Děčín and its History
Děčín is located in north-western Bohemia at the confluence of two rivers, the Labe( Elbe) River and Ploučnice. Its history is interesting because there is Czech and German element in it.
It was settled in the 9th century by the Slavic tribe of Děčané. They gave the name to the town. In the 10th century the Přemyslid dukes built a ford, but it was rebuilt in 1059. King Ottokar II of Bohemia( 1253 – 1278) had the town of Děčín laid out as an administrative centre of the surrounding estates after calling in German settlers. The population, history and culture stayed German until their expulsion in 1945. It was under the control of the Lords of Wartenberg until 1534, when Lord Rudolf von Bünau bought it. This family introduced Protestantism to the region and the town flourished, however the Protestant belief was suppressed by the Habsburg kings in the course of the Counter-Reformation, and the Bünaus were driven out upon the 1620 Battle of White Mountain. In 1628 they sold the town to the Barons of Thun, it was devastated several times during the Thirty Years ' War.
In the 18th century, Tetschen, a German name for Děčín, followed fashion and became a spa town. The centre was not the ideal place to build a spa and the idea was eventually dropped in 1922. Soon, neighbouring Bodenbach grew bigger than Tetschen and received town privileges in 1901. Upon the 1938 Munich Agreement, both towns were annexed by Nazi Germany, incorporated into the Sudetenland and merged in 1942. The population, history and culture stayed German until their expulsion in 1945.
After World War II the German population was disseized and expelled according to the 1945 Potsdam Agreement and the Beneš decrees. The area was inhabited by many people from Czechoslovakia who got a piece of land, job and a place to live in Děčín.
The Děčín Castle was formed into barracks and during the Soviet occupation used by the Red Army. When they finally left in the year 1991, the castle was in a bad state. But now you can’ t really tell, because it is in a great condition.
ford: a shallow place in a river or stream allowing one to walk or drive across = crossing( R. B.)