Velhartice

Velhartice is a village in the Czech Republic dating to the 13th century, dominated by a Gothic castle. The castle was built 1290-1310 by a gentleman who later became coutrier and close friend of the Emperor Charles IV (1316-1378). During the Thirty Years' War, Emperor Ferdinand II gave the castle to one of his generals, Don Balthazar de Marradas who, in 1628, sold it to Don Martin de Hoeff Huerta who bought it for his beautiful adopted daughther Anne-Marie.

In 1790's the Desfours family, who at that time also owned the castle, built in Velhartice a paper-making factory which, during the World War II, made sleeping bags for the German Army. A leather-tanning factory openned in 1882 and during the Second World War provided leather for military boots made in the neighboring town. In 1945, several armored units of Patton's 6th Army were stationed in Velhartice. The last owner of the Velhartice castle, Prince Windisch-Graetz, was expelled for Austria in 1946. Presently the castle is claimed by the Czech Republic.