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 (1999-2024) 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 ... (592)
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I. In the rear
14. Švejk as military servant to senior lieutenant Lukáš (60)
II. At the front
2. Švejk's budějovická anabasis (64)
3. Švejk's happenings in Királyhida (43)
III. The famous thrashing
1. Across Magyaria (38)
2. In Budapest (38)
3. From Hatvan to the borders of Galicia (50)
4. Forward March! (42)
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I. In the rear |
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Introduction | |||
 | Macedonia |  | |||
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Macedonia is used as an adjective through the author's term for Alexander the Great, Alexandr Macedonský.
Background
Macedonia was an ancient kingdom with its origin in the northern part of the Greek peninsula. During the reign of Philip II of Macedon and his son Alexander the Great it became an enormous empire, stretching all the way to the river Indus. The capital at the time (400 BC to 300 BC) was Pella. Macedonia is the first of more than eight hundred geographical reference in the novel, and it appears already in the third sentence! It is also the first of a number of references in The Good Soldier Švejk to ancient history, be it Roman or Greek.
Quote(s) from the novel
[Úvod] Velká doba žádá velké lidi. Jsou nepoznaní hrdinové, skromní, bez slávy a historie Napoleona. Rozbor jejich povahy zastínil by slávu Alexandra Macedonského. Dnes můžete potkat v pražských ulicích ošumělého muže, který sám ani neví, co vlastně znamená v historii nové velké doby.
Also written:MacedonieHašekMakedonieczMakedoniendeΜακεδονίαgrМакедонијаmk
Literature
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| Prague | | ||||
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Social-Demokraten, 21.12.1920
Krásná Praha, 1907
Světozor, , 20.2.1914
Prague is mentioned 72 times in The Good Soldier Švejk.
Prague is mentioned already in the introduction, and later on the action of the entire first part of the novel takes place in the home city of Švejk. The author knew Prague extremely well, and he refers to nearly 140 places in the city during the novel.
The plot takes place in the districts of Nové město, Staré město, Malá Strana and Hradčany. The principal area is NME where it all starts. Švejk probably lived very close to the street Na Bojišti which is located in this area. The plot also strays into suburbs that in 1922 became part of Greater Prague: Karlín, Vršovice, Žižkov, Motol, and Břevnov. Švejk also sets many of his innumerable stories in Prague and adjoining suburbs.
Background
Prague is the capital and largest city in Czechia. It is located on the river Vltava and the population is about 1.2 million. After 1648 Prague has been little exposed to warfare and as a result the old city centre is very well preserved. The city can thus offer intact architecture from several eras and is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. The inner city area has since 1992 been on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Prague was already in the Middle Ages an important city and reached its summit during the reign of Charles IV, who was also Holy Roman emperor. After Bohemia came under Habsburg rule from 1526 onwards, it gradually lost its importance and was by the outbreak of World War I reduced to being one of several Austrian regional capitals.
Prague in 1914
At the outbreak of World War I the city was much smaller than today, consisting of the districts I. Staré město, II. Nové město, III. Malá Strana, IV. Hradčany, V. Josefov, VI. Vyšehrad, VII. Holešovice-Bubny and VIII. Libeň. The city was officially called Královské hlavní město Praha (Royal Capital Prague).
The numbering of the districts differed from today's; Malá Strana, for instance, was Prague III whereas it is now part of Praha I. The population count in 1910 was appx. 224,000, with suburbs included it was 476,000. More than 90 per cent reported Czech as their mother tongue, the rest were predominantly German speakers. In 1922 several adjoining districts were incorporated into the now Czechoslovak capital. The new administrative unit became known as Velká Praha.
Hašek's home city
Jaroslav Hašek was born in Školská 16 in Praha II. 30 April 1883. He lived in Prague and the nearby districts of Vinohrady and Smíchov until February 1915. From 19 December 1920 to 25 August 1921 he also resided in the city, although mostly in Žižkov which was still to become part of the capital. Part One and the beginning of Part Two of The Good Soldier Švejk were written here from March to August 1921.
Demography
According to the 1910 census Prague had 223,471 inhabitants of whom 212,067 (94 per cent) reported using Czech in their daily speech.
Source:Seznam míst v království Českém(1913)
Military
Per the recruitment districts, infantrymen from Prague were usually assigned to Infanterieregiment Nr. 28 (Prag) or k.k. Landwehrinfanterieregiment Nr. 8 (Prag). Prague was an important garrison city and was the seat of 8. Korpskommando, the unit Infanterieregiment Nr. 91 reported to. According to the census of 1910 the number of military personnel in the city was 5,168 of which 3,837 reported Czech as their native language. The house regiment was Infanterieregiment Nr. 28 but at the outbreak of war the garrison also hosted the staff of Infanterieregiment Nr. 11, IR73, IR91 and IR102. Additionally, it housed units from k.k. Landwehr, artillery, cavalry, supply troops and engineering troops.
Quote(s) from the novel
[Úvod] Dnes můžete potkat v pražských ulicích ošumělého muže, který sám ani neví, co vlastně znamená v historii nové velké doby.
[II.2] Když jsem šel do Prahy pro jelita.
[II.3] Desátník vzdychl: "Ani ty faldy na mantlu neuměl si udělat, až z Prahy si vobjednával vodičky a různý mastě na čistění knoflíků, a přece takovej jeho knoflík vypadal zrzavej jako Ezau.
[II.3] „Někdy,“ řekl Švejk, „se zas v gefechtu člověku udělá špatně, člověk si něco zvoškliví. Vypravoval v Praze na Pohořelci na ,Vyhlídce’ jeden nemocnej rekonvalescent od Přemyšlu, že tam někde pod festungem přišlo k útoku na bajonety a proti němu se vobjevil jeden Rus, chlap jako hora, a mazal si to na něho s bajonetem a měl pořádnou kapičku u nosu. Jak se mu von podíval na tu kapičku, na ten vozdr, že se mu hned udělalo špatně a musel jít na hilfsplac, kde ho uznali zamořenýho cholerou a odpravili do cholerovejch baráků do Pešti, kde se taky vopravdu nakazil cholerou.“
[II.5] "Z Prahy." "To bys měl bejt chytřejší... A ještě něco. Kdy šel váš rechnungsfeldvébl do kanceláře?"
[II.5] "Pro Ježíše Krista, a to říkáš, že jseš z Prahy. Ty se vo nic nestaráš. Kde lítáš celý dni?"
Also written:PrahaczPragde
Literature
- Za starou Prahu, ,1910-1949
- Stehlíkův historický a orientační průvodce ulicemi hlavního města Prahy,
- Adresář královského hlavního města Prahy a obcí sousedních Oddíl I., ,1907
- Adresář královského hlavního města Prahy a obcí sousedních Oddíl II., ,1907
- Adresář královského hlavního města Prahy a obcí sousedních Oddíl III., ,1907
- Adresář královského hlavního města Prahy a obcí sousedních Oddíl IV., ,1907
- Adresář královského hlavního města Prahy a obcí sousedních Oddíl V., ,1907
- Spezialortsrepertorium der Österreichischen Länder. IX. Böhmen, ,1915
- Konec bahna Prahy, I., ,1927
- Konec bahna Prahy, II., ,1927
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| Austria | | ||||
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Map of Austria from 1913, here showing the recruitment districts of k.k. Landwehr.
, 1913
Austria is mentioned 56 times in The Good Soldier Švejk.
Austria is briefly mentioned in the introduction, but plays a key role throughout the novel and is mentioned many times. The Dual Monarchy, Austria-Hungary, is the main target of Jaroslav Hašek's satire. The author mostly uses the term Austria even when referring to the entire monarchy.
The bulk of the plot in The Good Soldier Švejk takes place on Austrian territory: Part One, half of Part Two, the final chapter of Part Three and all of Part Four. The rest of the plot is set in the Hungarian part of the empire, namely the stay on Királyhida and part of the journey to the front until Łupków Pass.
The satire is particularly stinging in [I.15] where Švejk for the first and only time reveals his true opinion on Austria: "Such an idiotic monarchy ought not to exists on earth".
Background
Austria was the political entity that ruled the Czech lands from 1526 to 1918. From 1804 to 1867 the term applied to the entire Habsburg empire, but after the Ausgleich in 1867 it applied only to the Austrian part of what had now become Austria-Hungary. Vienna was capital throughout both periods.
A much used unofficial term for Austria from 1867 to 1918 was Cisleithania (de. Cisleithanien, cz. Cislajtanie), literally "the lands this side of the Leitha". The official name until 1915 was Die im Reichsrat vertretenen Königreiche und Länder, and from 1915 again Österreich. The state was officially an empire and Emperor Franz Joseph I. was emperor until his death in 1916. Politically Austria was divided in 17 crown lands that enjoyed varying degrees of political and cultural autonomy.
The result of the defeat in World War I was the empire's disintegration. The area was split between the new states of Austria, Czechoslovakia, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (from 1929 Yugoslavia), Poland, and the already existing Italy and Romania.
Quote(s) from the novel
[Úvod] A tento tichý, skromný, ošumělý muž jest opravdu ten starý dobrý voják Švejk, hrdinný, statečný, který kdysi za Rakouska byl v ústech všech občanů Českého království a jehož sláva nezapadne ani v republice.>
[I.15] A oba pokračovali dále v rozhovoru, až konečně Švejk odsoudil Rakousko nadobro slovy: „Taková blbá monarchie nemá ani na světě bejt,“ k čemuž, aby jaksi ten výrok doplnil v praktickém směru, dodal druhý: „Jak přijdu na frontu, tak se jim zdejchnu.“
[II.4] Divizijní soud ve svém přípise na velitelství našeho pluku," pokračoval plukovník, "přichází k tomu mínění, že se vlastně o nic jiného nejedná než o soustavné štvaní proti vojenským částem přicházejícím z Cislajtánie do Translajtánie.
Also written:RakouskoczÖsterreichdeAusztriahu
Literature
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| Kingdom of Bohemia | | |||
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Kingdom of Bohemia is just about mentioned in the introduction but plays otherwise a minor role, at least when it comes to direct references. Still a substantial part of the plot and almost all the anecdotes take place on the territory of the former kingdom.
Background
Kingdom of Bohemia was a historical kingdom that existed from 1198, and from 1526 to 1918 it was a political entity (crown land) ruled by the Habsburg Empire. Some of the Habsburg emperors were also crowned as kings of Bohemia. Emperor Franz Joseph I. refused coronation and this caused a great deal of resentment amongst Czechs.
The emperor's executive in the kingdom was the Statthalter (governor) who held residence in Prague. The official languages were Czech and German. The kingdom was dissolved in 1918 and its territory became the most influential region in the newly proclaimed Czechoslovakia.
Quote(s) from the novel
[Úvod] A tento tichý, skromný, ošumělý muž jest opravdu ten starý dobrý voják Švejk, hrdinný, statečný, který kdysi za Rakouska byl v ústech všech občanů Českého království a jehož sláva nezapadne ani v republice.
Also written:České královstvíczKönigreich Böhmende
Literature
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| Czechoslovakia | | |||
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Stát československý
Czechoslovakia is indirectly mentioned by the author through the term "the republic" and "our republic". Later on there are several references, particularly in bitter outbursts against people who had worked for the Austrian oppressors and now lived comfortably in the new republic. See Mr. Slavíček and Mr. Klíma.
In the epilogue to Part One the country is mentioned by its full name.
Background
Czechoslovakia was a historic state in Central Europe. It was established on 28 October 1918 as a consequence of the collapse of Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I.
Czechoslovakia consisted of the regions of Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia, Carpathian Ruthenia, and a small part of Silesia. In the inter-war years the state enjoyed a functional democracy with a strong industrial base. The infamous Munich agreement of 1938 forced the country to cede to Germany the regions that were mainly populated by German-speakers and on 15 March 1939 the rest of the Czech lands were occupied by the Nazis and Slovakia became a German client state.
After the defeat of Germany the country was restored with a democratic government, but in February 1948 the communists took power in a coup and a one-party state was established. In 1989 democracy was restored, but the state was split in the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 1 January 1993. This was one of the world's few peaceful political divorces.
Quote(s) from the novel
[Úvod] A tento tichý, skromný, ošumělý muž jest opravdu ten starý dobrý voják Švejk, hrdinný, statečný, který kdysi za Rakouska byl v ústech všech občanů Českého království a jehož sláva nezapadne ani v republice.
[I.9] Může být, že dnes hejtman Linhart i za republiky je dále hejtmanem. Přál bych si, aby mu byla započtena služební léta na garnisoně. Slavíček a Klíma od státní policie je započteny mají. Řepa se vrátil do civilu a vykonává dál své zaměstnání zednického mistra. Může být, že je členem vlasteneckých spolků v republice. Štábní profous Slavík se stal zlodějem za republiky a je dnes zavřen. Nezakotvil chudák v republice jako jiní vojenští páni.
[I.14.2] Dnes jsou důstojničtí sluhové roztroušeni po celé naší republice a vypravují o svých hrdinných skutcích.
[I.16] Od hostinského Palivce nemůžeme žádat, aby mluvil tak jemně jako pí Laudová, dr Guth, pí Olga Fastrová a celá řada jiných, kteří by nejraději udělali z celé Československé republiky velký salon s parketami, kde by se chodilo ve fracích, v rukavičkách a mluvilo vybraně a pěstoval se jemný mrav salonů, pod jehož rouškou bývají právě salonní lvi oddáni nejhorším neřestem a výstřednostem.
Also written:ČeskoslovenskoczTschechoslowakeide
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| Ephesus | | |||
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,18.12.1908
Výbor ze spisů Xenofontových, ,1880
Ephesus is mentioned in connection with Herostratus, the vain fool who here gets compared to Švejk and stated to be his complete opposite. The terms "herostratic fame" refers to Herostratos setting fire to the temple in Ephesus to achieve fame.
Background
Ephesus was in ancient times an important port on the western coast of Asia Minor with around 250,000 inhabitants. The city was Ioanian Greece's economic centre and later one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire. The city housed one of the seven wonders of the worlds; the Temple of Artemis.
Quote(s) from the novel
[Úvod] On nezapálil chrám bohyně v Efesu, jako to udělal ten hlupák Herostrates, aby se dostal do novin a školních čítanek.
Also written:EfesosczEphesosdeEfestr
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I. In the rear |
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Introduction | |||
| © 2008 - 2024 Jomar Hønsi | Last updated: 20.11.2024 |