6. Slavní lyžaři na katolickém hřbitově

FAMOUS SKIERS AT THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY

Rudolf Gabessam (13/06/1858 Olešnička u Štěpánova – 08/01/1912 Nové Město na Moravě)

a district forest officer, the first skier in the Novoměstsko region

In 1890 he ordered a pair of skis from Norway to make his work in forests easier in winter. After a week of training, pulled by a horse-drawn sleigh, he skied to Koska’s pub in Studnické Paseky to play cards. He showed everyone what he learned in the field in front of the pub. Inspired by Gabessam, the district forest officer’s friends had their skis made and skiing started gaining popularity in the region.

Ing. Karel Mrkvička (28/05/1887 Nové Město na Moravě – 16/04/1959 Nové Město na Moravě)

a skier, geometrist and one of the pioneers of skiing in Nové Město na Moravě

Ever since he was young, he was an excellent athlete – as a goalkeeper of the local football team he helped popularize the sport in Nové Město na Moravě. A member of the Skating club, he used to show off his figure skating skills at Kazmír’s pond. He won the first skiing race held in Nové Město na Moravě on 2 February 1910. The award (a figure of a skier) is on display at the Museum of Horácko. In the same year at a race in Vysoké nad Jizerou, the Skiing Union raised awareness of skiing in Nové Město na Moravě. That led to the establishment of the Sports club in Nové Město and Bohumil Hanč was charged with the task of teaching local skiing courses. After Hanč’s tragic death, Mrkvička taught the courses himself. He won the race held on the occasion of a grand opening of the Tourist Chalet at Harus hill. Since 1923 he acted as an official of the local Sports club and after that for many years, he was a chief of the Brno division of the Czechoslovak Ski Union. His tasks included organizing races, designing and being in command of the courses and acting as jury. He also trained many of his successors.In addition, he was also one of the founders of the Golden Ski race.
In 1975 in honour of his legacy, a Karel Mrkvička award was established, which is awarded by the City Council to individuals who contribute to the development of skiing.

František Zajíček (15/11/1912 Radňovice – 19/01/1987 Radňovice)

an olymphic athlete, resistance movement hero, a victim of the communist persecution

He loved skiing ever since he was little – he won his first race at the age of nine. He was an active athlete of the Sports club in Nové Město – both in cross-country skiing and ski jumping. In 1940 he was part of a winning relay at the Czech National Championship at Radhošť. He joined the resistance movement and then had to spend the rest of the war outside the law. After the end of the war, he started skiing again and also started athletics. Unfortunately, not long after, he was arrested and sentenced to life on fabricated charges of spying and high treason. He was released after difficult 11 years in prison. At the brink of his life, he got back to skiing and worked as a ski instructor in Velké Meziříčí, where he was well-liked. In 1991 his rank of major was restored and later that year he was in memoriam promoted to a colonel.

Jaroslav Zajíček (31/5/1920 Radňovice – 05/11/2002 Radňovice)

an agriculturer, a ski legend of Nové Město na Moravě, five-time World Champion

Born into a family with a small homestead, he had to take on the burden of caring for the homestead at a very young age. The physical work he did in agriculture provided the basis for his great physical condition. Even when he was at the top of his skiing career, between races he still had to work with a horse-drawn carriage at home. In 1939 he became the Junior World Champion in the 8km race. As a member of the relay team from Nové Město na Moravě (Zajíček, Hlaváč, Dvořák, Balvín), he became a five-time Czech National Champion in the 10km relay race (1941, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950). In 1948 he competed at the Olympic Games at St. Moritz. Well-liked by his peers, he was an honourable man with a specific sense of humour. That is how his loved ones remember him. In 1995 he was awarded an honorary citizenship of Nové Město na Moravě.

Ing. Mirko Tulis (1921 Nové Město na Moravě – 1979 Daňkovice)

a long-time leader of skiers in Nové Město na Moravě

In the 1950s he became the leader of the Sokol Ski group in Nové Město na Moravě. He put together a great team that organized ski races. Being a civil engineer, he personally contributed to the reconstruction of the cross-country courses. He also designed a new profile of the wooden tower and outrun of the ski jumping hill “Na Šibenici”, he coordinated the construction of the new jumping hill by the starch plant.
For 22 years, Mirko Tulis acted as the director of the Golden Ski race, National Championships and local Championships.

Leoš Stehlík (05/10/1906 Vienna – 23/03/1959 Nové Město na Moravě)

a meber of the national skiing team

He competed at the 1929 World Championship in Zakopane and the 1933 World Championship in Innsbruck, the 1928 University World Championship in Cortina d´Ampezzo and the 1930 University World Championship in Davos (second place in the relay race). He became a significant local figure as the founder and owner of the Medlov hotel, among other things, he offered his guests special procedures in order to bring them closer to nature. He died tragically as a miner in the uranium mines.

The second station of our educational trail, which is located outside of the house no. 34 at Palacký’s square, is dedicated to the famous athletes of the Německý family, Josef Německý (06/12/1900 – 10/06/1943) and Otakar Německý (02/03/1902 – 18/03/1967), whose achievements contributed to the world sports history. The local evangelic cemetery serves as a resting place of the founders and the successors of the famous Slonek family – skiers and ski makers (see station no. 9).

Author: AH, LS