. At that time, its purchase cost almost 250 million crowns, which corresponds to 160 million euros in today's prices.

The path to the Grundmühle is partly closed

Due to the removal of unstable trees, there will be restrictions on the yellow-marked hiking trail from Jetřichovice (Dittersbach) towards Dolský mlýn (Grundmühle) in the next few weeks. As the Bohemian Switzerland National Park informs, the work on the one kilometer long section will last until the end of March and only during the week. The path is open on weekends.

The basic mill is not affected by the felling and remains accessible. The national park recommends the blue marked trail from Vysoká Lípa and the green marked trail from Srbská Kamenice. Both are for pedestrians. The third option is the blue marked trail from Kamenická Stráň, which cyclists can also use.

Legendary Kotva department store is being renovated

After 49 years, the Kotva department store in Prague is over. The largest department store in Czechoslovakia at the time was open for the last time on Wednesday. Now one of the brutalist icons in the Czech Republic is to be renovated. If everything goes well, the department store could reopen in three years.

The owner, the real estate subsidiary of the Italian insurance company Generali, wants to preserve 100 percent of the facade. The department store is probably the most famous work of the architect couple Věra and Vladimír Machonin. The two architects created a striking counterpoint to the surrounding older architecture in an attractive location on Republic Square (náměstí Republiky). The Kotva has been a listed building since 2019.

Changes are planned inside the department store and on the outside areas. There will be office space on the upper floors and a new restaurant at the top. The lower floors are intended for well-known brand stores. The investor would like to involve the public in the design of the outdoor facilities.

The Kotva is a legend of shopping culture. When it opened in 1975, army units had to ensure that the building was not stormed by the arriving crowds. In recent decades, like other department stores, it has struggled with a changing sales strategy that was more focused on so-called galleries or shopping centers. One of these modern consumer temples was created in 2007 with the Palladium in the former George of Poděbrady barracks directly opposite the Kotva.

Of the three most famous department stores in Prague before 1989, the Máj was the first to be transformed into a Tesco department store. The shopping center, which is now called "My" in English, now belongs to the Czech company Amadeus Real Estate. The third, much smaller functionalist-style department store Bílá Labuť, which opened in 1939, is now a kind of shopping gallery with various shops, but its popularity has declined sharply. It is located not far from Kotva on Na Poříčí Street. Renovation is also planned here.

Largest battery storage facility in the Czech Republic in operation

The Czech Republic's largest battery storage facility to date has gone into operation in Ostrava-Vítkovice. The battery is used to compensate for network fluctuations. At the same time, the system with a capacity of 10 megawatts can buy electrical energy at a reasonable price during the night and supply it during peak times. The same is possible with strong energy production from photovoltaic systems.

The investor and operator is the majority state-owned energy company ČEZ, which is already preparing other such projects. By 2030, ČEZ plans to commission 6,000 megawatts of renewable energy storage.

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The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

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Like every first Wednesday of the month, we will be showing a Czech film classic in the “ Czech Film Wednesday ” series on February 7th at 8 p.m. in the Central Cinema. This time Miloš Forman's feature film debut »Černý Petr« (Black Peter) from 1963 is being shown.

The film describes two days in the life of 17-year-old Peter, who begins his apprenticeship in a socialist department store. A lot of things go wrong. Above all, he should make sure that no one steals (and that in socialism!). Things don't go much better with Pavla after work, neither in the outdoor pool nor at the dance evening. He just seems to pass the buck everywhere.

The then 33-year-old Miloš Forman shows with fine humor and a lot of empathy the life of young people in the 1960s with all the difficulties that come with love life, entering the world of work and the uptightness and stuffiness of the older generations. As in his second work The Firemen's Ball (which ran in this series last year), he takes an honest look at the people in socialist society, neither heroizing them nor - despite the humor - mocking them. A real portrait of the times.

This film will be shown as part of the "Czech Film Wednesday" series, as always in the original version with German subtitles.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

The Elbe/Labe Euroregion supports smaller cross-border projects from the small project fund. The applicable capitation rates are adjusted annually to reflect the inflation rate. The specific flat rates for the three project types are as follows from February 1st:

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Cheetah offspring in Ústí

You usually only see something like this on television, but now it's almost on your doorstep: four young cheetahs in the Ústí Zoo. In return, visitors are granted exceptional access to a small enclosure above the cheetah house, where the four siblings can let off steam. But they can still only be seen to a limited extent, because due to the low temperatures, the hatch into the cheetah house remains permanently open. The four cute wild cats can go and warm up at any time, which they do actively. But as temperatures rise, they will become more visible.

The cheetah offspring was born in September. It was only announced at the beginning of December that the cheetahs had cubs. They can only be seen now. There is a reason for this reluctance: raising cheetahs in human care is extremely difficult. This begins with the selection of the couple who will only live together for the mating period and otherwise go their separate ways. In addition, the zoo had already been able to report two cubs in 2022, but both had to be euthanized one after the other due to a bone tumor. Despite the sad ending, the breeding was already a success for the zoo. The cheetah, for whom this was her first birth, has gained experience. The birth was also proof that the couple was fertile.

This time things seem to be going better, so the zoo is now going public more aggressively. If the four cheetah cubs continue to enjoy excellent health, they would be a real sensation. Because of the difficulties described, the four wild playmates are unique. The Ústí Zoo points out that only 14 cheetahs were born across Europe in 2023 as part of the cheetah breeding program. Only 6 of them are currently still alive, including the four in nearby Ústí.

Forest sets up shelters

The state forest is setting up 20 new shelters for hikers in its forests this year. The first was only released for use in the Schluckenau tip on the border with Saxony. It is located on the yellow-marked hiking trail just above the town of Severní and only a few hundred meters from the Hohwald Clinic. The next refuge will be completed in spring below Klínovec, the highest mountain in the Ore Mountains.

The open huts with sloping roofs are simply and functionally furnished. The most important building material is wood. The hut has a wide platform for sleeping, a bench and a table. They are usually located near watercourses, far from commercial accommodation options and usually on marked long-distance hiking trails such as Stezka Českem or Via Czechia. These routes have made long-distance hiking more popular in recent years. Long-distance hikers usually spend the night in the open air, but in the event of rain they also use existing shelters, which were not intended for sleeping.

The Krušnohoří Tourism Association (Ore Mountains) is also planning to build 12 trekking huts. But they should be closed and equipped with a photovoltaic system and a small oven.

Road to Hřensko open again

A heavy boulder came loose on Wednesday in Hřensko in Bohemian Switzerland and fell onto the Bad Schandau-Děčín highway. The road then had to be closed from the Schmilka/Hřensko border crossing. The cause of the fall was probably the strong wind. A fallen tree is said to have loosened the block. He had almost completely fallen onto the street. Due to its weight (around 15 tons), it had also broken through the metal safety nets, which are designed for chunks of up to 10 tons. A company then shredded the boulder on behalf of the national park administration, removed other smaller and larger pieces of rock on the slope that were in danger of falling, and repaired the safety nets. As of Friday, 1:50 p.m., the road was clear again.

The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Inauguration of the monument to Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc in Děčín

On Tuesday, a new monument to Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc was inaugurated in front of the Protestant church in Děčín. The two students met on January 16th. or February 25, 1969 in Prague in protest against the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. On the 50th anniversary of this event, it was criticized that there was no monument dedicated to them in Děčín. The monument, now designed by the famous architect David Vávra, consists of a glass column and the two names, each with a handprint. When you touch it, the column lights up in different colors.

The crowds for the ceremony were overwhelming. It is estimated that at least 200 people attended. For the actual unveiling, the police had to regulate traffic in front of the church because the many guests could only find space using the street. There was then a series of speeches in the church, which was packed despite the low temperatures.

Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil emphasized in his contribution that although there was no direct connection between the two young men and the city of Děčín, the values for which they died should be linked to every place in the Czech Republic. In addition to Vystrčil, Mayor Anděl and other Czech representatives, representatives of the Evangelical Church in Saxony and Dresden also spoke. This was shown by the close contacts with the Protestant Church in Děčín, which were also expressed in the concert in honor of Albert Schweitzer in September 2023. Representatives also came from the twin town of Pirna.

An SZ article (unfortunately behind a paywall) sheds more light on the background of the monument.

City buys “Ustí Hole”

For 15 years, the cityscape has been blighted by an investment ruin at the upper corner of Mírové náměstí, which has been popularly nicknamed the "Loch of Ústí" (with a temporal overlap with the "Vienna Hole" in Dresden, if anyone remembers). The owner had started construction, but had to stop it in the basement for financial reasons. Since then, the unsightly construction site lay quietly in a prominent location between the municipality and the district administration and fell into disrepair.

Now the city of Ústí has bought the property for 73 million crowns and wants to build a building for public use on it. According to current plans, the structures built so far will be used, but the appearance will certainly be different in the end than planned almost 20 years ago. The city administration did not provide any more detailed information, but estimated that people will have to live with construction fences for at least another four years.

Excessive parliamentary debate on postal voting

The Czech Parliament is currently debating the introduction of postal voting for Czechs living abroad. Although that's not entirely true, because most of the time people talk about completely different topics in order to drag out the debate, as various media reports.

On Wednesday, ANO boss Babiš stood at the lectern for almost four hours and spoke, for example, about the construction of the motorway to Austria. The fact that he described his southern neighbors as “magor” (crazy, idiots, fools) caused quite a stir.

The next day this was topped by the head of the right-wing populist SPD, Tomio Okamura, who spoke for almost 11 hours, mainly on historical topics, and read out, for example, an academic publication on the famous President of the First Republic Masaryk.

Due to illness, this week's newsletter is a little shorter.

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The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

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Road to Dolní Žleb over water again

After exactly 20 days, the road from Děčín to Dolní Žleb was open again. On Thursday morning, the Elbe level in Děčín had fallen below the 4 meter mark, which is important for flood warning level 1. The street was cleaned during the day and the first cars were driving again in the afternoon.

The street was flooded when the first wave of flooding began shortly before Christmas. For the residents of the last village on the left bank of the Elbe before the border with Saxony, which is part of Děčín, this means that the train becomes the only transport connection with the outside world. Since the car ferry doesn't connect to the highway on the other bank of the Elbe, the only option is to take the train. The residents of Dolní Žleb are already used to this. When the Elbe approaches the first flood warning level, they bring their cars to safe parking spaces in the Děčín city area so that they have a vehicle for longer journeys. However, the rising water brings with it further inconveniences. Bulk shopping is more difficult by train and the garbage is not picked up. Anyone who needs the rescue service has to be taken by boat to the other side of the Elbe by the fire department.

The situation on the rivers throughout the Czech Republic has now calmed down. Most recently, the first flood warning level was withdrawn in Litoměřice on Friday. The second flood warning level only applied to the Vltava in Český Krumlov and Vyšší Brod. But this is due to the fact that more water was released from the large Lipno reservoir, which was previously held back by the dam for flood protection purposes.

Hřensko's mayor resigns

The mayor of the border village of Hřensko, Zdeněk Pánek, resigned on December 31, 2023. Pánek did not want to speak to the media about the reasons for his resignation. He simply emphasized that it was his free decision and that it was not for personal reasons, but that he had to do with Hřensko.

The community is currently going through a difficult phase. Since the major fire in the summer of 2022, the Edmundsklamm has been closed due to the threat of tree collapse and rock falls. This meant that the largest source of income was lost, because the gorges belong to Hřensko. The municipality tried to counteract this by introducing an overnight tax and garbage charges for residents. But these are not real cuts. What is normal elsewhere, Hřensko had waived its citizens in times of bubbling income. As media reports, Pánek apparently no longer wanted to support these and other austerity measures, which forced him to resign.

Pánek is leaving after more than nine years as mayor. Before that, the lawyer with an office in Děčín was mayor for four years in 2002, and also deputy mayor in between. His successor will be decided at the next meeting of the local council. He must be elected from among the 7 local councilors. Until then, Vice Mayor Robert Mareš will be in charge of the official business. The next regular local elections will not take place until October 2026.

Trial of scandal speed camera

The speed measurement trial in Varnsdorf has begun at the district court in Ústí nad Labem. Four years after the police operation in the town hall of Varnsdorf, as a result of which mayor Stanislav Horáček and his deputy Josef Hambálek were arrested, the trial began that caused a great stir at the time. The city commissioned the company Water Solar Technology (WST) to measure the speed at four locations in the city. Thousands of drivers from Germany were also affected, because two measuring devices were in the Studánka district, through which the busy highway 9 from Saxony leads further into the interior of the Czech Republic. The Ministry of the Interior criticized early on that Varnsdorf had agreed to participate for each violation measured. WST therefore received a fixed sum for each case of increased speed.

In Ústí, not only Horáček and Hambálek, but also Horáček's girlfriend, Eva Petružálková, and the managing director of the WST company, Miloš Schubert, are on trial. The public prosecutor's office accuses them of abuse of office or aiding and abetting, taking advantage of a public tender, bribery and violating competition rules. Horáček, Hambálek and Petružálková testified on the first two days of the trial. All defendants deny the allegations. They face prison sentences of up to 12 years. The trial will continue in March.

Opening of the Lety Roma Memorial in April

The memorial at the site of the former concentration camp for Roma in Lety, southern Bohemia, is expected to open at the end of April. It was originally scheduled to open on February 3rd. However, the date had to be postponed for technical reasons, it is said. The reason is problems during the construction. The final work on the memorial is currently being carried out and work on the exhibition is underway.

In 2018, after years of struggle by human rights organizations and Roma representatives, the Czech government decided to build a memorial at the site of the former concentration camp to commemorate the Holocaust of Roma and Sinti. Until then, a pig farm operated there. The government bought the business and had it demolished. The memorial with a visitor center and exhibition has been under construction since last year. The construction is not only being financed by the Czech government. The Norwegian government contributes the money for the exhibition, and the German Embassy in Prague is involved in the construction of the memorial's outdoor facilities.

Along with Hodonín near Kunštát in Moravia, Lety was one of two camps where Roma were interned in the 1940s. Both camps were stopovers on the way to the extermination camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Hundreds of Roma died in Lety and Hodonín. Hodonín was in turn the site of a holiday home and a children's holiday camp for decades before a memorial was opened in 2019 after years of effort.

The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Epiphany collection has begun

Traditionally, the three kings parade through the streets of the Czech Republic in the first days of the new year. Organized by the Czech Catholic aid organization Caritas (Charita), groups of children dressed as little kings ask for donations at the apartment and front doors. Collections also take place in the Prague metro or other central places. The Epiphany gathering began on New Year's Day in the Diocese of Litoměřice with a climb to Mount Říp.

Under the slogan “Every crown helps,” over 70,000 volunteers collect donations, primarily for those in need in Germany. This year, for example, the Charita of the Diocese of Litoměřice will specifically support socially disadvantaged families with children, the elderly and the sick. In most cases, the specific use is determined by the local charity organization. 5 percent of the money collected goes abroad. In the Diocese of Litoměřice donations are made to children of poor families in Mongolia.

How much money will be raised this year will be known by the beginning of February at the latest. The collection runs until January 14th. Last year, the Epiphany collection generated a total of 161.5 million crowns (around 6.7 million euros).

Second Elbe flood

After the Christmas flood comes the New Year's flood. The water levels on the Elbe have risen quickly in the past few days. The reason is renewed rainfall in the Elbe and Vltava catchment areas as well as the warm weather, which has triggered further thawing at higher altitudes. So far the flooding appears to be progressing smoothly. The third flood warning level was in effect in both Ústí nad Labem and Děčín since Friday morning. The peak was expected for Saturday morning. Contrary to what was initially feared, it should not exceed the level of the Christmas flood. However, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute expects the flooding to subside only very slowly after the peak.

Pope chooses new bishop of Litoměřice

After 15 years, the diocese of Litoměřice (Leitmeritz) is getting a new bishop. Shortly before Christmas, Pope Francis had already chosen the current secretary of the Czech Bishops' Conference, Stanislav Přibyl, as Jan Baxant's successor. Baxant submitted his resignation after reaching the age of 75. He is succeeded by the 52-year-old Přibyl, the youngest bishop in the Czech Republic. The episcopal ordination is planned for March 2nd. Přibyl is no stranger to Litoměřice. The Prague native served as vicar general in the diocese of Litoměřice from 2009 to 2016. When time permits, Přibyl plays the organ. He speaks several languages, including German.

90 years of the Nelson mine disaster

The small town of Osek at the foot of the Ore Mountains commemorated the mining accident 90 years ago this week. On January 3, 1934, there was a fatal explosion in the Nelson III brown coal mine near Osek. The cause is believed to be brown coal dust, which was increasingly produced in the new shaking chutes. The high sulfur content of North Bohemian brown coal is also said to have played a role. The cause of the accident was never fully clarified.
142 miners died in the accident, only four survived. The dead left behind 130 widows and as many children. The survivors sometimes had to wait years for compensation, which was only raised through fundraising. Neither the coal company nor the state paid out a single crown.
The accident in Osek was one of the largest mining disasters in the Czech Republic. The Nelson mine was closed and there was no longer any mining in Osek. The last underground mining of lignite in North Bohemia stopped only a few years ago. Coal is currently only mined in large opencast mines.

The creation of this newsletter is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Tschechien im Schock

Tschechien befindet sich im Schockzustand. Am Donnerstagnachmittag hatte ein 24-jähriger Student an der Philosophischen Fakultät der Prager Karls-Universität 13 Menschen erschossen und viele weitere zum teil schwer verletzt. Eine Person erlag später im Krankenhaus ihren Verletzungen. Bei den Toten handelt es sich fast durchweg um Studenten oder Angehörige des Lehrkörpers. Der Amokläufer tötete sich Polizeiangaben zufolge selbst. Das Hauptgebäude der Fakultät am Jan-Palach-Platz in der Prager Altstadt grenzt direkt an das jüdische Viertel Josefov. Ganz in der Nähe befinden sich die Karlsbrücke und der Altstädter Ring. Das Gebiet war am Donnerstag bis in die späten Abendstunden weiträumig abgesperrt. Die Polizei ermittelt nach einem Motiv und bringt die Schießerei mit drei weiteren Toten in der Nähe von Prag in Verbindung. Eine terroristische Tat wurde ausgeschlossen. Die Polizei geht von einem Einzeltäter aus.

In Reaktion auf die grausame Bluttat ist das gesamte öffentliche Leben im Nachbarland heruntergefahren. Nicht nur in Prag, sondern auch in anderen Teilen des Landes wurden Veranstaltungen abgesagt, Weihnachtsmärkte geschlossen. Dagegen finden spontane Gedenkveranstaltungen im ganzen Land statt. Für den 23. Dezember hat die Regierung Staatstrauer angeordnet. Im Veitsdom auf dem Hradschin zelebriert der Prager Erzbischof ein Requiem für die Opfer der Bluttat.

Die Karls-Universität hat über ihren Stiftungsfonds ein Spendenkonto eingerichtet, um den Hinterbliebenen zu helfen. Am späten Freitagnachmittag waren bereits knapp 22 Millionen Kronen (über 900.000 Euro) zusammengekommen.

Elbe-Pegel steigen

Die andauernden Regenfälle der letzten Tage und ein leichtes Tauwetter haben zu einem Anstieg der Pegel von Elbe und ihren Nebenflüssen geführt. Bereits an über 20 Orten musste das Tschechische Hydrometeorologische Institut (ČMHÚ) die erste Hochwasseralarmstufe ausrufen, an einigen sogar schon die zweite. Und die Pegel steigen in den kommenden Tagen weiter an.

Die Stadt Děčín hat deshalb am Freitag die ersten Hochwasserschutzwände aufgebaut. Die Pegelmarke von 4 Metern, ab der die erste Alarmstufe gilt, wird für Samstagmittag erwartet. Dann wird die Elbe die Straße nach Dolní Žleb überfluten und das Dorf an der Grenze zu Sachsen damit nur noch über die Eisenbahn mit Děčín verbunden sein. In der Heiligen Nacht bis zum ersten Weihnachtsfeiertag dann erwartet Děčín das Erreichen der zweiten Alarmstufe mit einem Pegel von 4,90 Meter.

Ob die Elbe in Děčín weiter auf über 5 Meter steigt, lässt sich im Moment noch nicht vorhersagen. Das hängt auch von der Entwicklung des Wetters in den kommenden Tagen ab. In Nordböhmen sind bis Dienstag immer wieder Niederschläge vorhergesagt, die in Grenznähe auch als Schnee fallen. Ihre Intensität lässt jedoch ab Sonntag nach. Auch die sächsischen Gemeinden müssen sich also auf einen steigenden Elbepegel einrichten. Das Landeshochwasserzentrum erwartet für Dresden das Erreichen der ersten Alarmstufe (Pegel: 4 Meter) für die Abendstunden des Samstag. Ob auch die zweite Alarmstufe (Pegel: 5 Meter) erreicht wird, ist noch nicht sicher.

Berghütte Lovoš findet neuen Betreiber

Die Hütte auf dem Gipfel Lovoš (Lobosch) im Böhmischen Mittelgebirge ist gerettet. Mitte Januar übernimmt ein neuer Betreiber. Der bisherige hatte nach nur drei Jahren das Handtuch geworfen.

Die Suche nach einem Nachfolger gestaltete sich aber schwierig. Zwar meldeten sich 40 Interessenten, aber die meisten sprangen wieder ab, nachdem sie sich mit den Bedingungen bekannt gemacht hatten. Die Versorgung der Berghütte ist zwar mit Allrad-Pickup möglich, aber es gibt keinen Transportlift und der Weg ist sehr steil. Letztendlich blieben nur noch acht Interessenten übrig, von denen mit vier Gespräche geführt wurden. Der neue Betreiber stammt zwar nicht aus Lovosice (Lobositz), aber er ist aus der Region und kennt den Lovoš.

Die Hütte auf dem markanten Berg gehört dem Klub tschechischer Touristen (KČT), Abteilung Lovosice. Der Gipfel ist beliebt für seinen Weitblick in alle Richtungen. Er gehört zwar mit 570 Metern nicht zu den höchsten des Böhmischen Mittelgebirges, dafür erhebt er sich aber steil über seine Umgebung. Der Höhenunterschied zur Umgebung sind 400 Meter. Gemeinsam mit dem Radobyl auf der anderen Elbseite bildet er von Prag aus kommend den Eingang zum Elbe-Durchbruch durch das Böhmische Mittelgebirge, auch Porta Bohemica genannt.

Die Übergabe in der traditionsreichen Berghütte, deren Wurzeln bereits ins Jahr 1892 zurückreichen, findet erst Mitte Januar statt. Das hat mit einem traditionsreichen Event zu Jahresbeginn zu tun. Dann findet der beliebte Neujahrsaufstieg auf den Lovoš statt. Jedes Jahr zu Neujahr tummeln sich hier deshalb Hunderte Wanderer.

Gemeinsam mit dem Milešovka (Milleschauer) ist der Lovoš der beliebteste Gipfel im Böhmischen Mittelgebirge. Jedes Jahr wird er von rund 50.000 Menschen bestiegen.

Frohe Feiertage und ein glückliches neues Jahr

Liebe Leserinnen und Leser unseres Newsletters. Wir gehen in die Weihnachtspause. Den nächsten Wochenrückblick erhalten Sie am 5. Januar. Wir wünschen Ihnen frohe Feiertage und einen guten Rutsch in ein glückliches neues Jahr 2024.

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The mass, composed in 1796, retains the structural features of a traditional Latin mass, but the focus is on the Bohemian character of Christmas and its interpretation and it was intentionally placed by Ryba in the Bohemian (or Czech) setting. Added to this is the fact that it is written in the Czech language. Jakub Jan Ryba was convinced that this is the only way a liturgical mass can find access to the listeners. Over time the fair has become the most popular fair in Bohemia.

Source: https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%8Cesk%C3%A1_m%C5%A1e_v%C3%A1no%C4%8Dn%C3%AD

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

National Park Railway will run for another 10 years

The operation of the cross-border national park railway in Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland is secured for the next ten years. The Upper Elbe Transport Association (VVO) has agreed to an extension of the contract with the Czech Railways České dráhy (ČD). The Ústí district had previously commissioned České dráhy to operate for another 10 years. The National Park Railway was put back into operation at the beginning of July 2014 after an interruption of almost 70 years. The prerequisite was the closure of the gap between Sebnitz and Dolní Poustevna, which had been fought over for decades. Since then, the railway has run as the Czech line U28 from Děčín via Bad Schandau and Sebnitz to Dolní Poustevna and via Šluknov to Rumburk.

Děčín is building a maternity hospital

The hospital in Děčín will have a new maternity clinic by 2026. The Ústí district hospital association, Krajská zdravotní, is building a new clinic for 477 million crowns (around 20 million euros), which is said to combine obstetrics and gynecology in equal measure. In addition to the latest technology, parents should enjoy maximum privacy. At the same time, the new building of the intensive care clinic and the emergency room is nearing completion. The first patients are scheduled to move into the new building in April 2024.

The maternity clinic in Děčín not only serves the residents of the town, which has almost 50,000 inhabitants, but also surrounding towns such as Česká Kamenice, Benešov nad Ploučnicí and Jílové, as well as Bohemian Switzerland and the entire Schwenauer tip. There is a hospital in Rumburk, but a maternity ward was closed years ago. At that time the hospital still belonged to the city of Rumburk. The Krajská zdravotní has now integrated it into its network, but a maternity ward is not yet planned again. In the event of a birth, parents have to drive an hour or more on the way to the hospital, which can be an adventure on the mountain roads in winter. A Saxon-Czech memorandum from 2019, which was intended to enable Czech patients in the border area in particular to receive cost-neutral treatment in nearby Saxon hospitals, has so far had no result.

To the Christmas market in the Czech Republic

The Christmas markets in North Bohemia are becoming more and more attractive. With a new concept, Děčín has moved its multi-week Christmas market to the foot of the castle, creating an atmosphere with Christmas flair. The markets in Litoměřice and Teplice have also gained a Christmas atmosphere. The markets, which only take place on one or two days, are particularly worthwhile to visit. Several of these are taking place on the third weekend of Advent: the legendary Advent market in Úštěk, the Christmas market on the Castle Square in Teplice and the Castle Market in Děčín. We have put together a selection of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the Saxon-Czech border area for you.

Ústí district loses residents

According to the latest data, almost 11 million people live in the Czech Republic. As the statistics office ČSÚ reports, the country gained 54,700 inhabitants in the third quarter. There are now 10.88 million inhabitants living in the Czech Republic. As a result of the Covid pandemic and the high number of deaths, the population numbers fell for the first time in a long time. However, the situation changed suddenly after Russia invaded Ukraine. At times, 600,000 refugees came to the Czech Republic, where there was already a strong Ukrainian minority. The latest increases in population numbers are not due to a surplus of births, but rather to immigration. The number of births, however, was lower than the number of deaths.

While all regions of the Czech Republic are growing, the Ústí district remains the only one that is struggling with declining population numbers. The population here has fallen for the third year in a row. The district lost 2,113 residents in the third quarter. 810,224 people currently live in the district. Only the Litoměřice district bucked the trend in population growth.

The Czech Republic's economy is shrinking significantly

The Czech economy is in the middle of a recession. In the third quarter, gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.7% on an annual basis. Compared to the second quarter, GDP fell by half a percent. The background for the weak development is the continued weak consumption of private households and declining inventories. However, weak investment activity, especially in the private sector, and weak exports, otherwise an important pillar of economic growth in the Czech Republic, also had a negative impact. Only the investment activities of public budgets provided positive impulses, but were unable to reverse the decline in economic output, especially since the state imposed an austerity package. Analysts now assume that economic output will also decline for the year as a whole. The gross domestic product is therefore moving further away from the value it already had in 2019, before the Covid pandemic. The Czech Republic is the only country in Europe that has not yet reached the pre-Corona level. Read the analysis on Radio Prague .

The prospects for 2024 are not very rosy either. The government's austerity package will not provide any stimulus and private households continue to suffer from strong inflation, which is eating up real income and savings. Savings are made primarily on short- and medium-life consumer goods. Inflation has recently fallen further, but at 7.3 percent in November it was still significantly higher than in Germany. And it remains to be seen whether inflation will actually fall more significantly in 2024. Because further price increases are already pending. The food trade has announced further price increases despite the reduction in VAT. Depending on the region, water prices will increase by up to a quarter at the beginning of the year and restaurateurs are also pushing through further price increases.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Bohemian glass craft receives UNESCO title

The Czech Republic can look forward to another UNESCO title. This time the international organization honored the intangible heritage of the glass craft. The Czech Republic received the title together with five other European countries. In addition to the Czech Republic, these are Germany, Finland, Hungary, France and Spain.

"This is a gift for everyone who has anything to do with glass," said Milada Valečková, head of the Glass and Jewelry Museum in Jablonec nad Nisou (Gablonz). In the Czech Republic, glass crafts are concentrated primarily in the districts of Liberec, Zlín and Vysočina. Over 5,000 craftsmen work there in around 100 workshops and companies. Traditional locations in North Bohemia are Kamenický Šenov, Nový Bor and Železný Brod.

The Saxon-Bohemian border area has already won its second UNESCO title in quick succession. At the beginning of September, UNESCO awarded the hop town of Žatec (Saaz) and the surrounding hop region the title of a World Heritage Site. The Erzgebirge mining region (together with Saxony) and the famous spas in Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad), Marianské Lázně (Marienbad) and Františkovy lázně (Franzensbad), which have also received the title along with several European spas, are also world heritage sites. Northern Bohemia is also home to the Czech Republic's only world natural heritage site, the beech forests in the Jizera Mountains.

Germany extends border controls

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has announced that stationary controls at Germany's borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland will be extended by two months beyond December 15th. The step was justified by the results of the controls so far. As a result, since the controls were introduced in mid-October, 3,300 unauthorized entries have been detected and 1,100 unauthorized entries have been prevented. The Saxon Interior Minister Armin Schuster had previously called for border controls to be maintained in the long term, i.e. for at least six months. He sees it as a means of deterrence.

However, border controls are increasingly being criticized. As a result, it is highly questionable whether the effort is in proportion to the benefit. Markus Schlimbach, DGB chairman in Saxony, recently sharply criticized the controls at the first German-Czech regional forum. The greatest good, European freedom of movement, is being carelessly put at risk. The controls must be ended immediately. Especially on the Dresden-Prague motorway, kilometer-long queues of trucks form every day in the direction of Germany, which also affect buses and private transport. On some days the cars are parked until the Ústí nad Labem exit and have to be regulated by the police.

Andreas Roßkopf, who is responsible for the federal police at the police union, told the “Rheinische Post” that the number of asylum seekers cannot be reduced through police means and that asylum applications cannot be prevented. What needs to be clarified is "whether thousands of police officers should actually remain at the border or whether they should be better deployed for security in the cities and whether the asylum problem should be solved within the EU framework." The security situation at home is highly sensitive.

Cross-country ski trails and slopes prepared

The winter sports season also started earlier than in other years in the Saxon-Czech border area. The intense snowfall of the last few days has ensured that the cross-country ski trail network could be skied not only in the Bohemian Ore Mountains, but also in Bohemian Lusatia.

A little tip from us: Current information about the condition of the cross-country ski trails in the Czech Republic can be viewed daily on the website mapy.cz (also available as an app) if you switch the map display to "winter".

The season has also opened in the ski areas. Due to the sub-zero temperatures, sufficient artificial snow could be produced there in addition to the natural snow, which can also survive announced plus temperatures of slightly above zero. Almost all ski areas in the Bohemian part of the Ore Mountains went into operation on December 8th.

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First German-Czech regional forum

The first German-Czech regional forum took place in Chemnitz. At the invitation of the Minister of State in the Foreign Ministry Anna Lührmann, representatives from the federal, state, district and municipalities from Germany and the Czech Republic exchanged ideas for two days. A wide range of representatives from various organizations active in the German-Czech border area were also invited, who spoke not only about the key topics of transport, the labor market and healthcare.

“Our goal is that people in the border regions are no worse off than elsewhere,” said State Minister Lührmann at the beginning of the forum. Workshops highlighted concrete problems that have existed for years in the emergency services, the status of Czech workers in Germany, cross-border transport connections, language training and the recognition of qualifications and have not yet been solved. The regional forum is intended to improve networking not only between the two states, but also between the administrative levels, the individual players and, last but not least, between Saxony and Bavaria. Lührmann announced that the problems raised would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities and that regional forums between the two countries would take place regularly in the future.

School strike and doctors' protest in the Czech Republic

On Tuesday, thousands of teachers took part in a nationwide strike. Unions announced that around half of schools had gone on a one-day strike. They were protesting against planned cuts in the education sector. They ensure that the number of hours is reduced, which is why there is a risk of loss of hours, especially in smaller schools in the regions. Employees from some companies and students also took part in the strike out of solidarity.

The strike was directed against the government, which has presented an austerity package to get the budget deficit under control. It is reacting to the necessary special spending in recent years as a result of the corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which have caused the budget deficit to rise sharply. In response to the strikes, Prime Minister Petr Fiala pointed out that the education budget, along with the defense budget and the social budget, are the only three departments whose spending will increase in the 2024 budget.

An indefinite strike by the medical profession seems to have been averted. Doctors had announced that they would no longer work overtime from December 1st, which would have led to severe disruptions to health care. The doctors' goals are to change the labor code to regulate 24-hour shifts and to improve pay. These demands are now being met. Labor Minister Marian Jurečka and Health Minister Vlastimil Válek introduced an amendment that reverses planned changes to labor law and allows doctors to work twice as much overtime as before. In addition, after negotiations, Prime Minister Petr Fiala promised almost 10 billion crowns more for higher doctors' salaries.

Czech route Dresden-Prague next year

The Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka would like to announce the route of the new Prague-Dresden line on the Czech side by the end of 2024 at the latest. The minister said this at a dialogue forum with affected communities in Ústí nad Labem. The state railway network administration Správa železnic (SŽ) is currently pursuing three different routes through the Bohemian Central Mountains, which are rejected by the affected communities. The tunnel exit at Chlumec and the passage through Ústí are also controversial. The Elbe city calls for freight traffic to be routed around the city. The approximately 57 kilometer long section from the Bohemian Central Mountains to Prague with a new terminal at Roudnice nad Labem has already been determined. The first commissioning of the new high-speed line is also expected here.

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Our audience was allowed to vote on the Wednesday film in December and chose: “Český sen” (The Bohemian Dream). This 2004 film is a nasty documentary-satire about a supposed opening of a hypermarket.

Two students from the Prague Film School are making a very special film as their final thesis: the facade of a huge hypermarket is being built on the outskirts of Prague. At the same time, there are massive advertising campaigns for the supposedly opening market. On the day of the "opening" a show is staged, which culminates in the waiting customers running towards the market and disappointed to find that they have been thoroughly processed. Then things get high...

More about the film and tickets

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We had to wait a long time, but now the time has come: the new small project fund has started! Applications for funding for Saxon-Czech encounter projects can now be submitted again.

In the past, simplifications were often promised that turned out not to be the case. But this time it really looks like it: There are now capitation fees for projects with a determinable number of participants (i.e. all classic encounter projects). No offers need to be obtained and no individual receipts need to be provided at the end. All you need is proof of the number of participants. It couldn't be easier. So anyone who has held back on project applications in recent years due to the bureaucratic burden should try again now.

There are two downsides: There is still no legal basis for projects without an ascertainable number of participants. They probably can't start until mid-2024 at the earliest. And projects to promote tourism are no longer possible in the KPF.

You can find all information about this on our website.

For information on the small project fund

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Deutsche Bahn is building a full tunnel variant

After months of testing, Deutsche Bahn has decided on a continuous tunnel for the new Dresden-Prague high-speed line through the Ore Mountains. This creates a 30 kilometer long tunnel that disappears underground near Heidenau and only comes to the surface again near Chlumec (Kulm) on the Czech side. It would be the longest railway tunnel in Germany.

A year ago, Deutsche Bahn limited the number of route variants from 10 to 2. The so-called full tunnel variant was not included in the railway's original plans, but was only brought into play by a citizens' initiative. The second so-called partially open variant had a shorter tunnel and a 27 kilometer long tunnel through the Ore Mountains. A bridge over the Seidewitztal was supposed to connect the two buildings.

The variant now chosen with the continuous tunnel is the best solution “for the environment as well as in terms of traffic, technology and economy,” Deutsche Bahn announced on Monday.

The new building, which is around 43 kilometers long, is intended to relieve pressure on the flood-prone Elbe valley and more than halve the travel time from Dresden to Prague from 2 hours 15 minutes to one hour. It is part of the future Berlin-Prague high-speed line and, in the future, continues to Vienna and the Balkans.

However, it will still be almost ten years before construction begins. The next big milestone for the project is the vote in the Bundestag on implementation and financing. This could happen in 2025. Deutsche Bahn expects building rights to be granted in 2032. The construction period is estimated to be around 12 years.

Edmundsklamm will remain closed in 2024

The Edmundsklamm, which has been closed since the devastating forest fire in the summer of 2022, will not open next year either. When asked, the Bohemian Switzerland National Park said that no opening date could be given. However, an opening in 2024 is ruled out. The same applies to the Gabrielensteig. The popular and panoramic hiking trail leads from Mezní Louka (Rainwiese) to Pravčická brána (Prebischtor). A total of 15 kilometers of marked hiking trails are currently closed. This affects around 5 percent of the hiking trails in the national park. The marking was removed for another 14 kilometers. You can hike there at your own risk.

The fact that a year and a half after the forest fire and years after the bark beetle catastrophe so many hiking trails are still closed was explained by national park spokesman Tomáš Salov, citing the different legal situation in the Czech Republic. All paths are now clear again in Saxony. The Bohemian Switzerland National Park, on the other hand, is responsible for safety on the paths. The national park is also liable for damage caused by the removal of dangerous trees. Strict protection requirements also apply in the quiet zone. The removal of trees causes significant associated damage. The natural regeneration is disrupted, there is a risk of instabilities in the rock and greater erosion stress occurs. This was also shown by the test clearing of a small section of the Edmundsklamm in the summer. However, the results of this pilot project are still pending.

Salov was confident that the first paths could be opened soon. But this applies more to paths in the back of Bohemian Switzerland. The decay process of damaged trees has already progressed far enough. This concerns the path from Hadí pramen (Snake Spring) to the Maiden Fir (Panenská jedle). At the same time, the national park is cutting down trees on many hiking trails to prevent further paths from being closed. The hiking trail at Brtnický potok (Zeidlerbach) is currently temporarily closed.

Municipalities and the tourism association, on the other hand, are demanding more effort from the national park in order to reopen paths more quickly. They accuse the national park of permanently closing hiking trails.

RegioJet displaces České dráhy from Ústí regional traffic

The Czech railway company RegioJet has won a tender to operate six electrified railway lines in the Ústí district. As RegioJet announced, they had submitted the lowest offer. With 90 percent weighting, the price was decisive for the outcome of the procedure. RegioJet will therefore take over the strategic lines U1 Děčín-Ústí nad Labem-Most-Kadaň, U2 Chomutov-Karlovy Vary and U3 (Děčín-) Ústí-Litvínov as well as the lines U32 Ústí-Lysá, U51 Ústí-Klášterec nad Ohří and U54 (Děčín - ) Ústí-Roudnice (-Hněvice). RegioJet already operates for the Ústí district on the routes Ústí nad Labem-Děčín on the right bank of the Elbe and Ústí-Upořiny-Most.

The Ústí district has not yet officially confirmed the outcome of the proceedings, citing the current objection period; the participants have been informed. However, the losing competitor České dráhy had made a statement, to which the Ústí district responded, thereby indirectly confirming the winner, RegioJet. So far, all lines have been operated by the state-owned České dráhy, for which the defeat is a significant loss. The Ústí district excluded České dráhy (ČD) due to a procedural error, writes the server zdopravy.cz. The company left it open whether ČD would object.

The new operator is scheduled to take over the routes when the timetable changes in December 2026. The operating contract is for 15 years.

Trekking huts for the Ore Mountains

The Krušnohoří (Ore Mountains) Tourism Agency plans to build 12 trekking cabins. They are intended to offer hikers a simple overnight camp. A simple wooden construction is planned. The huts should be equipped with photovoltaic systems and a small oven. The construction of the first two huts is planned in Adolfov near Telnice and in Sněžná near Kraslice in the Western Ore Mountains. The trekking huts are primarily intended to serve long-distance hikers. The new long-distance hiking trail Stezka Českem (Around the Czech Republic) runs through Adolfov.

Million-dollar projects for the Saxon-Czech border area

Improved early childhood education in the neighbor's language, cross-border cycle tourism and several nature conservation projects are among the projects that have received a commitment to receive funding from the European Union in the cross-border program Interreg Saxony-Czech Republic 2021-2027. At its meeting in Schönbach im Vogtland, the program's monitoring committee approved 17.7 million euros for 15 cross-border projects. The “Neighbouring Language from the Beginning” project was awarded almost 2 million euros under the leadership of the Euregio Egrensis, in which the Elbe/Labe Euroregion is also involved.

A little more than 2 million euros in funding will go to the “By bike to the neighbor” project led by the municipality of Doln'í Poustevna, in which the cities of Sebnitz and Hohnstein are involved.

A total of 28 Saxon-Czech projects have already been supported in the current funding period.

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Digitální Kulturní pas EEL each možné letos získat stažením application zdarma zde:

Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/cz/app/uneeqly/id1610296683?l=cs
Google play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.uneeqly.app

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Die „Fürstenauer Madonna“ bringt seit langem die Menschen aus Böhmen und Sachsen zusammen. Sie ist die zentrale Figur eines eindrucksvollen Altars aus dem 15. Jh., der ursprünglich aus Pirna stammt und im Laufe der Jahrhunderte über Fürstenau und Vorderzinnwald nach Teplice wanderte.

Nun gibt es eine Ausstellung, die die Wanderschaft der Madonna nachzeichnet. Künstlerische Elemente beschreiben die einzelnen Stationen, zwei große Vitrinen zeigen archäologische Funde aus Vorderzinnwald, und der Altar ist als großformatige Fotokopie präsent. An jeder Station werden die Besucher mit Ereignissen, Sagen und einer historischen Persönlichkeit bekannt gemacht, die die engen Verbindungen zwischen Böhmen und Sachsen aufzeigen.

Die Ausstellung war bisher bereits in Dubí und in Krupka zu sehen. Vom 24. November 2023 bis zum 7. Januar 2024 wird sie in der Dresdner Kreuzkirche gezeigt. Der Eintritt ist frei. Die Eröffnung findet am 24. November um 14 Uhr statt (ursprünglich war fälschlich 17 Uhr genannt worden).

Mehr zur Ausstellung und zur Eröffnung

Educational agreement for bilingual high school

25 years after the start of the bilingual and binational German-Czech education branch at the Friedrich-Schiller-Gymnasium in Pirna, the education ministries of Saxony and the Czech Republic have decided on a permanent education agreement. The document was signed on November 8th by Head of Culture Wilfried Kühner and his Czech colleague, Vice Minister Jaroslav Miller.

This means that the long-standing project is now becoming a permanent institution, says the Saxon State Ministry for Culture. The agreement relates to the educational program and the boarding school. The revision resulted in a flexible, contemporary and permanent contract, which significantly strengthens the personal responsibility of the Friedrich-Schiller-Gymnasium, it goes on to say.

"With the new agreement, we are laying the foundation for long-term Saxon-Czech educational cooperation. The binational-bilingual educational program at the Friedrich-Schiller-Gymnasium is the flagship of our cross-border educational cooperation," said Kühner.

The binational-bilingual course lasts six years. It is intended for students from grade seven to grade twelve. Lessons are organized each school year in a binational-bilingual class with 14 Czech and 14 Saxon students.

Sister cities Dohna and Chlumec

It's not every day that a new partnership is formed between cities. The Saxon Dohna and the North Bohemian Chlumec (Kulm) did it. The partnership had been initiated organically over the past five years through collaboration between sports and cultural clubs. The fire departments have also been cooperating for a long time. Some of the projects were funded by the Elbe/Labe Euroregion. As the Sächsische Zeitung reports, the partnership was officially sealed in a two-page contract.

Dohna and Chlumec are separated by just 40 kilometers. Chlumec lies at the foot of the Ore Mountains and borders the district town of Ústí nad Labem (Aussig) to the northwest. The city has just over 4,000 inhabitants. Like Dohna, the city is located directly on the Dresden-Prague motorway. A monument in Chlumec commemorates the Battle of Kulm in 1813, when Napoleon's troops were defeated by the allied Russians, Austrians and Prussians.

The next exchange between the two cities will take place on November 25th, when the Dohna choir travels to Chlumec for a concert.

Does a wildcat live in Bohemian Switzerland?

What was caught by a camera trap in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park in March 2022 could be a small sensation. In the photo in daylight light, a cat sneaks through the picture. This is not an ordinary house cat. The experts are very sure that it is a specimen of a wild cat. “The typical characteristics of a wild cat are easy to recognize, such as the stripes on the fur and the size,” says Martin Valášek, zoologist at the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. Valášek is even sure that it is not a cross with a domestic cat, but a pure wild cat.

It is still unclear whether the wildcat settled in the national park or was just passing through, and if so, where it came from. In the Czech Republic, wild cats live in small numbers in the Bohemian Forest (Šumava), in the Beskydy Mountains and in the Duppau Mountains (Doupovské hory) in northwest Bohemia. The national park has the photos evaluated externally by the Agricultural University in Prague. The find has only now become known due to the large number of recordings.

The national park has now placed wooden sticks coated with valerian near its camera traps. This is a proven lure for wild cats. If the cat rubs against it, it could lose a hair of its fur, which would allow researchers to conduct DNA analysis.

Wild cats are very shy animals. They need low-disturbance forests with dead wood in which they create caves and avoid open terrain with little cover.

Karel Schwarzenberg died

The Czech Republic mourns the death of former Czech Foreign Minister and lifelong fighter for democracy and freedom Karel Schwarzenberg. The nobleman, who was known only as the "Prince" in the Czech Republic, died on November 11th in a Vienna hospital. Schwarzenberg was 85 years old.

Born in Prague in 1937, Schwarzenberg grew up in Orlík Castle in southern Bohemia in one of the richest families in Europe. In 1941 the National Socialists confiscated the Schwarzenbergs' property, some of which they got back after 1945. After the communist coup and renewed expropriation, the family emigrated to Austria in 1948. Before 1989, Schwarzenberg supported the political opposition in his home country. He was appointed office manager (chancellor) by President Václav Havel in the early 1990s. He later became a senator and was elected to parliament for the Greens. From 2007 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2013 he was Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic. This makes him the foreign minister with the longest service to date. In 2013 he ran for President of the Czech Republic and narrowly lost to Miloš Zeman in the runoff election.

Karel Schwarzenberg was the head of the House of Schwarzenberg since 1979. The Czech government has decided to hold a funeral with state honors for Schwarzenberg. His body will be on display in the Church of Saint Mary Under the Chain (Kostel Panny Marie pod řetězem) in Prague's Lesser Town from December 6th to 8th. The funeral mass will take place on December 9th in Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral on Hradcany.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Schicht factory receives monument status

The Czech Ministry of Culture has granted monument status to the administrative building of the historic strata works in Ústí nad Labem (Aussig). This is only part of the building. The owner, the company STZ Development, had the oldest part demolished in March to make way for a parking space. There was strong protest against this by architects, historians and many citizens. But the demolition permit was valid, among other things because the building was not listed at the time.

An initiative therefore immediately applied for monument protection to the Ministry of Culture, which has now been granted. However, this decision is not yet legally binding; the company STZ Development has lodged an objection against it.

The Schicht works are located on the right bank of the Elbe in Ústí in the Střekov (Schreckenstein) district and have played a decisive role in the rise of Ústí to an industrial city of European standing. In the 1920s, the Schicht family's factories merged with the Dutch Margarine Unie and the British Lever Brothers to form the Unilever corporation, which still exists today.

Kyjov dam is being renovated

For the first time in 47 years, the Kyjov (Khaa) dam on the edge of Bohemian Switzerland was drained. The background is the renovation of the building from the 1960s. The dam is to be upgraded as a fire water reservoir. A fund created by the Czech government for fire protection in Bohemian Switzerland covers the majority of the costs with 15 million crowns. By excavating 7,500 cubic meters of sediment alone, the dam's capacity increases. The improved water depth also makes it possible for water to be extracted by helicopter. In addition, the weir will be renewed. A paved fire water extraction point with access will be created. Access for bathers should also be improved. The dam is a popular swimming lake. The renovation is scheduled to be completed in spring 2025 and the dam will be filled with water again.

Since one bank of the dam is already in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, the town of Krásná Lípa (Schönlinde), to which Kyjov belongs, must fulfill several requirements. The mud can only be dredged until the end of February 2024. “Then we will interrupt this work for now and only start it again next winter,” says Mayor Jan Kolář. When the water was drained, a surprise awaited the community: there were masses of pond mussels in the water and mud. “We were expecting a few hundred, but in the end there were almost 20,000,” says Kolář. This incredible number could only be partially distributed among the other community-owned ponds. Neighboring communities like Chřibská (Kreibitz) helped out. A very small portion of the shells served as food for forest animals such as foxes and wild boars.

Forest arsonist charged

The public prosecutor's office has brought charges against the alleged cause of the forest fire that engulfed and destroyed large parts of Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland last summer. “The indictment was sent to the district court this week,” Kateřina Doušová, prosecutor at the Ústí District Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed to the idnes.cz server. The public prosecutor's office accuses the former national park ranger not only of arson in the major fire, but also of other acts such as the burning of parts of the observation tower on the Vlčí hora (Wolfsberg) and the neighboring building, perches and feeding places. According to police, the 36-year-old is said to have admitted the crimes.

The largest forest fire in the history of Bohemian Switzerland caused damage worth 350 million crowns. This increases the maximum possible sentence for arson to 15 years in prison. The public prosecutor's office is demanding 12 years' imprisonment for the defendant.

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VW moves battery factory in Czech Republic

Volkswagen is not building its gigafactory planned in Central Europe for the time being. The group cited the slower development of electromobility as the reason. Volkswagen's decision is, above all, against the Czech Republic. That's where the negotiations were most advanced. Recently, the Czech government pushed Volkswagen to speed up. The Czech Republic had prepared a plot of land in Líně, near Plzeň Airport. The property is conveniently located close to the D5 Prague-Plzeň-Regensburg motorway. On Monday, CEO Oliver Blume met Prime Minister Petr Fiala and gave him the bad news.

The decision is only about not tackling the battery factory now, but later. VW is sticking to its three other planned factories in Germany, Spain and Canada. But in the Czech Republic the news was received as a serious setback. Industry Minister Jozef Síkela emphasized that the government is currently negotiating with five additional investors. Of these, two projects would be the size of what Volkswagen planned, two would be medium-sized and one project would be smaller. Síkela did not name names.

The vice president of the Industry and Transport Association Radek Špicar does not believe that this decision will set the Czech Republic back, but said on Czech television Česká televize: "The automotive industry is going through a dramatic, complicated and expensive transformation towards alternative drives. It would be important to do so to get an investment, also in view of the fact that we want to mine and process lithium in the Ore Mountains." He also pointed out that the Czech Republic had lost its former location advantage of cheap and sufficiently available workers. In addition, energy prices in the Czech Republic are now higher than in Poland or Hungary. The government must work on these problems.

The Ústí district had also long had hopes of setting up a gigafactory in northern Bohemia, near Saxony. Whether the VW decision increased the chances for the location near Prunéřov near Kadaň was initially not an issue.

New wind power rules in the Ústí district

The Ústí District plans to adopt a new policy on the construction of wind turbines. The Supreme Administrative Court declared this part of the principles of regional planning to be invalid a few weeks ago. The previous regulation had made the construction of wind turbines almost impossible. Plaintiffs, however, successfully sued for discrimination. Other construction projects are not subject to such strict regulations. Municipalities, private individuals and companies had sued. The district also did not take public interest in renewable energies into account enough.

The Ústí district wants to develop the new principles within the next few months and adopt them this year. Nature conservation remains the top criterion against the construction of wind turbines, which is why nature conservation organizations and the Ministry of the Environment should be involved in the reformulation process. However, it is foreseeable that a future regulation will open the way to more wind turbines, but uncontrolled growth should be prevented, it is said.

There are a total of 50 wind turbines in the Ústí district, a quarter of all wind turbines in the entire Czech Republic. Almost all wind turbines in the Ústí district are located at high altitudes in the Ore Mountains.

Hřensko charges a tourist fee

Starting next year, overnight guests will have to pay 20 crowns per night in Hřensko (Herrnskretschen). The local council decided this. The border village hopes to compensate for the loss of income that has torn a deep hole in the community's coffers due to the closure of the Edmundsklamm. The income from parking fees is unchanged. But overall the income is only a third compared to a normal year with the Edmundsklamm open.

The accommodation fee is collected by hotels and guesthouses and passed on to the municipality. However, payment is only due from the second night.

German-Czech mayor meeting in Hohnstein

On Friday, mayors from municipalities on both sides of the border met in Hohnstein for a networking meeting. It was the second meeting of this kind after April. The conference was organized and initiated by the Saxon Switzerland Economic Initiative. The aim is to better network communities and cooperate on cross-border projects. The first meeting took place in Krásná Lípa. The second meeting was also attended by District Administrator Michael Geisler, the Czech Consul General in Dresden Mark´´éta Meissnerová, the managing directors of the Euroregions Elbe/Labe and Nisa/Neiße, Rüdiger Kubsch and Ondřej Havlíček, representatives of the Saxon Switzerland and Bohemian Switzerland tourism associations and a representative from German-Czech Future Fund.

"The great interest shown by the mayors shows us the importance of this event. We aim to repeat these meetings twice a year in the future," announced the mayor of Hohnstein and host, Daniel Brade.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)

Forty important women from history and the present are portrayed in a poster exhibition at the Czech Center. The posters were designed by students from the University of Plze'n. Each poster is a specially designed work of art in its own style. Among those portrayed are rulers, painters, writers, politicians, scientists, athletes and much more.

The exhibition will open in the Dresden Cultural City Hall on November 2nd at 7:30 p.m. Annekatrin Klepsch (Deputy for Culture, Science and Tourism of the State Capital Dresden) and Dr. Markéta Meissnerová (Consul General of the Czech Republic in Dresden) will welcome those present. Historian Hana Pištorová from the Czech Centers will introduce the content of the exhibition. Eli Kalčeva will provide the musical accompaniment.

All interested parties are cordially invited to take part in the exhibition opening. Admission is free.

(This is an automatic translation by Google Translator.)