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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

9. Švejk in the garrison prison

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Prager Tagblatt,19.7.1914

Motol is mentioned by the narrator as he informs that the Motol military training ground is used for executions of people who are sentenced by k.u.k. Militärgericht Prag.

We must also assumed that the plot took place here in [I.11] and [I.12]: the field masses described very probably took place here, that Feldkurat Katz and Švejk went to nearby Břevnovský klášter to pick up the monstrance and siborium underpins this theory.

In [II.3] the place is mentioned again, now simply referred to as Motol. In this case the theme is the execution of reservist Kudrna. This incident is mentioned in the novel during the train journey from Budějovice to Királyhida.

Background

Motol is a district in western Prague that became part of the capital in 1922. In 1910 it was a small village of 21 houses and 273 inhabitants. In the context of The Good Soldier Švejk is however meant Motolské cvičiště (Motol exercise ground). During World War I it was the scene of several executions, where the best known victim was reservist Kudrna from IR102 who was executed on 7 May 1915.

Fruit trees

During the first field mass the author also mentions a plum-tree alley. Adverts in Prager Tagblatt reveal that Korpskommando tried to lease out fruit-trees at the exercise ground[a]. It is not stated directly, but they may well be dealing with plums.

Demography

According to the 1910 census Motol had 273 inhabitants of which 273 (100 per cent) reported that they used Czech in their daily speech. The judicial district was okres Smíchov, administratively it reported to hejtmanství Smíchov.

Source:Seznam míst v království Českém(1913)

Military

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

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.9] Z hradčanského garnisonu vedla také cesta přes Břevnov na motolské cvičiště. Napřed šel v průvodu bodáků člověk s řetízky na rukách a za ním vůz s rakví. A na motolském cvičišti úsečný povel: „An! Feuer!“ A po všech regimentech a batalionech četli plukovní rozkaz, že zas jednoho zastřelili pro vzpouru, když narukoval a pan hejtman sekl šavlí jeho ženu, která se nemohla od muže rozloučit.
[I.11] Vypadalo to jako indiánský tanec kolem obětního kamene, ale dělalo to dobrý dojem, zaplašujíc nudu zaprášeného, smutného cvičiště s alejí stromů švestkových vzadu a latrinami, jejichž vůně zastupovala mystickou vůni kadidla gotických chrámů.
[II.3] Teď prej toho hodně věšejí a střílejí,“ řekl jeden z mužů eskorty, „nedávno nám četli na execírplace befél, že v Motole vodstřelili záložníka Kudrnu, poněvadž hejtman sekl šavlí jeho chlapečka, kerej byl na ruce u jeho ženy, když se s ním v Benešově chtěla loučit, a von se rozčílil.
References
aKundmachungPrager Tagblatt27.6.1915
Břevnovnn flag
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Břevnov is mentioned by the narrator as he informs the road from the Hradčany garrison to the Motol military training ground goes across Břevnov. It reappears in [I.11] when Feldkurat Katz and Švejk pass by the monastery to fetch the required gear for the field mass.

Background

Břevnov is a district in western Prague, between Střešovice and Motol. Administratively it is part of Prague 6. It is best known for its monastery. See Břevnovský klášter.

In 1907 Břevnov obtained city status and that year even His Imperial Highness Kaiser Franz Joseph I. visited!

Demography

According to the 1910 census Břevnov had 11,116 inhabitants of which 10,956 (98 per cent) reported that they used Czech in their daily speech. The judicial district was okres Smíchov, administratively it reported to hejtmanství Smíchov.

Source:Seznam míst v království Českém(1913)

Military

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

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.9] Z hradčanského garnisonu vedla také cesta přes Břevnov na motolské cvičiště. Napřed šel v průvodu bodáků člověk s řetízky na rukách a za ním vůz s rakví.
Literature
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North America is mentioned because Feldkurat Katz' father had emigrated there to avoid the consequences of his son's spectacular bankrupcy.

Background

North America denotes a geographical area, the American continent north of the Panama Canal. There are many definitions but the simplest one describes the area north of the Panama Canal and includes the Carribean Islands. The largest states are the United States, Canada and Mexico. The former two both took part in World War I, Cananda already from 1914 as part of the British Empire.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.9] Studoval obchodní akademii a sloužil jako jednoroční dobrovolník. A vyznal se tak dobře v směnečném právu a ve směnkách, že přivedl za ten rok obchodní firmu Katz a spol. k bankrotu tak slavnému a podařenému, že starý pan Katz odjel do Severní Ameriky, zkombinovav nějaké vyrovnání se svými věřiteli bez vědomí posledních i svého společníka, který odjel do Argentiny.

Also written:Severní Amerika cz Nordamerika de Norteamérica es

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Argentina is mentioned by the author when he relates the story of Feldkurat Katz's firm. His companion decided to emigrate to Argentina after their company's spectacular bankrupcy.

Background

Argentina was until 1916 governed by a conservative elite, and was at the time a relatively wealthy republic. General male suffrage was introduced in 1912. The country was neutral in the world war and benefited greatly economically. A dispute with Germany occured because some Argentian ships were sunk, but it never came to any formal declaration of war.

The country's capital is Buenos Aires and the official language is Spanish. The population is almost entirely of European descent, predominantly through immigration from Spain and Italy.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.9] Studoval obchodní akademii a sloužil jako jednoroční dobrovolník. A vyznal se tak dobře v směnečném právu a ve směnkách, že přivedl za ten rok obchodní firmu Katz a spol. k bankrotu tak slavnému a podařenému, že starý pan Katz odjel do Severní Ameriky, zkombinovav nějaké vyrovnání se svými věřiteli bez vědomí posledních i svého společníka, který odjel do Argentiny.

Also written:Argentinien de

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Wikipedia czdeenesnnnopt MapSearch
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South America as he relates the story of how the compnay Feldkurat Katz & Co now had moved to America, north as well of south.

Background

South America is the southernmost of the two continents that make up America. In 1914 it consisted of the same countries as today, it was only in Gyuana thta colonies remained. The other countries except Brasil (and the three mentioned colonies) had Spanish as official language.

During World War I all the states except Brasil preserved their neutrality. They entered the war on the side of the Entente in 1917 and sent auxiliary personell to the western front and the navy took over patroling duties in the south Atlantic. Fighting around the continent only took place at sea and were limited to 1914 when British and German naval forces clashed. The German Pacific Fleet (on their way home) was destroyed by the Falkland Islands on 8 Desember 1914.

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.9] Když tedy mladý Otto Katz podělil firmou Katz a spol. nezištně Ameriku Severní i Jižní, octl se v situaci člověka, který nemá vůbec co dědit, neví, kam hlavu složit, a musí se dát na vojně aktivovat.

Also written:Jižní Amerika cz Südamerika de Sudamérica es América do Sul pt

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Ethnic Slovak areas in 1910

Slovakia is mentioned in the narrative as a gypsy was accused by lawyer Auditor Bernis for having spoken in the pub about a future Czech-Slovak state under a common Slavic king. The gypsy was actually arrested for theft, but Bernis always mixed up the documents of the criminal proceedings.

Later some of the action in C (III, 4) takes place in eastern Slovakia, mainly in Humenné and Medzilaborce. Otherwise many places in the country are mentioned through anecdotes and stories from the winter battle in the Carpathians in 1914-15.

Background

Slovakia was in 1914 part of Austria-Hungary and was governed from Budapest. It was also referred to as Upper Hungary. From Ausgleich in 1867 onwards Slovakia was subjected to increased magyarization, with oppression and discrimination, economically as well as culturally. Schools were closed and the Slovak language suppressed. During this period international names like Bjørnson, Seton-Watson and Tolstoy came to the aid of the Slovak cause. The biggest city was Pozsony (ge. Pressburg), after the war renamed Bratislava.

From November 1914 to the spring of 1915 Russian forces occupied a smaller part of Slovak territory, but were finally pushed out in early May 1915. In 1918, Slovakia together with Bohemia, Moravia, Ruthenia and a small part of Silesia formed the new state of Czechoslovakia.

Hašek and Slovakia

Jaroslav Hašek knew Slovakia very well due to four extensive trips he did in the summers from 1900 to 1903. He wrote several stories that were inspired by these trips. In 1915 he again entered Slovakia, but now as a soldier. His march battalion actually stopped in Humenné on 2 July 1915. They travelled through the Laborec valley with train and this short through-trip is reproduced precisely in the novel (in a geographical sense at least).

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.9] Jeho prozíravost a znalost lidí byla tak veliká, že jednoho cikána, který se dostal od svého pluku na garnison pro krádež několika tuctů prádla (byl k ruce skladníkovi ve skladišti!), obvinil z politických zločinů, že prý někde v hospodě mluvil s vojáky o zřízení samostatného národního státu ze zemí koruny české a Slovenska se slovanským králem v čele.

Also written:Slovensko cz Slowakei de Szlovákia hu Slovensko sk

Literature
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1896 • Pohled na domy čp. (zleva) 135 a 30 (Malý mlýn) v Mlýnské ulici v Libni.

Libeň is mentioned Švejk when he is interrogated by Auditor Bernis. In an anecdote he emphasizes that he, just as the kid who was found in Libeň is an orphan and doesn't know why he is found and arrested. Libeň is mentioned in a few more anecdotes but the plot is never set there. See also U Exnerů, liquor trader Paroubek, Boušek and Na Zavadilce.

Background

Libeň is an urban district and cadastral area in the north-eastern parts of Prague. It was granted town rights in 1898 but was included in Prague only three years later and administratively it became Praha VIII.

Demography

According to the 1910 census Libeň had 27,192 inhabitants of which 26,607 (97 per cent) reported that they used Czech in their daily speech.

Source:Seznam míst v království Českém(1913)

Military

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

Quote(s) from the novel
[I.9] „Poslušně hlásím, že to mohu vysvětlit náramně jednoduchým způsobem. U nás v ulici je uhlíř a ten měl úplně nevinnýho dvouletýho chlapečka a ten se jednou dostal pěšky z Vinohrad až do Libně, kde ho strážník našel sedět na chodníku.
[I.13] „Poslušně hlásím, pane feldkurát,“ poznamenal Švejk, „že je to hotovej nezmar, jako nějakej Boušek z Libně. Vosumnáctkrát za večer ho vyhodili od ,Exnerů’, a vždycky se jim tam vrátil, že tam zapomněl fajfku.
[II.3] Já jsem znal nějakýho kořalečníka Paroubka v Libni.
[II.3] Potom ještě řekl Paroubkovi, že je huncút a šaščínská bestie, tak ho milej Paroubek chyt, votlouk mu jeho pastě na myši a dráty vo hlavu a vyhodil ho ven a mlátil ho po ulici tyčí na stahování rolety až dolů na Invalidovnu a hnal ho, jak byl zdivočelej, přes Invalidovnu v Karlíně až nahoru na Žižkov, vodtud přes Židovský pece do Malešic, kde vo něj konečně tyč přerazil, takže se moh vrátit nazpátek do Libně.

Also written:Lieben de

Index Back Forward I. In the rear Hovudpersonen

9. Švejk in the garrison prison


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