- Svitavy
Geobox | Settlement
name = Svitavy
other_name =
category = Town
image_caption = Peace Square in Svitavy
| flag_border = 1
symbol = Svitavy znak 2.jpeg
etymology =
official_name =
motto =
nickname =
country = Czech Republic
country_
state =
region = Pardubice
region_type = Region
district = Svitavy
district_type = District
commune = Svitavy
municipality =
part =
river = Svitava
location =
elevation = 435
lat_d = 49
lat_m = 45
lat_s = 20
lat_NS = N
long_d = 16
long_m = 28
long_s = 10
long_EW = E
highest =
highest_elevation =
highest_lat_d =
highest_long_d =
lowest =
lowest_elevation =
lowest_lat_d =
lowest_long_d =
area = 31.33
area_round = 2
population = 17476
population_date = 2006-07-03
population_density = auto
established = around 1150
established_type = Founded
mayor = Jiří Brýdl
timezone =
map_background = Czechia - background map.png
map_caption = Location in the Czech Republic
map_locator = Czechia
commons = Svitavy
statistics = [http://www.statnisprava.cz/ebe/ciselniky.nsf/i/577731 statnisprava.cz]
website = [http://www.svitavy.cz/ www.svitavy.cz]
footnotes =Svitavy (IPA2|ˈsvɪtavɪ; German: "Zwittau") is a town in the
Svitavy District in thePardubice Region of theCzech Republic . The town has a population of 18,000 and is also the district administrative centre.History
The town was founded in around 1150, when monks set up the church and nearby village. A century later German speaking colonists were moved into the area. From 1256 Svitavy was owned by bishops of
Olomouc . The city has been destroyed twice, during theThirty Years' War the town was devastated and in 1781 it was burned down by accident. In 1866, a cease-fire between Prussia and Austria was arranged here. In 1930, 88.4 % of the population was German. In the beginning of the 20th century the town saw tensions between Czech and German speaking people, resulting in the expulsion of Germans followingWorld War II .Famous people
*
Martin Doktor (born 1974), canoeing World and Olympic champion (born in nearbyPolička )
* Viktor Felber (1880 - 1942), professor of engineering, in 1930-31 head ofCzech Technical University
* Alexander Makowsky (1833 - 1908), geologist
* Valentin Oswald Ottendorfer (1826 - 1900), anarchist, entrepreneur, philanthropist
*Oskar Schindler (28 April 1908 – 9 October 1974),Sudeten German industrialist credited with saving almost 1,200 Jews during the HolocaustExternal links
* [http://www.svitavy.cz/ Official website] cs icon
* [http://www.muzeum.svitavy.cz/ City Museum] cs icon
* [http://www.bohemianet.com/pardubicky_kraj/svitavy/svitavy_en.htm/ Brief History] en icon
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