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Hovudpersonen

The Good Soldier Švejk

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Švejk's journey on a of Austria-Hungary from 1914, showing the military districts of k.u.k. Heer. The entire plot of The Good Soldier Švejk is set on the territory of the former Dual Monarchy.

The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk (mostly known as The Good Soldier Švejk) by Jaroslav Hašek is a novel that contains a wealth of geographical references - either directly through the plot, in dialogues or in the author's narrative. Hašek was himself unusually well travelled and had a photographic memory of geographical (and other) details. It is evident that he put a lot of emphasis on geography: Eight of the 27 chapter headlines in the novel contain geographical names.

This web site 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 Part Four. Continents, states (also defunct), cities, market squares, city gates, regions, districts, towns, villages, mountains, mountain passes, oceans, lakes, rivers, caves, channels, islands, streets, parks and bridges are included.

The list is sorted according to the order in which the names appear in the novel. The chapter headlines are from Zenny Sadlon's recent translation (1999-2008) and will in most cases differ from Cecil Parrott's translation from 1973.

The quotes in Czech are copied from the on-line version of The Good Soldier 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, svejkmuseum.cz and the novel on-line.

The names are coloured according to their role in the novel, illustrated by these examples: Sanok a location where the plot takes place, Dubno mentioned in the narrative, Zagreb part of a dialogue, and Pakoměřice mentioned in an anecdote.

Places index of countries, cities, villages, mountains, rivers, bridges ... (591) Show all
I. In the rear
II. At the front
III. The famous thrashing
Index Back Forward I. In the rear Hovudpersonen

5. Švejk at the district police station in Salmova street

Marathonnn flag
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1896 Olympic Marathon

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Národní politika,26.10.1908

Marathon is mentioned indirectly by the author through the term marathon Run. The arrested family father at the police station in Salmova ulice runs around is if he wants to win a marathon and screams: "Let me out!"

Background

Marathon is the former name of Marathónas, a small town north of Athens that has been widely known through the marathon run. According to legend a messenger ran to Athens with the news of victory at the battle of Marathon in 490 BC.

The marathon run was introduced during the first Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens. In the beginning the distance varies slightly until it was fixed at the current 42,195 metres in 1921. In 1914 the distance was 40.2 kilometres. The first official run in Kingdom of Bohemia took place on 25 October 1908 between Smíchov and Dobříš. It was arranged by S.K. Slavia and the distance was 40 km.

Today marathon is a big sport with hundreds of runs annually around the world. The largest take place in New York with more than 50,000 finishers (2013). Within old Austria-Hungary there are annual runs in, amongst others, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava. Every year there is also a classic marathon along the presumed original route.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] Muž, který běhal mezi dveřmi a pryčnou, jako by chtěl vyhrát maratónský běh, se zastavil a udýchán se posadil opět na své staré místo, složil hlavu do dlaní a náhle zařval: "Pusťe mne ven!" "Ne, oni mne nepustí," mluvil pro sebe, "nepustí a nepustí. Už jsem zde od rána od šesti hodin."
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Kravín, where Hašek's party held pre-election meetings

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Populuation statistics and administrative sub-division in 1913

Královské Vinohrady is mentioned 15 times in The Good Soldier Švejk.

Královské Vinohrady is where Švejk's cell-mate from Policejní komisařství Salmova ulice is said to have made an exhibition of himself in a decent establishment. Vinohrady is mentioned again when Doctor Pávek arrives to cure Švejk's rheumatism in [I.7] and later the name appears in several anecdotes. The plot never explicitly takes place here.

Background

Královské Vinohrady is a former city and district of Prague, south east of the centre. Administratively it is split between Prague 2, 3 and 10. After 1968 the official name has been Vinohrady, and this short form was common already during Austrian rule. This is also the name the author uses throughout. In 1922 Vinohrady became part of the capital.

Vinohrady achieved status as "royal town" in 1879 and grew quickly to become the third largest city of Kingdom of Bohemia.

Hašek og Vinohrady

Jaroslav Hašek lived in various locations at Vinohrady from 1896 to 1908 and in shorter periods later. On 23 May 1910 he married Jarmila Mayerova here, in kostel svaté Ludmily. His famous "party" Strana mírného pokroku v mezích zákona held many of their election meetings here, mainly before the elections of 1911 where he according to legend stood as a candidate.

In the second version of Švejk, Dobrý voják Švejk v zajetí, the main character lives in Vinohrady. Here his occupation was a cobbler, not a dog trader as he became known as later.

The good soldier Švejk in captivity

In Dobrý voják Švejk v zajetí Švejk actually lives in Vinohrady and his occupation is cobbler and not a dog trader. His servant is Bohuslav and he assumes part of the role Mrs. Müllerová has in The Good Soldier Švejk by pushing Švejk to the draft board in a wheelchair. Otherwise very little of the plot is set here.[1]

V duchu opustil hradčanský vojenský soud a mysl jeho zaletěla na Vinohrady do malého krámku, svezla se po obraze Františka Josefa a vyhledala pod starou postelí dvě morčata. Švejk k smrti rád pěstoval morčata. A jich osud byl také jedinou chmurou zde.

Demography

According to the 1910 census Královské Vinohrady had 77,190 inhabitants of which 69,091 (89 per cent) reported that they used Czech in their daily speech. The judicial district was okres Královské Vinohrady, administratively it reported to hejtmanství Královské Vinohrady.

Source:Seznam míst v království Českém(1913)

Military

In accordance with the recruitment districts infantrymen from Královské Vinohrady were usually assigned to Infanterieregiment Nr. 28 (Prag) or k.k. Landwehrinfanterieregiment Nr. 8 (Prag).

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] V duchu opustil hradčanský vojenský soud a mysl jeho zaletěla na Vinohrady do malého krámku, svezla se po obraze Františka Josefa a vyhledala pod starou postelí dvě morčata. Švejk k smrti rád pěstoval morčata. A jich osud byl také jedinou chmurou zde.
[I.5] Tak jsme ho šli opět všude hledat a nakonec jsme se ztratili jeden druhému, až nakonec jsem se ocitl v jedné z nočních kaváren na Vinohradech, velmi slušné místnosti, kde jsem pil nějaký likér přímo z láhve.
[II.2] "O velkej stříbrnej medalii za udatnost, kterou dostal jeden truhlář z Vávrovy ulice na Král. Vinohradech, nějakej Mlíčko, poněvadž byl první, kterému u jeho regimentu utrh na začátku války granát nohu.
[II.2] Jednou přišel do Apolla na Vinohradech a tam se dostal do sporu s řezníky z porážky, kteří mu nakonec utrhli umělou nohu a praštili ho s ní přes hlavu.
[II.3] Jednou před lety byl v Praze nějakej Mestek a ten vobjevil mořskou pannu a ukazoval ji na Havlíčkově třídě na Vinohradech za plentou.

Also written:Königliche Weinberge de

Literature
References
1Dobrý voják Švejk v zajetíJaroslav Hašek1917
Ražicenn flag
Wikipedia czdeen MapSearch Švejkův slovník
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Chytilův úplný adresář Království Českého1915

Ražice is first mentioned by Švejk in an anecdote about scouts he tells his fellow prisoner at the police station at Salmova ulice.

The place also appears in [I.14] and [II.2] and the good soldier must have been within a few kilometres on his anabasis in Part Two when he walked past Protivín til Putim after having stayed overnight at Švarcenberský ovčín.

Background

Ražice is a village in the Písek district in South Bohemia. It is an important railway junction between Písek, Budějovice and Plzeň.

Jaroslav Hašek knew the village very well and mentions it both in The Good Soldier Švejk and in some of his stories. See also ražická bašta.

Demography

According to the 1910 census Ražice had 398 inhabitants of which 398 (100 per cent) reported that they used Czech in their daily speech. The judicial district was okres Písek, administratively it reported to hejtmanství Písek.

Source:Seznam míst v království Českém(1913)

Military

In accordance with the recruitment districts infantrymen from Ražice were usually assigned to Infanterieregiment Nr. 11 (Pisek) or k.k. Landwehrinfanterieregiment Nr. 28 (Pisek).

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] Potom na trápení u starosty, pod rákoskou, doznali, že není ani jedna louka v okolí, kterou by nebyli zváleli, když se vyhřívali na slunci, dále že ten lán žita nastojatě, právě před žněmi u Ražic, vyhořel čirou náhodou, když si v žitě pekli na rožni srnku, ku které se přikradli s noži v obecním lese.
[I.14.6] „Nejste vy Jarešův?“ otázala se dívka, začínajíc sympatisovat s neznámým vojáčkem. „Jsem.“ „A kterýho Jareše, toho z Krče u Protivína, nebo z Ražic?“ „Z Ražic.“
[II.2] Z Ražic za Protivínem syn Jarešův, dědeček starýho Jareše, baštýře, dostal za zběhnutí prach a volovo v Písku.
[II.2] Fakticky bylo tomu tak, že se s nimi nechtěl jednou v zimě tahat ve sněhu až do Písku, tak je u Ražic v polích pustil a vypálil ránu do vzduchu pro forma.

Also written:Ražitz de

Literature
Okres Hlubokánn flag
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Some of the places Švejk mentions

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Chytilův úplný adresář Království Českého1915

Okres Hluboká is mentioned in the story about scouts that Švejk tells the unhappy family father in the cell at Policejní komisařství Salmova ulice.

Background

Okres Hluboká refers to the okres (judicial district) named after its seat Hluboká. The district belonged to Okresní hejtmanství Budějovice as Švejk clearly states. The district counted 26 municipalities that were almost exclusively inhabited by Czechs: Bavorovice, Břehov, Čejkovice, Češnovice, Dasný, Dobřejice, Dříteň, Hluboká, Hosín, Hrdějice, Chlumec, Chotýčany, Jaroslavice, Jeznice, Česká Lhota, Lišnice, Munice, Mydlovary, Nakří, Opatovice, Pištín, Plastovice, Purkarec, Velice, Nová Ves, Volešník, Vyhlavy, Zbudov, Zliv.

Mydlovary plays a particularly prominent role because this is where Jaroslav Hašek had right of domicile and was thus under jurisdiction of the recruitment region of Infanterieregiment Nr. 91. See Ergänzungskommando.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] "U skautů?" zvolal Švejk. "O těch skautech rád slyším. Jednou v Mydlovarech u Zlivi, okres Hluboká, okresní hejtmanství České Budějovice, právě když jsme tam měli jednadevadesátí cvičení, udělali si sedláci z okolí hon na skauty v obecním lese, kteří se jim tam rozplemenili.
Literature
Okresní hejtmanství Budějovicenn flag
Wikipedia de MapSearch
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Chytilův úplný adresář Království Českého1915

Okresní hejtmanství Budějovice is mentioned in the story about the unfortunate scouts who Švejk tells the unhappy family father about in the cell at Policejní komisařství Salmova ulice.

Background

Okresní hejtmanství Budějovice was the local government district in the area around Budějovice. Apart from the district capital there were no major towns within its boundaries. In 1913 the district had a population of 120,659 of which nearly 80 per cent registered Czech as their mother tongue. In the city itself the ethnic balance was more even as nearly the entire German minority in the region lived here.

The district contained four okres: Budějovice, Hluboká, Lišov and Trhové Sviny. The office was located in Střelnická ulice, now třída 28. října.

Bezirkhauptmannschaft

This term (cz. okresní hejtmanství) needs clarification. The two most recent English translations of the novel interpret it as "police district", which it definitely isn't. It is rather the third level of government administration in Cisleithanien (i.e. the Austrian part of the Dual Monarchy). The next level up was the Statthalter (cz. místodržitel) who again reported directly to central government in Vienna. In the Hungarian part of the empire the equivalent to Bezirk was vármegye.

The Kingdom of Bohemia consisted of nearly 100 political districts politické okresy (politische Bezirke) that were created after a reform in 1868 that split the executive from the judicial administration. The distruicts often contained 3-4 soudní okresy (Gerichtsbezirke) but the number could vary. Often used in Czech is the shortened version hejtmanstvi, for instance in Ottův slovník naučný. Likewise soudní okres is referred to as simply okres.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] "U skautů?" zvolal Švejk. "O těch skautech rád slyším. Jednou v Mydlovarech u Zlivi, okres Hluboká, okresní hejtmanství České Budějovice, právě když jsme tam měli jednadevadesátí cvičení, udělali si sedláci z okolí hon na skauty v obecním lese, kteří se jim tam rozplemenili.

Also written:Bezirkshauptmannschaft Budweis de Okresní hejtmanství České Budějovice Švejk

Literature
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The corner of Ječná and Karlovo náměstí.

Ječná ulice is one of the street Švejk walks though with police escort, on his way from Salmova ulice police station back to c.k. policejní ředitelství. The date must have been around 28 July 1914.

Background

Ječná ulice is a busy street in Praha II., leading from Karlovo náměstí to IP Pavlova. The family of Jaroslav Hašek lived in no. 7 for a while in 1884, the year after he was born.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] Ukloniv se uctivě, odcházel s policejním strážníkem dolů na strážnici a za čtvrt hodiny bylo již vidět na rohu Ječné ulice a Karlova náměstí Švejka v průvodu druhého policejního strážníka, který měl pod paždí objemnou knihu s německým nápisem „Arrestantenbuch“.

Also written:Gerstengasse de

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The author with his wife Jarmila at Karlovo náměstí

© LA-PNP

Karlovo náměstí is another place Švejk passes with police escort, on his way from Salmova ulice police station back to c.k. policejní ředitelství. The date must have been around 28 July 1914, the day of the declaration of war against Serbia.

The place is mentioned several times in Part One, and appears already in the first chapter, through the colloquial expression "Karlák".

In [I.13] the plot is again located here as Švejk and Feldkurat Katz go to the military hospital to perform the last rites. See Vojenská nemocnice na Karlově náměstí.

Background

Karlovo náměstí is the centre of Nové město and is one of the largest city squares in Europe. Today it appears more like a park than a square. It was founded by king Charles IV in 1348.

The square is right in the area where Jaroslav Hašek grew up and this is reflected in the number of places here that are mentioned in the novel: c.k. zemský co trestní soud, Černý pivovar, Vojenská nemocnice na Karlově náměstí, U mrtvoly, Kostel svátého Ignáce. Both the gymnasium and Obchodní akademie are located off the square.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] Ukloniv se uctivě, odcházel s policejním strážníkem dolů na strážnici a za čtvrt hodiny bylo již vidět na rohu Ječné ulice a Karlova náměstí Švejka v průvodu druhého policejního strážníka, který měl pod paždí objemnou knihu s německým nápisem „Arrestantenbuch“.
[I.13] Potom přečetl polní kurát ještě jednou předpis, ve kterém se mu oznamuje, že zítra má jít na Karlovo náměstí do Vojenské nemocnice zaopatřovat těžce raněné.

Also written:Charles Square en Karlsplatz de Karlsplassen no Karlák Švejk

Literature
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Spálená ulice, 1898

Spálená ulice appears in the plot when Švejk and his police escort stop at the corner of Karlovo náměstí - Spálená ul. to read a poster announcing the declaration of war on Serbia. The date was probably 28 July 1914.

The street is mentioned again in Švejk's anecdote about the bag maker bagmaker Kuneš who always lost his dogs.

Background

Spálená ulice is a street in Praha II. leading from Karlovo náměstí north towards Národní třída (then Ferdinandova třída). The name means "Burnt Street".

This street was also the home of Teissig og U Brejšky, restaurants that are mentioned in the novel.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] Na rohu Spálené ulice setkal se Švejk se svým průvodčím s tlupou lidí, kteří se tlačili kolem vyvěšeného plakátu. „To je manifest císaře pána o vypovězení války,“ řekl policejní strážník k Švejkovi.
[I.15] Ve Spálený ulici je nějakej brašnář Kuneš a ten nemoh jít se psem na procházku, aby ho neztratil. Vobyčejně ho nechal někde v hospodě nebo mu ho někdo ukrad nebo si ho vypůjčil a nevrátil...“

Also written:Brenntegasse de

Literature
Europenn flag
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Europe is mentioned by the author in conjunction with the news that Austria-Hungary had declared war on Serbia: "and somewhere from distant history it dawned on Europe that tomorrow would obliterate the plans of today."

The continent is also mentioned twice in [III.2], but only in passing.

Background

Europe was at the outbreak of World War I far less fragmented than today, not the least because of Austria-Hungary that covered areas that now belong to 13 different states. Germany and Russia were also much larger than they are today.

The great war turned Europe upside down. The empires of Germany, the Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Russia all collapsed and the human and material losses were enormous. The total death toll is estimated to around 15 millions. Only Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway managed to preserve their neutrality.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.5] A kdesi v dálných dálavách historie snášela se k Evropě pravda, že zítřek rozboří i plány přítomnosti.
[II.3] "Tato jediná rakouská kolonie může ledem zásobit celou Evropu a jest znamenitým národohospodářským činitelem.
[II.3] Váš duševní obzor se vám ještě víc zouží, a když složíte někde na bojišti své kulturně zakrnělé kosti, po vás v celé Evropě nikdo nezapláče."

Also written:Evropa cz

Index Back Forward I. In the rear Hovudpersonen

5. Švejk at the district police station in Salmova street


© 2008 - 2024 Jomar Hønsi Last updated: 16.3.2024