Švejk's journey is mapped on an Austria-Hungary map from 1914, showing the military districts of the
k.u.k. Heer. The entire plot of The Good Soldier Švejk is set within the territory of the former Dual Monarchy.
The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk (commonly known as The Good Soldier Švejk) by Jaroslav Hašek is rich in geographical
references, whether through the plot itself, in dialogues, or in the author's narrative voice. Hašek was unusually
well-travelled and had a photographic memory for geographical (and other) details. Geography mattered to him: eight
of the 27 chapter headings in the novel contain geographical names.
This website will, in due course, provide a complete overview of the novel's geographical references, from Prague in
the introduction to Klimontów in the unfinished Part Four. It includes continents, states (including defunct ones),
cities, market squares, city gates, regions, districts, towns, villages, mountains, mountain passes, oceans, lakes,
rivers, caves, channels, islands, streets, parks, and bridges.
The list is sorted according to the order in which the names appear in the novel. The chapter headings are taken from
Zenny Sadlon's recent translation (1999–2026); in most cases, these differ from Cecil Parrott's translation from 1973.
The Czech quotations are taken from the online version of The Good Soldier Švejk provided by Jaroslav Šerák and link to the relevant chapter. The
toolbar provides direct links to Wikipedia, Google Maps, Google Search, svejkmuseum.cz, and the novel online.
The names are colour-coded according to their role in the novel, as illustrated by the following examples:
Laborec
is mentioned at the very start of the chapter: the battalion was to march from here to the front via Eastern Galicia. They eventually arrive by the Laborec without the river being mentioned explicitly again. Humenné is the largest city along the river, but also mentioned are Brestov, Radvaň, Čabiny, and Medzilaborce.
Background
Laborec
is a river in eastern Slovakia, until 1918 part of Hungary. During the winter of 1914/15 the Russians pushed forward down the Laborec valley, which is evident from passages later on in the novel.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Po celou dobu železniční přepravy batalionu, který měl sklízet válečnou slávu, až projde pěšky od Laborce východní Haličí na front, vedly se ve vagonu, kde byl jednoroční dobrovolník a Švejk, opět podivné řeči, víceméně velezrádného obsahu; v menším měřítku, ale můžeme říct povšechně, dělo se tak i v jiných vagonech, ba i ve štábním vagonu panovala jakási nespokojenost, poněvadž ve Füzesabony přišel rozkaz po armádě od pluku, ve kterém se porce vína snižovala důstojníkům o jednu osminku litru.
Füzesabony
is a place where the battalion stopped as it was discovered that a company had left their field kitchen behind in Bruck. Further bad news was that the wine ration for the officers and the sago ration for the men had been reduced. They thought they were finally going to be served goulash and potatoes, but were to discover that the whole goulash story was just training for the front, as they had to get used to suddenly having meals postponed or cancelled.
Background
Füzesabony
is a minor town in the Heves province of northern Hungary, most notable as a railway junction.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Ve Füzesabony přišlo se také na to, že jedna kumpanie ztratila polní kuchyni, poněvadž konečně se měl na této stanici vařit guláš s bramborama, na který kladl velký důraz „latrinengenerál“. Pátráním vyšlo najevo, že nešťastná polní kuchyně vůbec s sebou z Brucku nejela a že asi dodnes tam stojí za barákem 186, opuštěná a vychladlá.
Miskolc
was worth a brief stop to finally get the goulash, but this was impossible as the tracks were blocked by Russian railway carriages.
Background
Miskolc
is a city in north-eastern Hungary and, with 180,000 inhabitants, the third largest in the country after Budapest and Debrecen. Miskolc was badly affected by a cholera epidemic during the World War I.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Tohle byla tedy jakási průprava, ne tak do důsledků tragická, ale přece jen poučná. Když totiž se měl již guláš rozdávat, přišel rozkaz „Do vagonů!“ a už se jelo na Miškovec. Ani tam se nerozdal guláš, poněvadž na trati stál vlak s ruskými vagony, proto se mužstvo nepustilo ven z vagonů a ponechalo se mužstvu volné pole k fantasii, že se bude guláš rozdávat, až se vyleze už v Haliči z vlaku, kde bude uznán guláš zkysaným, k požívání neschopným, a pak že se vyleje.
Tiszalök
is a place the train of Švejk's march company passes, but no goulash was served here either.
Background
Tiszalök
almost certainly refers to Tiszalúc, a town in north-eastern Hungary by the river Tisza. It is on the railway line between Miskolc and Sátoraljaújhely.
Tiszalök is also a place, but as it is not on the railway line, Hašek surely meant the former.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Potom vezli guláš dál na Tiszalök, Zombor, a když už nikdo nečekal, že se bude guláš rozdávat, zastavil se vlak v Novém Městě pod Šiatorem, kde se znova rozdělal oheň pod kotli, guláš se ohřál a byl konečně rozdán.
Zombor
is a place the train of Švejk's march company passes, but no goulash was served here either.
Background
Zombor
almost certainly refers to Mezőzombor, a town in north-eastern Hungary on the railway line between Miskolc and Sátoraljaújhely.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Potom vezli guláš dál na Tiszalök, Zombor, a když už nikdo nečekal, že se bude guláš rozdávat, zastavil se vlak v Novém Městě pod Šiatorem, kde se znova rozdělal oheň pod kotli, guláš se ohřál a byl konečně rozdán.
Sátoraljaújhely
witnesses a brief stay by the march battalion as the goulash and potatoes are finally served. The stay in Sátoraljaújhely begins with a description of how Hungarian Honved Hussars ill-treat a group of Polish Jews. Then another conflict arises between Švejk and Leutnant Dub: the foolish reserve lieutenant claims that the destroyed weaponry is Russian even though it clearly has inscriptions identifying it as Austrian. Then Švejk recounts an incredibly long anecdote for Oberleutnant Lukáš, prompting the major to comment: "I’m coming to the conviction that you do not respect your superiors at all".
Finally, there is an episode that illustrates the linguistic diversity of the multi-ethnic empire: a Polish soldier from Kołomyja creates confusion because he is unable to understand and repeat the password.
Background
Sátoraljaújhely
is a town in the north-eastern corner of Hungary, right on the border with Slovakia. The Treaty of Trianon in 1920 split the town between Hungary and Czechoslovakia. At the railway station there is a memorial plaque to Švejk. The suburb Kisújhely, with the other important railway station, is now part of Slovakia and is called Slovenské Nové Mesto. Maps from 1910 reveal that there was only one railway station in the town. Thus, it can be concluded with near certainty that the plot took place on what is now Hungarian territory.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Potom vezli guláš dál na Tiszalök, Zombor, a když už nikdo nečekal, že se bude guláš rozdávat, zastavil se vlak v Novém Městě pod Šiatorem, kde se znova rozdělal oheň pod kotli, guláš se ohřál a byl konečně rozdán. tanice byla přeplněna, měly být napřed odeslány dva vlaky s municí, za nimi dva ešalony dělostřelectva a vlak s pontonovými oddíly. Vůbec možno říct, že zde se shromáždily vlaky s trupami všech možných částí armády.
[III.3] Tak jak šli přes Poříč, kolem Rozvařilů, Železný skočil do průjezdu a ztratil se mu průchodem a zkazil Kaučukovýmu dědkovi tu velikou radost, až ho bude sázet do arestu.
Dolní Královice
is mentioned in the interminable anecdote about Oberst Fliedler, in the part where Švejk virtually declares him a saint. He let his soldiers drink the brewery in Dolní Královice dry.
Background
Dolní Královice
is a village in the eastern part of the Benešov district, not far from Lipnice. The village was moved in the seventies because a water reservoir for Prague was built in the Želivka valley. The brewery was closed in 1957.
During the summer of 1922, Jaroslav Hašek visited the village. This was his last major excursion before his untimely death six months later.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Když jsme přišli do Dolních Královic, tak dal rozkaz vypít celej dolnokrálovickej pivovar na jeho útraty, a když měl svátek nebo narozeniny, tak dal pro celej regiment navařit zajíce na smetaně s houskovejma knedlíkama. Von byl takovej hodnej na manšaft, že vám jednou, pane obrlajtnant
Kołomyja
was the home town of a Pole, who for some mysterious reason served with Infanterieregiment Nr. 91. He did not grasp the field password due to linguistic confusion. This incident occurred during the march battalion's brief stay in Sátoraljaújhely.
Background
Kołomyja
is the Polish name of Коломия (Kolomyja) in Galicia, a town in the Ivano-Frankivsk oblast in Ukraine. Until 1918, it belonged to Austria, like the rest of the region. The Russians occupied the city in September 1914, but were driven out the following year. At the time, nearly half the population was Jewish.
The mysterious Pole
There is little doubt that this Pole is inspired by Sylwester Turczyński, who was an officer's servant on the staff of Infanterieregiment Nr. 91 at the time when Jaroslav Hašek served in the regiment. The two were even taken prisoner under the same circumstances, during the battle of Khorupan on 24 September 1915[a]. If the episode described in The Good Soldier Švejk actually took place, it would more likely have been in the field than in Sátoraljaújhely, a town far behind the front.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Ten den byl feldruf: „Kappe“ a losung: „Hatvan“. Post, který si to měl u telefonních aparátů pamatovat, byl nějaký Polák z Kolomyje, který nějakou divnou náhodou se dostal k 91. regimentu. Kdepak, aby věděl, co je to „Kappe“, ale poněvadž měl v sobě nějaký zárodek mnemotechniky, tak si přece jen zapamatoval, že to začíná s „k“, a hrdě odpověděl poručíkovi Dubovi, který měl „batalionku“ a ptal se ho, přibližuje se k němu, na heslo ode dne: „Kaffee.“ Bylo to ovšem velice přirozené, poněvadž Polák z Kolomyje pořád ještě vzpomínal na ranní a večerní kávu v táboře Brucku. A když zařval ještě jednou „Kaffee“, a poručík Dub se neustále k němu přibližoval, tu on, pamětliv na svou přísahu a na to, že je na stráži, zvolal hrozivě: „Halt!“, a když poručík Dub udělal k němu ještě dva kroky a stále chtěl na něm feldruf, namířil na něj ručnici, a neznalý dokonale německého jazyka, užil podivné směsi polštiny s němčinou, křiče: „Benže šajsn, benže šajsn.“ Poručík Dub pochopil a počal couvat nazpátek, křiče: „Wachkommandant, Wachkommandant!“ Objevil se četař Jelínek, který Poláka zaváděl na stráž, a ptal se ho sám po heslu, potom poručík Dub, na kteréž otázky odpovídal zoufalý Polák od Kolomyje křikem, který se rozléhal po nádraží: „Kafe, kafe.“ Co tam bylo ešalonů, počali z nich vojáci vyskakovat s esšálkama a byla hrozná panika, která skončila tím, když odzbrojeného poctivého vojáka odvedli do arestantvagonu.
Ladovce
was passed through by the battalion on the way from Sátoraljaújhely to Trebišov. This happened after midnight and there is no description of any stop here.
Background
Ladovce
almost certainly refers to Lastovce, a village just south of Trebišov in the far east of Slovakia. The region was part of Hungary until 1920.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Po půlnoci vlak se hnul na Ladovce a Trebišov, kde ho ráno uvítal na stanici veteránský spolek, poněvadž si tenhle maršbatalion spletl s maršbatalionem 14. honvédského maďarského pluku, který projel stanicí hned v noci.
Trebišov
was passed through by the march battalion on the way from Sátoraljaújhely to Humenné. This happened early in the morning and the soldiers on the train were woken by members of a Hungarian veterans' association who thought they were greeting a march battalion of HIR14. The stop at the station lasted only five minutes.
Background
Trebišov
is a town in the Zemplín region of eastern Slovakia. In 1915, the area was still ruled by Hungary.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Po půlnoci vlak se hnul na Ladovce a Trebišov, kde ho ráno uvítal na stanici veteránský spolek, poněvadž si tenhle maršbatalion spletl s maršbatalionem 14. honvédského maďarského pluku, který projel stanicí hned v noci. Jisto bylo, že veteráni byli namazaní, a svým řevem: „Isten áld meg a királyt“ probudili ze spaní celý transport. Několik uvědomělejších naklonilo se z vagonů a odpovědělo jim: „Polibte nám prdel. Éljen!“
Humenné is mentioned 7 times in The Good Soldier Švejk.
Humenné
was the scene of an eventful break which must have lasted a couple of hours. The train arrived around midday, two days after the departure from Budapest, thus the date is 26 May 1915. The author notes that the station area is damaged by fighting.
There is a grim episode when the arriving troops observe how Hungarian gendarmes mistreat members of the Ruthenian population (called Hungarian Russians by the author). This is generally condemned by the officers, except for the despicable Leutnant Dub who reacts approvingly. This episode leads directly to Oberleutnant Lukáš wanting to get drunk to forget his Weltschmerz. We know how it all ended: Švejk is caught by Dub when buying spirits from a local Jew and has to drink the whole bottle in one go to protect himself and his superior. He narrowly gets away with it, and all in all the stay here was troublesome for Dub. He suffers further humiliation when a Hungarian soldier recognises him as Czech and mockingly holds his hands in the air (alluding to the Czechs' alleged lack of willingness to fight).
Background
Humenné
is a town in the Laborec Valley in eastern Slovakia with around 35,000 inhabitants. There is a statue of Švejk at Humenné railway station, the first ever in the world. It was unveiled in October 2000[a].
Until 1921, Humenné was still Hungarian and the population was ethnically mixed, with Hungarians as the largest group. Russian forces briefly occupied the town at the end of November 1914, so the war damage described in The Good Soldier Švejk surely dates from this period.
Wien, 29. November, mittags
In den Karpathen wurden die auf Homonna vorgedrungenen Kräfte geschlagen und zurückgedrängt. Unsere Truppen machten 1500 Gefangene.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Za pět minut jel vlak dál na Humenné. Zde již byly jasně a zřetelně znát stopy bojů, když Rusové táhli do údolí Tisy. Po stráních táhly se primitivní zákopy, tu a tam bylo vidět vypálenou usedlost, kolem které narychlo zbudovaná bouda znamenala, že se majitelé opět vrátili. Potom, když k polednímu přišla stanice Humenné, kde nádraží jevilo také zbytky bojů, vykonány byly přípravy k obědu a mužstvo transportu zatím mohlo nahlédnout do veřejného tajemství, jak úřady po odchodu Rusů jednají s místním obyvatelstvem, které bylo řečí i náboženstvím příbuzné ruským vojskům.
Tisza
and the Tisza Valley is mentioned when the author describes the first signs of war damage as the train moves north towards Humenné. This journey was along the river Laborec, a tributary to the Tisza.
Background
Tisza
is a river flowing from the Ukrainian Carpathians and enters the Danube in the Vojvodina region of Serbia. Cities and towns along the river include Sighetu Marmaţiei, Čop, Tokaj, Szolnok and Szeged.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Za pět minut jel vlak dál na Humenné. Zde již byly jasně a zřetelně znát stopy bojů, když Rusové táhli do údolí Tisy. Po stráních táhly se primitivní zákopy, tu a tam bylo vidět vypálenou usedlost, kolem které narychlo zbudovaná bouda znamenala, že se majitelé opět vrátili.
[III.3] Nedal se však tím odstrašit, poněvadž se vsadil předtím ten večer v Strašnicích v hospodě ,U remisy’ s jedním řídičem vod elektriky, že udělá pěšky cestu kolem světa za tři neděle. Počal se tedy dál a dál vzdalovat vod svýho domova, až se přivalil do ,Černýho pivovaru’ na Karlově náměstí, a vodtamtuď šel na Malou Stranu k Sv. Tomáši do pivovaru a odtamtud přes restauraci ,U Montágů’ a ještě vejš přes hospodu ,U krále brabanskýho’, pak na ,Krásnou vyhlídku’, odtud do Strahovskýho kláštera do pivovaru.
Průhled Korunní ulicí. V pozadí kostel sv. Ludmily na Vinohradech (kol. 1910)
Korunní třída
was the street where gardener Kalenda started to feel homesick on his journey around the world, after having visited several hospody on the way.
[III.3] Strašnickej zahradník, nějakej Josef Kalenda, ten se taky jednou vzdálil z domova, šel ze Strašnic na Vinohrady, stavil se ,Na zastávce’ v hospodě, ale to mu ještě nic nebylo, ale jakmile přišel do Korunní třídy k vodárně, bral v Korunní třídě až za kostel svaté Ludmily hospodu za hospodou a cítil už malátnost.
Loretánské náměstí
was the final stop on gardener Kalenda's odyssey. He broke down on the pavement from homesickness, coughed, and spat during his world tour.
Background
Loretánské náměstí
is a square in Hradčany, right by the Loreta Church and the Černín Palace. The latter is used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Loretánské náměstí is very close to the garrison prison where Švejk was detained when Feldkurat Katz "discovered" him.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Dostal se až na Loretánský náměstí a tam dostal najednou takový stesk po domově, že sebou praštil na zem, počal se válet po chodníku a křičel: ,Lidičky, já už dál nepůjdu. Já se na cestu kolem světa,’ s dovolením, pane obrlajtnant, ,vykašlu.’
Kamýk nad Vltavou
is mentioned when Švejk tells Leutnant Dub that the cognac he illicitly bought for Oberleutnant Lukáš is water rich in iron, just like the blacksmith in Kámyk got after throwing a horseshoe into the well.
Background
Kamýk nad Vltavou
is a place by the Vltava, south of Prague. It is situated in okresPříbram.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] V Kamýku nad Vltavou jeden hostinskej dělal pro svý letní hosty.železitou vodu takovým způsobem, že do studny házel starý podkovy.“
Don
is mentioned by Einjährigfreiwilliger Marek when he sits in the staff carriage at Humenné station and invents the battalion's history, where the Don regiment is involved. Meanwhile, Švejk is sleeping off the effects of the bottle of cognac.
Background
Don
is one of the major rivers of Russia. It rises in the town of Novomoskovsk 60 kilometres southeast of Tula, southeast of Moscow, and flows for a distance of about 1,950 kilometres to the Sea of Azov. From its source, the river first flows southeast to Voronezh, then south-west to its mouth. The main city on the river is Rostov-na-Donu, and the main tributary is Donets.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Ku př. zde líčím, jak náš batalion, to snad bude asi za dva měsíce, málem překročí ruské hranice, velice silně obsazené, řekněme donskými pluky nepřítele, zatímco několik nepřátelských divisí obchází naše posice.
Wallsee
was, from 1895, the home of Erzherzogin Marie Valerie and her family. The castle is located by the Danube in the Amstetten district of Upper Austria.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Představuji si to tak, jak vidíte v mých poznámkách, že arcivévodská rodina Marie Valérie přesídlí kvůli tomu z Wallsee do Schönbrunnu.
Padua
is a major city in the Veneto region of Italy. It is situated between Verona, Vicenza and Venice. Like the rest of Veneto, Padua belonged to Austria between 1815 and 1866.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Mohu vám přečíst výňatek z armádního rozkazu, který bude čten po všech oddílech armády, který se velice podobá onomu rozkazu arcivévody Karla, když stál se svým vojskem roku 1805 před Paduou a den po rozkazu dostal slušný nátěr.
Jičín
is a town in the eastern part of Bohemia, perhaps best known for its connection with the famous warlord from the Thirty Years' War: Albrechtvon Wallenstein (Albrechtz Valdštejna). The town, with its protected historic centre, is attractive and enjoys considerable tourism, partly due to its proximity to the popular recreation area Český ráj (Czech Paradise).
The garrison
No fewer than 882 people in Jičín were associated with the army, of whom 355 reported German as their everyday language. This suggests that almost the entire German-speaking population comprised army personnel and their families. The town was the seat of Heeresergänzungsbezirk Nr. 74, and soldiers who served in k.u.k. Heer would belong to Infanterieregiment Nr. 74. However, the regiment's staff was located in Reichenberg (now Liberec), but the 4th battalion was garrisoned in Jičín.
This is still insufficient to account for the relatively high army presence. The explanation is found in the k.k. Landwehr, who seem to have had a much greater presence. Jičín was the seat of a Landwehr recruitment district and Landsturmbezirkskommando Nr.11, including k.k. Landwehrinfanterieregiment Nr. 11. Staff and two battalions of the regiment were garrisoned here.
Karl Kraus
Jičín is also known as the birthplace of writer Karl Kraus, although he lived here for only three years. Kraus was a distinguished satirist who, like Jaroslav Hašek, often poked fun at the House of Habsburg Empire and its institutions. His best-known work is probably the play Die letzten Tage der Menschheit (The Last Days of Mankind), where he expresses himself ironically about World War I and the monarchy's subsequent collapse.
Václav Fuchs
A well-known character from The Good Soldier Švejk, the publisher, editor and dog breeder Václav Fuchs, was also associated with Jičín. In 1897, he and a business partner founded the eventually popular animal magazine Svět zvířat here. This was a publication that Jaroslav Hašek (and his literary alter ego Einjährigfreiwilliger Marek) edited for some time, albeit much later. In Jičín, Fuchs was best known as a rabbit breeder. In December 1898, he moved to Klamovka outside Prague, where he continued to publish the magazine, now as the sole proprietor.
Demography
According to the 1910 census, Jičín had 10,192 inhabitants, of whom 9,741 (95 per cent) reported using Czech as their everyday language. The judicial district was okresJičín, administratively it reported to hejtmanstvíJičín.
Per the recruitment districts, infantrymen from Jičín were usually assigned to Infanterieregiment Nr. 74 (Jičin) or k.k. Landwehrinfanterieregiment Nr. 11 (Jičin).
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.2] Z místa, kde ležel Švejk, ozvalo se zívnutí a bylo slyšet, jak Švejk mluví ze spaní: „To mají pravdu, paní Müllerová, že jsou si lidi podobný. V Kralupech stavěl pumpy nějaký pan Jaroš a ten se podobal hodináři Lejhanzovi z Pardubic, jako když mu z voka vypadne, a ten zas byl tak nápadně podobnej jičínskýmuPiskorovi a všichni čtyři dohromady neznámýmu sebevrahovi, kterýho našli voběšenýho a úplně zetlelýho v jednom rybníku u Jindřichova Hradce, zrovna pod dráhou, kde se asi vrhnul pod vlak.“
Jindřichův Hradec
is mentioned when Švejk talks in his sleep, still strongly affected by the bottle of cognac he had to gulp down. In this dream, an unidentified suicide from this town resembled Piskora, watchmaker Lejhanz and pump manufacturer Jaroš. The town also features in one of Švejk's final anecdotes, about the sausage-maker Josef Josef Linek who put insect powder in his sausages.
Background
Jindřichův Hradec
is a town in South Bohemia situated in a flat area with many fish ponds. The historic centre is protected as heritage.
The town was also the seat of recruitment district No. 75 and the replacement battalion of Infanterieregiment Nr. 75. The regimental staff was also located here at times, and the regiment was always present with at least one regular battalion.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Z místa, kde ležel Švejk, ozvalo se zívnutí a bylo slyšet, jak Švejk mluví ze spaní: „To mají pravdu, paní Müllerová, že jsou si lidi podobný. V Kralupech stavěl pumpy nějaký pan Jaroš a ten se podobal hodináři Lejhanzovi z Pardubic, jako když mu z voka vypadne, a ten zas byl tak nápadně podobnej jičínskýmu Piskorovi a všichni čtyři dohromady neznámýmu sebevrahovi, kterýho našli voběšenýho a úplně zetlelýho v jednom rybníku u Jindřichova Hradce, zrovna pod dráhou, kde se asi vrhnul pod vlak.“
Veszprém
is mentioned in Švejk's excuse for not having woken up when Leutnant Dub dropped by the carriage to investigate if he reeked of cognac. He could not sleep because he had been thinking of the times when he took part in manoeuvres near Veszprém. He mentioned the strategic operations that involved the first, second, third and fourth army corps. He also spoke about other places where the manoeuvres took place: Styria, Vienna, Danube, Osijek, Lake Balaton and Pressburg.
Background
Veszprém
is a Hungarian city situated north of Lake Balaton. It is one of the oldest cities in Hungary and one of the first to have a university. In 1914, Veszprém was a garrison town and was home to Honvédinfanterieregiment Nr. 13.
Kaisermanövern 1908
Švejk's answer to Leutnant Dub was undoubtedly about the Kaisermanövern near Veszprém in 1908. That year, western Hungary and some surrounding areas hosted the annual Kaisermanövern, and staff headquarters was located in Hajmáskér, very close to Veszprém. The newspapers reported on the event and revealed that many luminaries attended: Emperor Franz Joseph I, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Archduke Karl Franz Joseph, Feldmarschall Conrad, Archduke Friedrich, etc. Franz Ferdinand headed the manoeuvres that took place from 15 to18 September 1908. The emperor and his entourage stayed in the bishop's residence in Veszprém proper.
Švejk's answer and the newspapers
Švejk is remarkably precise in his description of the manoeuvres' geographical extent and even on which army units took part. The troop movements themselves are reasonably accurately described. Indeed, it is close enough to a summary printed in the weekly Český svět25 September 1908 (right) to make one suspect that Hašek had this or a similar text at hand when he wrote Part Three of The Good Soldier Švejk in 1922. Or did his excellent memory serve him so well that he remembered such details 14 years later? Austrian dailies had printed similar but more in-depth texts a week earlier, so the inspiration could also have come from one of them.
Note that Švejk's answer to Leutnant Dub was surely a trick to put him off the scent: the Prague-based 8th army corps that Švejk's IR. 91 belonged to did not participate in these manoeuvres.
The exercises had already been mentioned in [II.3] but referred to indirectly as the "great manoeuvres near Sopron in 1908". See Archduke Stephan for more on the context.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] „Já jsem, poslušně hlásím, pane lajtnant, celou noc nespal, poněvadž jsem si vzpomínal na ty doby, když jsme ještě dělali manévry u Vesprimu. Tenkrát suponovanej první a druhej armádní sbor šel přes Štyrsko a západníma Uhrama vobklíčil náš čtvrtej sbor, kterej byl na lágru ve Vídni a v okolí, kde jsme měli všude festunky, ale voni vobešli nás a dostali se až na most, kterej dělali pionýři z pravýho břehu Dunaje. My jsme měli dělat ofensivu a nám na pomoc měly přijít vojska vod severu a potom taky vod jihu vod Voseka. To nám četli v rozkaze, že nám táhne na pomoc třetí armádní sbor, aby nás nerozbili mezi tím Blatenským jezerem a Prešpurkem, až budeme forikovat proti druhýmu armádnímu sboru. Ale nebylo to nic platný; když jsme měli vyhrát, tak se vodtroubilo a vyhráli to s bílejma páskama.“
A Balaton tudományos tanulmányozásának eredményei,1897
Český svět,25.9.1908
Lake Balaton
is mentioned in Švejk's excuse for not having woken up when Leutnant Dub dropped by the carriage to investigate if he reeked of cognac. He could not sleep because he had been thinking of the times when he took part in manoeuvres near Veszprém. In this context, he also mentioned Lake Balaton.
Background
Lake Balaton
is located in western Hungary and, measured by area, is the largest lake in Central Europe.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] „Já jsem, poslušně hlásím, pane lajtnant, celou noc nespal, poněvadž jsem si vzpomínal na ty doby, když jsme ještě dělali manévry u Vesprimu<. Tenkrát suponovanej první a druhej armádní sbor šel přes Štyrsko a západníma Uhrama vobklíčil náš čtvrtej sbor, kterej byl na lágru ve Vídni a v okolí, kde jsme měli všude festunky, ale voni vobešli nás a dostali se až na most, kterej dělali pionýři z pravýho břehu Dunaje. My jsme měli dělat ofensivu a nám na pomoc měly přijít vojska vod severu a potom taky vod jihu vod Voseka. To nám četli v rozkaze, že nám táhne na pomoc třetí armádní sbor, aby nás nerozbili mezi tím Blatenským jezerem a Prešpurkem, až budeme forikovat proti druhýmu armádnímu sboru. Ale nebylo to nic platný; když jsme měli vyhrát, tak se vodtroubilo a vyhráli to s bílejma páskama.“
Nová Čabyna
is mentioned by the narrator as the train moves on from Humenné towards Medzilaborce. The village was burnt down during earlier fighting.
Background
Nová Čabyna
is not found on any map but surely refers to Čabiny, a village in the Laborec valley between Humenné and Medzilaborce. The place was destroyed during the Russian winter offensive in 1914–15. The village is quite spread out and there are two railway stations: Nižné Čabiny and Vyšné Čabiny, and Hašek's marching battalion passed both in 1915.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Za čtvrt hodiny se jelo dál na Novou Čabynu přes vypálené vesnice Brestov a Veliký Radvaň. Bylo vidět, že zde to již šlo do tuhého. Karpatské stráně a svahy byly rozryty zákopy jdoucími z údolí do údolí podél trati s novými pražci, po obou stranách veliké jámy od granátů. Někde přes potoky tekoucí do Laborce, jehož horní tok dráha sledovala, bylo vidět nové mosty a ohořelé trámy starých mostových přechodů.
Brestov
is mentioned by the narrator as the train moves on from Humenné towards Medzilaborce. The village was burned down during earlier fighting.
Background
Brestov
is a village by the river Laborec in Slovakia. The population is just 66, 49 of whom are Ruthenians. It is situated two kilometres south of Radvaň nad Laborcom. When Jaroslav Hašek wrote the novel, the name of the village was Zbudský Brestov.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Za čtvrt hodiny se jelo dál na Novou Čabynu přes vypálené vesnice Brestov a Veliký Radvaň. Bylo vidět, že zde to již šlo do tuhého. Karpatské stráně a svahy byly rozryty zákopy jdoucími z údolí do údolí podél trati s novými pražci, po obou stranách veliké jámy od granátů. Někde přes potoky tekoucí do Laborce, jehož horní tok dráha sledovala, bylo vidět nové mosty a ohořelé trámy starých mostových přechodů.
Medzilaborce
witnesses a short stay by Švejk's march battalion. The main part is a description of how the army went about billeting from the local population. A farmer's family had to let go of three pigs, but they had few alternatives. The destruction wreaked on the town by recent fighting is described in some detail.
Background
Medzilaborce
is a town in the Laborec valley of eastern Slovakia, near the Polish border and the Łupków Pass. In February 1915, Russian forces occupied the town but were driven out in May. This happened only a few weeks before Švejk and his march battalion arrived, so the traces of fighting described in the novel were very fresh.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] V Medzilaborci byla zastávka za rozbitým, vypáleným nádražím, z jehož začouzených stěn vyčnívaly zkroucené traversy. Nový dlouhý barák ze dřeva, namísto vypáleného nádraží rychle postavený, byl pokryt nalepenými plakáty ve všech řečích: „Upisujte rakouskou válečnou půjčku!“ V jiném dlouhém baráku byla i stanice Červeného kříže, odkud vyšly s tlustým vojenským lékařem dvě sestřičky a smály se na celé kolo tlustému vojenskému lékaři, který k jich obveselení napodoboval různé zvířecí zvuky a nepodařeně chrochtal.
Milovice
is a place the train must have already passed, as it is mentioned before Medzilaborce that the Germans from Kašperské Hory were still singing, but their enthusiasm had waned after they saw the war cemeteries and the torn pieces of uniform in the devastated Laborec Valley.
Background
Milovice
is, judging by the plot, itinerary and timing, almost certainly Michalovce. The nearest Milovice is a place near Nymburk, which had a Soviet military base from 1968 to 1991. In 1914, more than half the population of Michalovce were Hungarians, and the author has probably translated the name from old maps that still used Hungarian names.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Němci od Kašperských Hor, kteří seděli v zadních vagonech a ještě v Milovicích na stanici hulákali při vjezdu: „Wann ich kumm, wann ich wieda kumm...“, od Humenného silně ztichli, poněvadž nahlíželi, že mnozí z těch, jejichž čepice jsou na hrobech, zpívali totéž o tom, jak to bude pěkné, až se opět vrátí a zůstane pořád doma se svou milou.
Dolní Zahájí
is mentioned by Offiziersdiener Baloun as he confesses his sins, one of them being that he beat the chaplain here.
Background
Dolní Zahájí
cannot be identified on a modern map, but Baloun is probably referring to Zahájí near Mydlovary in South Bohemia, the region he is from.
Early story
In 1911, Hašek wrote a story centred on Mydlovary and Zahájí: Vislingská aféra v Mydlovarech. It was first printed in Karikatury7 March 1911 and soon after appeared in Šípy in Chicago![a]
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Baloun s naprostým zoufalstvím začal vyznávat generální zpověď: „Já jsem se vám rouhal svatejm i světicím božím, na Malši v hospodě a v Dolním Zahájí ztřískal jsem kaplana. V boha jsem ještě věřil, to nezapírám, ale o svatým Josefovi jsem pochyboval.
Palota
is mentioned in passing when it is said that the troops are having lunch at the Łupków Pass, beyond Palota.
Background
Palota
is a village on the Slovak side of the Łupków Pass, about 10 km north of Medzilaborce. There is no railway station here any more, although the railway line from Medzilaborce to Sanok passes through the village.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Mužstvu bylo oznámeno, že oběd bude za Palotou v Lupkovském průsmyku, a také vyšli do obce Medzilaborce batalionní účetní šikovatel s kuchaři od kumpanií a poručíkem Cajthamlem, který měl na starosti hospodářství batalionu. K nim byli přiděleni čtyři mužové jako patrola.
Eine Bilderreihe aus den Kampfgebieten der 25. Reserve-Division 1914-1916,1917
The Łupków Pass
was a stopover for one of the march battalion's lunch breaks, the scene was surely the railway station. The author mentions a monument that Germans from das Reich hurriedly erected on a rock behind the station, in honour of their fallen heroes from Brandenburg. It bore the inscription Den Helden von Lupkapaß[*] (To the heroes from the Lupka Pass).
The grotesque way food is distributed is revealingly described. Officers, of course, get the most, then the distribution is at the discretion of the cooks who carefully dish out to those they believe they need to be on good terms with. The only person who openly reacts against this practice is Einjährigfreiwilliger Marek.
Otherwise, Švejk has another clash with Leutnant Dub, ending with the lieutenant pulling his revolver. Finally, there is an episode where Švejk reports Dub for having slapped Offiziersdiener Kunert. Here Oberleutnant Lukáš observes a hitherto unknown side to his servant, a far cry from the affable person he has become used to.
Background
The Łupków Pass
is a mountain pass in the Carpathians, on the current border between Slovakia and Poland. The tunnel and the associated railway line were finished in 1874 and linked Galicia to the rest of the Austro-Hungarian Empire across the mountains. The pass was one of the strategically important Carpathian passes that were bitterly contested during the battles of 1914 and 1915. The railway tunnel was damaged and repaired several times during both world wars.
War Memorial
Stary Łupków, pozostałości pomnika I wojny światowej
There is still a monument on a small hill behind the station, but in 2017 it was in disrepair and it is difficult to judge what it may have looked like originally. Hašek with IR. 91's XII. Marschbataillon travelled through the pass on or shortly after 2 July 1915 (they stopped in Humenné that day), so the description of it in the novel may largely be true. There is obviously no longer any sign of a bronze eagle at the top, nor any inscription "To the heroes from the Łupków Pass".
The Good Soldier Švejk is, as far as is known, the only source that mentions the monument, so we cannot be fully sure that it is the one in the picture. It has not been independently established when it was erected and by whom. Still, it is entirely possible that the monument was erected by soldiers from Brandenburg. The German Beskidenkorps drove the Russians away from the pass less than two months earlier, so that it was built by German troops is overwhelmingly likely (assuming that it indeed was erected in 1915).
In 2020, a team of archaeologists led by Dr. Marcin Czarnowicz from Kraków's Uniwersytet Jagielloński discovered two war cemeteries in the area and also investigated the monument. They do, however, date it to 1916, in which case it cannot be the one mentioned in the novel. The archaeologists also discovered a grave beneath the monument. Three German officers were supposed to have been buried there, but it was discovered that the remains had been exhumed some time after 1943.
* Correct: Den Helden vom Lupkowpaß.
Archeologia Żywa
Zwrócił też uwagę na dodatkowe odkrycie nieopodal stacji kolejowej w Łupkowie, gdzie znajduje się pomnik opisywany przez Jaroslava Haska w „Przygodach dobrego wojaka Szwejka czasu wojny światowej”. „U podnóża obelisku miały znajdować się groby oficerów niemieckich, którzy zginęli podczas forsowania przełęczy. Okazało się jednak, że ciała poległych zostały ekshumowane, ale stało się to nie wcześniej niż w 1943 roku, o czym świadczą łuski znalezione w zasypisku grobu” – wyjaśnił Czarnowicz.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Hejtman Ságner dal již též rozkaz týkající se důstojnické kuchyně: „Vepřové na kmíně; vybrat to nejlepší maso, aby to nebylo příliš tučné!“ A tak se stalo, že když v Lupkovském průsmyku rozdávala se mužstvu menáž, v každém vojenském kotlíku ve své porci polévky našel jednotlivec dva malé kousíčky masa, a ten, který se narodil ještě na horší planetě, našel jenom kousek kůže.
[III.3] Za nádražím na skále pospíšili si již Němci z říše postavit pomník padlým Brandeburákům s nápisem: „Den Helden von Lupkapaß“, s velikou říšskoněmeckou orlicí vylitou z bronzu, přičemž na podstavci bylo výslovně podotčeno, že ten znak je vyroben z ruských děl ukořistěných při osvobození Karpat říšskoněmeckými pluky.
Kaserne des Dragoner-Regiments Nr. 12 in Gnesen, vor 1919 gelaufene Postkarte.
Österreich-Ungarns letzter Krieg, Band II, Beilage
Brandenburg
enters the plot when the author states that Germans from the Reich hurriedly erected a monument behind the station in the Łupków Pass, honouring fallen Brandenburgers. On the top was placed a bronze German eagle, and the inscription on the plaque was: Den Helden von Lupkapaß[*]. It was also added that the symbol was made from cannons captured as war booty by German regiments during the liberation of the Carpathians.
Background
Brandenburg
is a historic province in Prussia that existed until 1945. It does not correspond to the current German state, as old Brandenburg included areas that are now part of Poland. The capital was Potsdam.
Beskidenkorps
The soldiers who erected the mentioned monument would have belonged to Beskidenkorps, a German unit that was formed in the Laborec valley in late March and early April 1915.
The troops who made up Beskidenkorps were mainly recruited from these provinces: Hesse (25. Reservedivision), East Prussia (35. Reservedivision) and Pomerania (4. Division). The only possible Brandenburgers in this army corps appear to be Dragoner-Regiment „von Arnim“ (2. Brandenburgisches Nr. 12), allocated to 4. Division. In peacetime, they were garrisoned in Gnesen (now Gniezno), actually in the province of Posen.
From 5 to 7 May, Beskidenkorps fought a fierce battle against Russian forces who defended the Łupków Pass to cover the retreat of the 3rd army, which was threatened by encirclement further west in the Carpathians. The Germans ultimately emerged victorious from the battle and the Russians withdrew northwards to positions by the river San. It would have been the destruction caused during this battle that Švejk observed during the break in the Łupków Pass.
* Correct: Den Helden vom Lupkowpaß.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Za nádražím na skále pospíšili si již Němci z říše postavit pomník padlým Brandeburákům s nápisem: „Den Helden von Lupkapaß“, s velikou říšskoněmeckou orlicí vylitou z bronzu, přičemž na podstavci bylo výslovně podotčeno, že ten znak je vyroben z ruských děl ukořistěných při osvobození Karpat říšskoněmeckými pluky.
Csap
is mentioned in a confused telegram from brigade staff indicating that the company was to move eastwards towards the front already from Sátoraljaújhely.
Background
Csap
is the Hungarian name of the border town Чоп (Chop) between Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary, until 1921 part of Hungary. It is now located on Ukrainian territory and is an important railway junction and border crossing.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zprávy byly tak nejasné, že to vypadalo asi tak, že by ani neměli do Lupkovského průsmyku přijeti a měli jeti zcela jiným směrem od Nového Města pod Šiatorem, poněvadž v telegramech byla nějaká řeč o místech: Csap - Ungvár, Kis-Berezna - Uzsok.
Ungvár
is mentioned in a confused telegram from brigade staff indicating that the regiment was meant to move eastwards to the front already at Sátoraljaújhely.
Background
Ungvár
is the Hungarian name of Ужгород (Uzhhorod), a city on the border between modern Ukraine and Slovakia. Until 1921 it was part of Hungary, and until 1938 it belonged to Czechoslovakia. It is located just inside Ukrainian territory and is an important railway junction. The city has a university and some industry. Uzhhorod features a bronze miniature statue of Švejk, mounted on the railings by the river.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zprávy byly tak nejasné, že to vypadalo asi tak, že by ani neměli do Lupkovského průsmyku přijeti a měli jeti zcela jiným směrem od Nového Města pod Šiatorem, poněvadž v telegramech byla nějaká řeč o místech: Csap - Ungvár, Kis-Berezna - Uzsok.
Kisberezna
is mentioned in a confused telegram from brigade staff indicating that the regiment was to move eastwards already at Sátoraljaújhely.
Background
Kisberezna
is the Hungarian name of Малий Березний (Malyj Bereznyj), a village on the western side of the Carpathians north of Užhorod. Until 1921 it was Hungarian, in the inter-war years it belonged to Czechoslovakia, from 1945 the Soviet Union and from 1991 Ukraine. In 1914 more than 70 per cent of the population were Rusyns.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zprávy byly tak nejasné, že to vypadalo asi tak, že by ani neměli do Lupkovského průsmyku přijeti a měli jeti zcela jiným směrem od Nového Města pod Šiatorem, poněvadž v telegramech byla nějaká řeč o místech: Csap - Ungvár, Kis-Berezna - Uzsok.
Uszok
is mentioned in a confused telegram from brigade staff indicating that the march battalion was to move eastwards already at Sátoraljaújhely.
Background
Uszok
is the Hungarian name of Ужок (Uzhok), a village in Ukraine, near the source of the river Už. It is best known for the mountain pass which has taken its name from the village.
In World War I, the pass was the scene of fierce fighting between the advancing Russian Army and the defending Austro-Hungarian forces in the winter of 1914–1915. From early May 1915 the pass was finally back in Austro-Hungarian hands.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zprávy byly tak nejasné, že to vypadalo asi tak, že by ani neměli do Lupkovského průsmyku přijeti a měli jeti zcela jiným směrem od Nového Města pod Šiatorem, poněvadž v telegramech byla nějaká řeč o místech: Csap - Ungvár, Kis-Berezna - Uzsok.
Munkács
is mentioned in a confused telegram from brigade staff indicating that the march battalion were to move east already at Sátoraljaújhely.
Background
Munkács
is the Hungarian name of Мука́чево (Mukachevo), a city in western Ukraine. One of the three railway lines across the Carpathians passes the city, and it was also home to Honvédinfanterieregiment Nr. 14. After 1921 it was called Mukačevo and was part of Czechoslovakia. From 1945 to 1991 the city was in Soviet hands.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Mamlas v brigádní bási je udiven odpovědí, že jde o 7. pochodový prapor 91. pluku, i táže se, kdo dal rozkaz jeti na Munkačevo, po vojenské trati na Stryj, když maršruta je přes Lupkovský průsmyk na Sanok do Haliče.
Stryj
is mentioned in a confused telegram Hauptmann Ságner received from brigade staff in Sanok, indicating that the march battalion were to move east already at Sátoraljaújhely. The march battalion had arrived in Sanok two days early!
Background
Stryj
(Стрий) is a city in the oblast of Lviv in Ukraine, and is also the name of the river flowing through the town. The city belonged to Galicia in 1914 and was thus part of Austria-Hungary.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Mamlas v brigádní bási je udiven odpovědí, že jde o 7. pochodový prapor 91. pluku, i táže se, kdo dal rozkaz jeti na Munkačevo, po vojenské trati na Stryj, když maršruta je přes Lupkovský průsmyk na Sanok do Haliče.
Ławeczka Józefa Szwejka w Sanoku, Ulica 3 maja. 2010.
Sanok is mentioned 15 times in The Good Soldier Švejk.
Sanok
witnesses a short but eventful stay. The intention was that the march battalion would wait here for a few days before continuing to the front on foot, but they arrived two days early and were ordered to continue the same evening due to lack of accommodation. In the meantime, they have to endure a speech by the brigade commander.
The most memorable episode involves Leutnant Dub, who is supposed to check that the soldiers do not visit brothels, but lets himself be lured into debauchery by Miss Ella. In the end, Švejk drags him out of the brothel to make sure he joins the battalion's journey onwards.
Several institutions in Sanok are mentioned in The Good Soldier Švejk: Gimnazjum, where the march battalion were to be quartered; Bank Krakowski, where the brigade staff were located; and Kawiarnia Miejska, the brothel from which Leutnant Dub had to be pulled out.
Background
Sanok
is a city in the Podkarpackie region of Poland, an important railway junction by the river San. It was part of Austria until 1918, and the city had a large Ukrainian population until 1947.
Information about and pictures of places in Sanok that are mentioned in The Good Soldier Švejk can be found in Josef Schwarz's thorough travel letter from a trip in the footsteps of Švejk in Galicia, published in the Ikaros magazine in 2006[a].
Statue of Švejk
In the pedestrian street Ulica 3 maja, a statue of Švejk was unveiled in 2003, called Ławeczka Józefa Szwejka because the soldier is sitting on a bench. This is the second oldest statue of Švejk in the world (the first appeared in Humenné in October 2000).
Licensia poetica
It is improbable that Jaroslav Hašek or his XII. Marschbataillon ever visited Sanok, so the way the city is presented in The Good Soldier Švejk ought to be taken with a pinch of salt. That said, his experiences from other places in Galicia may have been incorporated into the plot at this point.
The reader is informed that Sanok is located 150 km behind the front, which indicates that we are at the beginning of July 1915. This fits poorly with the plot of The Good Soldier Švejk where Švejk's march battalion arrived in Budapest on 23 May and thus would have spent five weeks on the train to Sanok! This is one example of how little emphasis Hašek put on aligning the timeline of the plot with historical events. Here he appears to have jumped ahead in time to his own journey that started from Királyhida on 30 June 1915.
That any brigade staff connected to Infanterieregiment Nr. 91 would have resided in Sanok at this time is impossible. Documents from Kriegsarchiv in Vienna show that 18th march brigade HQ was located by Sambor at the beginning of July. It must therefore be assumed that the inspiration for this chapter is taken from XII. Marschbataillon's journey from Sambor to Gołogóry between the 5th and the 11th, or from some march that Hašek took part in after having reached the front.
Nor is there any account of Hašek's XII. Marschbataillon ever having been in Sanok, and the town was not even located on the route to the front. Nearby Zagórsk is, however, on the route, so the march battalion must necessarily have travelled past it. This would probably have happened on 3 July 1915 because Jan Vaněk informs that the battalion waited in Humenné the day before and was by Sambor the day after[b].
Yellow posters
Along parts of Švejk's itinerary in Galicia laminatet yellow posters describe the place in question along with quotes from the novel. At Sanok railway station informs that Švejk's battalion arrived here on 15 July 1915. Seen in relation to the information above this date is picked from thin air. Precisely at this date Jaroslav Hašek had already spent 4 days at the front by the river Bug and his XII. Marschbataillon had already been dissolved!
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Mamlas v brigádní bázi je udiven odpovědí, že jde o 7. pochodový
prapor 91. pluku, i táže se, kdo dal rozkaz jeti na Munkačevo, po
vojenské trati na Stryj, když maršrúta je přes Lupkovský průsmyk na
Sanok do Haliče. Mamlas se strašné diví, že se telegrafuje z
Lupkovského průsmyku, a posílá šifru: Maršrúta nezměněna, na
Lupkovský průsmyk - Sanok, kde další rozkazy.
[III.4] Objevilo se, když se přijelo do Sanoku, že vlastně na tom voze s polní kuchyní jedenáctky, kde prděl blahem nasycený Baloun, měli celkem pravdu, že bude večeře, a dokonce kromě večeře že tam bude rozdáván nějaký komisárek za všechny ty dny, kdy nedostal batalion ničeho.
San
is mentioned by Leutnant Dub when he pretends to be an expert in military strategy.
The English description is not yet ready.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zdá se, že poručík Dub vůbec nepřestane mluvit. Vykládá dál všem důstojníkům, co četl v novinách o těch bojích karpatských i o zápase o karpatské průsmyky za rakousko-německé ofensivy na Sanu.
Bukowsko
is mentioned by Lieutenant Leutnant Dub when he pretends to be an expert in military strategy.
Background
Bukowsko
is a village in the Sanok district of Poland, until 1918 part of Austria.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zejména jsou neobyčejně protivné jeho věty takovéhoto smyslu: „Potom jsme šli na Bukovsko, abychom měli pojištěnou linii Bukovsko-Dynov, majíce spojení s bardějovskou skupinou u Velké Polanky, kde jsme rozbili samarskou divisi nepřítele.“
Dynów
is mentioned by Leutnant Dub when he pretends to be an expert in military strategy.
Background
Dynów
is a town in Rzeszów county in Poland, until 1918 part of Austria.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zejména jsou neobyčejně protivné jeho věty takovéhoto smyslu: „Potom jsme šli na Bukovsko, abychom měli pojištěnou linii Bukovsko-Dynov, majíce spojení s bardějovskou skupinou u Velké Polanky, kde jsme rozbili samarskou divisi nepřítele.“
Velká Polanka
is mentioned by Leutnant Dub when he pretends to be an expert in military strategy.
Background
Velká Polanka
is not one hundred per cent identified, but by analysing the text and historical events we can conclude that the place in question is Vyšná Polianka north of Bardejov. Until 2 May 1915, when the Central Powers started their offensive by Gorlice and Tarnów, the front went very close to the village. The Russian 48th Infantry Division (HQ in Samara) held this section of the front at the time. The division was almost completely destroyed during the first week of May.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zejména jsou neobyčejně protivné jeho věty takovéhoto smyslu: „Potom jsme šli na Bukovsko, abychom měli pojištěnou linii Bukovsko-Dynov, majíce spojení s bardějovskou skupinou u Velké Polanky, kde jsme rozbili samarskou divisi nepřítele.“
Samara
is mentioned by Leutnant Dub when he pretends to be an expert in military strategy, lecturing on how the Samara division was destroyed.
Background
Samara
is a city on the Volga river and is the sixth largest city in Russia. Samara is an important industrial city, known among other things for its arms industry. The city was the provisional capital of the Soviet Union during World War II. From 1935 to 1991 it was called Kuybyshev.
The SamaraDivision that Leutnant Dub talks about is the Russian 48th Infantry Division (HQ in Samara) which, during the first week of May 1915, was trapped and destroyed in the Carpathians. Large parts of it, including staff and its commander Lavr Kornilov, were taken prisoner. The narrative in the novel corresponds well with historical events.
Hašek i Samara
Jaroslav Hašek stayed in Samara from early April 1918 until the city, on 8 June, was occupied by the Czech legions (see České legie). He was also there in 1915 and 1916 on the way to and from the prisoners' camp by Totskoye. He must also have travelled through the city on his way back from Irkutsk in November 1920 after Comintern had called him back to act as an agitator in his homeland.
In 2013 a statue of Švejk was erected in Samara, being the fourth of its kind in Russia. The others are found in St. Petersburg, Omsk and Bugulma. There is also a Švejk restaurant in the city, and on the former Hotel San Remo where Jaroslav Hašek had his office in 1918 there used to be a memorial plaque on the wall, but it had been removed by 2010.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Zejména jsou neobyčejně protivné jeho věty takovéhoto smyslu: „Potom jsme šli na Bukovsko, abychom měli pojištěnou linii Bukovsko-Dynov, majíce spojení s bardějovskou skupinou u Velké Polanky, kde jsme rozbili samarskou divisi nepřítele.“
Jaroslav Hašek and other members of Strana mírného pokroku.
Lázně Poděbrady,21.5.1913
Poděbrady
is mentioned by Švejk in an anecdote about a chamber pot, as an aside to the abandoned Russian chamber pot in the Łupków Pass.
Background
Poděbrady
is a spa town in okresNymburk. It is located 50 km east of Prague on the river plain by the Labe.
Švejk's anecdote is one of many examples of how Hašek mixed his friends into the The Good Soldier Švejk. This time it is Ladislav Hájek who was also mentioned in Einjährigfreiwilliger Marek's tale from his time as editor of Svět zvířat.
Hašek in Poděbrady
In 1910 Jaroslav Hašek visited Poděbrady in connection with an interview for the position as editor of Nezávislost where he was potentially to succeed Ladislav Hájek. Unfortunately the author of The Good Soldier Švejk got drunk in HotelPraha end during the interview he provoked the gentlemen to interviewed him to the degree that they left the room in disgust[a].
In May 1913 he again visited Poděbrady, now in the company of friends from Strana mírného pokroku v mezích zákona. From this visit, a photo of Hašek and his entourage by the music pavilion in the spa area appeared in the newspaper Lážně Poděbrady on 21 May 1913.[b]
Demography
According to the 1910 census, Poděbrady had 5,675 inhabitants, of whom 5,640 (99 per cent) reported using Czech as their everyday language. The judicial district was okresPoděbrady, administratively it reported to hejtmanstvíPoděbrady.
Per the recruitment districts, infantrymen from Poděbrady were usually assigned to Infanterieregiment Nr. 36 (Jungbunzlau) or k.k. Landwehrinfanterieregiment Nr. 10 (Jungbunzlau).
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Na všechny to působilo ohromným dojmem, a když poručík Dub mlčel, ozval se Švejk: „Poslušně hlásím, pane lajtnant, že s takovým nočníkem byla jednou pěkná legrace v lázních Poděbradech. Vo tom se u nás vypravovalo na Vinohradech v hospodě. Tenkrát totiž začali vydávat v Poděbradech časopejsek ,Nezávislost’ a poděbradskej lekárník byl toho hlavní hlavou, a redaktorem tam udělali ňákýho Ladislava Hájka Domažlickýho.
In Trento Švejk served in the fictitious 104th regiment.
Dobrý voják Švejk-Slavie, 12.9.1912
Trento
is mentioned by the author in his discussion about the differing degrees of stupidity among civilian and military authorities. Here expressions like "half-fart", "fart" and "old arsehole" are used by soldiers when they describe senior officers.
In [IV.3] the city is mentioned again in connection with the homosexual Oberst Habermaier whom Švejk had heard or read about. He had tried to abuse a cadet 12 years ago, in the baths by the Adige.
Background
Trento
is a city in northern Italy that until 1918 was part of Austria. It was one of Austria-Hungary's strongest fortresses, protecting Valle dell'Adige (the Adige valley) against Italy. The city was predominantly Italian-speaking.
The large garrison was in the year leading up to World War I the home of units from Tyroler Kaiserjäger, fortress artillery, mountain artillery, regular infantry, as well as k.k. Landwehr. The city and the neighbouring garrisons at Levico and Cavalese housed 16. Infanteriebrigade, a unit that mostly consisted of Kaiserjäger but also contained infantry regiments from Bohemia. Thus many Czechs would have served in Trento during the years leading up to the outbreak of war.
The following Czech infantry regiments that were stationed here: Infanterieregiment Nr. 28 from Prague (1895-1899), Infanterieregiment Nr. 102 from Benešov (1900-1904), IR88 from Beroun (1905-1910) and again IR28 (1911-1912). Typically staff and three battalions from these regiments were garrisoned in Trento and the surrounding area.
Švejk and Trento
In the first version of The Good Soldier Švejk, who Jaroslav Hašek wrote five stories about in 1911, the soldier was stationed here and the garrison formed the backdrop for the plot. In the first story, Švejk stojí proti Italií, the soldier crosses the border and captures an Italian donkey and a machine gun. A prominent person is also garrison chaplain Augustin Kleinschrodt. It should also be noted that Švejk here was a one year volunteer, a privilege he lost in the follow-ups from 1917 and 1921. Trento is also the first place ever that is mentioned in all three permutations of The Good Soldier Švejk and thus deserves a special mention in the history of "Švejkology"!
These persons appear in the stories from Trento: major Teller, officer Walk, field chaplain Kleinschrodt, officer Müller, officer Knobloch, air force lieutenant Herzig, and major Gregorescu. Geographical references from the region are Adige (the valley), Castel-Nuovo, and Merano. It is also interesting that Hašek mentions Infanterieregiment Nr. 102 (3rd battalion) who were camped in the field by Castel-Nuovo. The author also mentions an air force unit.
Trento also features in Dobrý voják Švejk v zajetí, the second variation of the good soldier but here the city plays a peripheral role. One recognizes field chaplain Kleinschrodt but otherwise there are few details that can be analysed.
It is striking that Hašek mentions Trento in all three variations of The Good Soldier Švejk, indicating that he had been there in person, or at least that he drew inspiration from his friends. Therefore theories surrounding Hašek and his link to Trento abound, but no one has ever (to my knowledge) provided any firm backup for the various claims.
A comparison of the gallery of figures from the first five stories about Švejk with the personnel list of Schematismus (1904) does not reveal a single name that can possibly be connected to Trento. The closest fit is August Kleinschrodt but he was a major in Infanterieregiment Nr. 16, a unit that was garrisoned in Zagreb and the surrounding area.
This lack of connection between the galleries of fictional persons and real persons stationed in Trento is a glaring contrast to the later versions of The Good Soldier Švejk. Here it is obvious that many names hail from Hašek's own surroundings. One would therefore assume that the stories from Trento, as opposed to the later Švejks, are NOT based on the author's own experiences. Whereas the other versions of The Good Soldier Švejk are replete with references to actual military units, here only Infanterieregiment Nr. 102 and Infanterieregiment Nr. 104[c] are mentioned. Most of the first-mentioned regiment was actually stationed in Trento in 1904, but the 3rd battalion (that Hašek mentions) always remained at home in Benešov[a]. The latter regiment was Švejk's own but didn't exist at all (pointed out by Sergey Soloukh) as it was only raised towards the end of the war. In contrast to the later versions of The Good Soldier Švejk the five stories contain no references to local geographical points. Nor is there any trace of any Gefreiter Bozba, Oberst Habermaier or anyone with a similar name. Nor was any air force unit located in Trento.
Václav Menger
In 1906 IR88 were garrisoned in Trento...
Schematismus für das k.u.k. Heer (s. 591),1906
... and IR28 everywhere else.
Schematismus für das k.u.k. Heer (s. 471),1906
According to Václav Menger in his book Jaroslav Hašek doma, (1935) Hašek was called up in Trento in 1906. He allegedly enrolled in the reserve officer's school of Infanterieregiment Nr. 28, but was soon deemed unfit for service and dismissed (superarbitriert). His friends Josef Mach[1], Alois Hatina[2] and a son of the well known writer Alois Jirásek are said to have served here at the same time. Menger also adds that this group met Cesare Battisti[3]and also Benito Mussolini. The latter was supposedly inspired by Hašek to write a book about Hus...
Václav Menger does however note that these are mostly stories that Hašek himself set in circulation, and in a revised edition of the book, Lidský profil Jaroslava Haška (1946), the references to Mach, Hatina, Jirásek, Battisti and Mussolini were removed. What remains after Menger's "clean-up" is that Hašek avoided the draft twice until he in 1906 appeared at the officer's school of Infanterieregiment Nr. 28. Here he was soon dismissed. If this is true the call-up date would have been 1 October 1906.
Even Václav Menger's revised information could be questioned. In 1906 Infanterieregiment Nr. 28 could not have been garrisoned in Trento as this regiment didn't have any sub-units in the region that year[b]. Only in 1909 were three battalions and regiment staff relocated here. On the other hand: three battalions and staff of IR88 (Beroun) were here and in neighbouring Calvedese and Levico. Menger was often inaccurate in his use of years and other numbers (e.g. he wrote that Hašek wrote the five stories about The Good Soldier Švejk in 1910), so he may well have missed by a year or two or even swapped the regiments.
Battisti, Hatina, Mach, Mussolini
Portrét Josefa Macha od V. H. Brunnera z roku 1904 uveřejněný v Machově výboru Básně, 1933.
The legends that Hašek himself allegedly spread are even less credible, and some details can easily be disproved. Obviously Battisti lived in Trento during this period, but Mussolini surely didn't. He stayed here in 1909 and briefly worked as an editor at Il Popolo before he was arrested and expelled at the end of September. The incident provoked a 24 hour general strike in the region, and was widely reported in the press. Mussolini's book about Hus was actually published, but only in 1913. The title was Giovanni Huss, il veridico and it was written about in Czech newspapers[d]. Hašek may thus well have been aware of the book.
Alois Jirásek had one son, Jaromír. He was born in 1890 and therefore too young to have been a soldier in 1906. Alois Hatina would only by 1907 have reached an age where he could be called up for military service. Václav Menger thus had good reasons to remove the information about Mussolini, Battisti, Hatina and Jirásek when he published a revised version of his biography on Hašek in 1946.
Josef Mach did, according to Bára Havlátová (2013), complete his military service with IR88 in Trento from 1905 to 1906, so it must be assumed that Václav Menger simply mixed up Infanterieregiment Nr. 28 and IR88. This is however no proof that Hašek also was here in 1906, and in his biography on Hašek, The Bad Bohemian (1978), page 101, Cecil Parrott observes: "but like much that Menger writes there is not a scrap of evidence ...". According to Radko Pytlík Mach rejected that he ever served with Hašek in Trento.
Other theories
Kniha o Švejkovi, s. 133
Radko Pytlík, 1982
Alternative hypotheses also exist. According to the renowned Hašek-expert Radko Pytlík (Jaroslav Hašek. Data-fakty-dokumenty, (2013)) Josef Lada told the above-mentioned Hatina that Hašek in 1904 was called up to serve with a battalion of Infanterieregiment Nr. 91 that was garrisoned in Trento at the time. This hypothesis is however undermined by the fact that no units from IR. 91 were located here ever.
In 1904 Hašek set out on a longer journey to Bavaria, Switzerland and Tyrol and Radko Pytlík raised the question whether he could have enlisted as a soldier in Trento during this trip. That Hašek could have been here that year seems probable (he mentions Bozen/Bolzano in one of his stories), but that this was for the purpose of military duty seems very far fetched.
Despite the various theories it seems unlikely that Jaroslav Hašek ever was a soldier in Trento (or anywhere else) before World War I. In military archives it is at least twice recorded that he was "assentiert" (admitted) as late as 1914, indicating that he was never deemed fit for service in peacetime. This does however not rule out that he was called up in his youth and superarbitrated (like Václav Menger claims) and then called up again during the war[4], but no one has ever provided evidence supporting this claim.
Vormerkblatt Nr. 4886
The original German-language version of Hašek's Grundbuchblatt[5] has never been found but a Czech translation exists. It was probably written after 1915 because official documents from that year always refer to Vormerkblatt Nr. 4886. His Grundbuchblatt Nr. 1417 (translated into Czech) has no information that is not found in his Vorkmerkblatt.
An unlikely pre-war soldier
Das Infanterieregiment Nr.91 am Vormarsch in Galizien
Already in Toulavé house (1971) and Kniha o Švejkovi (1982) Radko Pytlík concluded that the inspiration for the first stories about The Good Soldier Švejk probably came from his friends, more specifically Josef Mach. The literary historian also adds that Mach refuted the claim by Václav Menger that Hašek enrolled in Trento in 1906. Wife Jarmila also wrote that Hašek was called up four times but was never passed fit for service. Emil Artur Longen even notes that Hašek in February 1915 told his friends that he was never drafted until now (Jaroslav Hašek, 1928, page 158). Ladislav Hájek stated explicitly that Hašek never served in the army in peacetime and that first five stories about Švejk were based on what he had heard about military life.
As mentioned above several units from the Czech lands were located in Trento from 1895 onwards (or earlier) so Hašek may, apart from Mach, have had many friends who served here and could have provided him with material for his stories. As a theme for future research it would be to ascertain whether Alois Hatina and Jaromír Jirásek ever served here, and when. That could provide an insight into the background of the rumours about Hašek and Mussolini, stories that linger on even today.
Radko Pytlík, Toulavé house, 1998
Do dnešního dne se nepodařilo dokázat, že Hašek už před válkou vykonával vojenskou službu."Čtyřikrát byl Míťa u odvodu a nikdy ho nevzali," píše Jarmila. Menger se domnívá, že byl Hašek na vojně v Tridentu, ale jen několik neděl, než byl superarbitrován pro "blbost". Josef Mach, který zde sloužil, však tuto zprávu vyvrací.
Radko Pytlík, Jaroslav Hašek, 2013
Josef Lada v rozhovoru sdělil Aloisu Hatinovi, že Hašek-expert se měl v roce 1904 dostavit k odvodu v Tridentu v Horním Tyrolsku(!), kde byl detašován jeden prápor 91. pluku – podle Lady to bylo právě v roce 1904!
Emil Artur Longen, Jaroslav Hašek, 1928
Hašek vysedával v Unionce a vypravoval o příštích válečných činech: "Od svého čtyřiadvacátého roku pociťaval jsem trpce, že byla na mě spáchána velika křivda, poněvadž jsem nebyl odveden. Musila se přihnat válečna litice, aby vojenská správa pochopila, že jsem rozený vojín".
Václav Menger, Jaroslav Hašeka, 1935
Jaroslav Hašek, ač již v obou předcházejících letech unikl onomu osudnému slovu "tauglich", při posledním odvodu v roce 1906 mu neunikl. Byl odveden a přidělen do důstojnické školy 28. pěšího pluku "Pražských dětí", který tou dobou byl rozložen v Tyrolích, v Tridentu a Levicu. Nezůstal tam však dlouho. Zde vlastně sebral své první zkušenosti pro "Dobrého vojáka Švejka před válkou", kterého však začal psát až v roce 1910. Když se vrátil z tohoto svého prvního vojenského tažení, vyprávěl - tak jako všichni ti, kteří na vojně strávili třeba jen jediný den - obsáhlé legendy. A ještě dlouhá léta dovedl vyprávěti o těch několika nedělích, které strávil v Tridentu, kdy byl po svém příchodu k pluku při dodatečné prohlídce uznán neschopným a jako takový poslán k superarbitrační komisi. Ta tento nález potvrdila a Hašek měl po své vojenské slávě.
V té době byl v Tridentu dávný přítel Haškův, básník Mach a současně s ním byli v Tridentu narukovaní syn Aloise Jiráska a nynější poslanec Hatina. Než byly vyřízeny obvyklé formality a než prošlo plukovním rozkazem Haškovo propuštění, uplynulo několik neděl, které trávil s jmenovanými druhy. Scházeli se, jak sám vypravoval, v jakési vinárně, kde je Mach seznámil s bývalým poslancem na říšském sněmu Caesarem Batisti, jenž byl za světové války rakouskou vládou odsouzen к smrti a popraven. Kolem Batistiho shromažďovala se také společnost italských emigrantů, z nichž jeden, jakýsi redaktor sociálně demokratických listů, se brzy spřátelil s Jaroslavem. Velmi ho zajímaly české dějiny a zejména doba husitská. Dokonce se odhodlal napsat o tom knížku a Hašek mu ochotně poskytl prameny i materiál. Zejména jej upozornil na knihu Friedricha von Bezolda: „Das Hussitentum”, která vyšla v Mnichově. Tato italsky psaná kniha o husitismu, inspirovaná Haškem, skutečně vyšla a jejím autorem není nikdo jiný než dnes „velký duce” — Mussolini, kterému se ovšem tenkráte, tak jako Haškovi, ještě ani nesnilo o velké slávě, neboť byl pouhým štvaným emigrantem.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] U některých posádek, jako například v Tridentu, místo prďoch říkalo se „náš starej hajzl“. Ve všech případech šlo o osobu starší, a jestli Švejk nazval v duchu poručíka Duba poloprďochern, vystihl naprosto logicky, že jak do stáří, tak do hodnosti a vůbec do všeho schází poručíkovi Dubovi do prďocha ještě 50 procent.
[IV.3.1] Švejk pokračoval na své cestě do vesnice, a přemýšleje o plukovníkovi, dospěl k tomu úsudku, že před dvanácti lety byl v Tridentu nějaký plukovník Habermaier, který se také tak laskavě choval k vojákům, a nakonec vyšlo najevo, že je homosexuelní, když chtěl v lázních u Adiže zprznit jednoho kadetaspiranta, vyhrožuje mu „dienstreglamá“.
Credit: Václav Menger, Radko Pytlík, Bára Havlátová
Josef Mach (1883-1951), poet and friend of Jaroslav Hašek and one of the key figures in Strana mírného pokroku v mezích zákona. Mach served as a one-years volunteer by IR88 in Trento from 1905 to 1906.
Alois Hatina (1886-1950), politician and pacifist, also a friend of Hašek. Close to the anarchist movement in his younger years, later member of Česká strana národně sociální for which he served as an MP after the war. Sentenced for anti-militarist agitation in 1909 and arrested again at the outbreak of war.
Cesare Battisti (1875-1916), journalist and socialist politician. Prominent spokesperson for the Irredentism movement who aimed to incorporate the Italian-speaking areas of Austria into Italy. Editor of Il Popolo in Trento. Member of the Austrian Imperial Council (Reichsrat) from 1911. At the outbreak of war he moved to Italia, and volunteered for military service against Austria-Hungary in 1915. Taken prisoner in 1916 and executed.
Many recruits who had been superarbitrated in peacetime were eventually re-assessed and found "tauglich" during the war. One such example is Nemrava but in this case the "Grundbuchblatt" exists to shed light on the proceedings.
"Grundbuchblatt" (or Haupt-Grundbuchblatt) was a document that summarized details from a soldier's military career. Apart from personal details like birthplace/year, marital status, language skills, right of domicile, height, shoe size etc, it contained information about draft, military education, promotion, transfers, decorations and dismissal/retirement where applicable. "Vormerkblatt" was a smaller paper, often only one page and functioned as a working paper/note pad. Details from this and other documents where in general later copied to the soldier's "Grundbuchblatt".
Bytouchov
is mentioned in connection with the soldier Kudela.
Background
Bytouchov
(now Bítouchov) is a village near Mladá Boleslav.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] A nebejt mě, tak by se k tomu raportu snad vůbec nedostal, jako ten Kudela z Bytouchova, kterej za aktivní služby tak dlouho chodil k raportu, až byl přeloženej k marině, kde se stal kornetem, a byl na ňákým vostrově potom, v Tichým oceánu, vyhlášenej jako desertýr. Von se tam potom voženil a mluvil taky s cestovatelem Havlasou, kterej vůbec nepoznal, že to není domorodec
Mnichovo Hradiště
is a town to the north of Mladá Boleslav.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Když odešel, obrátil se Švejk k nadporučíkovi Lukášovi jemným, přátelským tónem: „V Mnichově Hradišti byl taky takovej jeden pán a taky tak s tím druhým mluvil, a von mu vodpověděl: ,Na popravišti se sejdeme.’„
Szczawne
is described by the author during the train journey from the Łupków Pass to Sanok. It is a tale of destruction, even more white crosses, and a statue of Christ who has had his head blown off.
Background
Szczawne
is a village in the Podkarpacki (Subcarpathian) region of Poland, located by the railway line between the Łupków Pass and Sanok. The railway station is called Szczawne-Kulaszne. The area was, until 1947, mainly populated by Ukrainians, but these were forcibly resettled during the ethnic cleansing that followed in the wake of World War II.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Za stanicí Ščavne počaly se objevovat opět v údolích nové vojenské hřbitůvky. Pod Ščavne bylo vidět z vlaku kamenný kříž s bezhlavým Kristem pánem, který ztratil hlavu při odstřelu trati.
Kulaszne
is described by the author during the train journey from the Łupków Pass to Sanok. He writes that a Red Cross train has been attacked and derailed, and cook Jurajda asks if things have gone so far that it is permitted to shoot at a Red Cross train. Švejk philosophically retorts that there are many things that are not permitted but can still be done.
Background
Kulaszne
is a village in the Komańcza community in the Podkarpackie (Subcarpathian) region of Poland, on the railway line between the Łupków Pass and Sanok. The railway station is called Szczawne-Kulaszne.
The village was occupied by the Russian army from November 1914 to 8 May 1915. At the time, it was populated predominantly by Ukrainians of the Greek Catholic faith. These were expelled after World War II, but as of 2010 the village again has a Greek Catholic church.
With near certainty, the XII. Marschbataillon of Infanterieregiment Nr. 91 with Jaroslav Hašek passed this point on 2 July 1915 or shortly after. They had reached Humenné on that date and would presumably have travelled onwards very soon. We also know that they approached Sambor on 4 July.
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] Vlak zrychloval svou rychlost, žena se dolů údolím k Sanoku, obzory se rozšiřovaly a tím i četnějšírni stávaly se celé skupiny rozbitých vesnic po obou stranách do kraje. U Kulašné bylo vidět dole v říčce s železničního náspu zřícený, rozbitý vlak Červeného kříže.
Málaga
is mentioned by cook Jurajda when he tells about the nurses at the Red Cross in Bruck who misappropriated chocolate and Málaga wine.
Background
Málaga
is a city in Andalusia, southern Spain. Málaga wine is a sweet dessert wine produced in the region around the city. This type of wine has a history dating back to Roman times and is protected by designation of origin (Denominación de Origen).
Quote(s) from the novel
[III.3] „Hlavně se krade u Červeného kříže,“ s velkou zlostí prohlásil kuchař Jurajda. „Měl jsem v Brucku známého kuchaře, který vařil pro sestřičky v baráku, a ten mně říkal, jak představená těch sestřiček a vrchní ošetřovatelky posílají domů celé bedny malaga a čokolády. To nese sama sebou příležitost, to je sebeurčení člověka.
deennosk
SearchMapŠvejkova cesta
