Last modified: 2002-08-30 by jarig bakker
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The municipal emblem is based on the coat-of-arms of the Višně family
and the Rosenberg rose. Description: There are three crimson semi-bands
on a white (silver) field. A Gothic shield bears a stylized red Rosenberg
rose with a golden center.
Town History:
The first mention of the town is from 1347. The current municipality
of Větřní includes several other former settlements and minor municipalities
- Dobrné, Hašlovice, Lužná, Nahořany, Němče, Zátoň and Zátoňské Dvory.
These villages, Větřní included, belonged in the past to different
administrative entities. Dobrné, Hašlovice, Lužná and Zátoň would have
been, along with Bohdalovice, the southern outpost of the estates owned
by the Monastery of St. Bernard in Ostrov (near Prague by Davle, at the
confluence of the rivers Vltava and Sázava). Their names were mentioned
for the first time in a deed issued by Pope Clement V in 1310 acknowledging
the real estate possessions and privileges of the monastery in Ostrov.
The second oldest source associated with the villages is contained in 1390
Register of Land and Duties held by the monastery itself.
The first written document of Zátoň dates back perhaps even earlier
in history. Prince Břetislav, who ruled in Bohemia between 1037 and 1066,
is believed to have donated some land to the monastery, including "the
wooded area called Zátoň, with the Chapel of St. John the Baptist and all
its appurtenances".
In 1410 Nahořany and Zátoňské Dvory belonged to the Premonstratensian
Monastery of Strahov. The first written records of the two villages are
somewhat older, Nahořany being first mentioned in 1379 and Zátoňské Dvory
in 1379. Němče would have probably been an independent gentleman's country
residence, first mentioned in writing in 1293.
The oldest evidence of the existence of Větřní dates back to 1347 and
is linked with the Višně family, which also played an important role in
the entire early history of the region. On September 7, 1347 Petr of Rosenberg
presented his chamberlain, Višně, with the hereditary tenancy of the estate
in Větřní. Although at that time the Višněs did not own the estate, they
started to call themselves the Višněs of Větřní. They became its hereditary
landlords only on January 10, 1368, as confirmed by a deed of covenant
issued by four Rosenberg brothers, which also included the Pečka Mill.
Petr Višně is known to have been the first bearer of the family coat-of-arms
as preserved on his seal. It had three semibands on the upper part of the
escutcheon, three semi-bands on its lower part, and barrel as a jewel over
the helmet. In the second half of the 14th century and almost throughout
the entire 15th century members of the Višně family held the highest posts
with the Rosenbergs. In the 16th century their economic standing and power
position worsened. Jan Višně of Větřní, the last known member of the family,
sold Větřní, Metlín, Kaliště and Němče to the town of Český Krumlov in
1603 and after the Bílá Hora battle went abroad where his traces disappeared.
In mid-18th century Větřní and Němče were part of the Český Krumlov
estate.
A principal change in the life of Větřní and neighboring villages took
place when a sanding shop was founded in the Pečka Mill, representing the
beginnings of what would become a major paper and pulp mill.
The origins of the paper mill in Větřní date back to 1867 when its
founder, Hynek Spiro, bought the Pečka Mill which until then had served
its original purpose.
The establishment of the paper mill substantially affected the population
growth in the municipality. Between 1880 and 1910 the population increased
from 231 to 1005 and in 1930 the municipality had 1697 residents.
After World War One the country's economic situation stabilized and
the Spiro paper mill developed into a large company employing more than
a thousand people.
Later, mainly due to the new housing developments with multi-storey
apartment buildings, the municipality acquired a partly urban look. The
current population of Větřní is around 3800 people. Today, as in the preceding
more than a hundred years, the economic life of the municipality is dominated
by the local paper works, now a joint-stock company.
Information from the Větřní
homepage.
Jarig Bakker, 28 Aug 2002
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