Map of Austria-Hungary in 1914. The itinerary of Švejk took place entirely within the borders of the Dual Monarchy.
"The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk" is a novel which contains a wealth of geographical references - either directly through the plot, in dialogues or in the authors own observations. Jaroslav Hašek was himself unusually well travelled and had a photographic memory of geographical (and other) details. It is evident that he put great emphasis on this: 8 of the 27 chapter headlines in Švejk contain place names. In addition to the geographical names, he often refers to public houses and other institutions, which in most cases, even today, can be located.
This web page will in due course contain a full overview of all the geographical references in the novel; from Prague in the introduction to Klimontów in the unfinished Book Four. Countries, cities, towns, villages, mountains, oceans, lakes, rivers, islands, buildings, taverns and any institution that can be located geographically, are included. The list is sorted according to the order in which the names appear through the novel. The chapter headlines are from Zenny K. Sadlon's recent translation and will in most cases differ from Cecil Parrott's version from 1973. Please note that close to 150 entries have yet to be added.
- The facts are mainly taken from Internet sources but cross-verified when possible
- The quotes in Czech are copied from the online version of Švejk provided by Jaroslav Šerák and contain links to the relevant chapter
- The toolbar has links for direct access to Wikipedia, Google maps, Google search, Jaroslav Šerák and Švejk online
The names are coloured according to their role in the novel, illustrated by these examples: Sanok as a location where the plot takes place, Dubno mentioned in the narrative, Zagreb as part of a dialogue, and Pakoměřice as mentioned in an anecdote.
The Good Soldier Švejk index of places mentioned in the novel (674)
Show all
I. In the rear
1. The good soldier Švejk acts to intervene in the world war (31)
14. Švejk as military servant to senior lieutenant Lukáš (59)
II. At the front
2. Švejk's budějovická anabasis (74)
3. Švejk's happenings in Királyhida (52)
5. From Bruck on the Leitha toward Sokal (31)
III. The famous thrashing
1. Across Magyaria (44)
2. In Budapest (42)
3. From Hatvan to the borders of Galicia (64)
4. Forward March! (51)
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I. In the rear |
 | |
1. The good soldier Švejk acts to intervene in the world war | |||
 | Drogerie Průša |  | ||||
| Tylovo nám. 699/19, Vinohrady-František Průša [1910] | ||||||
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Drogerie Průša was the chemist's store where Ferdinand was an assistant.
Background
Drogerie Průša was a chemist's store at Tylovo náměstí right on the lower corner with Vávrova třída at Vinohrady. In 2011 the ground floor of the building is occupied by Pizzeria Matylda. Jaroslav Hašek worked as an apprentice here some time between March 1898 and September 1899. The store must have existed at least until 1911, when discrete newspaper adverts for remedies against "mens problems" appeared in Národní politika. The owner was František Průša, see Průša for more information.
Source: Jaroslav Šerák
Quote from the novel
Jednoho, ten je sluhou u drogisty Průši a vypil mu tam jednou omylem láhev nějakého mazání na vlasy, a potom znám ještě Ferdinanda Kokošku, co sbírá ty psí hovínka. Vobou není žádná škoda.“…read more
| Konopiště | | |||
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Konopiště was a castle by Benešov u Prahy that from 1887 to 1914 was owned by Franz Ferdinand, then Austrian heir to the throne. Franz Ferdinand and his family lived there for long periods. The castle is now a museum which exhibits amongst other items, Franz Ferdinand's around 475,000 hunting trophies and large amounts of classic furniture and paintings.
Background
Konopiště is mentioned by Fru Müllerová already in the opening passage as she explains Švejk which Ferdinand has been murdered: "the Archduke Ferdinand, the one from Konopiště, the fat one, the religious one".
Quote from the novel
„Ale, milostpane, pana arcivévodu Ferdinanda, toho z Konopiště, toho tlustýho, nábožnýho.“…read more
Also written:Konopist Bang-Hansen Konopischt de
| Sarajevo | | |||
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Sarajevo is first mentioned by Fru Müllerová as she tells Švejk about the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Later in the chapter the conversation at U kalicha revolves around the murder on the emperor-to-be and Sarajevo is mentioned many times by Bretschneider, Švejk and Palivec.
Background
Sarajevo is the capital and biggest city of Bosnia and Hercegovina with a population of around 430,000 (2006). In 1878 Austria-Hungary occupied Bosnia and Hercegovina although it remained a part of the Ottoman Empire until 1908 when it was annexed by Austria-Hungary. The annexation caused resentment in Serbia. The Bosnian capital was on June 28 1914 the scene of the murder of Franz Ferdinand, an act that indirectly led to the outbreak of World War I. The killing was carried out by serb extremists.
NB! The killings in Sarajevo is very directly the starting point of the novel these web pages are about.
Quote from the novel
„Práskli ho v Sarajevu, milostpane, z revolveru, vědí. Jel tam s tou svou arcikněžnou v automobilu.“ „Tak se podívejme, paní Müllerová, v automobilu. Jó, takovej pán si to může dovolit, a ani nepomyslí, jak taková jízda automobilem může nešťastně skončit. A v Sarajevu k tomu, to je v Bosně, paní Müllerová. To asi udělali Turci. My holt jsme jim tu Bosnu a Hercegovinu neměli brát.…read more
| Bosnia | | |||
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Bosnia is first mentioned by Švejk when he states to Fru Müllerová that Sarajevo is in Bosnia. Later, during the conversations at U kalicha mellom Bretschneider, Palivec and Švejk, the area is mentioned several times.
Background
Bosnia is often mentioned together with Hercegovina as Bosnia and Hercegovina. This is the political unit that both areas belong to. Bosnia and Hercegovina have long been purely geographical terms.
The area was annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1908. This led to widespread dissatisfaction amongst serbs and is arguably the main reason for the grievances that led terrorists to plot and execute the murder of Franz Ferdinand.
Today Bosnia and Hercegovina is an independent if highly fragmented state. It borders Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia and Montenegro to the east, and has a short coastline to the Adriatic Ocean.
Quote from the novel
„A v Sarajevu k tomu, to je v Bosně, paní Müllerová. To asi udělali Turci. My holt jsme jim tu Bosnu a Hercegovinu neměli brát."…read more
Also written:Bosna cz Bosnien de Bosna hr Босна sr
| Bosnia and Hercegovina | | |||
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Bosnia and Hercegovina is first mentioned by Švejk when he states to Fru Müllerová at Sarajevo ligg i Bosnia and that Austria-Hungary shouldn't have taken it from the Turks. Later on the area is mentioned in the conversation at U kalicha between Bretschneider, Palivec og Švejk.
Background
Bosnia and Hercegovina was (and is) is the political entity consisting of Bosnia and Hercegovina. The area was annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1908. This led to widespread dissatisfaction amongst serbs and is arguably the main reason for the grievances that led terrorists to plot and carry out the murder of Franz Ferdinand.
Today Bosnia and Hercegovina is an independent if highly fragmented state. It borders Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia and Montenegro to the east, and has a short coastline to the Adriatic Ocean.
Quote from the novel
„A v Sarajevu k tomu, to je v Bosně, paní Müllerová. To asi udělali Turci. My holt jsme jim tu Bosnu a Hercegovinu neměli brát."…read more
Also written:Bosna a Hercegovina cz Bosnien und Herzegowina de Bosna i Hercegovina hr Bosnia og Hercegovina nn Босна и Херцеговина sr
| Nusle | | |||
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Nusle is in the novel first mentioned by Fru Müllerová when she refers to an assault with a revolver which took place there, the part of town she is from. The area is later referred to by landlord Palivec at U kalicha and it is obvious that Nusle had a bad reputation at the time. There are some references to locations in Nusle later in the novel, the pub U Bansethů being amongst them.
Background
Nusle is an district of Prague, south east of the centre, east of the Vltava. It is administratively a part of Prague IV, and a small part is in Prague II. Náměstí Bratří Synků is regarded the centre of the district. Nusle was a town in it's own right from 1898 to 1922. The town hall is located in Táborská ulice.
Quote from the novel
Nedávno taky si hrál jeden pán u nás v Nuslích s revolverem a postřílel celou rodinu i domovníka, kterej se šel podívat, kdo to tam střílí ve třetím poschodí.“…read more
| Gemeinsame Armee | | ||||
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Gemeinsame Armee is first mentioned (as "the army") in an anecdote Švejk tells from his time in the army (national service). This is in the conversation with Fru Müllerová at the very start of the novel. After this the army is mentioned innumerable times, and is the most important backdrop for the novel as Švejk as soldier from the middle of Book One. It is also the principal target of Hašek's satire.
Background
Gemeinsame Armee (also k.u.k Armee or k.u.k Heer) was the largest and most important body in the k.u.k Bewaffneten Macht (armed forces). Together with the k.k. Landwehr (Austrian national guard) and the k.u. Honvéd (Hungarian national guard) it made up the Landstreitkräfte (terrestrial forces). These and the k.u.k Kriegsmarine (navy) made up the total armed forces.
The common army consisted of infantry, cavalry, supply-troops and technical troops. The period of service was three years. During the war, losses were replaced by so-called March batallions, one of which Švejk was later to be assigned to. The k.u.k army existed from 1867 to 1918 and suffered catastrophic losses in WW1, the only full-scale war it ever participated in. At various time it fought on four fronts; Serbia, Galicia, Romania and Tirol and after the heavy losses in 1914 it increasingly had to rely on German support.
The army command was from 1913 located in the building of the Kriegsministerium at Stubenring 1, Vienna. At the time Švejk did his national service they were surely still at the old premises in Am Hof 2. This building was demolished in 1912.
Quote from the novel
Jó, paní Müllerová, dnes se dějou věci. To je zas ztráta pro Rakousko. Když jsem byl na vojně, tak tam jeden infanterista zastřelil hejtmana. Naládoval flintu a šel do kanceláře.…read more
Also written:Rakousko-uherská armáda cz Austro-Hungarian Army en Austerrike-Ungarns Hær no
| Switzerland | | |||
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General Ulrich Wille, Swiss commander-in-chief during WW1.
Switzerland provides in an anecdote by Švejk refuge for a guard who had lent his braces to an inmate who had murdered a captain. The prisoner hung himself in the braces. The guard got 6 months but escaped to Switzerland.
Background
Switzerland was neutral during WW1 and was in 1914 like today a federal republic. As a curiosity it must be mentioned that the Habsburg family hailed from Switzerland. During WW1 Lenin lived in Switzerland. He was from 1917 to play an important role in the events leading to Russia's withdrawal from the war.
Switzerland borders Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy and Austria to the south and Liechtenstein to the east. The country has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansch.
Quote from the novel
To vědí, paní Müllerová, že v takový situaci jde každému hlava kolem. Profousa za to degradovali a dali mu šest měsíců. Ale von si je nevodseděl. Utek do Švejcar a dneska tam dělá kazatele ňáký církve.…read more
Also written:Švýcarsko cz Schweiz de Suisse fr Svizzera it Švejcar Švejk
| Portugal | | |||
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Hoisting the Portuguese flag during WW1.
Portugal is referred to by Švejk when he talks about the killing of a fat king of Portugal. This surely refers to the assassination of Carlos I of the house Bragança in 1908.
Background
Portugal was in 1914 a republic which still kept some colonies, mostly in Africa. At the beginning of the 20th century Portugal experienced a power struggle between reformist and conservative groups. The republicans gained the upper hand, and a republic was established in 1910, two years after the murder of the king and the crown prince (referred to by Švejk9.
On March 9 1916 Germany declared war on Portugal and Portuguese forces took part in Africa and on the western front. Several Portuguese ships were sunk by German U-boats during the war. After the war, Karl, the last Habsburg emperor, sought refuge in Portugal and he died at Madeira.
Quote from the novel
Jestli se pamatujou, jak tenkrát v Portugalsku si postříleli toho svýho krále. Byl taky takovej tlustej.…read more
Also written:Portugalsko cz
| U kalicha | | |||||
| Na Bojišti 1732/14, Praha II-Vilém Juris [1910] | |||||||
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U kalicha is the tavern where Švejk and landlord Palivec were arrested by detective Bretschneider. This probably happened around July 1 1914. The plot returns to U kalicha in [I.6] when Švejk is released from his ordeal. His last visit is in [I.10] after he has started serving with Otto Katz. Fru Palivcová refuse to serve him as she thinks he is a deserter.
U kalicha is also mentioned in [II.4] in one of the classic scenes from Bruck an der Leitha when Švejk and Vodička promise each other to meet there after the war, at six in the evening.
Background
U kalicha is a tavern in Nové Město, not far from IP Pavlova metro station. Today the restaurant lives well on the connection with Švejk with high prices and frequent tour groups. U kalicha is still worth a visit as it is decorated with memorabilia related to Švejk and from the times of WW1. To avoid the bustle it is advisable to visit around lunchtime or early afternoon. The food is Czech and the co-owner and manager Pavel Töpfer runs the place very professionally.
In 1914 U kalicha was much smaller than today (it was extended in the 1950's) and was an ordinary pub with one tap-room. Today the pub also occupies number 12. Jaroslav Hašek was not a regular there and it is unclear why he chose this place as the starting point of the novel. The pub is named after the building which is decorated with chalices. Next door in number 10 there was a brothel registered on Antonín Nosek (1913). This could explain why Švejk told Vodička that "they have girls there".
Quote from the novel
Já teď jdu do hospody „U kalicha“, a kdyby sem někdo přišel pro toho ratlíka, na kterýho jsem vzal zálohu, tak mu řeknou, že ho mám ve svém psinci na venkově, že jsem mu nedávno kupíroval uši a že se teď nesmí převážet, dokud se mu uši nezahojí, aby mu nenastydly. Klíč dají k domovnici.“…read more
Also written:Zum Kelch de At the Chalice en Ved Kalken no
| Vinárna Sarajevo | | |||
| Nusle | |||||
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Vinárna Sarajevo was a wine tavern in Nusle where, according to Palivec, there was fighting every day.
Background
Vinárna Sarajevo was a wine tavern no-one can verify ever existed. According to Milan Hodík the author may have meant a small pub known as Bosna in Michle.
Milan Hodík:šlo nejspíš o malou hospodu zvanou Bosna na michelském kopce nad Bondyho statkem.
Quote from the novel
„Ty nám to pěkně v tom Sarajevu vyvedli,“ se slabou nadějí ozval se Bretschneider. „V jakým Sarajevu?“ otázal se Palivec, „v tej nuselskej vinárně? Tam se perou každej den, to vědí, Nusle.“…read more
| Waterloo | | |||
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Waterloo and the famous battle there is mentioned by the author when he describes the pub landlord Palivec and his knowledge of Victor Hugo. Švejk also mentions it in [2.1] when on the train to Tábor.
Background
Waterloo is a town in Walloon-Brabant in Belgium, near Brussels. The town is known because of the famous battle that took place here on June 18 1815, when Wellington and Blücher were victorious against Napoleon's French army. The battle meant the end of Napoleon's political and military career.
Quote from the novel
Palivec byl známý sprosťák, každé jeho druhé slovo byla zadnice nebo hovno. Přitom byl ale sečtělý a upozorňoval každého, aby si přečetl, co napsal o posledním předmětě Victor Hugo, když líčil poslední odpověď staré gardy Napoleona Angličanům v bitvě u Waterloo.…read more
| Věznice Pankrác | | ||||
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Věznice Pankrác is implicitly mentioned by Palivec when he explains that talking politics might mean ending up in Pankrác.
Background
Věznice Pankrác is the largest prison in Prague and "pankrác" is almost synonymous with prison in Czech slang. The prison is named after the district of the same name and construction started in 1885. It was at the time a modern prison with good conditions for the inmates. In Austrian times the prison mostly housed dangerous male criminals but also saw the odd political prisoner.
The prison later became the scene of executions and 1580 persons were killed; 1087 of them during the Nazi occupation. After the war several hundred more fell victims, amongst them Rudolf Slánský and Milada Horákova.
Quote from the novel
„Já se do takových věcí nepletu, s tím ať mi každej políbí prdel,“ odpověděl slušně pan Palivec, zapaluje si dýmku, „dneska se do toho míchat, to by mohlo každému člověku zlomit vaz. Já jsem živnostník, když někdo přijde a dá si pivo, tak mu ho natočím. Ale nějaký Sarajevo, politika nebo nebožtík arcivévoda, to pro nás nic není, z toho nic nekouká než Pankrác.“…read more
Also written:Pankratz Gefängnis de Pankrác Prison en Pankrác fengsel no
| Balkans | | |||
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Balkans is mentioned once by Švejk in the conversation at U kalicha.
Background
Balkans is a historical and geographical name of a region in South East Europe. The region has a total area of 550,000 km² and a population of roughly 55 millions. The area takes its name from the Balkans Mountains which traverse central Bulgaria and eastern Serbia.
The Balkans was at the start of the 20th century very unstable. The two Balkans Wars had been fought in 1912 and 1913; first Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Montenegro against Tyrkia, then Serbia, Montenegro and Greece against Bulgaria. In the second Balkans War, Romania and Tyrkia joined the war against Bulgaria when they realised that these were about to loose. Serbia got out of these wars politically strengthened, a fact which made Austria-Hungary increasingly uneasy and which may have contributed to their uncompromising stance in 1914.
Quote from the novel
A Švejk vyložil svůj názor na mezinárodní politiku Rakouska na Balkáně. Turci to prohráli v roce 1912 se Srbskem, Bulharskem a Řeckem. Chtěli, aby jim Rakousko pomohlo, a když se to nestalo, střelili Ferdinanda.…read more
Also written:Balkán cz
| Serbia | | |||
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Serbia is mentioned in the conversation at U kalicha between Švejk and Bretschneider about the Balkans.
Background
Serbia was in 1914 a kingdom on the Balkans that played a crucial role during the outbreak of WW1. Austria-Hungary made the Serb government responsible for the murder of Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian and Hungarian thrones. Serbia was the first country declared war on, and the first country to see fighing. Serbia stood up well against Austria-Hungary but after Bulgaria entered the war and German forces assisted the Austrians, resistance was broken in October 1915. Serbia was the country that relative to population figures suffered the worst losses in the war (indeed in any modern European conflict): roughly 27% of of the population perished, many of them in the worst typhus epidemy known in history. The borders of Serbia were in 1914 somewhat different from today. The kingdom included Macedonia but not Vojvodina and Banat which at the time were part of Austria-Hungary. The capital was (and still is) Belgrade.
Quote from the novel
A Švejk vyložil svůj názor na mezinárodní politiku Rakouska na Balkáně. Turci to prohráli v roce 1912 se Srbskem, Bulharskem a Řeckem. Chtěli, aby jim Rakousko pomohlo, a když se to nestalo, střelili Ferdinanda.…read more
Also written:Srbsko cz Serbien de Србија sr
| Bulgaria | | |||
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Bulgaria is mentioned during the conversation at U kalicha about Balkans.
Background
Bulgaria was a kingdom on the Balkans that was neutral during the first year of WW1. In September 1915 the country entered the war on the side of the Central Powers. Her main motive to join was to repair the damage after the defeat by Serbia in the second Balkans War. Bulgaria took part in the attack on Serbia in October 1915, the offensive that finally broke Serbia's resistance. Bulgaria was in 1914 slightly larger than today, she had to cede Thrace to Greece in 1918.
Quote from the novel
A Švejk vyložil svůj názor na mezinárodní politiku Rakouska na Balkáně. Turci to prohráli v roce 1912 se Srbskem, Bulharskem a Řeckem. Chtěli, aby jim Rakousko pomohlo, a když se to nestalo, střelili Ferdinanda.…read more
Also written:България bg Bulharsko cz Bulgarien de
| Greece | | |||
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Greece is mentioned in the conversation at U kalicha about the Balkans.
Background
Greece was neutral at the start of the war but in November 1916 it joined the Entente, strongly influenced by prime minister Venizelos. Greece was at the time a kingdom ruled by the House of Glücksburg. The country was in 1914 slightly smaller than today, it acquired Thrace from Bulgaria in 1923.
Modern Greece has common borders with Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Tyrkia. Greece has been member of the EU since 1981, of NATO since 1952 and OECD since 1961. The capital is Athens and other large cities are Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion and Larissa.
Quote from the novel
A Švejk vyložil svůj názor na mezinárodní politiku Rakouska na Balkáně. Turci to prohráli v roce 1912 se Srbskem, Bulharskem a Řeckem. Chtěli, aby jim Rakousko pomohlo, a když se to nestalo, střelili Ferdinanda.…read more
Also written:Řecko cz Griechenland de Ελλάδα el
| Vltava | | |||
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Vltava from Žďákovský most, august 2009.
Vltava is first mentioned in the anecdote about the man who jumped from the bridge in Krumlov. The river is mentioned several times later in the novel and Švejk must have crossed it twice during his anabasis in [2.2], without it being explicitly stated. The first crossing was between Květov and Vráž, the second on the train just before arriving in Budějovice.
Background
Vltava is the longest river in the Czech Republic. From its sources in Šumava, it passes Krumlov, Budějovice and Prague, before flowing into the Elbe by Mělník. The rivers length is 430 km, and the catchment area is 28,090 km². In foreign languages the German name Moldau is often used.
Quote from the novel
Musel skočit v Krumlově s toho mostu do Vltavy a museli ho vytáhnout, museli ho křísit, museli z něho pumpovat vodu a von jim musel skonat v náručí lékaře, když mu dal nějakou injekci.“…read more
Also written:Moldau de
| Krumlov | | ||||
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Postcard from 1910
Krumlov is mentioned in the anecdote about Bohuslav Ludvík and also a few times in book two. The miller Baloun, a central character in the latter part of the novel, comes from the area around Krumlov.
Background
Krumlov was until 1920 the name of Český Krumlov, a town of 14,056 inhabitants (2007), not far from the Austrian border. The old town and the castle is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The town was in 1914 eighty per cent German speaking (the wast majority of those were expelled in 1945). Krumlov was located in the recruitment area of IR91, so Hašek would have known a few fellow soldiers from there.
Quote from the novel
Musel skočit v Krumlově s toho mostu do Vltavy a museli ho vytáhnout, museli ho křísit, museli z něho pumpovat vodu a von jim musel skonat v náručí lékaře, když mu dal nějakou injekci.“…read more
Also written:Krummau de
| Most v Krumlově | | ||||
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Most v Krumlově is mentioned in the anecdote about Bohuslav Ludvík who jumped from the bridge in Krumlov into the Vltava.
Background
Most v Krumlově was according to the story a bridge across the Vltava in Krumlov. The story does not reveal which one the author has in mind, but it is probably Lazebnický most in the centre which is the oldest and best known bridge there. In this mainly German-speaking town the bridge was at the time also called Baderbrücke.
Quote from the novel
Musel skočit v Krumlově s toho mostu do Vltavy a museli ho vytáhnout, museli ho křísit, museli z něho pumpovat vodu a von jim musel skonat v náručí lékaře, když mu dal nějakou injekci.“…read more
Also written:Brücke in Krumau de Bridge in Krumlov en Bru i Krumlov no
| Zliv | | ||||
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Zliv is mentioned in an anecdote by Švejk, told to Bretschneider. It was about a gamekeeper who was shot by poachers.
Background
Zliv is a small town in South Bohemia. It is situated 10 km north west of Budějovice and 4 km west of Hluboká nad Vltavou. The number of inhabitants is 3,609 (2009).
During the summer of 1896, Hašek's mother Kateřina took the children on a trip to the area around Protivín to see relatives. Both his parents were from this area. They visited Zliv, Mydlovary, Hluboká nad Vltavou, Budějovice, Putim, Skočice, Krč, Protivín, Ražice, and Vodňany. All of these places appear in Švejk and some of them even in the short stories.
In 1915 Hašek appeared in Zliv again, now on an unauthorised "excursion" from the Budějovice garrison.
Source: Radko Pytlík
Quote from the novel
To byl ve Zlivi u Hluboké před léty jeden hajný, měl takové ošklivé jméno Pinďour.…read more
Also written:Zliw Reiner
| Hluboká nad Vltavou | | |||
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Hluboká nad Vltavou is mentioned in the same anecdote as Zliv, about the widow after the gamekeepers who turns up at the office of The prince at Hluboká to ask for advice.
Background
Hluboká nad Vltavou is a town in South Bohemia, 15 km north of Budějovice. The town was one of the favourite haunts of German-Roman Emperor Charles IV, who often visited when he resided in Budějovice. Nowadays Hluboká is best known for its Windsor-style chateau which until 1938 belonged to the House of Schwarzenberg.
Quote from the novel
To byl ve Zlivi u Hluboké před léty jeden hajný, měl takové ošklivé jméno Pinďour.…read more
Also written:Frauenberg de
| Mydlovary | | ||||
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Mydlovary keeper he told Bretschneider at U kalicha.
Background
Mydlovary is a village in Budějovický kraj, 16 km north west of the regional capital, 4 km from Zliv. The population is 309 (2009). Mydlovary is the birthplace of Josef Hašek, Jaroslav Hašek's father.
Quote from the novel
Zastřelili ho pytláci a zůstala po něm vdova s dvěma dítkami a vzala si za rok opět hajného, Pepíka Šavlovic z Mydlovar.…read more
Also written:Mydlowař Reiner
| Ražická bašta | | |||
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Ražická bašta is mentioned by Švejk in an anecdote about the pond warden Jareš, no doubt inspired by the authors grandfather, Antonín Jareš. This connection appears again in chapters [I.14] and [II.2].
Background
Ražická bašta was a fishpond construction between Ražice and Putim that belonged to the Schwarzenberg family. The authors grandfather was pond warden here and Hašek wrote a few stories abou him before the war. The pond and barrier is still there but is no longer used for fish-farming. The pond wardens building is not there, but is still visibly on an army-map from 1928.
Quote from the novel
Tak jí odporučili porybnýho Jareše z ražické bašty.…read more
| Písek Regional Court | | ||||
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Písek Regional Court is mentioned by Švejk in an anecdote about the pond warden Jareš, no doubt inspired by the authors grandfather, Antonín Jareš. This connection appears again in chapters [I.14] and [II.2].
Background
Písek Regional Court was an institution that was part of the judiciary of Austria-Hungary, and also remained during the Czechoslovak First Republic. Písek currently has an okresný soud (district court), the nearest regional court is in Budějovice. The location of the court is almost certainly the same as under Austria.
The court in Písek was involved in the infamous Hilsner-affair where a jew was accused of ritual murder. His death-sentence was confirmed in Písek on November 14 1900 but the verdict was converted to life imprisonment and in 1918 he was set free during a general amnesty. Future president Masaryk put his academic career at stake during his defense of Hilsner. The verdict at Písek was quashed as late as 1998.
Quote from the novel
Když ho potom u krajského soudu v Písku věšeli, ukousl knězi nos a řekl že vůbec ničeho nelituje, a také řekl ještě něco hodně ošklivého o císařovi pánovi.“…read more
Also written:Krajský soud v Písku cz Landesgericht Písek de Landsretten Písek no
| Mexico | | |||
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Mexico is mentioned in the conversation between Švejk and Bretschneider. The brother of Franz Joseph I, Maximillian I of Mexico, was emperor of the country from 1863 to 1867. Here he is referred to as the Emperor of Mexico.
Mexico is mentioned again in [II.2] when Marek tells Švejk about conditions in the 91st regiment.
Background
Mexico was in 1914 a republic suffering turmoil after the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz had been overthrown in the revolution in 1911. In the period from 1864 to 1867 Maximillian I av Mexico was emperor, and it is in this context the country is mentioned in the novel.
Mexico borders the United States in the north and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast. In the south and west of the country has a coastline to Pacific Ocean, and to the east towards the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. It is the northernmost country in Latin America and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world.
Quote from the novel
Manželku Alžbětu mu propíchli pilníkem, potom se mu ztratil Jan Orth; bratra, císaře mexického, mu zastřelili v nějaké pevnosti u nějaké zdi.…read more
Also written:Mexiko cz Mexiko de México es
| Cerro de las Campanas | | ||||
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Cerro de las Campanas is mentioned indirectly in the conversation between Švejk and Bretschneider where it is stated that the brother of Franz Joseph I was executed at "some fortress by some wall".
Background
Cerro de las Campanas is a hill in Queretaro where emperor Maximilian av Mexico was executed in 1867 after having lost the war against the republican rebels led by Benito Juárez.
Quote from the novel
Manželku Alžbětu mu propíchli pilníkem, potom se mu ztratil Jan Orth; bratra, císaře mexického, mu zastřelili v nějaké pevnosti u nějaké zdi.…read more
| Russian Empire | | |||
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Russian Empire (Russia) is a theme in the conversation at U kalicha about the political situation after the assassinations in Sarajevo. Later on in the novel, Russia is mentioned many times, it was after all Russia our hero was meant to fight. Russians are part of the plot towards the end of the novel and the author occasionally inserts fragments from his own experiences in the country. The Russian Empire is throughout the novel referred to as Russia.
Background
Russian Empire was in 1914 ruled by the Romanov dynasty and was significantly larger than the current Russian Federation. It included all of what was to become the Soviet Union, all of Finland and parts of contemporary Poland. In 1866 it's area was at the largest, it also included Alaska. Russia's support for Serbia during the July crisis of 1914 was one of the main reasons why a regional conflict on the Balkans developed into a world war. The defeat in the war meant the end of Czarist rule and paved the way for 70 years of Communist dictatorship.
Jaroslav Hašek stayed on Russian territory from September 1915 to December 1920, first as prisoner of war, then as Czech legionnaire and finally as a Red Army propagandist and recruiter. If he had competed Švejk, most the the plot of the remaining two volumes would have taken place in Russia.
The present Republic of Russia has an area of 17,075,200 sq km and the population is 143.4 million (2005). The current state of Russia was created on December 25th 1991 as the largest successor state to the dissolved Soviet Union. Russia is the largest country in the world in area, it stretches from the border with Norway and Finland in the northwest to the Bering Strait in the northeast, from the border with the Baltic states, Belarus and Ukraine in the west, eastward across Asia to the border with North Korea and the Northern Pacific. Politically, Russia is an asymmetric federation, i.e. the 84 federal entities have varying degrees of autonomy. The 21 republics which originally were established as autonomous units for ethnic minority groups, enjoy the largest degree of autonomy. The main language is Russian, a Slavic language in the Indo-European language family.
Quote from the novel
„Vy myslíte, že to císař pán takhle nechá bejt? To ho málo znáte. Vojna s Turky musí být. Zabili jste mně strejčka, tak tady máte přes držku. Válka jest jistá. Srbsko a Rusko nám pomůže v té válce. Bude se to řezat!“…read more
Also written:Ruské impérium cz Russisches Kaiserreich de Россия ru
| Ottoman Empire | | |||
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Ottoman Empire is a theme in the conversation at U kalicha about the political situation after the assassination in Sarajevo. Švejk believes the Turks are behind the murder of Franz Ferdinand. The country is mentioned again in chapter 14 during Lukáš' long lecture to hop-trader Wendler about the war situation. In the novel the Ottoman Empire is always referred to as Turkey and its population as Turks.
Background
Ottoman Empire was a state that existed until 1922 and was succeeded by modern Turkey. The area was still in 1914 far larger than that of current Turkey and included great parts of the Middle East. From October 28 1914 the Ottoman Empire took part in WW1 as one of the Central Powers. The defeat in the World War meant the end of the empire. The capital was Istanbul.
Modern Turkey is a republic in Southern Europe and Western Asia. It borders Bulgaria and Greece to the west, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbadian in the north east, Iran to the east, and Iraq and Syria in the south.
Quote from the novel
„Může být,“ pokračoval v líčení budoucnosti Rakouska, „že nás v případě války s Tureckem Němci napadnou, poněvadž Němci a Turci drží dohromady. Jsou to takový potvory, že jim není v světě rovno. Můžeme se však spojit s Francií, která má od 71. roku spadeno na Německo. A už to půjde. Válka bude, víc vám neřeknu.“…read more
Also written:Osmanská říše cz Osmanisches Reich de Osmanlı İmparatorluğu tr
| France | | |||
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France is mentioned in the conversation between Švejk and Bretschneider at U kalicha about the political situation after the assassinations in Sarajevo.
Background
France was one of the main warring parties in WW1. She entered on August 3 1914 as an ally of Russia. In 1918, the country played an important role in the establishment of the new Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Legions were formally under French command until they pulled out of Russia in 1920. France was then as now a republic and also ruled over a large colonial empire. After the Treaty of Versailles France was given back Alsace and Lorraine which she had ceded to Germany in 1871.
Contemporary France is a country in Western Europe, with additional territory in the Pacific and the Caribbean. The European part is said to be hexagonal, with three shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel, and three borders: to Spain and Andorra to the southwest, to Switzerland, Italy and Monaco in the southeast, and to Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany in the north. Only the English Channel (La manche) separates the country from Great Britain.
The country has had a great influence on the history of both Western Europe and the rest of the world. The French Revolution inspired the rebellion and political change in other countries, and introduced new schemes, such as human rights and the SI system, which would become world-wide. France has also been a major colonial power, and still rules some distant territories.
Quote from the novel
„Může být,“ pokračoval v líčení budoucnosti Rakouska, „že nás v případě války s Tureckem Němci napadnou, poněvadž Němci a Turci drží dohromady. Jsou to takový potvory, že jim není v světě rovno. Můžeme se však spojit s Francií, která má od 71. roku spadeno na Německo. A už to půjde. Válka bude, víc vám neřeknu.“…read more
Also written:Francie cz Frankreich de La France fr
| German Empire | | |||
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German Empire is mentioned (as Germany) in the conversation at U kalicha about the political situation after the Sarajevo assassination. The country is mentioned on several occasions throughout the novel, particularly in connection with their participation in the war at the Eastern front in 1915. Švejk even meets German soldiers towards the end of the novel, but has no direct interaction with them. On a few occasions the author notes how well they are fed and provided for compared to their allies from Austria-Hungary.
Background
German Empire (Germany) was is 1914 a constitutional monarchy with the emperor as head of state. The official name of the country was Das Deutsche Kaiserreich. Germany entered, as an allied of Austria-Hungary the war from August 1 1914 when she declared Russia war. The two-front war was a fact two days later through the French declaration of war. Germany carried by far the heaviest burden amongst the Central Powers, and repeatedly had to come to the rescue of Austria-Hungary, Turkey and partly Bulgaria. The defeat in 1918 meant the end of the empire which was succeeded by the Weimar Republic. At the Treaty of Versailles large areas were last; mostly to Poland og France but also to Denmark, Belgium and Czechoslovakia.
Today Germany is a federal republic which is officially named Bundesrepublik Deutschland. The area was reduced further in 1945 after ceeding all lands east of Oder and Neisse to Poland.
Quote from the novel
„Může být,“ pokračoval v líčení budoucnosti Rakouska, „že nás v případě války s Tureckem Němci napadnou, poněvadž Němci a Turci drží dohromady. Jsou to takový potvory, že jim není v světě rovno. Můžeme se však spojit s Francií, která má od 71. roku spadeno na Německo. A už to půjde. Válka bude, víc vám neřeknu.“…read more
Also written:Německé císařství cz Deutsches Kaiserreich de
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I. In the rear |
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1. The good soldier Švejk acts to intervene in the world war | |||
| © 2009-2013 Jomar Hønsi | Last updated: 18/6-2013 | hits since 5/11-2009. | Statistics |
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