Slavkov, by Brno, has been broadly entered into history books because of the bloody combat that took place in the fields very near the city, on 2 December 1805. With the exception of our lands, it is internationally recognized under the auspices of “Austerlitz,” or in Russian, as “Avstěrlic.” An unclear mutual relation between the two names – Slavkov and Austerlitz – bothered Czech intellectuals in the city in the second half of the 19th Century. The intellectuals, in their fight to achieve national independence, wanted to answer the question which asked why this city had, in addition to its pure Czech name, also one of German origins.
One of the layman problem-solvers was Slavkov’s mayor, Jan Koláček (1810 – 1894), who headed the municipal authority from 1861 to 1876. He was an intelligent and cultured man, who had completed high school, and did not attend a university merely because he lacked the necessary financial means. After his appointment to office, he introduced mandatory Czech language use in all municipal dealings, established a municipal chronicle, and began studying and organizing documents in the public archives. During this activity, he discovered in an old document yet another name for Slavkov and Austerlitz, which made it the third name to date: “Novosedlice.” In different times, with many different connections, this name was, in many ways, mutilated. Starting with “Nouozedeliz,” in Latin documents dating back to 1207 (?), which is the oldest written evidence of Slavkov’s existence, up to “Neusedlitz,” in a 1370 document. Koláček was not able to explain the mutual relationship between these names – Slavkov – Austerlitz – Novosedlice – and this is why he sought an explanation from the foremost expert at the time, the author of “Dějiny národa českého v Čechách a na Moravě” (A History of the Czech Nation in Bohemia and Moravia), František Palacký.He received a letter in response, dated 18 February 1864, in Prague, in which Palacký offered an explanation:
Dear Honorable Sir,
The question that you have asked of me, as to why the name “Navssedlicz” appears in the German 1416 document, and has become the name “Slavkov” in the 1422 Latin document, is one of the most complicated problems in the topographic history of Moravia. Do not let it concern you that the name “Nausedlicz” has disappeared completely, and that there is only the new name “Slavkov,” as the old name is still alive and well and flourishing, although it seems to be used only by German speakers because centuries ago they distorted the sound so much that today we have the name “Austerlitz” from “Nausedlicz.” It is just one of the many nuisances that the Germans have, in addition to their culture, imposed upon our country. Well, I am certainly convinced that since 1361 (and also before), Slavkov has been called “Slavkov” by Czech and Moravians, but Germans still call it “Hausterlitz” (Nausedlitz).
But I am obliged to prove the truth of my words. Please read the last part of my book, “Dějiny národa českého,” where you will find a note (322) on the year 1468 on page 436, about Hostiradice, in which Germans still call it “Hosterlitz,” or sometimes “Hausterlitz,” and write it “Navserlitz,” which, as you can certainly appreciate, causes a bit of confusion. Past generations of Germans were never very good in the accuracy of their names, both in speech and in written form. During the 15th Century, they probably confused the names “Nausedlicz” and “Hausterlitz.” The cause for this confusion may have been the fact that at the time of King Vácslav I, there were settlements of Knights of the Cross at both places, who were first banished from Novosedlice u Slavkova, and then from Hostiradice.
According to similar facts, I assume that “Novosedlice” and “Slavkov” were originally two individual villages, located fairly close to one another, and the first one was dominated by Germans, and the second was inhabited by Czechs. Later, as early as the 14th Century, both villages were united to form a single town. The name “Novosedlice” has always been more natural and common for Germans to say, but they continued to brutalize the language from “Nausedlicz,” following the pattern of the name Hostiradice, to “Hauserlitz,” and nowadays we hear then say “Austerlitz”…
I cannot now go into great detail of the problem at hand, but should you give my argument to other experts to judge, perhaps to the Moravian Regional Archivist, Mr. Brandl, for example, then I assume that my statement will be sufficient to convince him of my argument. The facts about Slavkov that Mr. Volný presents in his book about Moravian topography are extremely incorrect; information in his later book, “Kirchliche Topographie,” part VI, page 472, is much more precise. Please study the book yourself, or better, go, as I did, to original documents, such as “Bočkův diplomatář,” and to regional documents that have been recently published, in which you will find the following reliable information pertaining to Slavkov’s history:20 March 1243. The first witness in the annals, “frater Ulricus commendator domus Teutonicorum in Nuzedlic.”
30 April 1243. This time, the same witness spelled the name “in Nuzedeliz,” and then “de Navzedlice,” refer to Boček III, 24, 25, 288.
1 October 1248. Pope Innocenc IV orders a decision on the case that Tišnov nuns led against German monks “de Novzeliz,” refer to Boček III, 95.
29 July 1285. The witness in the annals, “frater Perlachus commendator de Novo Sedlicz,” refer to Boček IV, 297, 299.
30 April 1294. There are witnesses in the annals of the German Order of Monks, “frater Andreas de Novosedlicz and frater Ulricus de Hosteradicz,” refer to Boček V, 5.
26 May 1294. As a reward for Dipold’s services, from the Provincial Office of the German Order of Moravia and Bohemia, King Vácslav liberated the town of Novosedlice (forum Novosedlicz) and gives it to the local authority of the German Order of monks, refer to Boček V, 2. 3. page 288.
15 December 1323. Since they were asked by citizen Vácslav Novosedlický (civis de Nausedlitz), several bishops from Avignon granted the Church of St. Jakub and St. Marie in Novosedlice ordinary indulgences, refer to Boček.
Cod. dipl. VI. 191. At this time, it appears that Novosedlice and Slavkov together created a city rather rich with population.
1361, a reference in regional annals to “villa Pyrpaum vulgariter Hrušky prope Slavkov” (Brno regional annals, page 45, n 5). Concerning this, there is no doubt that the name “Slavkov” was, at that time, already used.
25 November 1370. Vineyard in “in Neusedlicz” has been registered for the monastery of Augustan monks in Brno (Brno regional annals, page 961, n 1).
1386, Ješek of Melice sells “commendatori et ceteris cruciferis de domo Teutonica de Nausedlicz” parts of his village, Nízkovice (“Neskovic”). (Brno regional annals, page 171, n 387).
I will continue this list no further, but I can assume that this is more than sufficient. What I have stated is ample evidence that I was correct.
It seems to me that the note about the St. Jakub Church from 1323, which was, according Mr. Volný, pulled down, but still stands in the minds of Slavkov citizens, is of the utmost importance; it used to be the main church in the town. I expect that you will acquire more historical information about your city. I spent all day inquiring into the information that I now offer to you, but I did it with pleasure because your queries invoked my personal interest. I am also pleased to hear that Moravia, my homeland, is ever growing, that the national sentiment has been strengthened, and that there is a conscientious effort for more substantial education. May God bless these activities, and indulge my fellow country men in their enlightenment, industrial development, and overall quality of life. I have not yet sent your two documents from 1416 and 1422 back to you, but I shall do so at the next possible time that I have no fear that they will be lost during delivery, as it would be a real pity to misplace them.
If not sooner, I will deliver them by the end of May, at which point I am expected in Brno, and I will take them with me – and perhaps I will even bring them to Slavkov, provided that my honorable friend, Prelate Napp, wishes to accompany me to your city.Please inform me once you have received my letter.
Sincerely Yours,
Dr. Frant. Palacký
The cited letter by František Palacký to Slavkov is today missing. Its text has remained only as a copy that is saved in the Vyškov District archives, in Slavkov near Brno, ref. no. 681/177. The following note has been added to the original text itself:
It was copied from the original text that Mr. Jan Koláček, the town mayor, presented to the school library and was cataloged there on 20 September 1876.Matěj Woděra
Mayor Note: Frant. Palacký, born on 14 June 1798 in Hodslavice na Moravě, after 1823 he lived in Prague, where died on Friday, 26 May 1876, following the Lord’s Ascension at 4:30.Matěj Woděra, 1820/976
Josef Mazánek, currently a director and teacher, made the second copy of Palacký’s letter to Slavkov in 1879 as a school chronicle, with the title “Hausprotokoll der Stadt Austerlitzer Trivialschule.” It is highly likely that he also copied the text of the letter from the original, despite the fact that his version has some spelling deviancies from the copy of Matěj Woděra. In addition to this, there have been copies reproduced in the following years, although they tend to deviate from the original version, and we can easily assume that they were not made directly from the original. The most important of these is the copy made by the chronicler Rudolf Kyjovský for the town’s chronicles (entry for year 1928, page 6), and then another copy, this one reproduced with glaring mistakes, by the chronicler Jaroslav Jakeš, recorded in 1962, pages 55 – 58.
We know Palacký’s letter only from later copies, but we can study Koláček’s response in the original. It was sent from Slavkov’s post office on 22 February 1864 and the next day it was delivered to the post office in Prague. Today, this letter has been placed in František Palacký collection in the Literární archiv Památníku národního písemnictví (National Building of Literature Archives) in Prague, and Dr. Jiří Kořalka, CSc., who continuously devotes himself to the study of Palacký’s documents, gave me a Xeroxed copy of it.There is an address on the envelope:
Dear Sir,
Dr. František Palacký
Deputy of Imperial Council, Chamber of Lords
In Prague (Prag)
and there is a stamp “Recomandirt” affixed. On the other side of the envelope, there appear registered mail stamps from Slavkov and Prague: “Austerlitz 22/2,” “Prag 23/2 11. F.”..
The text of Koláček’s reply to Palacký is as follows:
Dear Honorable Sir,
I am not, and I suppose will never be, able to thank you enough for your kindness and competent explanation about the name of my city that you offered in your most well-received letter, dated the 18th of this month. After reading your letter, I was truly ashamed to admit my own inabilities as a historical writer to document my local history. I have thought about the origins of “Austerlitz” very often, and it had never crossed my mind that it had, perhaps, been mutilated and reverted from the name “Nausedlitz,” which makes me believe that I now know how to make an egg stand on its end because of the patience you took to explain this to me. I would have never figured out that Neusedlitz and Slavkov used to be two different villages in the vicinity of each other, but I now see that it must have been so, due to the simplicity and conciseness of your argument. Beside Slavkov itself, and connected to it, there is a street called Špitalská (Hospital Street) that creates a suburb. It has 66 buildings and has its own sort of independence. It has its own land register, its own little church (St. Jan Křt), and until 1848, it used to elect its own regional authorities. This year, it has been centralized under the town of Slavkov, placing it under municipal authority. The history of the street goes far into the past, which is why there cannot be any doubt that this must be one of the twins to which you refer in your letter, probably bearing the name Hospital Street because later on a hospital was built there.I believe that Mr. Brandl could hardly have given me any better explanation than you presented with your invaluable letter, and I, and all fellow citizens of my city, shall remain forever in your debt, and we shall preserve your letter for future generations as a dear reminder in our town archives.
Dear Sir,
You greatly pleased both my friends and me with the conclusion of your letter where you mention that you may visit our city in May, honoring us with your presence. So I write this with the hopes that you may make good of this promise, and I invite you and the Prelate to come and see us soon, as we are very much looking forward to meeting with you.
I am not worried about the documents that I sent you because I have no doubt that they are, indeed, safe with you.
I send you my utmost appreciation and best wishes.
Yours Sincerely,
J. Koláček
As we know, František Palacký never visited Slavkov. However, the knowledge that he maintained written contact with the mayor of the town and that he contributed to the explanation of the origin and the development of its name, survived in the public consciousness for years to come. Respect for Mr. Palacký, who was an integral historical figure contributing to our culture and national politics, was demonstrated by the fact that in 1898, the one hundredth anniversary of Palacký’s birth, Slavkov’s main square was given the honor of Mr. Palacký’s name. Since then, it bears the name of František Palacký in good and bad days, right up to the present.