The Good Soldier Švejk mentions numerous institutions and firms, both public and private. Until 15 September 2013, these were categorised as
'Places' on these pages. That categorisation only partly makes sense, because this type of entity cannot always be
tied to geographical coordinates in the way that cities, mountains, and rivers can. This page therefore covers
military and civilian institutions (including army units, regiments, etc.), organisations, hotels, public houses,
newspapers, and magazines.
The boundary between this page and 'Places' is not always clear-cut. Churches, for instance, rarely change location
yet are still included here. By contrast, Prague and Vienna remain in the 'Places' database because they have fixed
coordinates. Institutions, however, may move: Odvodní komise and Bendlovka are not unambiguous geographical terms,
so they are listed on this page.
The names are colour-coded according to their role in the novel, as illustrated by the following examples:
U kalicha, a location where the plot takes place.
k.u.k. Kriegsministerium, mentioned in the narrative.
Zákopníci
was mentioned when the author mentions that Švejk and Feldkurat Katz carried out yet another field mass, this time for the engineering troops.
Later in the novel the engineering troops are given a face through the aggressive and ill-tempered Sappeur Vodička.
Background
ZákopníciPioneers
is a Czech term for military engineering troops, literally "trench-diggers". It indicates that their role was to dig trenches but their task went well beyond that, included the building of fortifications, temporary roads and bridges.
Pioniere versus Sappeure
In k.u.k. Heer the engineering units were from 1893 organised in 15 Pionierbataillone. From 1 October 1912 these forces were reorganised by reducing the number of pioneer battalions to 8 and creating 14 Sappeurbataillone. Their areas of responsibility largely overlapped, so it is hard to say which branch Hašek had in mind. Translations also diverge. The two latest English translations (Zenny Sadlon and Cecil Parrott) both interpret it as Sapper whereas both German translations use the word Pionier. Both interpretations are adequate.
Engineering troops in Prague
Until 1912, Pionierbataillon Nr. 3 was stationed in Ferdinandova kasárna in Karlín. In connection with the reforms that year, the three battalions were transferred to the newly formed Sappeurbataillon Nr. 3. Only Ergänzungsbezirkskommando remained in Karlín as the unit was relocated to Rovereto[a].
At the front
The author probably "transferred" Feldkurat Katz's field masses from the front, so in this context it's hardly relevant that there were no engineering troops in Prague in 1914. That said, he surely came across them at the front during the summer of 1915, so this sequence is probably inspired by these encounters (if they are fact-based at all).
One such occasion was 20 July 1915 when pioneer company no. 8 from Pionierbataillon Nr. 10 were to assist Infanterieregiment Nr. 91 and their sister regiments in building a bridge across Bug (see General Ritter von Herbert). The attempt was abandoned due to the flooding river and that very night the regiment was ordered to urgently march to Sokal.
The Good Soldier Švejk in Captivity
In the short novel the term sapper is used once.[1]
Zdá se opravdu, že na něho počínalo účinkovat okolí. Při obědě podařilo se 'pánu jenerálu' pomocí jiného blázna propašovat Švejkovi psaní tohoto obsahu: "Ministerstvu námořnictví byl dán rozkaz, aby bylo pohotově kdykoliv přivézti z Asie 300 000 mužů. Povolávám do zbraně všechny výzvy. 60 000 vojska hnulo se na severovýchod. Sapéři pracují na okopech dělostřeleckých."
Quote(s) from the novel
[I.12] Švejk sloužil s polním kurátem ještě jednu polní mši u zákopníků, kam byl omylem pozván ještě jeden polní kurát, bývalý katecheta, neobyčejně nábožný člověk, dívající se na svého kolegu velice udiveně, když ten mu nabízel ze Švejkovy polní láhve, kterou ten vždy nosil na takové náboženské úkony s sebou, doušek koňaku.
[II.3] Vysvětlil mu všechno dopodrobna a Vodička prohlásil, že je starej sapér a že ho nemůže opustit, a že půjdou psaní odevzdat spolu.
[II.3] "Jednou ti už takovýho kluka maďarskýho držím za chřtán v Pausdorfě, kam jsme šli my saperáci na víno, a chci mu dát jednu überšvunkem přes kokos v tý tmě, poněvadž jsme hned, jak to začlo, praštili láhví do visací lampy, a von najednou začne křičet: ,Tondo, dyť to jsem já, Purkrábek, vod 16. landvér!`
[II.3] My saperáci jsme, když to do nás vjede, potvory. My nejsme jako ty železný mouchy.
House No. 362 Zlatý věnec seen from Pobřezní třída
Právo lidu,21.1.1899
Národní politika,20.4.1901
U zlatého věnce
was mentioned when Švejk tells Feldkurat Katz that he dropped by and overheard a story about the man from Nová Paka who landed in trouble by handing back things he had found. This is, according to Švejk, a universally bad idea.
Background
U zlatého věnceThe Golden Wreath
refers to a tavern in Královská třída 59 named after the house Zlatý věnec (The Golden Wreath) in Pobřežní třída 30 that was attached to it from the back. In 1907, the owner of both buildings was Marie Holubová.
Newspaper adverts and minor notices from around the turn of the century show that there was a guest house here. The adverts announced meetings of a trade union and theatre performances so it was probably a spacious establishment. At the end of 1894 the Metal worker's trade union was founded here.
The landlord in 1892 and 1896 was Antonín Beran who already in 1884 is listed as owner of the house. In 1907, Marie Holubová is entered as owner of both house 161 and 362 but no hostelry is listed on the premises. In 1910, Josef Tichý is the landlord but in 1912 no pub is found at this address anymore.
It is not known when the tavern started operation, but it must have been before 1891. We also do not know when the establishment closed its doors for good.
Quote(s) from the novel
[I.12] Včera jsem mluvil v hospodě ,U zlatého věnce’ s jedním člověkem z venkova, je mu už šestapadesát let, a ten šel se optat na okresní hejtmanství do Nové Paky, proč mu rekvisírovali bryčku.
Hejtmanství Nová Paka
is mentioned by Švejk in an anecdote he tells Feldkurat Katz. At U zlatého věnce he had spoken to a 56-year-old man from the countryside who had gone to their offices to ask why his carriage had been requisitioned for war duty. Here he had been thrown out immediately.
Background
Hejtmanství Nová Paka
was the political administration of the Nová Paka district. It is not known exactly where the offices were located but it is assumed that it was in the town centre. In 1913, the district consisted of the boroughs Hořice and Nová Paka. It was relatively new, created on 1 October 1903 from areas that previously had belonged to hejtmanstvíJičín and hejtmanství Pardubice.
Demography
According to the 1910 census, hejtmanství Nová Paka had 64,628 inhabitants, of whom 61,860 (95 per cent) reported using Czech as their everyday language.
Per the recruitment districts, infantrymen from hejtmanství Nová Paka were usually assigned to Infanterieregiment Nr. 74 (Jičin) or k.k. Landwehrinfanterieregiment Nr. 11 (Jičin).
Quote(s) from the novel
[I.12] Včera jsem mluvil v hospodě ,U zlatého věnce’ s jedním člověkem z venkova, je mu už šestapadesát let, a ten šel se optat na okresní hejtmanství do Nové Paky, proč mu rekvisírovali bryčku.
Uršulinky
is mentioned in the anecdote about the holy water of Lourdes that caused a loose stomach. See Vlašim for more details.
Background
Uršulinky
is the good soldier's term for Klášter Voršilek, a monastery with adjoining church at Národní třída in Prague, until 1918 Ferdinandová třída. It belongs to the Ursuline order, a Catholic organisation that is mainly preoccupied with the education of girls. It derives its name from St. Ursula. From 1958 the building complex has been under heritage protection.
The monastery was built between 1674 and 1676 and, also during the reign of the House of Habsburg, it provided boarding and education for girls.
Quote(s) from the novel
[I.12] Vono by jich tam patřilo víc. U uršulinek mají v klášteře lahvičku s mlékem panny Marie, kterým kojila Ježíška, a v sirotčinci u Benešova, když jim tam přivezli lurdskou vodu, dostali po ní sirotkové takovou běhavku, že to svět neviděl.“
Sirotčinec u Benešova
is mentioned when Švejk tells the pious field chaplain about the holy water from Lourdes that caused stomach trouble for the children at the nursery home.
Background
Sirotčinec u Benešova
surely refers to the home for parentless children in Benešov, "Domov". It was built around the turn of the century, was owned by the town, and seems to have been located below Konopiště castle.
Quote(s) from the novel
[I.12] U uršulinek mají v klášteře lahvičku s mlékem Panny Marie, kterým kojila Ježíška, a v sirotčinci u Benešova, když jim tam přivezli lurdskou vodu, dostali po ní sirotkové takovou běhavku, že to svět neviděl."
U Piaristů
is mentioned by the pious (and drunk) field chaplain when he asks his colleague Feldkurat Katz if he doesn't believe that the thumb of John the Baptist is found in this church.
Background
U Piaristů
is a colloquial term for Kostel svatého Kříže, a monastery with church and a school located at the corner of Na Příkopě and Panská ulice that until 1912 belonged to the Piarist order. They are a Catholic educational order founded in 1617 and is the oldest of its kind. Their main purpose is to provide free education for poor children.
The church, which is built in a classical style, was constructed between 1816 and 1824. Among those who studied here was Vrchlický.
After the introduction of a new school law in 1869, the state took over and one part became a gymnasium (German) and the other a teacher's institute. In 1912 the Piarists finally sold the building. Today the church is run by the Catholic institute Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians of DonBosco).
It was on the street corner by this church that Oberleutnant Lukáš was to meet a lady, when on a walk with the dog Fox, he unfortunately bumped into Oberst Kraus. We already know the end of that story.
Quote(s) from the novel
[I.12] Mžouraje očima, otázal se Katze: „Vy nevěříte v neposkvrněné početí panny Marie, nevěříte, že palec sv. Jana Křtitele, který se chrání u piaristů, je pravý? Věříte vůbec v pána boha? A když nevěříte, proč jste polním kurátem?“
